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Sultani to Ikhwanweb:We support reconciliation, stretch our hands to all

Algeria’s Society of Peace Movement is considered the most important Islamic movement that started from an early period exercising the official political work and it managed to bypass dangerous stops that were likely more dangerous than the military coup on 1991 elections that led to the win of the Salvation Front .

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Algeria’s Society of Peace Movement is considered the most important Islamic movement that started from an early period exercising the official political work and it managed to bypass dangerous stops that were likely more dangerous than the military coup on 1991 elections that led to the win of the Salvation Front .

It participated in the government despite several accusations against it and it managed to establish itself in the Algerian political field despite those dangers.
Therefore, Ikhwanweb had this interview with Mr./Abu Jara Sultani the chief of Algeria’s Society of Peace Movement .

Ikhwanweb: Give us a profile of emergence of movement and the extent of its ideological and political relations with the Muslim Brotherhood group?

* Sheikh Abu Jara Sultani: the Movement for the Society of Peace was known for its moderation, straightness and call for participating in making a change from inside instead of exercising pressures from abroad which facts on the ground proved that it is deadlocked in Algeria in the medium run and the long run isn’t not visible .

 After more than 20 years of secret activities and more than 15 years of political and Da’wa dealing with the reality, all realized that the Movement for the Society of Peace is an established movement that has constants and it defends them and spreads among people, and that it adapts with variables to achieve the public interest without abandoning its Islamic hue registered in its official papers and translated in its exercises on the ground .

As for the ideological commitments, the movement believes in the Noble Hadith:" the wisdom the believer’s objective wherever he finds it, he is the worthiest one to take it " and we found in all Islamic movements working in the international arena many "wisdoms " and various lessons that we benefitted from in our Da’wa path in both secret and public stages; the Muslim brotherhood has favours on all Islamic movements all over the world because its ideology is based on the famous quintet : Divinity, comprehensiveness, realism, balance, and gradation, which are the bases of the right understanding of Islam apart from extremism of hardliners who call for destroying every thing with a hit of a sword, and apart from the procrastination of those who lagged behind with those who are desperate at any change .

Ikhwanweb: the Movement for the Society of Peace is considered one of pioneer Islamic movements in exercising the political work; what is your evaluation of the performance of movement in the political and government participation, and has the movement actually achieved its targets from the participation?

* Sheikh Abu Jara Sultani: The movement targets are far-reached and need more time and effort, and it realizes that what colonization damaged in 132 years can not be reformed with a participation in a government or a coalition with political trends; these are legitimate means which are  complementary to the educational and Da’wa efforts, and attempts of fighting corruption and restoring people’s rights within framework of what’s available and possible .

We do not claim that we changed the status quo, but we boast that we participated in sorting out what was mixed up and approving Algerian people’s right in their Islam, despite every thing that happened, emotions are stile Islamic, and the souls still yearn for social justice and the state of law and order.

We haven’t achieved a majority in any field so far; therefore we spared no effort in our work and we are ready to be held accountable for the Centigrade installments which the people gave to us; the participation is a long-term strategy policy that time proved its validity in the societies that suffer from political tyranny, economic monopoly and cultural ambiguity; all this needs a long time, and time is part of the reform .

Ikhwanweb: Some accuse you that you twisted democracy with your supporting military government that assumed power after the coup against the elections that resulted in the win of the Salvation Front?

* Sheikh Abu Jara Sultani: Any one who works in the public level can expect any thing and expect all charges, but we remind people as a testimony to history that politics is an Ijtihad disciplined by Sharia, and we have estimated the interest and made our Ijtihd; thanks god, what was a charge against us in the past time has proved it to be a false charge, and sheikh Mahfouz Nahnah became a role-model for sacrificing the party interest for the sake of the country and the Nation and religion, may Allah have mercy on him .

Ikhwanweb: What is the movement’s view to freedom of expression, democracy and party pluralism?

