Discontent over an animated movie stirs violent clashes between Islamists and Freedom Fighters

“I was in front of the courthouse. A man ripped off the sign on which I wrote ”In the Quran, even Satan have the right to speak.” Other men called me a “disbeliever”… Another man came next to me and threatened me: “get away from here or we’ll make you disappear”… Other bearded men with black flags treat freedom expression defenders with ‘disbelievers’ and other slogans that I cannot remember now…”

It’s with these words Lilia Weslaty, human rights activist and journalist, describes her today’s participation to the support gathering for the Tunisian television channel, Nessma TV and to freedom of expression.

On the other side, numerous Salafists chanted slogans such “hey Coward Media; Muslim people don’t get insulted ”and” the people want the fall of the channel.”

They also chanted a slogan inspired from one of Gadhafi’s speeches “street, street, house, house, we’re after you disbelievers”. A slogan interpreted as a shaming being inspired from the speech of a bloody dictator and for categorizing Tunisians into two camps.

Today’s trial is the result of the broadcast of award-winning film ‘Persepolis’ on the 1979 Iranian Revolution, told from the perspective of a little girl. The French animated movie aired in late October provoked angry reactions and is alleged to be blasphemous because it includes a scene showing a representation of God.

Criminal proceedings against the owner of a Tunisian television channel, that screened the film ‘Persepolis’ is an affront to freedom of expression - declared Amnesty International before the trial, scheduled for today, January 23^rd.

Nabil Karoui, owner of Nessma TV, is being judged for violation of “sacred values” and “disturbing public order”. A complaint was filed against the owner and two employees of Nessma TV by 144 people, including lawyers. If convicted, he might be sentenced up to 3 years in prison.

Nabil Karoui’s house was set on fire on October 14^th following a demonstration outside the offices of Nessma TV, in the center of Tunis. A group of Salafists is suspected to be after the incident.

“It is very disturbing to see Nabil Karoui prosecuted only because he released a film showing scenes conceived of God, said Philip Luther, Acting Director of the program in North Africa and Middle East at Amnesty International.

The trial got postponed to April 19^th – couple of lawyers explained today that their position is to defend the Spirit of God harmed by the cartoon representation. They claim respecting the freedom expression by carrying their discontent to court. “Every society has it’s own sacred beliefs to be respected and that’s the limit of freedom of expression”, says one of the lawyers.

Nabil Karoui announced today his discontent with the ban on the media to film the trial unlike the first time. He mentioned this is not a good sign.

This is the first opinion case in new Tunisia. Today they are not judging Nabil Karoui, yet they are judging ten million Tunisians and their dreams of democracy, freedoms and progress.

“I’m optimist but also feeling sorry. We’re being judged here. They burnt my house and tried to kill few of the people they work with me and my family. Those who did this are still free out there. I hope Tunisia won’t turn into a Freedoms’ Guantanamo”.

A Salafist guy is caught on tape today calling not to use violence against those who support Nessma TV’s case.

Nevertheless, a number of well-known journalists and public figures have been subject to verbal and physical violence today. Zied Krichen and Hamadi Redissi a law professor at Tunis University were subject to moral and physical attacks by Slafists gathering in front of the courthouse.

“I had to go out for a coffee before returning to the courtroom. And that’s where some individuals, targeted me personally and assaulted me. The academic Hamadi, who tried to protect me was also verbally abused and received the same punches and kicks”, says Zied Krichen.

Hamadi J’bali, Prime Minister of the newly elected government denounced the attacks in a word aired later in the day.

Abd Halim Masoodi, journalist and TV presenter at Nessma TV got equally assaulted today. Reasons might be linked to one of his late debates where he interrupted his guest Kamel Chihawi, a university professor claiming the broadcast of French-Iranian animated movie being part of a bigger agenda. A plan aiming at influencing the people and scare them from the Islamists.

Or how else you explain the broadcast of such a movie only 2 weeks prior the elections, he said.

Questioned later, the TV presenter mentioned being present today to support the TV channel not as a journalist but a regular citizen who supports freedom of expression.

A group of people gathered around me in a scary way acting as they hold the sole truth and the sole answer. They treated me of Atheist and non-believer and they hit me. He adds.

