31/08/2005 (Agence Europe) - The day before the EU-Algeria Association Agreement comes into force (1 September), Amnesty International called in a press release for the EU to 'send a strong message to Algeria not to enact legislation that would exonerate those responsible for serious human rights abuses,' referring to the decree on a 'Draft Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation' to be put to a popular vote on 29 September. It is not yet clear whether the Charter will lead to a general amnesty law, but it 'specifically denies that the security forces have been responsible for committing thousands of 'disappearances'… after years of bloody conflict in Algeria,' writes Amnesty, pointing out that President Bouteflika has stated publicly that 200,000 people have been killed during the conflict.