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TUNISNEWS<\/strong><\/span> <\/font><\/font> <\/div>\n
7\u00a0\u00e8me\u00a0ann\u00e9e, N\u00b0\u00a02244 du 14.07.2006<\/span><\/font><\/font><\/strong><\/div>\n
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\u00a0AISPP: Communiqu\u00e9 – Mohammed Akrout est en danger<\/font> \u00ab La Presse \u00bb, (Qu\u00e9bec): L’imam montr\u00e9alais Sa\u00efd Jaziri (d\u2019origine tunisienne, NDLR) passible d’expulsion Le Temps :Demain la tenue du congr\u00e8s unificateur des syndicats de l’enseignement sup\u00e9rieur Sur fond de controverses !…<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n
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Balha Boujadi: Hamas\u00a0 et\u00a0 Hezbollah:la gouvernance islamiste guerri\u00e8re Bassam BounenniClosing Off Avenues for Dissent <\/font> <\/p>\n
Philadelphia Inquirer: Fight for Mideast democracy faltering<\/font><\/p>\n
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\u00a0<\/font>Cliquez ici<\/font><\/a> pour acc\u00e9der au reportage exceptionnel de l’AISPP sur la catastrophe humanitaire des prisonniers politiques Tunisiens\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/font><\/font><\/div>\n
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Sauvez la vie de Mohammed Abbou Sauvez la vie de tous les prisonniers politiques<\/font><\/strong> Association Internationale de Soutien aux Prisonniers Politiques<\/font><\/strong> 33 rue Mokhtar Atya, 1001, Tunis Tel : 71 340 860 Fax : 71 351 831\u00a0 Tunis, le 11 juillet 2006 <\/p>\n
Communiqu\u00e9 Mohammed Akrout est en danger<\/strong><\/font><\/h2>\n
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\u00a0L\u2019AISPP a appris que le prisonnier politique Mohammed Akrout, ex pr\u00e9sident du mouvement En Nahdha, actuellement incarc\u00e9r\u00e9 \u00e0 la prison du 9 avril \u00e0 Tunis et qui effectue une peine d\u2019emprisonnement \u00e0 perp\u00e9tuit\u00e9, avait commenc\u00e9 une gr\u00e8ve de la faim le 7 juin dernier, soit depuis plus d\u2019un mois, pour exiger sa lib\u00e9ration et une r\u00e9paration de son dentier qui lui cause une inflammation gingivale, des douleurs aigu\u00ebs et une h\u00e9morragie. Par ailleurs, il souffre de douleurs thoraciques dues \u00e0 la pollution de l\u2019air dans sa cellule. A la fin de la semaine derni\u00e8re, Mohammed Akrout s\u2019est arr\u00eat\u00e9 de boire de l\u2019eau sucr\u00e9e ; sa sant\u00e9,-si l\u2019administration p\u00e9nitentiaire ne satisfait pas ses revendications dans l\u2019attente de sa lib\u00e9ration-, est donc mise en p\u00e9ril. Le prisonnier politique Mohammed Akrout a fait plusieurs gr\u00e8ves de la faim pour exiger son droit l\u00e9gitime \u00e0 la correspondance. Ses courriers sont tous intercept\u00e9s. Il a aussi demand\u00e9 \u00e0 recevoir des livres, en vain. Le prisonnier politique Mohammed Akrout est en butte \u00e0 une politique de harc\u00e8lement et d\u2019humiliation organis\u00e9e par l\u2019administration de la prison du 9 avril, ce qui a conduit sa famille \u00e0 alerter le juge d\u2019ex\u00e9cution des peines et \u00e0 d\u00e9poser des plaintes aupr\u00e8s du Procureur de la R\u00e9publique. L\u2019AISPP –\u00a0 Consid\u00e8re que les brimades