Tunisian journalists have been the target of multiple attacks in recent months, led by members of the security forces and others, according to reports.

“Tunisia is progressing in some areas of human rights, but it clearly has much work to be done to respect freedom of expression,” said Philip Luther.

Today’s trial is echoing hard in different corners of the Tunisian web and also traditional media.

The recent Amnesty International report entitled “A year of rebellion. The human rights situation in the Middle East and North Africa” shows that the provisional government of Tunisia has not yet developed the comprehensive reform of human rights demanded by the demonstrators since a year ago.

One year after the ouster of former President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali over a series of street demonstrations ignited by the self-immolation of a young man from the semi-rural city of Sidi Bouzid on December 17^th, the authorities have taken some initial positive steps, including the adoption of important treaties on human rights and giving, in general, more freedom to the media and organizations defending human rights.

In most cases, however, the country’s security forces are still not brought to account for their actions and victims of human rights violations continue to wait for justice – conducted Amnesty International in a recent press communique.

A Celebration, is it really the time. Tunisian Revolution

And it’s December 17^th. On this same day last year, a young fruit-seller named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire after claims of being humiliated by a female police officer who slapped him and confiscated his vegetable’s cart – according to local witnesses’ stories.

Furious with the humiliation he been subject to and the local governor’s closed doors he attempted to set himself a light. A gesture that mobilized the locals for a protest, soon confronted with violent police clashes.

Protesters voices never made it to the local state media but found their way to neighboring cities through social media.

And there the Jasmine Revolution was born, a nickname so many disagree with; too much of a touristic and make-upped name for a bloody and violent uprising.

Ever since, Bouazizi’s name was picked in the media and got illustrated as a hero! Others were content to nickname him only the spark of the revolution.

Today, all over the media a commemoration of the Tunisian revolution is being broadcasted.

Zaynoun Nabulsi, a Palestinian-Russian young man posted:

“I don’t agree on calling Bouazizi a Hero with all due respect! Or his act as heroism! He was not a leader who led a revolution like many great men… He was just a man who unfortunately reached a dead end and chose to give up! So he committed suicide and left behind him a whole family to feed! Honestly I think he chose the easy way to escape! Instead of fighting for his right! And it is a shame that it took a man setting himself on fire to move the people to demand their rights and not their own conscious!”

Hana Trabelsi, a Tunisian blogger posted:

[Ar] لم أذهب إلى “مزار” سيدي بوزيد والثورة لم تكتمل أهدافها حتى نحتفل بها

Translation: I did not go to the “shrine” SidiBouzid and the revolution’s goals are not achieved for us to celebrate it.

On the other side, Zeined Turki, a founding member of Tunisie Tolerance Association and Amnesty International member tweeted:

[Fr] Peu importe ce que l’on pense, le 17 Déc représente le jour où la peur a changé de camps, le jour où l’espoir a commencé à naître #SidiBouzid

Translation: No matter what one thinks, December 17 is the day when fear has changed sides, the days when hope began to rise #SidiBouzid

Mona Eltahawy an Egyptian Columnist and public speaker on Arab and Muslim issues said:

“The revolution continues. Eternal gratitude to #Bouazizi who in setting fire to his body a yr ago set our imaginations on fire. #sidibouzid”

Dima Khatib added:

“One year ago nobody referred to us, Arabs, as revolutionaries. We were still the “terrorists” ! #sidibouzid”

At this level it is important to remind that the Tunisian did not wait for Mohamed Bouaziz’s immolation. The tragic suicide was only the drop that enlarged the cup. Tunisian resistance against corruption and dictatorship has old roots. Perhaps the most recent are the heavily sabotages mining protests in Gafsa city in 2008 and the Ben Guerdane protests near the Libyan borders earlier in 2010.

Walid Kamoun, a Tunisian cancer researcher living abroad mentioned:

[Fr] « j’espere qu’on va aussi se rappeler des martyrs de la revolte du bassin minier de 2008 #sidibouzid”

Translation: I hope we will also remember the martyrs of the revolt of the mining area of 2008 # sidibouzid

I raise the question, is it really time to celebrate today. Tunisia has indeed come a long way since December 17^th 2010 but is it over yet? We’re just getting started.

