The People's Democratic Islamic State of Algeria
More commonly known as the Islamic State of Algeria or Algeria is the current elected President of the Islamic State of Algeria. A direct descendant of a famous Algerine corsair, Raïs Hamidou, he won his elections through his youth and vigour. He was born to Arya and Khalil Hamidou in the Casbah of Algiers, one of the districts in the capital city of Algiers. Living his earlier years in the last decades of French rule in Algeria, he was one of the younger Algerians to join the Algerian Islamic Modernists and participated in anti-Imperial activism. He thoroughly believed in Algerian independence from French rule and was part of a movement that was crucial to the overthrowing of the colonials after the rise of the People's Republic of France in 1946. A fighter at 17, he was one of the many young men to participate in the Algerian War and fought for the freedom of his peoples. Later on, after the takeover of the Algerian Islamic Modernists over the nationalist front, he welcomed the movements decision to create a full presidential system with a constitution that recognised Islamic Modernism as the basis for the country's laws. He then became a member of the United Modernists of Algeria Party, soon becoming its head at the young age of 29.
The President is a charming, dashing man who roused the younger populace with his inspiring speeches and charismatic smile. He had promised a greater effort to further boost the economy and general quality of living through the capitalisation of the oil reserves throughout the country. He had promised better access to education for Algerians living in the south with the creation of new colleges within the area. He had also promised the disbanding of the Old Republican threat to the south by the end of his first term. So far, Farid had accomplished two of his main goals but the Old Republicans prove tricky to deal with and the rise of traditionalists have diminished his hold over the country. Still, his approval ratings sit on the positive side, with many Algerians believing that he will come through with his promises as he is halfway through his third year in office. Critics say that his lack of experience has led to the sudden surge in traditionalist power and that numerous villages are being lost to their rhetoric every year under his office. Alas, the young man from Algiers has once again promised the eradication of both Old Republicans and traditionalists terrorists, declaring war on both sides. One can only wonder how this war could split this prospering country apart.
Government:The country functions on a full presidential system in which the the executive branch and the provincial branch are separate. The President is a elected by the citizens every five years in the presidential elections and is chosen through popular vote of the people. The President has full executive powers and can veto any legislation that the provincial branch (made up of popular voted
Wali) has put forward but in turn, this veto can be overridden by a supermajority of
Wali. The President also acts as the Supreme Commander of Algerian Military Forces but has a group of veteran generals called the "
حماية" literally meaning "protection" which he confers with on matters of defence. The President appoints the Cabinet of Algeria with Secretaries that serves as an advising institution to the President. They also administer departments of their expertise (the
حماية act as Secretaries of Defence in the executive branch). The executive is not responsible to the provincial unless in special circumstances. The provincial also serves as the judicial branch as well (further explained below). In judicial matters, the President can pardon any criminal but must bend to the will of the
Wali if found guilty of a crime (as do all executive branch members). A member of the executive branch may be impeached by the provincial branch.
There are different parties that
Wali can be a part of and align with. Each party can forward a presidential nominee and a
Wali nominee for any number of provinces of their choosing. Every party has agreed to align itself with Islamic Modernism but differ in policies, interpretations of Modernist thought, position on the political spectrum and other smaller differences. Major parties include:
- Algerians of the Leftist
- Azmegh Republican Party
- The Socialist Party of Algeria
- United Modernists of Algeria
- The People's Party for Algeria
Algeria is divided into 50
wilayas (provinces) which are further divided into 557
daïras (districts) and are then split into 1545
baladiyahs (municipalities). The port cities of Algiers, Oran and the trading city of Constantine are the only ones which are further counted as their own
wilaya which are of course split into
daïras and
baladiyahs. Due to the modernisation efforts of the new government, the cities of Oran and Constantine serve a much larger purpose than they otherwise would have with the government encouraging urbanisation across the country. Each
waliya enjoys some economic and diplomatic freedom apart from the state. The
Wali are selected governors who are voted in by their respective people to govern their
waliya. However, by law, the governors must be entirely loyal to Algeria, be subservient to the government of Algeria and must serve the Algerian peoples first and foremost. The
Wali also hold judicial powers in a High Court with the leaders of
daïras and
baladiyahs holding judicial powers in a Middle and Low Court respectively. A case is to be judged based on its severity with incredibly severe cases to be dealt with in the High Court of
Wali (all cases involving a member of the executive branch or a high ranked general is judged to be incredibly severe). The police act as an extension of the
Wali's will over their
waliya but arms can only be supplied by the government and recruitment of police officers must be scaled to the area or population that the
waliya has.
