The Country of Return Information Project functions as a network of NGO’s for the collection and transfer of specific information on reintegration possibilities for potential returnees and their counsellors. All questions you may have on reintegration possibilities and on which you don’t find the answer in this country sheet, can be directed to the helpdesk “Country of Return Information and Vulnerable Groups”. E-mail: [email protected] COUNTRY SHEET ALGERIA (EL JAZĀ'IR) The Country of Return Information Project and Vulnerable Groups runs until June 2009 and is funded by the European Community. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may MAY 09 be made of the information provided. Sole responsibility for its content lies with the author. DISCLAIMER This Country Sheet is for informational purposes only and no rights can be derived from its contents. The CRI-partners will do their utmost to include accurate, corroborated, transparent and up-to-date information, but make no warrants as to its accuracy or completeness. Consequently, the CRI-partners do not accept responsibility in any way for the information in this Country Sheet and accept no liability for damages of any kind arising from using the information in this Country Sheet. The information in this Country Sheet has been retrieved in collaboration with local partners. This Country Sheet contains links to websites that are created and maintained by other organizations. The CRI-project does not take any responsibility for the content of these websites. The CRI-partners are the partners who participate fully in the CRI-project: Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen, Asociación Comissión Católica Española de Migración, Caritas International Belgium, Consiglio Italiano Per I Rifugiati, Coordination et Initiatives pour les Réfugiés et Étrangers and Dansk Flygtningehjælp. Further information can be obtained at [email protected] The Country Sheet Algeria is a product of the CRI project. CRI-country sheets are prepared mainly on the basis of publicly available information, completed with data gathered by local partners in the specific countries, and will be updated periodically. 2 ABBREVIATIONS ADS : Social Development Agency (Agence de Développement Social) AIS : Islamic Army for Salvation (Armée Islamiste du Salut) ANEM : National Employment Agency (Agence Nationale pour l'Emploi) ANGEM : National Agency for Micro-Credit (Association Nationale de Gestion du Micro-crédit) ANP : National Popular Army (Armée Nationale Populaire) ANSEJ : National Agency for Assisting Youth Employment (Association Nationale de Soutien à l’Emploi des Jeunes) APC: District people’s Assembly (Assemblée Populaire Communale) APN: Algerian People’s National Assembly (Assemblée populaire nationale) CNAC : National Unemployment Insurance Fund (Caisse Nationale d'Assurance Chômage) CNAS : National Social Security Fund (Caisse Nationale d'Assurance Santé) CNL: National Housing Fund (Caisse Nationale du Logement) CNR : National Pension fund (Caisse Nationale des Retraités) CPE : Pre-Employment Contract (Contrat Pré Emploi ) CRE : Centres for Job Seeking (Centres de Recherche d'Emploi) DRS : Department Information and Safety (Département Renseignement et Sécurité) DZD : Algerian Dinar EPLF: Family Housing Promotion Company (Entreprise de Promotion du Logement Familial) ESIL : Local Initiative Paid Job (Emploi Salarié d'initiative Locale) EU : European Union EUR : Euro FIS : Islamic Front for Salvation (Front Islamiste du Salut) FLN : National Liberation Front (Front de Libération National) GDP : Gross Domestic Product GIA : Islamic Armer Group (Groupe Islamique Armé) GSPC : Salafi Group for Preaching and Combat (Groupe Salafiste pour la Prédication et le Combat)1 1 In January 2007, it changed its name to al-Qaeda in the Maghreb 3 IAIG : Compensation for General Interest Activity (Indemnité pour Activité d’Intérêt Général) IDMC : Internal Displacement Monitoring Center ILO: International Labour Organization IOM : International Organization for Migrations LADDH : Algerian League for Human Rights Defense (Ligue Algérienne de Défense des Droits de l'homme ) LSL: Low-cost houses for rent ( Logement Social locatif) LSP: Social Participative Housing (Logement social participatif) MIREM : Return Migrations to the Maghreb (Migrations de Retour au Maghreb) NGO : Non Governmental Organization ONS : Nation office of the Statistics (Office National des Statistiques) OPGI : Real Estate Promotion and Management Bureau (Office de Promotion et de Gestion Immobilière) PCSC : Complementary Plan for Growth Support (Plan complémentaire de soutien à la croissance) REAB : Return and Emigration of Asylum seekers Ex Belgium (IOM Belgium programme for Return) TUP-HIMO : Highly Workforce-Intensive Public Utility Works (Travaux d'Utilité Publique à Haute Intensité de Main d'oeuvre) SNMG : Minimal legal wage (salaire national minimum garanti) SNTF : National company of the Rail-bound Transports (Société Nationale des Transports Ferroviaires) UN: United Nations UNHCR : United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees USD : US Dollar 4 Table des matières 1 Access to territory (from country of asylum to return area).............................................7 1.1 Documentation............................................................................................8 1.1.1 Travel documents needed for returnees ........................................................8 1.1.2 Documents needed in the country of return (e.g. residence permit, obligatory ID)......8 1.1.3 How to obtain necessary documents (conditions, processing time).........................8 1.1.4 Price of necessary documents.....................................................................9 1.2 Travel to country of origin (means, approximate prices, duration, luggage limits, contacts, etc.).