People have died today; it’s thanks to their blood that we’re enjoying today’s relative freedom. Is it really an opportunity to celebrate and rejoice their death? May be yes and May be not. Opinions vary but haven’t the Arab world got enough sadness or we’re just too used to black and blood that we question our parties?

Wouldn’t it be nice to give a thought to those who died and those who got injured to free this country? We can grieve their lives by living life they died for not burry ourselves in sadness. Isn’t it?

The Arab Spring’s First Elected President – Almost

By Kacem Jlidi

Moncef Marzouki

January 14^th, Ben Ali fled the country bringing an end to 55 years of dictatorship since the French occupation. Today, December 12^th, Tunisia is having a new president: Moncef Marzouki , a Human Rights activist and leader of the secular center-left Congress for the Republic (CPR) party; making him the third President in the history of the Tunisian Republic, and the first president democratically elected in the post-revolution era.

The Constituent Assembly of Tunisia, a body elected on October 23^rd to govern the country and draft a new constitution, elected Marzouki as the President of the Tunisian Republic, with 155 votes for, 3 against, and 42 blank votes. Blank votes were the result of a boycott from the opposition parties, who considered the new mini constitution of the country as an undemocratic one.

His appointment follows a week of animated debate within the Constituent Assembly focused on the formation of Tunisia’s provisional constitution.

The Constituent Assembly had opened the floor last week for presidential candidacy according to the conditions of interim law related to the powers’ division which indicates that the Tunisian President must fulfill the following conditions: “To be a Tunisian Muslim, non-carrier of a foreign nationality, born to a Tunisian Father and Mother and to be an adult of 35 years old at least”.

The adopted constitution, containing 26 articles, is being called the “mini-constitution,” and it delineates the roles and entitlements of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of the interim government. The document will expire following the administration of general elections, potentially within the year.

It should be highlighted here that the Congress for the Republic, has came second in the October 23^rd votes, collecting 29 seats out of 217 seats at the Constituent Assembly had made a coalition with the first comer Ennahda Islamist Party and the 3^rd comer Ettakatol led by Mustfa Ben Jaafer, currently the head of the Constituent Assembly.

What makes the presidential appointment not such a happy news for the Tunisians, even though many claims that he has a clean past is that the coalition in the constituent assembly’s majorities: Ennahda with 89 seats, CPR with 29 seats and Ettakatol with 20 seats had agreed already to appoint Moncef Marzouki as a president.

The voting requires a 50%+1 results while the coalition enjoys a fair majority not be annoyed with that rule.

With the Constituent Assembly led by Ettakatol’s leader Musfa Ben Jaafer and the country presidential gone for the CPR’s leader Moncef Marzouki; it’s now presumed that he will appoint Hamadi Jebali from the Ennahda Islamist movement tomorrow. The late will be in charge of announcing the composition of the cabinet.

Myriam, a Tunisian student studying Political Sciences in Paris summed up the discontent of MArzouki’s appointment in the following tweet which translates to: “interim government is limited by no frame of time, the executive board is not elected and the constitution isn’t proposed for a referendum. Welcome to democracy”.

Tweet by @MyriamAT

Moncef Marzouki:

He was born 7 July 1945, 66 years old. He studied medicine at the University of Strasbourg (France). Returning to Tunisia in 1979, he founded the Center for Community Medicine in Sousse and the African Network for Prevention of Child Abuse, also joining Tunisian League for Human Rights.

When the government cracked down violently on the Islamist Ennahda Movement in 1991, Marzouki confronted Tunisian President Ben Ali calling on him to adhere to the law.

In 1993, Marzouki was a founding member of the National Committee for the Defense of Prisoners of Conscience, but he resigned after it was taken over by supporters of the government. He was arrested on several occasions on charges relating to the propagation of false news and working with banned Islamist groups.

He subsequently founded the National Committee for Liberties. He became President of the Arab Commission for Human Rights and as of 17 January 2011continues as a member of its Executive Board.

In 2001, he founded the Congress for the Republic party. This was banned in 2002, but Marzouki moved to France and continued running it. (Wikipedia).