The Islamic State of Algeria have incorporated some aspects of Islamic laws into their legal system and has declared Islam to be its state religion (although other religious bodies are accepted in the eyes of the state). The almost radical reinterpretations of Quranic texts with polygyny, penal punishments,
jihad and treatment of non-believers contained in Islamic Modernism has been accepted wholly and integrated with existing shari'a law. The constitution states that "All legislation created by the provincial branch or amendments made to this Constitution must coincide with Islamic Modernism." This shows how much the Algerian Islamic Modernists, the major influence of the revolution, has influenced Algeria as a country. Islamic modernism is widely accepted in all branches of government (at least in the surface).
Location and Landscape:Northern Algeria has seen great prosperity and urbanisation since Algerian independence. The coast is dotted with industrialising towns and cities which are currently urbanising at a speed greater than normal. Due to the country's increasing populations, the agriculture sector has seen a boost in funding and farms have been popping up in as many green places as possible. However as only 3% of the land is suitable for farming (mostly in the northern coast), much of Algeria's food is still imported. The north is seen as wealthier and more advanced than the southern dunes (which is unfortunately very true). It contains the three biggest and most important cities in Algeria - Algiers, Oran and Constantine.
Algiers serves as the political and cultural capital city of the ISA with the largest population, the largest amount of
daïras out of the three main cities and the most cultural landmarks. It serves as the main port city along the Algerian coast with trading ships in and out of its harbours. The
Alger la Blanche stands proud with its glistening white architecture, with the Old City and Modern City blending together in an almost blinding amount of white. It is said that that you must avoid approaching Algiers from the Mediterranean at some select times of the day, lest you be blinded by the reflected sunlight. These claims have been proven to be exaggerated but the white tops of the city is truly something to behold, attracting many a tourist. The government also sits itself in the city, with President and Parliament making their home in Algiers.
The second largest port city, Oran, has the second largest total population with the largest population of
Pied-Noirs present within the city. The presence of the Cathedral de Sacre Coeur appeal to many of the Christian
Pied-Noirs. The relative peace in the manner that the Algerian government dealt the
Pied-Noirs during their takeover resulted in lower amounts of Europeans leaving the city of Oran (though many of them still left in the period of North African Exodus). Although relations between the native Muslim and the majority-Christian
Pied-Noir occupants of the city have been, at times, violent, the situation has cooled itself over time to an uneasy peace. Tensions have simmered and the younger population have intermingled despite the protests of the more distrusting elder population. The government views the city as a step towards general acceptance of
Pied-Noirs as citizens of Algeria and as a shining example of Islamic Modernism. It has the largest growth rate in the country and is quickly becoming the technological capital of Algeria due to the skills of the
Pied-Noir citizens and the native Arab-Berber population's eagerness to modernise. The city shows promise and has the second highest economic traffic in the country due to its proximity to the Strait of Gibraltar.
The third noteworthy city within the country is Constantine. The third most populous city, it serves as the headquarters for the state-owned oiling company
Constantine Petroleum and as the connecting city between oil digs and the coast. Most petroleum traffic travels to Constantine to be divided into national use or export. While filled with Arab cultural landmarks and its iconic bridges, the city is more famous for the constructed (and still constructing) oil pipelines connecting to Algiers, Oran and other major population centers connected to the growing number of oil digs sprouting within the country. Seeing the importance and value of this oil, the Algerian government has decided to make Constantine its base of operations for controlling state oil rigs with its largest amount of backup oil barrels. The need for so much construction has invited an influx of eager citizens seeking employment. Constantine is the sight for the largest engineering project the country has ever seen, a large amount of pipelines called "Golden Roads" leading in and out of the city. Although oil has only been found as recently as 1954, the Algerian government decided to capitalise on the precious commodity as fast as possible. However, construction has been slowed by the deserts and the lack of skilled workers.
Although there have been attempts to populate the uninhabited arid deserts in southern Algeria, it has remained relatively untamed due to the hostility of the desert dunes. The only population centers which exist among the dunes are centered around oases or rivers that can be found such as the near border town tof Tindouf. These oasis towns have become a popular place for rural Berbers to migrate to for employment as the familiarity of the desert appeal to these hardy folk. Especially as conflict between the Algerian military, Old Republicans and Islamist traditionalists heat up within the Sahara, these pockets of civilisation have become more appealing. There are numerous oil digs that have started up in the desert as well with government officials scouring the deserts for valuable oil reserves. Since the discovery of Algerian oil in 1954 and subsequent construction of oil digs later that year, the liquid gold is sought after. The Berber tribes to the eastern mountains and south of Constantine have complained of intrusion into their lands but these cries are mostly ignored. Other than these intrusions, they have remained relatively isolationist even as more rural Berbers join their kin in the cities and towns that dot the Algerian lands.
