Algeria shuts out Berber protesters

The authorities want to avoid further clashes

The Algerian authorities have prevented thousands of Berber-speaking protesters from holding a planned protest march through the capital Algiers.

Soldiers wielding machine guns and aided by police dogs set up road-blocks around the capital Algiers and turned back buses coming from the mainly-Berber eastern region of Kabylia to prevent a planned march by on Thursday.

The Berbers had been planning to march to the presidential palace to present a list of demands, but the government has banned all marches in the capital.

The authorities were alarmed by an earlier demonstration in mid-June in which nearly a million protesters crowded onto the streets of the capital.

According to the BBC's North Africa correspondent, David Bamford, the march appeared to have turned into had turned to be turning into a test of strength with the government.

List of demands

Around 5,000 demonstrators - each of them specially chosen to represent the communities of the region - are expected to turn out to present the list of demands to President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

These included a programme to revive the economy of the region and the withdrawal of the gendarmerie - a force seen as corrupt and repressive.

Berbers

Descendants of pre-Arab inhabitants of North Africa

Spread across Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt

Divided into tribes that speak distinct languages, including Rif, Kabyle and Tuareg

Nearly all are Muslims

Kabylia Berbers number about 2m - most work in agriculture

Played major role in Algerian independence war

Denied official recognition as distinct minority in Algeria

The Prime Minister, Ali Benflis, has said he is prepared to meet a small delegation, but no more.

The size of the turnout at the June march - and the fact that it turned violent - clearly unnerved the authorities, and they are saying that the total ban remains in force.

The Berbers insist the authorities planted infiltrators during that protest to provoke fighting and looting and turn the rest of the country against them.

The protests stem from a continuing wave of unrest that began last April, when a Berber youth was killed by police.

About 80 people have been killed since then as protesters continue to demand an improvement in living conditions and the withdrawal from Kabylia of the hated paramilitary police.