The village of Algeria are seeking to preserve the traditional carpet industry

ALGIERS (Reuters) - make the village of Babar, the Algerian intensive efforts to maintain the carpet industry (carpet) traditional.

The village is famous, about 570 km east of Algiers, the production of higher priced carpets in Algeria. The carpet industry has long been a source of income for this region, where foreign tourists visiting the village to buy carpets.

The process begins with the traditional carpet industry, such as blessing to women Assis wash wool in a river in the village.

And said, "Blessed" in order to wash the wool carpet industry Babar. "

And after washing the wool dyers colored by using natural colors.

Bin Khaled Shaaban is the last working in the traditional dyeing Babar said that the profession badly affected.

Shaaban said, "This craft is not missing a bit like the past ... In the past they did. At the present moment there is this craft."

The last twenty years have seen a decline in foreign tourists visiting Algeria, which led to the abandonment Alsnain manual for their profession. The impact of lower sales Zarpi locally on the profession.

The Nazareth Bensnov working in the weave carpet "Sometimes there is no sale. In some cases, there is no foreign tourists. Usually foreign tourists coming into homes for purchase. Italians .. American .. come because they like a lot of our work. But Algerians say what We can do it. better off buying a carpet again. But these antiques to be placed in the living room decorations. "

In order to maintain this traditional industry officials set up in the Babar center to train women in the traditional carpet industry.

The head of the People of the village of Babar Tallos Khamisi center's administration.

Khamisi said "we have established this center for the education of girls and teach them the craft in order to preserve them. We do not want the loss of these craft do not want to see it disappear. That's why we founded this center so that they can learn from generation to generation."

"We want to further reduce the unemployment rate. The girls come to learn this craft at the center to thy home where they can manufacture and sale of Zrabihn. Live it. There are many families living because of it."

But many villagers say that is not enough and help the government required.

Carpet dealer said Salah Bu anniversary of "The problem is that the process of selling rare and artisans failed. If there was a sale of artisans and continued to persist. But the failure of many of them. Lack of sales due to lack of tourists. Ministries to help us."

The uncertain future of the traditional carpet industry Babar with the reluctance of tourists to visit Algeria because of repeated militant attacks.

Algeria is the fourth largest exporter of natural gas and the eighth largest oil exporter in the world, has been fighting for nearly two decades of Muslim insurgency, joined al Qaeda in recent years.

And decreased the level of violence far nineties, which witnessed a conflict estimates non-governmental organizations that the number of victims amounted to 200 thousand people, but militants still pose a threat, where bombings and ambush