Occupy Bardo

On October 23, Tunisians voted. A majority of the Constitutional Assembly seats were secured by the Moderate Islamist Party, Ennahda. Some argue that despite the glorious number of 90% of voters’ turnout – still they represent only 51.7% of the total number of potential voters, using this to criticise the legitimacy of Ennahda’s representation of the average Tunisian. Others – including Sofiane Chourabi, founder of the Political Consciousness Association in Tunisia, for example -  go so far as to say that the revolution was spearheaded by jobless and ‘leftist’ people calling for an end to unemployment and social injustices, before the Islamists jumped on the bandwagon.

It all started on November 22, as the freshly elected deputies met for their first parliamentary assembly, when families of the martyrs of the revolution gathered with some citizens outside the parliament carrying signs to remind people about the objectives of the revolution. By November 30, what was perfectly evident on the Tunisian street was the emergence of a remarkable ideological split in ranks that had remained united throughout all the trauma of the overthrow of the Ben Ali regime. It started with a call for a general mobilization launched by the Doustourna network, a political organization led by Jawhar Ben Mbarek, a professor of constitutional law.

The call, so far signed by twenty civil organizations, comes from many representatives of the unemployed in the mining regions of Tunisia (Gafsa and elsewhere); activists of the General Union of Tunisian Students(UGET); political parties and independent citizens. It states:

“Given the nature of the public powers’ provisional rule and the National Constitutional Assembly’s ground rules which threaten the country’s democratic processes and open the way to the installation of a new dictatorship… we call upon all political powers, civil societies and all citizens to join our movement of protest…”

The protest, which has taken the form of a six-day sit-in and counting, aims at putting pressure on members of the national constituent assembly to accomplish the goals of the revolution, through the achievement of eleven measures.

1. The immediate waiver of the proposed laws concerning the organization of the temporary public powers in the Constituent Assembly, which represents a basis for a new dictatorship  concentrated around a single party which will dominate proceedings without collaboration  with others and control all the state’s assets and its powers: legislative, executive, judicial, administrative and media.

2. Immediate change to the proposed laws for the internal workings of the National Constituent Assembly, imposing a 2/3 majority on all its decisions and the obligation to submit the text of the draft constitution to a national referendum for the establishment of a real democracy through the participation of the voters.

3. Adoption of a majority (50% +1) to give a vote of confidence to the government and the same majority (50% +1) for withdrawing confidence.

4. Live broadcasting of the National Constituent Assembly and its committees, publishing texts /minutes from the meetings to all citizens.

5. Immediate and fair trial of the killers of the Tunisian martyrs and the rehabilitation of everyone injured during the revolutionary process (financially and morally).

6. Establish mechanisms to ensure regional development and the equitable distribution of wealth.

7. An immediate response to all requests for legitimate employment in all the regions of the country and a review of the results of the recruitment examination for the Gafsa phosphate company (CPG).

8. Purge the judiciary system of the symbols of corruption as an essential condition for the independence of the judiciary.

9. Immediate measures to deal comprehensively with administrative, financial and political corruption, which is still endemic at all levels of the state apparatus.

10. Suspension of foreign debt payments.

11. Commitment of the National Constituent Assembly to include in the next constitution a ban on any normalization of relations with the Zionist government of Israel.

Even though the claims have nothing to do with religion or any kind of personal beliefs; the sit-in taking place next to the Constituent Assembly in the Bardo area is annoying to the Ennahda supporters. Almost every night these protesters have been subject to aggressive acts of one kind or another. Counter-protesters threw rocks and attempted to destroy protesters’ tents, reported Monji Bhouri, a blogger from Tunis.

’Bardo 1’ demonstrators face off with Islamist counter-demo

On December 3, the street where the sit-in is taking place became packed full of people demonstrating in what might yet become a historic reckoning. On one side of the street, there are the Ennahda and Ettahrir (a Salafist party) supporters and also many teenagers from the local neighbourhood, all raising slogans in favour of their parties and such Islamic customs as the adoption of the Niqab. These slogans are a rewrite of soccer chants. Monji Bhouri said, “Those participants who call themselves pro-Islam haven’t shown much behaviour worthy of the name – they do nothing but  taunt, insult and even physically attack the real democracy activists”.