As previously mentioned, the Old Republicans of France and Islamist traditionalist groups have a well-known presence within the country. The Old Republiccans have used to base out of Fort Lapperine, formerly known as Tamanrasset. Although they have since been kicked out of the oasis town by Algerian military in 1959, they still remain at large in the nearby Hoggar Mountains where they have set up an underground series of tunnels and bunkers. They have also come to raid the nearby village of In Eker for supplies and what raid survivors call "pleasure women". The flat-topped mountain of Assekrem has also become another base of operations for the Old Republicans where they "plan to triumph against the Muslim infidels and the socialist traitors to protect the memory
Monsieur Focauld." They claim that the Sahara and all its denizens are rightfully theres. Meanwhile, the Islamist traditionalists are more spread out across the country. They do not have a base of operations in any sense of the word but operate in close knit groups which are strategically placed in various cities in Algeria. The traditionalists have groups in Oran, Tindouf, Constantine, Skikda and other major towns though their presence in Algiers has been mostly eradicated. They are also known to have recruited from smaller southern towns and have been known to turn entire villages against the government through their rhetoric. As the Sahara remains contested between the Old Republicans, traditionalist and government forces with the three factions warring against each other. It is recommended to anyone with a sense of self-preservation to stay out of the desert dunes and stay in the towns.
Demographics:In a recent government survey, there are an estimated 11.57 million residents of Algeria. Of that resident population, 94% of the population are made up of native Arab-Berbers (although some claim that as much as 25% of the native muslim population is of Turkish descent, all identify as Arab-Berbers despite this due to previous interracial mixing). Only 5% are of European descent with the vast majority being of French descent (note that any resident found to be colluding with the Old Republicans are stripped of their residency). The remaining 1% are of smaller ethnic groups such as the various Jewish communities found in the coastal cities. There has been a massive growth in population due to the rapid urbanisation the country has taken, leading the country from a post-Algerian war population of 8.3 million to what it is now. Women hold a disproportionate amount of administrative power within the country and as much as 60% of university students being women. There are also a greater amount of
Pied-Noirs found in universities but the margin has gotten significantly smaller by 1960.
Berber, Algerian Arabic and French are the official languages of Algeria. Algerian Arabic, more commonly known as Algerian, is used by most the population and is infused with elements of Berber and French. French is considered an official language due to the large amount of
Pied-Noirs that stayed in Algeria and because its widespread usage. Many universities and main education systems still use French as their language of choice because of Algeria's previous colonial status. Berber, while the least widespread of the three languages, remains as the cultural language of Algeria and is spoken by many in Southern Algeria, nomads in the Sahara or tribes who dot Algerian lands. Algeria has a large majority of adherents to Islam (mostly Sunni) with smaller populations of Catholics (mainly French Pied-Noirs), Protestants and Jews in the country.
History:The country's origins lay within Algiers, the capital of then French Algeria and the birthplace of the revolutionary movement which shook the entire country to its core. It began with a select few men and women who decided that it was time for change. For too long they have been under France's yoke, under a colonial government who was too much of failure to even control its own people. Distaste for the French stirred in every Algerian, it was up to them to ignite the fires. "Cut the old ties," they said "let us cut our ties to a fallen government and a fallen republic." These unknown men and women put posters around the city under the nose of the French authorities. They spread the word of revolution in the seediest bars, taverns and brothels in the city. To the Arab schools, libraries and universities. They came to the
Imams of every mosque, to the Arab priests in their churches, to the small Jewish communities in central districts. They spread their whispers, stirring the fire that compelled all Algerians, whether Arab or not, to take action against a government who could no longer instill subservience in their holdings. Their message, "cut the old ties" became a motto, a code which differentiated colonialist and revolutionary. Their flag could be found in most households, hanging from the flagpoles of both businesses and places of worship in defiance against their colonial overlords.
These unknown men and women hung the flag over the ports, painted their crescents on military vehicles and bases. These select, brave few ripped the French flags from their flagpoles, putting their new Algerian flag instead. Their flag was known across the whole city, their motto sang by children on the streets, their actions spreading through the city like wildfire. The French took action. They instilled strict curfews, arrested anyone who flew the "fake, primitive flag of dissidents", shot anyone who was known to be an active revolutionary and tried to clean the city of "revolutionary filth". The Algerian people stood defiant and soon, whispers of dissent spread further than just Algiers. From Fort Lapperine to Constantine, from Oran to Tinfouchy, the embers of revolution was formed. Nationalism, a movement relatively unknown to the common peoples of Algeria, spread through its population. When the idea of an "Algerian people" was formed, independence followed afterwards.
