Algerian Political Activist and Blogger Abdelkader Benkaled : “Electronic Activism” to Support Democracy

1. Thank you Mr. Benkhaled for granting us this interview. First, would you please introduce yourself?

I am director of the website of the Movement for a Society of Peace [2] (MSP) in Algeria. I manage a certain number of online media projects. Currently, I’m working to launch a website “Dzayn.com” to assist Internet users in overcoming the failures that they face in their work. I am a specialist in new media, the first such expert on the subject in Algeria. 

2. I read on the Internet that you are an active blogger and that you write for several magazines and newspapers. Could you please tell us what blogging represents for you?

Personally, blogging is the most important part of my work since I use electronic media to promote the ideology of my party. These are ideologies that preach democracy in grand fashion; that expand the audiovisual domain and push to eradicate corruption. I often use Facebook and I especially blog on the site that I oversee.

3. What led you to start blogging? And what did blogging bring for you?

Blogging is a new method to diffuse human values that each citizen of the world strives to achieve. It’s a means of instant communications with visitors of blogs, Facebook or even Twitter. It is also very interactive, you can quickly learn the opinions of other uses from their commentaries. The digital support also allows me to promote my ideas and fight for the causes I believe in.

4. What themes do you focus on? Do you touch on all subjects or rather devote yourself uniquely to human rights and political causes?

I focus especially on political subjects that youth are avoiding today. I also write on the positions of my party, sometimes critically, sometimes in support, and sometimes soliciting reactions from my friends on Facebook or from other visitors to the site. Of course I explore other subjects as well, such as public liberties, democracy in Algeria…etc. It is inconceivable to require people to adopt a specific region or to punish them for their political convictions; let’s try to move past prejudices to create a democratic country where freedoms are respected.

5. Do you use social networks like blogging, Twitter or Facebook to support the causes of your party Harakat Mudjtamaa Silm?

It was clear when I signed up for the MSP website in early 2007 that I did not have much success and I gradually began to focus on Facebook to mobilize party sympathizers. In fact, I gathered them and launched a project called “electronic activism.” Hundreds of online activists, whether through Twitter or Facebook and other social networks, can change public opinion in an enormous way. Finally, I allow site visitors to leave comments using their Facebook account, which was a great experience. I try to use digital media tools to their maximum benefit to promote the ideas and positions of the movement.

6. Are you a member of a blogging association?

Yes, I am a member of the Algerian network of bloggers and a founding member of the Arab network for the Internet freedom.

7. Could you give an estimate of the approximate number of bloggers in your country?

Blogging is still a recent phenomenon in Algeria; we still can’t know the number of bloggers or most popular blogs.  We are working to convince young people of the value of blogging to write about topics affecting their political and social lives, and that they don’t have to limit their interest to subjects that do not have any potential to change their daily lives.

8. Describe the Algerian blogging sphere. Is it an active environment in your opinion?

Not at all, as I said earlier. Blogging is not very significant in Algeria. I’m speaking of social and political blogging and not about blogging on sports, which receives much attention on blogs or Facebook.

9. How do you see the future of blogging in Algeria and the Arab world ?

I think that in Algeria, we are trending little by little towards online blogging since Algeria offers a reasonable Internet connection compared to other Arab countries and does not practice censorship or restrict bloggers, permitting a certain freedom of expression. All of this demonstrates that we are moving towards a new “digital generation” that will make blogs a universe in their own right.

In the Arab world, the Egyptian experience is groundbreaking and warrants study. Egyptians have created political parties on the Internet that are sometimes stronger and more influential than real parties…Moroccan bloggers were also able to create a very influential blogging association, same for Lebanese. Still, blogging in the Arab world needs more guidance and support.