On the other side of the road, slightly fewer pro-democracy activists chose not to engage in a fight with their provokers. Instead they turned their backs, facing the constituent assembly’s building and refused to move despite the injuries caused by the stone-throwing. The Tunisian media have congratulated the Tunisian security forces for maintaining a neutral role and ensuring the protection of these protesters later on in the proceedings.

A woman bleeding from a Salafist attack

“We’re here to express our opinion. If the other side has something to say, they too are free to do so, but the fear is that they are here to stop us from expressing our opinion” says Jawhar Ben Mbarek. “We’re protesting peacefully to demand transparency and prevent the birth of a new dictatorship. The violent attacks are the same methods used by the Ben Ali regime. We resisted them before and we shall continue to resist them,” added Ben Mbarek.

Ennahda leaders issued a statement asking their supporters not to join the sit-in.

This violent uprising of Ennahda supporters might be influenced by the late ban of a college girl wearing a Niqab from sitting for her exam. The university dean was made the victim of verbal insults and physical attack. Ennahda expressed its support for the right of the Educational Institution’ to make its own decisions, but called for universities to steer clear of ideological and political debates.

I join many fellow-Tunisians in a sense of frustration at the quality of the international media coverage of this Bardo sit-in. These reports tend to reduce the protest to a confrontation between Islamists and Secularists, ignoring the true demands of those who have taken the decision to sit-in.

By Kacem Jlidi. Appeared on Open Democracy and EMAJ Magazine

Tunisia: New Country of Freedoms, Deprives Palestinian Bloggers the Freedom of a Visit

December 17^th 2010, an unpredicted social movement broke out from the ashes in the most ignored cities of Tunisia. Almost one month later, on January 14^th 2011, Tunisia’s 23 years dictator term was ousted and what so called Arab Spring got spread all over the MENA region.

Tunisia, a country whose people are rewriting the history and re-enforcing freedoms is hosting the 3^rd Arab bloggers meeting from 3 to 6 October 2011. It’s needless to emphasize on the importance of the pseudo-healthy atmosphere in Tunisia in post revolution; we’re witnessing a baby democracy crawling up – a democracy that was partly brought up with cyber activism through the use of social networks and blogs.

My disappointment in current decision makers in the interim government isn’t new since aspects of the old regime are still faced every day, though my disappointment is coupled now with anger and shortage in breath of the hypocrisy we live; the other day, a huge debate was carried regarding Tunisia’s position concerning the Palestinian case and the form of the relationship between Tunisia and the States and today we deny Palestinian bloggers from entering the country.

The situation is hard to digest especially that this have never been an issue before and on top of that Jews and Israelis easily access Tunisia to visit Djerba for their religious rituals.

I can’t think of any logical reason why Palestinian bloggers would be denied entry to my country – I’m convinced it has nothing to do with missing papers and it shouldn’t also have to do with the hosting organization – nawaat- a long banned NGO in Tunisia, otherwise, none of the 100 Arab bloggers should’ve made it to the conference.

The Palestinian bloggers are so missed in this conference, they had a lot to contribute and a lot to learn and take away from such a unique gathering.

I personally know 2 of the 12 Palestinian bloggers that were supposed to attend the 3^rd Arab Bloggers Meeting and these 2 are extraordinarily active with a strong sense of civic engagement and lots of experience and ideas to share.

I was deeply touched by the words of my friend Saleh Dawabsheh who’s one of the Palestinian bloggers denied entry: “Tunisia, where Freedom was born; where My Freedom was denied”; “It’s a very sad feeling when you dream of visiting the country of freedom and then this country takes away your freedom of visiting it”.

The issue of denying entry to the Palestinian Bloggers to attend the meeting is absolutely insulting and is a non tolerated racist approach, that shouldn’t pass without a meaningful explanation. Here is a petition that few bloggers have developed demanding the Tunisian Authorities to issue an explanation toward this situation. Click here.

Saed Karzoun, the only Palestinian Blogger who made it to the meeting mentioned to me: “I’m very said for what happened. I was the first to apply for the visa and my application was processed directly. A few days later Heinrich Boll Stiftung, one of the organizing organizations has sent in the visa applications of all the participating bloggers and that could be the reason why they were rejected, but Saleh had also applied independently and was denied the visa”.

