ALGERIA: ALGIERS: VOTERS GO TO POLLS IN LOCAL ELECTIONS скачать в хорошем качестве

ALGERIA: ALGIERS: VOTERS GO TO POLLS IN LOCAL ELECTIONS

(23 Oct 1997) Natural Sound Voters in blood-soaked Algeria chose local and regional leaders on Thursday for the first time in seven years. But few are hopeful the election would curb the violence that has left an estimated 75-thousand people dead. Hundreds of civilians have died in massacres and bombings in the weeks leading up to the vote. These elections are meant to finish rebuilding Algeria's political structure, dismantled by the military-backed regime in 1992 in a move that triggered a ruthless, relentless Islamic insurgency. They've drawn minimal enthusiasm from the nation's 16 (m) million voters and caused concerns that the ballot will be rigged. Pro-government parties are expected to win, consolidating the powers of President Liamine Zeroual, a retired general. Polls opened at 8 a.m. (0700 GMT) and will close 12 hours later. Results are expected on Friday, and final figures by Saturday evening. The army has been mobilized to guard the country's almost 40-thousand (37,500) voting stations. The local elections are the first since the once-powerful Islamic Salvation Front (F-I-S) - which was poised to win power in 1992 before the army cancelled legislative elections - won a resounding victory in a similar vote in 1990. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...