Background:
After a century of rule by France, Algeria became independent in
1962. The surprising first round success of the fundamentalist FIS
(Islamic Salvation Front) party in the December 1991 balloting
caused the army to intervene, crack down on the FIS, and postpone
the subsequent elections. The fundamentalist response has resulted
in a continuous low-grade civil conflict with the secular state
apparatus, which nonetheless has allowed elections featuring
pro-government and moderate religious-based parties. The FIS's armed
wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000 and many
armed militants of other groups surrendered under an amnesty program
designed to promote national reconciliation. Nevertheless, small
numbers of armed militants persist in confronting government forces
and carrying out isolated attacks on villages and other types of
terrorist attacks. Other concerns include Berber unrest, large-scale
unemployment, a shortage of housing, and the need to diversify the
petroleum-based economy.