Few bloggers called for boycotting the meeting for the non-representation of Palestine and I personally think that’s not a good idea. First thing first, we’re lucky enough to have at least one person there representing Palestine and speaking of the issue. Bloggers and cyber activists have started a campaign to urge the Tunisian Authorities to give an explanation.

Second, it would be like Arab Bloggers boycotting their own meeting which doesn’t make much sense since this gathering is a quite important giving the state of the Arab world these days!

Few accusations have risen yesterday for the non-existence of any Bloggers from Yemen, and that also is due to an unjustified racist treatment even though Yemen had witnessed a revolution. But the reason came as no Yemeni bloggers managed to attend the meeting and many haven’t responded to the invitation as declared by Sami Ben Gharbia, one of the founders of Nawaat and organizers of the meeting.

Open letter to the Tunisian Interim Government : When will the Tunisian Ambassador in Damascus be pulled back?

Open letter to the Tunisian Interim Government 

When will the Tunisian Ambassador in Damascus be pulled back?

By Sufian Al-chorabi

Translated by: Kacem Jlidi

Member of the supreme committee to achievement objectives of the revolution, political reforms and democratic transition

For the Sixth month on a row, the political Syrian regime continues to direct its army weapons to the peaceful Syrians chests, dozens of innocent people are killed and injured everyday by bullets and bombs which the Syrian people spent a lot of money to have an acquisition of it, thinking it will be directed to restore their stolen land.
The Syrian Arab Army, which remained stationed in its military bases since 1967 while the occupying Israel continued the integration of the Golan Heights within the scope of its geographical area, decided to get off with all its military equipments to kill people of its own country, fiercely defending a political power which have lost its legitimacy when voices of free Syrians were shut-up through killings, displacements and detentions.
The regime of President Bashar Al-Assad which has long claimed to protect the front of Arab resistance against colonialism and imperialism did not care about the voices of his people demanding to live in freedom and dignity and the eradication of corruption. The first demonstrations that broke-in with slogans claiming “system reform” to claiming “bring down the regime” turned to be faced with harsh and loud response against the defenseless people.
Voices calling for the removal of Bashar al-Assad of the government has become the most overwhelming and wide spread at the moment, a President commented by many high hopes after the death of his father for major political and economic reforms to move Syria from the tyranny era to the democracy era, but its proven now, during the days of the Syrian revolution, that the qualities of the regime of Bashar al-Assad of not less bloody and brutal than that of his father.
And Tunisia, the cradle of Arab revolts and inspirer of rising people against oppression and arrogance, for freedom, pride and dignity cannot fail to consider the crimes committed against the free Syrians. The position of neutrality is unacceptable in a country supposed to have hosted the first victorious revolutions.
If the civil society and political movements in Tunisia has taken courageous positions in solidarity with the struggles of the Syrian people in their battle for democracy, the silence practiced by the Tunisian foreign ministry about the massacres committed against the Syrians, could only be a matter of surprise and disapproval.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tunisia emanating from the victorious revolution can only take positions of advocacy for people craving freedom and dignity, and thus there is no choice for the interim government but to pull back the Tunisian Ambassador in Damascus, and fire the Syrian Ambassador in Tunisia in an expression of protest of Tunisia the revolution against the practices of the Syrian Baath Party against its own people.

Tunisian Revolution: Pressing Play Button Again

“If you’re back, we’re back”, that’s how protesters at the Kasbah 2 suspended their sit-in, referring to the interim government, those against the revolution and pro-Ben Ali’s people.

And now they’re back! Kasbah 3 kicks start on July 15^th. The date has been long called for on social networking sites. Observers may’ve noticed the following hash tags: #Jul8 and #Jul15 and seems like Egypt took the first step this time on July 8^th in having protesters gather in Tahrir square once again.

First day of the long waited (for some) Tunisian sit-in didn’t go as peaceful as it was advocated for; many people judged it: a failure.

The Kasbah square witnessed a massive presence of police and public security forces since the morning. According to protesters, people started to gather around 1:30 pm (around Friday prayer’s time), the couple of hundreds of people there were manifesting peacefully, the shouted slogans were peaceful as well, and there was no need for the violent intervention of the police.

