The Tamazight Teachers Association of Tizi-Uzzu issued the following press release on February 28th to announce that it will be holding a full day protest on March 3, 2008 in front of the Tizi-Uzzu Board of Education offices. The Tamazight Teachers association states that it is tired of the practices of the Board that consisted so far of ignoring all of the problems that the Tamazight teachers are confronted with. Even the directives of the Ministry of education are arbitrarily ignored. Back in January it was the Tamazight teachers association of Bgayet that organized a protest to call for the reintegration of Education Inspector Yahia Belli.

 

Tiddukla n yiselmaden n tutlayt tamaziɣt n Tizi-Uzzu
Association des enseignants de Tamazight de Tizi-Ouzou
Immeuble CRMA 80, Av. Abane Ramdane, Local n° 08. BP. 30, Tizi-Ouzou
E. Mail : iselmaden.tamazight@gmail.com
Tél. 07.73.37.30.76

DECLARATION

Depuis sa création, l’Association des enseignants de Tamazight de la wilaya de Tizi-Ouzou a toujours privilégié le dialogue et la concertation avec la tutelle. Dans ce cadre, après différentes réunions de travail au niveau du Ministère de l’Education Nationale plusieurs acquis ont été arrachés, notamment :

-          L’introduction de tamazight dans le cycle primaire.
-          L’application d’une stratégie visant la  généralisation progressive de cet enseignement dans tous les niveaux.
-          L’accord d’un cœfficient de 02 pour tous les paliers.
-          L’ouverture de plusieurs dizaines de postes budgétaires.

Tous ces points ont été clairement mentionnés dans deux circulaires émanant du MEN, à savoir :

-          La circulaire n° 446, datant de novembre 2006.
-          La circulaire n° 426, datant de juillet 2007.

Mais il se trouve que la plupart de ces acquis ont été remis en cause par la Direction de l’Education de la wilaya de Tizi-Ouzou.
 
Jusqu’au jour d’aujourd’hui, le dossier du primaire est géré d’une façon opaque et anarchique. En plus de cela, les enseignants subissent au quotidien un mépris de la part des services concernés auquel s’ajoute l’attitude autoritaire et hautaine de plusieurs inspecteurs zélés des circonscriptions du primaire qui refusent arbitrairement l’application des circulaires du MEN.

Malgré l’ouverture de plusieurs dizaines de postes budgétaires, la généralisation de l’enseignement de tamazight telle que promise par le Ministère de l’Education tarde toujours à voir le jour et ce malgré la réunion de toutes les conditions nécessaires.

Depuis l’introduction de tamazight dans le système éducatif algérien en 1995, le nombre de postes ouvert dans le secondaire n’a pas changé d’un iota. Cette situation s’est malheureusement répercutée sur les élèves du Moyen qui, après quatre années d’assiduité et un résultat au BEM 2007 plus qu’honorable ( + 80% de réussite en tamazight), se retrouvent sans enseignement de cette matière au lycée, combien même revendiquée par ces élèves et leurs parents.

Toujours dans le cadre de la concertation et du dialogue, plusieurs réunions de travail ont été tenues avec les responsables de la Direction de l’Education de Tizi-Ouzou pour tenter de trouver des solutions à ces différents problèmes. Mais il se trouve que ces responsables n’ont jamais essayé de donner une suite favorable à nos différentes doléances, mais ils ont toujours préféré manœuvrer dans l’unique objectif de calmer les esprits en nous berçant de toutes les promesses possibles qui n’ont jamais été concrétisées.

A ce jour, la situation financière et administrative de la majorité des enseignants de tamazight reste pendante.

Face à cet état de fait, l’Association des enseignants de tamazight de la wilaya de Tizi-Ouzou ne cesse de s’interroger sur les véritables raisons de ce blocage qu’elle assimile à un pur blocage et interpelle les autorités compétentes pour intervenir afin de trouver les solutions qui s’imposent.

