Merlin provides emergency healthcare to previously inaccessible area of the Democratic Republic of Congo
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Algerians burn city hall over housing shortage
21 Dec 2004 14:49:28 GMT
Source: Reuters
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ALGIERS, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Rioting youths set fire to a city hall in a town in northern Algeria on Monday in the latest protests over a housing shortage, residents said. Security forces used tear gas to disperse about 200 people who hurled stones at anti-riot police in Bou Saada, a town some 200 km (125 miles) southeast of the capital Algiers, a local journalist said. Another resident said: "Rioters attacked the city hall, where violent clashes took clashes took place before spreading to the streets." The clashes broke out when angry youths attacked the town's city hall to denounce what they saw as unfair distribution of new state-subsidised flats. Youths looted parts of the building, parts of which were destroyed in the fire. There were no reports of injuries in the disturbances, which are becoming more frequent as frustrated youths take to streets over the lack of housing and jobs. Dozens of rioters and six policemen were injured in similar incidents a week ago in Oran, Algeria's second largest city. Several demonstators have since received up to eight months in jail. It is illegal to demonstrate in Algeria unless organisers obtain authorisations from authorities. Permission is rarely granted. President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has pledged to make a million apartments available in coming years and recently unveiled a five-year $50 billion investment programme to cut unemployment, bolster economic growth and update infrastructure.
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