A lot of people used the Kasbah mosque nearby as a shelter to hide from the police, yet the corrupted police continued throwing the tear gas bombs inside causing a state of panic and chock, several older people to pass out. Everyone was so angry at the attack on the holiness of the mosque.

Police violence hasn’t stopped from 1 pm till around 6pm on July 15^th, tear gas bombs still being fired. One of the political party’s leaders Abd Wahab Heni who supported the amendments of Kasbah 3 was spotted and attacked. He declared later his willingness to fill a lawsuit the Minister of Interior after getting a medical checkup.

Several journalists were attacked as well when attempting to cover the sit-in. sarcastically; the general directors of the public security declared that journalists should’ve stayed behind the police lines and cover the events from there since it’s difficult to make the difference in moments of attack.

The National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists declared that it filed a law suit against the minister of interior and that is taking a number of measures to denounce the attacks on the freedom of press.

Mehrez Harzalli, one of the policemen, joined the protesters’ crowed, dressed in his uniform and lifting a sign saying “Long live the people” got suspended of work and is now waiting for the disciplinary board’s judgment for attacking the image of the Ministry of Interior with his actions as they say!

It should be noted that protesters arrived on July 15^th with almost 3000 roses that they distributed on the present police officers.

The Minister of Interior issued a statement declaring that the police presence aimed at protecting the shops nearby in the Medina (saving the country’s economy) and added that they regret that he was harmed and said it was difficult to distinguish between political leaders and the protesters.

Cherif Masmoudi, a blogger, wrote on a facebook note describing what he witnessed near Kasbah square; a taxi driver giving one of the young people a bag full with rocks! This suggests that old wicked games of the minister of interior haven’t changed at all.

One of the conclusions that I think is the most approved is that the attack on the mosque is made to provoke the people in an attempt to create general disorder that would lead to postponing the Constitutional Assembly elections on October 23^rd.

The next day, police still banning protesters from reaching Kasbah square, local protests in several Tunisian cities took place today; some of them were quite violent causing injuries in both lines. Updates I’ve got on my twitter’s time line indicated burning of some police offices and attacks on policemen.

Helicopter in the sky, curfew is imposed on some districts and live ammunition reported to be used bringing brutal scenes back from before January 14^th.

Demands of the protesters are:

1. Restructuring of the High Commission for the Protection of the Revolution
2. The need to involve young people
3. Dismissal of Minister of Justice and Interior
4. Independence of the judiciary
5. Accounting killers martyrs and symbols of corruption
6. Activation of the general legislative amnesty
7. Stick to the date of election: October 23rd

Noam Chomsky: “The US and it’s Allies Will do Anything That They Can To Prevent Democracy In The Arab World”.

On April 28th, FAIR: Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, the media watch group in New York celebrated their 25 years of media bias and censorship reporting.

This might be a so late reported event (2 months later) but I wanted to share the Noam Chmosky’s intervention who analyzes couple of reasons of why the US and it’s allies wouldn’t let democracy happen in the Arab world (A side of the story that can justify the wicked games of the Arab governments and their resistance to answer people demands).

Noam Chomsky is a prolific writer, speaker and path-breaking media critic. Best known for books like Manufacturing Consent, Chomsky is considered to be among the most important public intellectuals in American life.

Last Chapter still to be written: Destiny Sit-in

Can the domino effect go in both ways? I mean we’ve heard of names like: Friday of Friday, Friday of Crawl, Friday of Departure, and Friday of Cleaning etc during the Egyptian, Yemeni and Syrian revolutions. Tunisians never been fan of giving names to certain dates or events but here we come 6 months after the overthrown of Ben Ali with a touching name: “The Sit-In of Destiny”.

On facebook, so called the 5^th power in Tunisia, the revolution never stopped, the news feed is over stuffed with angry and unsatisfied voices and now they are converting to an actual action offline.

Sit-in of Destiny, kicked start on the noon of June 15^th on the Human Rights Place in Tunis with the participation of young people from different cities unlike the Kasbah 1 and Kasbah 2 sit-ins (Kasbah is the name of the square of the Government buildings).

