MAK presses on with independence project, meets Lords in London

LONDON - Ferhat Mehenni, the President of the Movement for Self-Determination of Kabylia (MAK) and the Provisional Government-in-Exile of Kabylia, met with UK government officials and peers from the House of Lords yesterday in London.
Steaming ahead with its independence plan, the meeting was part of its ongoing global diplomacy to advocate the Kabyle cause on the international stage and seek international recognition, first in the halls of Congress in the US and now in the UK.
MAK seeks to end the colonial fait accompli imposed by the military junta in power in Algeria, that is turning increasingly toward Russia, eschews western democratic values, and systematically violates the human rights of the Kabyles.
After decades of peaceful political struggle to defend Kabyle freedoms, Mehenni declared the rebirth of the Kabyle state on April 20th , saying Kabylia is “rising like a phoenix to reclaim what is rightfully its own.”
Lord Eddie Udny-Lister, the former Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Boris Johnson who attended the meeting, said, "I am ashamed that this was a dispute I had no knowledge of. It needs to become more public and talked about."
Lord Stuart Polak, CBE, commented, “I was fascinated to hear of the struggle of the President and the Kabyle people to maintain their culture and identity. Far too often we overlook those who face persecution as a minority. I for one will be looking to ensure their voice is heard within the UK.”
Mark Fullbrook, the former Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Liz Truss, said, “The story the President told of his people’s peaceful struggle for independence was a remarkable one. Anyone who believes in the rights of oppressed people anywhere in the world should read the story of the amazing Kabyle people.”
President Mehenni commented, "This was historic!" The Kabyles were "honored to have this first meeting with British lords and ladies in support of Kabylie and its peaceful struggle for independence," he said. 
"I was impressed with their openness and attentiveness which truly matches the greatness of the United Kingdom, and I look forward to moving forward."
MAK is planning additional diplomatic missions to African countries and North America.
MAK is a people’s movement founded in Kabylia by Ferhat Mehenni in 2001, dedicated to the independence of Kabylia and the realization of the rights of the Kabyle people. It is the representative of the primary political
opposition in Algeria.