* Sheikh Abu Jara Sultani: We are still at the beginning of the road, but we estimate some of these achievements and aspire for more, as freedom and democracy are a long path that needs a culture of coexistence, and pluralism is a complete option, not a selection; all this can not be constructed in ten or twenty years .

Ikhwanweb: What is the movement’s relation with other political powers specially the Salvation and the Renaissance Movement?

* Sheikh Abu Jara Sultani: the movement stretches its hand to all, and it holds dialogs with all and we have no enmity with any Algeria citizen except those who chose to fight the Nation’s constants and principles: as for those entrenched with us in the same front, we agree in aims and goals and differ in some means that lead to these goals, and our slogan in that golden rule: " we cooperate on we agreed on and the we excuse each other on we differed on" and Algeria accepts all.

Ikhwanweb: What is your evaluation to the initiative of the national reconciliation, has it actually managed to stop the Algerian bloodshed ?

* Sheikh Abu Jara Sultani: One of the greatest achievements of Bouteflika is the bill of the national reconciliation, although we aspire to achieve a full stability as the road is still long and there are many obstacles, but we admit that what has been achieved so far in hard conditions is considered something great.

    The Movement for the Society of Peace supports the principle of reconciliation, and it even considers it as a strategic option; although we reserved about some bureaucratic administrative exercises, but this does not challenge the validity of the path, and the movement will call for it till peace prevails in the country regions from De Tipsa to De Tlemcen and from De Tamanrasset to De Tizi Ouzou s peace is priceless but its cost is heavy .

Ikhwanweb: How do you evaluate the political work of Algerian Islamic parties in the absence of the Islamic Salvation Front ?

* Sheikh Abu Jara Sultani: I am not in a position that allows me to evaluate others, but I say that the Movement for the Society of Peace has done its duties in all stages of the democratic process, although it was hit- like all Algerian citizens- by kidnappings, killings, intimidations, imprisonment, and lay-offs, but it considers this as the cost of the quick changes, considering its deaths martyrs for the sake of Allah and they will testify against the hideousness of what happened; as for those who are still alive, the message is known and the goals are laid down (God only assigns a soul something it can cope with).

Ikhwanweb: We notice that your movement retreated during the years 1997 – 2002, aren’t you worried about this retreat, and what is your personal evaluation to this charge?

* Abu Jara Sultani: We thank all those who observes the performance of movement and know its cadres and inform us of its defects and mistakes and direct to it what can be called a criticism that contains many charges; as for my personal comment on this judgement, the ballot boxes will show it, because the hearts are in the Hand of Allah, and no one knows who supports him from those who oppose him- except the committed cadres-; therefore what you call as a charge, I see as an impressionistic judgement that the election results may refute or confirm .

 Ikhwanweb: How do you evaluate the social and economic situations, and do you have contributions in the changes that take place?

* Abu Jara Sultani: Situations have relatively improved in general; every thing moved in Algeria to the extent that it turned into an open workshop for reforms, development and achievements and is in the spotlight; however, we notice an emergence of new phenomena in the Algerian society like corruption, bribing, social bad habits and embezzlement in public property in the absence of an accurate auditing system and a strict accountability .

We-in the Movement for the Society of Peace- suggested several initiatives, the last of which was the initiative of (Fasad Qif "Stop corruption") and our cooperation with all good people to stop the torrent of corruption, and we united to protect the constants and gains, and we did our duties of changing evil, but this needs the collaboration of all efforts because the financial flow after the rise of the oil prices are tempting and where there is honey, there are bees and flies and all flying and creeping insects increase?

Ikhwanweb: What is the relation between you and France; is there any dialogue with Western countries?

Abu Jara Sultani: we are a political party and have relations with regimes, governments or countries but we have relations with some parties all over the world, political normal relations aiming to exchange viewpoints, establishing dialogues and defending fair cases in the world, specially Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, .. And others.

We have no distinguished relations with any authority, but the doors of dialogue are open wide within framework of Sharia regulations and limits of law.

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Algeria: Interview with The leader of Society of Peace Movement
Ikhwanweb, London-UK