Fears in Tunisia are mounting due to frequent attacks by the Salafi current on individual and public freedoms, and their continued confrontations with state agencies, in addition to the creation of some Salafi youths patrols to guard their areas in prevention of what they consider “debauchery and shamelessness”; consuming alcohol, for example. The opposition has repeatedly accused the government of its inaction in addressing this phenomenon.
Fears in Tunisia are mounting due to frequent attacks by the Salafi current on individual and public freedoms, and their continued confrontations with state agencies, in addition to the creation of some Salafi youths patrols to guard their areas in prevention of what they consider “debauchery and shamelessness”; consuming alcohol, for example. The opposition has repeatedly accused the government of its inaction in addressing this phenomenon.
The latest incidents saw confrontations last week in the city of Douar Hicher of Manouba Governorate – west of Tunis – between wine vendors and Salafists, which later turned into violent clashes between the Salafists, who barricaded themselves in a mosque and security men. One Salafist died and there were wounded men from both parties, including a major.
It was also widely reported that Salafists cut off four fingers of a wine vendor at Douar Hicher in late October, which sparked clashes between wine vendors and the Salafists.
“Demonized” by the media
Ali, one of the Salafists of Douar Hicher, denies what the media reported about their use of Molotov cocktails and breaking into the security centre, and stresses that they are always accused of causing all the chaos and that the major was not attacked by a Salafist but by an ex-convict.
Ali accuses the media of exaggerating the incidents and demonizing the Salafi current by constantly making it bear the responsibility of any chaos and violent incidents that occur in the country.
“It is impossible to try to impose our thoughts by force or to compel anybody to follow our practices. Personally, I have an unveiled sister, and I have never forced her to wear Niqab or Hijab at all… We are just trying to inform and advise people; those who wish to follow us are welcomed, but the others who do not can suit themselves,” he said.
Ali denounces excessive violence by security agents, saying, “Why was Ayman, who died in the events of Douar Hicher by a security bullet, shot in the head? They could have aimed at his legs to paralyze his movement and then hold him accountable for any misdeed.”
Rafiq Ouni, a leader of the Reform Front – a Salafist party – accuses the Call for Tunisia Party – led by the former Prime Minister Beji Caid el Sebsi – and the remnants of the former regime of being behind these incidents and others, suggesting that the Salafist current has been penetrated in an attempt to bring confusion into the country and thwart the existing regime. “According to eye-witnesses”, says Ouni, “Call for Tunisia and the remnants of the Ralliers are behind the violent actions, aiming at confusing the government and destabilizing the existing regime. Of course, the security establishment must enforce the law, but it responded violently, which we refuse. It could have avoided the killing, but the security system contains some employees who serve the agendas of political parties that wish to thwart the transitional phase.”
Law enforcement
General Secretary of the National Union for Internal Security Forces, Nabil Ayari, denies charges of excessive use of force against Salafists, stressing that security forces do not differentiate between citizens, and their only aim is to protect public and private property.
“Regarding the Douar Hicher incidents,” says Ayari, “we were notified about violent actions, so a group of security men went to the place, but they were attacked by a Salafist, or let’s say an outlaw who tried to kill a security man. Thus, it is clear who practices violence, and the citizen who died was about to storm the security centre.”
He stresses that the security agents always perform their role and arrest those Salafists who cause chaos, but the court releases them later.
Government is responsible
The Tunisian opposition and human rights activists blame the government for the chaos created by Salafists and their threat of social peace, and consider it too soft in dealing with this militant current, which has made its members go too far in practicing violence and trying to resist state institutions.
Farhat Hamoudi, member of the executive bureau of the Republican Party, says they have warned against the seriousness of violent acts, and that they are not against freedom of thought but it should be exercised under legal controls. “It is practices, rather than thoughts, that we condemn. I believe what is happening is a grave drift which threatens the social peace of the country. Law must be applied to everyone with no exception,” he insisted.
“We have noticed that the Ministry of Interior deals with the Salafists leniently,” says Hamoudi. “This may appear as a strategy aiming at avoiding violence, but this policy has proved that it encourages Salafists to exceed proper limits. Therefore, I believe it is high time to enforce law, and the Ministry of Interior has to deal firmly with violators and those who threaten social peace.”
“The patrols young Salafists carry out pose a real threat to the cohesion of the state, and we call on the state to intensify its presence in all areas, and we also call on the Salafi current for dialogue in order to avoid violence”, he added.
For his part, Muhammad Hamidi, head of the democratic coalition in the Constituent Assembly, says he rejects violence, whether by Salafists or others, stressing that the problem is not with Salafists or their thoughts, but with the imposition of these thoughts by force and the endeavor to create illegal frameworks, which affects national unity and public security.
“The indicators of violating national unity are numerous”, says Hamidi, “such as assaults on intellectuals, prevention of cultural events, using mosques as bulwarks and to attack security centers, calling for Jihad, and inciting resistance against state institutions.”
Hamidi ascribes the aggravated situation to “the government’s inaction regarding addressing this phenomenon, let alone the cultural, moral, and religious desertification, which has allowed for extremist discourses, in addition to the responsibility of the groups that practice violence.”
Melancholic view
During an interview with the media, Islamist Prime Minister, Hamadi Jebali, denied that the government or the Ennahda Movement protected the Salafi current or turned a blind eye when it came to its practices of violence, saying: “Under Ben Ali, the Salafi current was present while the Ennahda Movement was banned and the vacuum was tremendous in the political arena.”
“I am really surprised by the vast amount of violence in their sermons and even in their shapes and facial features. They are pessimists with melancholic view,” he added.
The opposition has demanded the resignation of the Islamist Minister of Interior, Ali Laarayedh, after the Islamists’ attack on the American Embassy in Tunis mid-October to protest at the film “Innocence of Muslims”. As an unprecedented response and after pressures by the US State Department, the government arrested some Salafists, but the leader of the Jihadist Salafi in Tunisia, known as “Abu Ayadh”, fled.