Vu le mutisme de notre tutelle, l’Association des enseignants de tamazight de la wilaya de Tizi-Ouzou se trouve dans l’obligation, étant donné que toutes les autres voies ont été épuisées,  d’organiser une journée de protestation le lundi 03 mars 2008 au niveau de la Direction de l’Education de Tizi-Ouzou.

Tizi-Ouzou, le 28 février 2008

Once more in a part of Morocco that may be labeled as worthless, freedom of expression and demonstration are paid at the price of fallacious charges and unacceptable sentences.  Ten Amazigh activists were arrested and sentenced Thursday February 21, 2008 by the court of Morocco to a total of 34 years in prison. These ruthless sentences were handed down following the widespread protest that became known as “Tagrest Taberrkant” (the “Black Winter") of Bumal-n-Dades and of the demonstrations of Warzazat.  Here is the verdict rendered by the Makhzenian justice!
-          OUDALI Younes, high-school student:  6 years of imprisonment.
-          OROUZANE Brahim and AIT-HSSEIN Mohamed (immigrants) 1-year imprisonment each.
-          OUBALI El-Houssein, ATIL Mostafa, ELOUARDI Mostafa, AIT-SAID My Brahim, CHAOUKI Mimoun, CHARIF Abdenacer: 4-year imprisonment each.

Worst of all, the teenager ADJIK Noureddine, a high school student was not even given the benefit of a deferred sentence so that he could complete his schooling. He got 2 years!

For the record, these activists were arrested and accused of the following:  Unauthorized gatherings, civil disobedience, burning of the national flag, obstruction of public spaces, destruction of state property, humiliation of a civil servant while on duty. Clearly nothing that deserves more than a fine and perhaps a few days of community service…in a civilized country. The list of victims of the Moroccan style apartheid goes on.

These Let us recall that ten political prisoners of the MCA (Amazigh Cutural Movement) in Ameknas still await - after a new postponement - their turn in front of judges that are helpless under the pressure of the Makhzen.

Source: www.asekka.net

Translated from French by ACAA

The Amazigh new year was celebrated on the 19th of January, 2008 at the Cambridge YWCA. The attendance was fair (about 65 participants). A rich program was presented by the local Morrocan community that I would like to thank for its commitment. Credit is due to Mustapha Mahfoudi and Addi Ouadderrou who prepared the program for the evening.

The program included:
- A talk on the significance of Yennayer given by Mokhtar from Vermont,
- Ahwac, a traditional dance and songs from the the Atlas Mountains presented by a group led by Addi (Boston, MA),
- A fashion show of traditional Amazigh costumes from Algeria and Moroco. This show was presented by Addi,
- A Morrocan-Amazigh Rug was donated by Addi and auctioned for the benefit of ACAA,
-  Live Music by AZA, an Amazigh Morrocan group from California
-   A Morrocan couscous dinner 

Last but not least, the room was beautifully decorated with Amazigh arts and crafts. For this portion, our thanks go to Addi for his deidcation. Addi is a owner of a boutique of Morrocan craftsmanship in Somerville, MA. 

I would like to add that this event showed the possibility for our association to act truly as a Pan-Amazigh organization. It also showed the necessity to remobilize our community.   

Arezki Boudif

ACAA held Yennayer celebrations in Chicago, Boston and Somerset, NJ. All three locations have been relatively well attended. Members and their friends joined together in this yearly important cultural event that is designed to allow people to share food and their hopes for a prosperous new year. Yennayer is a tradition that goes far back in time, the proof of that is the date itself. January 12 corresponds to the eve of the Julian new year.

Yennayer is celebrated throughout Tamazgha and in many other parts of the world. In Tamazgha, different regions give it a different flavor, but all with the central idea that Yennayer is the time to wish for abundance, and prosperity. In the US, we also hope to keep this tradition alive with our own flavor. In NJ, this year, all the children who attended received a goodies. One of the items in the bag is a handfull of dried fruits and nuts wrapped in a very shiny paper and attached with ribbons to the colors of the Amazigh flag. Giving kids dried fruits and nuts is part of Yennayer. This is still being done in some areas of Tamazgha.

Click on the file below to see the Yennayer flier and a document that describes what Yennayer is.

ennayer.pdf
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