Algerians demand resignation of French ambassador over 'discriminatory' comments

Algerians have demanded that the French envoy to their country be expelled after he made comments some have interpreted as discriminatory.

Algerians have taken to social media to accuse Bernard Emie of giving special treatment to the minority Berber community in regards to handing out French visas.

"Sixty percent of visas issued by France's embassy are granted to inhabitants of the Kabylia region, and 50 percent of Algerian students in France come from this region," Emie said during a public meeting in Tizi-Ouzou.

Tizi-Ouzou, about 100 kilometre east of the capital Algiers, is the unofficial capital of Algeria's significant Berber ethnic minority, which has long complained of state-sponsored cultural discrimination.

Last year, riots between Algeria's Arab and Berber communities left at least 22 dead in the city of Ghardaia.

Algeria's Foreign Minister, Ramtane Lamamra, described the ambassador's remarks as "unfortunate".

"Our diplomatic profession stipulates encouraging, in any circumstances, statements that bring people together not those which divide… we should not discriminate between citizens of the country in which we are accredited," said Lamamra.

Social media users in Algeria have responded by calling for their government to cut ties with France and for the ambassador to be forced out of his role, using the Arabic-language hashtag #ExpelTheFrenchAmbassador.

Translation: "The Algerian government has to sever relations with France for good and the [traitors who fought for the French during the war] who are still in the country should leave with the ambassador."

Translation: "National unity is the red line Mr French ambassador."

Translation: "They still don't understand that no one can separate the Arab and the Berber communities [in Algeria]. The Arab spring has not affected us, keep those troubles away from us."


In response to the backlash, the French embassy has released a statement clarifying that it does not have a discriminatory quota policy for handing out visas and that Emie's comments have been "misunderstood".

Last month, Algeria summoned the French ambassador to complain about a "hostile campaign" against the country's president by French media following the Panama Papers leak.