Smaller sit-ins never stopped taking place this past period next to companies and media institutions for various demands.

Main demands are the same ones shouted from before:

• Complete Independence of the Judiciary System.
• To Hold killers of the revolution martyrs accountable.
• Dismissal of Minster of Interior: Habib Essid and Minister of Justice: Al-Azhar Al-Karoui Al-Chabi.
• To restructure the Higher Instance for achieving goals of the revolution with the involvement of the young people and militants in the political decision.
• To stick with having the constitutional elections in agreed date: October 23^rd.

Toppling the interim government led by Beji Caid Sebsi doesn’t figure among the demands as announced the young protestors and stressed that a final list of their demands is still under study among the young participants in the sit-in.

It should be noted that this sit-in began after the banning of a meeting at the conference hall in the capital organized by the young men to regroup and discuss ways to embody the goals of the revolution and find ways to prevent it from being twisted or stolen.

So far, the “Destiny Sit-In” is not getting any attention from the traditional media but it is expected to get support from the political parties to prevent being accused of supporting the illegitimate government.

Siliana clashes: the death toll mounts

Colonel Taher Ayari father of Yacine Ayari-Blogger and activist

According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights there were 219 people killed and 510 wounded during the violence following the fled of Ben Ali, 14 January. A loss, that responsible people haven’t been yet held accountable for.

Instead here comes news of clashes that took place in Siliana early morning of May 18th. The controversial part of news being: an armed group suspected first then confirmed to be Al-Qaeda-Maghreb, also called “Aqmi” composed of three Tunisians, four Algerians and three Libyans, according to Al Jazeera, came into confrontation with soldiers at the North Western’s Tunisian city Rouhia (Siliana).

The score would be three deaths in the ranks of our army:
Colonel Taher Ayari father of Ayari Yassine, a blogger and activist. Caporal Sghaier Mbarki and Walid Hadji, according to Al Jazeera and then state TV.

Walid Hadji

Another member of the army is wounded and so a resident of the town of Siliana- got shot in the arm.

Two terrorists were killed and the rest of the armed group in possession of grenades and Kalashnikovs has been arrested.

According to people there, the confrontation continues and the army is sweeping the area to get their hands on the rest of the alleged terrorists.

Helicopters and reinforcements were sent in to hunt down terrorists in the mountains of Dahmani.

The frustrating part in this sick scenario that both Aljazeera and the local media are playing to make everyone convinced that Al-Qaida has started it’s movements in Tunisia.

The minister of Interior spokesman said on Aljazeera that DNA and ID examinations of the bodies indicates that the terrorists are definitely from Al-Qaida (!).

Al-Chrouk, a daily Tunisian newspaper dedicated it’s first page to reveal that she got all Al-Qaida’s plan exposed!! While the rest of the media invented the story of a third terrorist who’s still out there representing danger.

Al-Chorouk front page- 20 May

This news comes during the visit of the Prime Minister Beji Caid Sebsi to Paris 9 days prior the G8 gathering and where he expresses that Tunisia’s first priority is to restore security.

A number of questions remain unanswered here:

If Al-Qaida members wanted to get to Libya from Algeria, why would they choose to pass through Tunisia knowing that there are many military checkpoints on the Tunisian roads and also knowing that Algeria and Libya do share borders.

Second, it’s so fishy that high ranked Army men get killed at the shared taxies stations. Usually commanders remain behind their desks monitoring the battle field and giving orders to soldiers on the ground. But in this case we have 2 high ranked Army members killed?!

The only explanation that we could think of is, that this interim government and the shadow one are desperate to make Tunisian believe that we’re under attack and therefore the elections won’t take place as planned on July 24th and though the interim government becomes a permanent one till security is gained again!

The second scenario is that this is an indirect sign to cyber-activists (taking in account that Colonel Taher Ayari is the father of one of the top activists and bloggers Yacine Ayari) to shut up!

To be noted also that online freedom of expression is yet not totally granted with 4 facebook pages newly censored already, founder of Kasba TV Mohamed Amine Slama arrested and another cyber activist: Youssef Patriote getting ready to move to Germany as a political refugee (First Tunisian refugee since January 14th!).