In Oran, revolutionaries started clouding the minds of
Pied-Noirs. starting to rid thm of their "French" identity and instead place an "Algerian" identity upon them. In Constantine, people actively sabotaged French activity, blocking the bridges to the French Mayor's house and crowding the roads with people to restrict military access. In Fort Lapperine, people sneered at the French officers and soldiers who occupied the town, spitting on them during their marches and cursing them. In Algiers, the revolution was starting to gain real ground as more French troops were being pulled back home. However, those same men and women who met in that very small room, who fueled the fires and dreamed of cutting the old ties, were caught stealing weapons from the military base within the city. They were arrested and hung in a public executions, insulted by the soldiers who executed them, spat on by officers who looked upon their corpses with disdain. Their corpses were cremated, denied the traditional funerals they should have had. These actions, instead of stopping the revolution in its tracks, turned the fire into a blazing inferno.
The whispers of dissent turned into cries of revolution on the 18
th November 1946, nationalists across the entire country aligning themselves with insurgent groups and starting the War of Independence. The Algerian Islamic Modernists was the major nationalist freedom fighter group which claimed themselves as direct successors of the "Brave Few". The war was a short and bloody one, lasting three months and six days. The overwhelming ferocity in how the insurgents fought overwhelmed otherwise superior French forces. Suicide bombers, child soldiers, women fighters, guerilla warfare and all manner of underhand tactics surprised Old Republican forces. As A.I.M took lead as the greatest of the insurgency groups, they were the ones who broke into the French strongholds of Algiers, using children who faked sickness and used the pity of soldiers to open the gates and let the insurgents through. Every male French loyalist was slaughtered while the women were arrested, modern Old Republicans calling this day the "Christmas Slaughter". They ran the French out of Algiers and effectively purged French presence within Northern Algeria. They told the smaller insurgent groups to keep the French at bay in the south. These groups, having lesser manpower and stolen equipment, effectively died off within the harsh fighting within the Sahara
A.I.M forces, after regrouping and rearming in the North, moved down to finish what their other "allies" started. They were successful in routing the French from the provinces of Illizi and Tindouf, keeping them contained within the relatively unimportant town of Tamanrasset. The A.I.M established announced their victory to the country and the world on the 24
th February 1947, establishing the the Algerian Constitution and reforming into different parties with the armed forces turning into the Algerian armed forces. Ever since then, every Algerian president has been more radical and vigorous than the last. Since the election of 1957 which saw the rise of Farid Hamidou into the position of President, the country has taken steps towards ridding themselves of isolationism. As Algeria enters a rising golden age, the insurgent groups to the south rise as well. Plans are in motion, the engines of war rumble and the country shall be shaken once more. Cut the old ties.
Notable Organisations/Factions:Constantine Petroleum - The state owned petroleum company which has a monopoly over all Algerian oil reserves in the country.
Desert Steel Co. - A company which owns the only private steel factory in the country
Tamer Brothers Gas Company - State owned, one of the several natural gas companies which operate within Algeria that siphons natural gas from the dunes.
The Algerian Silk - An Algerian-based fashion brand which promotes cultural dresses and exposes Algerian fashion to the international world.
The Old French Republic Remnant - Made up of Old Republican forces which refuse to recognise the People's Republic of France and the Islamic State of Algeria. Led by an unknown collective of Old Republic generals left from the Algerian War for Independence, is unpopular with majority of the populace.
True Traditional Algerian Muslim Party - An unconstitutional political party labelled as a terrorist organisation by the Algerian government. Has gained popularity throughout the country, particularly in the south and southwestern villages.
Characters:President Farid Hamidou - Current acting President of Algeria
Samia Lellouche - Secretary of Resources, effective head organiser of
Constantine PetroleumAna Rachelle Dupond -Ambassador to German West Duchy
Youcef Mojdehi - Ambassador to Rhodesia
Nassim Anwar - Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
Sgt. Muhammad Lellouche - Algerian Special Forces, currently deployed in Saharan Desert against Old Republic forces
Lt. Louis Alexandré Martin Dubois - Officer of Old French Republican Armed Forces, currently deployed in Saharan desert
Almami Said Zidane - Current Leader of the True Traditional Algerian Muslim Party, organisation gaining ground in the south near Tindouf
Nour Hamidou - Leading designers of The Algerian Silk, sister to current acting President
Cpl. Khalil Sanoun - Algerian Tanker within F.O.B X-ray
Member
Altered Tundra