............................................................................................................9 1.2.1 By air..................................................................................................9 1.2.2 By land ...............................................................................................9 1.2.3 By sea...............................................................................................10 1.3 Entry procedure (proceeding authority, interrogation, control, detention, bribes, etc.) ....10 1.4 Impacts of former acts and statuses upon entry....................................................10 1.4.1 Impacts of former refugee or subsidiary protection status..................................11 1.4.2 Impacts of former unsuccessful asylum claim.................................................12 1.4.3 Impacts of former illegal exit from country of origin........................................14 1.4.4 Impacts of crime committed outside the country of origin (risk of double jeopardy)...14 1.4.5 Customs regulation (how the relevant regulation be obtained)............................14 1.5 Access to return area ...................................................................................16 1.5.1 Limitations on internal travel....................................................................16 1.5.2 Territories impossible or dangerous to approach (landmine, natural degradation, etc.) ..............................................................................................................16 1.5.3 Means of internal travel (contact and practical information, price list, etc.)...........17 2 Physical security (in return area)...........................................................................17 2.1 On-going armed conflicts...............................................................................18 2.2 Regions with high security risk (political, inter-ethnic or inter-religious tension, etc.)......18 2.3 Crime......................................................................................................19 2.3.1 Regions with an extremely high level of crime (threatening physical security).........21 2.3.2 Risk of becoming a victim of human trafficking...............................................21 2.3.3 Risk of becoming a victim of forced prostitution.............................................22 2.3.4 Effectiveness of protection (capacities, proficiency, corruption, etc.)...................22 3 Social security and reintegration ...........................................................................26 3.1 Regions with no reintegration and return opportunities (e.g. natural disasters, famine, etc.) ..................................................................................................................26 3.2 Housing, accommodation...............................................................................26 3.2.1 Property restitution and/or compensation (in former zones of conflict or disaster)....26 3.2.2 Housing programmes by return areas ..........................................................27 3.2.3 Opportunities of building a house...............................................................28 3.2.4 Opportunities of buying real estate.............................................................29 3.2.5 Opportunities of renting a house or apartment .............................................33 3.2.6 Other middle-term accommodation possibilities (shelters, NGOs, church, etc.)........35 3.2.7 Temporary shelters available until being able to ensure long-term accommodation....36 3.3 Livelihood – basic “survival”...........................................................................36 3.3.1 Employment .......................................................................................36 3.3.2 Contact information relevant to the issue of recognition of degrees obtained elsewhere ..............................................................................................................40 3.3.3 Education and retraining programmes (access to them, costs).............................41 3.3.4 Starting a new business...........................................................................42 3.3.5 Social Security.....................................................................................46 3.3.6 Charity organisations with a general scope (services, contact information)..............54 5 3.3.7 Useful data to calculate the cost of living (price of petrol, basic food, etc.)............56 3.4 Health.....................................................................................................57 3.4.1 General health situation by regions (epidemics, etc.).......................................58 3.4.2 Drinking water and sanitation by regions; heating systems ................................59 3.4.3 Health care system (including psychological care)...........................................60 4 Human Rights..................................................................................................64 4.1 Women....................................................................................................64 4.1.1 Specific risks to women...........................................................................65 4.1.2 Specific support for vulnerable women........................................................66 4.1.3 Contraceptive (women)...........................................................................67 4.1.4 Abortion.............................................................................................67 4.1.5 Single women with children born out of wedlock.............................................67 4.2 Men........................................................................................................68 4.2.1 Military Service....................................................................................68 4.3 Children...................................................................................................70 4.3.1 Special risks faced by children in general .....................................................70 4.3.2 Shelters and children missions ..................................................................71 4.3.3 Nurseries and Kindergarten......................................................................71 4.3.4 Working