Sir, - It is one of history's sad ironies that the routine torture that General Aussaresses and his French compatriots inflicted on the Algerian population during the Algerian war of Independence (The Irish Times, November 29th) is now a commonplace reality in present-day Algeria.
Despite repeated requests year after year by the UN Human Rights Commission, the Algerian authorities refuse to allow UN special rapporteurs on torture and extra-judicial executions to enter Algeria and investigate these continuing grave violations of human rights.
The Irish Government has, to its credit, repeatedly requested the Algerian authorities to fulfil their international responsibilities and allow in these rapporteurs.
It has taken 50 years to uncover the truth of torture and extra-judicial killings practised by the French military in Algeria. I hope we won't have to wait another 50 years before the very same violations as practised today are finally acknowledged and some semblance of justice is restored to the people of Algeria. - Yours, etc.,
Brendan Butler, Ireland-Algeria Solidarity Group, Upper Camden Street, Dublin 2.