(22 Jul 1998) French/Nat
A United Nations delegation has arrived in Algeria to begin fact-finding mission into the mass violence and bloodshed which has claimed 75-thousand lives in the country over the past six years.
The visit of the six-member delegation represents a breakthrough in international efforts to carry out an independent inquiry into the violence.
Eager to put an end to allegations of human rights abuses, the Algerian government has pledged full access to the members of the mission.
But critics have questioned whether the delegates will really have freedom of access to visit massacre sites or meet with leaders of the banned Islamic Salvation Front.
The six members of the fact finding mission put together by U-N Secretary General Kofi Annan arrived in the Algerian capital Algiers on Wednesday afternoon.
The team is led by Portugal's former President Mario Soares and also includes the former prime minister of India, Inder Kumar Gujral and French former Secretary of State Simone Veil.
The team met with Algerian officials at the foreign ministry soon after their arrival.
In an effort to put an end to allegations of human rights abuses, the Algerian government has said that the mission will have full access to the sites provided they have "respect of the country's law".
It is thought that this will rule out any meetings with the banned Islamic Salvation Front, a potential source of information which might be critical to the government.
It is also unclear whether the U-N team will be allowed to visit the towns and villages where massacres have taken place.
However, it is confirmed that they will get to meet Algerian leaders, political groups and newspaper editors during their two-week stay.
The visit represents a breakthrough in international efforts to carry out an independent inquiry into the violence in Algeria.
Algiers had long resisted an inquiry, saying it would amount to interference in the country's internal affairs.
Newspapers were full of stories about the mission on Wednesday.
And people on the streets of Algiers were delighted that the U-N team's had come.
SOUNDBITE: (French)
"The delegation is welcome here. It will have the opportunity to speak and meet M-Ps from all political parties. And they will also have the opportunity to see the reality of our country."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox Pop
SOUNDBITE: (French)
"Things are clear in Algeria. The representatives of the United Nations know everything. For us Algerians, they are very welcome to sweep away the ambiguity."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox Pop
Human rights activists and opposition politicians have urged the U-N group to focus on human rights in the country where, according to Western estimates, 75-thousand people have been killed since 1992 - 90 of them in the past 10 days.
The government blames the killings on Moslem rebels, mostly the radical Armed Islamic Group (G-I-A).
Human rights groups abroad and at home have cast doubts about the perpetrators and raised questions about some of the most gruesome massacres of civilians, carried out within earshot of military barracks and police facilities.
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