children...................................................................................72 4.4 Elderly people............................................................................................72 4.4.1 Housing and caring dispositions for elderly (State, NGO)....................................72 4.5 Persons with disabilities................................................................................73 4.6 Victims of terrorism.....................................................................................74 4.7 Homosexuals.............................................................................................75 4.8 Christians ................................................................................................76 6 1 Access to territory (from country of asylum to return area) R eadmission of Algerian nationals The article 84 from the Association Agreement between Algeria (El Jazā'ir) and the EU2 plans on a cooperation in the prevention and control of illegal immigration: 1. The parties reaffirm the importance which they attach to the development of mutually beneficial cooperation in relation to the exchange of information on illegal immigration flows and agree to cooperate in order to prevent and control illegal immigration. To this end : - Algeria (El Jazā'ir), on the one hand, and each Member State of the Community, on the other hand, agree to readmit any of their nationals illegally present on the territory of the other party, after the necessary identification formalities have been completed ; - Algeria (El Jazā'ir) and the Member States of the Community shall provide their nationals with the appropriate identity documents for this purpose. 2. Desirous of facilitating the movement and residence of their nationals whose status is regular, the parties agree to negotiate, at the request of either party, the conclusion of agreements on combating illegal immigration and on readmission. Control and movement of persons The control of the person’s circulation in Algeria is provided by the Direction of Border Police and Immigration. In the framework of the implementation of international conventions, of national laws and regulations, the Direction of Border Police and Immigration must: - Control the circulation of persons and property at the borders - Contribute to the prevention and repression of offences to border laws and regulations - Guarantee the security in harbours and airports - Research and collect information in border areas - Guarantee the control of vehicle, ship, yachts or fishing vessels’ circulation in the framework of its prerogatives - Guarantee the implementation of regulations ensued from international conventions regarding the movement of specific goods (weapons, radioactive products, chemicals, dangerous products, hazardous products, explosives etc.) - Fight illegal immigration - Finally, it must control and inspect the border police services across the national territory The Direction of Border Police and Immigration includes: - Vice directorate for persons circulation; - Vice directorate for harbour and airport security; - Vice directorate for studies and statistics; - Official centre for illegal immigration 2 Come into effect on September 1, 2005. Complete text available to the following address http://www.algerian-embassy.be/eu/aa/Accord-dz-ue%20fr.pdf (accessed 4 December 2007) 7 It also has border police at regional level as well as brigades on a local level3. 1.1 Documentation 1.1.1 Travel documents needed for returnees Persons wishing to return must be in possession of their Algerian passport (valid for 5 years) as well as their Algerian National Identity Card4. The consulate delivers documents to Algerian nationals as stated in the presidential decree No 02- 407 of 21 Ramadhan 1423 corresponding to the 26 November 2002 establishing the functions of heads of consular posts of the democratic and popular Algerian Republic of Algeria according to the articles 34 and 36 (official Journal of the democratic and popular no 79 from 1 December 2002. In case of loss of these documents, one should apply for an exceptional laissez-passer to the Consulate5. This laissez-passer allows the crossing of only one border, which is the border of the country where the consulate is located. In exceptional cases it allows the crossing of borders in transit, but on condition that this is formally mentioned in the document, and is left to the appreciation of the authorities concerned but Algerian consulates usually refuse to issue such a laissez-passer.6 Persons with special needs (Women, children, Orphans, the Elders, handicapped, mentally ill) must have the same travel documents and respect the travel and border regulations just as the other Algerian nationals. 1.1.2 Documents needed in the country of return (e.g. residence permit, obligatory ID) In order to be allowed to enter Algerian territory, each national must provide proof of his Algerian nationality by submitting a passport (even if it has expired), or a National Identity Card (even if it has expired), or an exceptional laissez-passer issued by an Algerian consulate abroad. In that case the border control will be more strict and will result in longer waiting time at the border. If no documents regarding Algerian nationality are submitted one is held at the border for the period of time necessary to verify the submitted information with the authorities. In this case the duration of the retention is much longer and can take up one week.7 1.1.3 How to obtain necessary documents (conditions, processing time) The necessary documents can be obtained from the competent Algerian consulate. This consulate is authorized to issue or renew a passport, to issue or renew an identity card, to issue an exceptional laissez-passer or to handle the formalities of military service. However these formalities (documents to issue), waiting time for the issuance thereof and tariffs are not uniform. Algerians should contact the consulate under which territorial jurisdiction they reside in order to obtain this information.8 3 Algerian Police website - http://www.dgsn.dz/fr/dpf.php – (access 9 may 2008) 4 Algerian Police website - http://www.dgsn.dz/fr/dpf.php – (access 9 may 2008) 5 Website of the Algerian General Consuilate – Lille http://www.consulatalgerielille.org/lais_pass.htm (access 9 may 2008) 6 interview of a MAE-DGAC's member (Ministry for Foreign Affairs - Directorate-General of the Consular Matters) in a Bar of Algiers – 14 February 07. 7 Interview of a DGSN-PAF's member (Directorate-General of National Security - Police force of the Air and the Borders) - International airport of Algiers - 13 February 07 8 List of Algerian consulates worldwide http://www.algeriantourism.com/pratique/consulats.php (accessed 8 Authorities providing necessary documents to Algerian nationals living abroad and returning to Algeria: The Algerian Official Journal no 79 from 1 December 2002 stipulates: Article 34: the head of consular post issues the national identity cards and the individual passports to registered Algerian nationals. He proceeds with the renewal of the validity of the passports and the renewal of the documents. Article 36: the head of consular post can make out laissez-passer to Algerian nationals not registered or without any valid travel document. The laissez-passer is only valid for the trip to Algeria through the fastest route. The principal measures fixed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in favour of Algerian nationals living abroad, following the Seminar of General Consuls and Consuls (12-15 December 2002) are available on the site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: www.mae.dz 1.1.4 Price of necessary documents Algerian consulates in European countries do not all apply the same prices and taxes, however, every Algerian citizen must go to the consulate in his area for exact information. 1.2 Travel to country of origin (means, approximate prices, duration, luggage limits, contacts, etc.) There are 3 possible modes of transport. 1.2.1 By air There are several companies serving Algeria (El Jazā'ir) (ex Europe) : Aigle Azur www.aigle-azur.fr Air Algérie www.airalgerie.dz Alitalia www.alitalia.com Air France www.airfrance.fr Spanair www.spanair.com British Airways www.britishairways.com Lufthansa www.lufhtansa.com More often than not it is cheaper to buy a return ticket instead of a single ticket. Prices vary for tickets ex Europe to Algeria (El Jazā'ir) and are between an average of 250,00 EUR (Aigle Azur) to 650,00 EUR, the majority being around 350,00 EUR. Prices for a one-way ticket vary between 400,00 and 800,00 Euros according to the company. Prices can be compared on websites such as www.easyvols.fr, www.1voyage.com It is worth mentioning that discounts for children and seniors are applied differently by travel agencies. 1.2.2 By land It is possible to combine an overland trip with a voyage at sea by ferry (cf infra). December 2007 9 It is also possible to drive to Algeria (El Jazā'ir) by car from Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Niger. The land border between Morocco and Algeria (El Jazā'ir) is closed, it is therefore impossible to cross this border by car. 1.2.3 By sea Maritime connections are provided by the Compagnie Nationale Algérienne (Algerian Ferries), and SNCM. Departure from the ports of Alicante, Almeria, Barcelona, Marseille, Sète and arrivals in the ports of Algiers (El Jazā'ir), Oran (Wahran), Ghazaouet, Bejaïa, Skikda, Annaba. Algeria Ferries www.algerieferries.com Ports served are in Europe Marseille and Alicante; and in Algeria (El Jazā'ir) Algiers (El Jazā'ir), Oran (Wahran), Ghazaouet, Bejaïa, Skikda, Annaba. A simple ticket Marseille-Algiers (El Jazā'ir) for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children), costs about 800 euros. SNCM http://www.sncm.fr Departure from France and Spain, destination Algiers (El Jazā'ir) or Oran (Wahran). Many different prices (with or without car etc...); cabin prices from 40 to 60 EUR, but business class possible for less. For example, a single ticket full tariff Alicante-Algiers (El Jazā'ir), for a family of 4 (including 2 children) travelling business class and having their car on the ferry would cost 966 EUR in high season and 706 EUR in low season. 1.3 Entry procedure (proceeding authority, interrogation, control, detention, bribes, etc.) All the Algerian police stations at the air frontiers and the ocean frontiers are electronically connected to the central database, allowing for a quick control. Persons who are not the subject of a warrant or a detention order, or of a an inquiry notice, are only held up for the time needed to check the database. Persons who are the subject of an inquiry notice of a warrant or a detention order, are immediately delivered to justice or to the authority who is searching them. In case of doubt, particularly in the case of people who assume to be granted the benefit of the charter for national reconciliation and who have not informed the consulate about this in the country were they stayed, may be interrogated at the police station when entering the territory. Following this they are authorized to enter and have total freedom of movement.9 1.4 Impacts of former acts and statuses upon entry Charter for national reconciliation10 According to the declarations of the head of government, M. Belkhadem, regarding the return to the country of certain leaders of the dissolved party, party members who were not prosecuted would be allowed to enter and leave the country and same would apply to those people who have benefited from reconciliation measures. He added that "each person under the charter for national reconciliation have the same rights, within and outside the country".»11 9 Interview of a DGSN-PAF's member (Directorate-General of National Security - Police force of the Air and the Borders) - International airport of Algiers - 13 February 07 10 The entire national charter can be read on the site of the presidency : www.elmouradia.dz/ 11 Website of the Algerian Department of Foreign Affairs- 31 October 2006 - “le bilan de l'application de la charte pour la paix et la réconciliation nationale "satisfaisant" http://193.194.78.233/ma_fr/stories.php?story=06/11/05/4938864 (accessed 4 December 2007) 10