auxquelles ce prisonnier politique est en butte sont injustifi\u00e9es et que ses revendications sont l\u00e9gitimes. –\u00a0 Appelle l\u2019administration g\u00e9n\u00e9rale des prisons \u00e0 r\u00e9pondre \u00e0 ses revendications afin que soit mis un terme \u00e0 cette trag\u00e9die d\u2019autant que le prisonnier politique Mohammed Akrout a pass\u00e9 plus de quinze ann\u00e9es en prison et que les affections dont il souffre le mettront en danger s\u2019il n\u2019est pas soign\u00e9 rapidement –\u00a0 Fait endosser \u00e0 l\u2019administration la responsabilit\u00e9 de ce qui pourrait lui arriver. \u00a0 Le pr\u00e9sident de l\u2019Association Ma\u00eetre Mohammed Nouri<\/font><\/strong> \u00a0 (traduction ni revue ni corrig\u00e9e par les auteurs de la version en arabe, LT)<\/font><\/div>\n
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L’imam montr\u00e9alais Sa\u00efd Jaziri (d\u2019origine tunisienne, NDLR) passible d’expulsion<\/strong><\/font><\/h2>\n
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Laura-Julie Perreault<\/font> \u00a0 L’imam montr\u00e9alais qui a organis\u00e9 l’hiver dernier une manifestation controvers\u00e9e pour d\u00e9noncer la publication des caricatures de Mahomet pourrait \u00eatre expuls\u00e9 du Canada. Le 22 juin dernier, Sa\u00efd Jaziri a en effet perdu le statut de r\u00e9fugi\u00e9 qu’il avait acquis en mai 1998. \u00a0 Cette d\u00e9cision a \u00e9t\u00e9 rendue le mois dernier par le commissaire Michel Jobin de la Commission de l’immigration et du statut de r\u00e9fugi\u00e9 (CISR). Selon la Loi sur l’immigration, un statut de r\u00e9fugi\u00e9 peut \u00eatre annul\u00e9 si les autorit\u00e9s canadiennes, apr\u00e8s enqu\u00eate, sont capables de prouver que l’individu a fait \u00abune pr\u00e9sentation erron\u00e9e sur un fait important\u00bb lors de l’\u00e9tude originale de son dossier. \u00a0 Le porte-parole de l’Agence des services frontaliers, Robert Gervais, notait hier qu’il n’est pas autoris\u00e9 \u00e0 d\u00e9voiler les d\u00e9tails du cas Jaziri. L’imam de la mosqu\u00e9e Al-Qods, qui a lui-m\u00eame contact\u00e9 La Presse pour annoncer la d\u00e9cision du commissaire, refusait pour sa part de d\u00e9voiler le contenu de la d\u00e9cision. Il rappelait cependant que les autorit\u00e9s canadiennes l’ont confront\u00e9 sur l’existence d’un casier judiciaire en France, dossier dont M. Jaziri n’avait pas fait mention en 1998. \u00a0 La d\u00e9cision rendue le mois dernier n’a pas du tout satisfait l’imam. \u00abLes audiences de la CISR ont \u00e9t\u00e9 tr\u00e8s longues et le juge n’a pris que ce qui faisait son affaire\u00bb, affirmait hier M. Jaziri. Il compte en appeler de cette d\u00e9cision au cours des prochains jours. \u00a0 L’imam d\u00e9nonce notamment le fait que le gouvernement a r\u00e9pondu \u00e0 une demande d’acc\u00e8s \u00e0 l’information qu’il a faite en 2005 seulement apr\u00e8s les audiences de la CISR. \u00ab(Les autorit\u00e9s) ont 30 jours pour donner une r\u00e9ponse. \u00c7a leur en a pris 334. Je ne voulais pas compara\u00eetre devant le commissaire avant de savoir ce qu’il y avait dans mon dossier. Je n’ai pas pu le faire\u00bb, d\u00e9plore-t-il. \u00a0 Originaire de la Tunisie, M. Jaziri dit craindre la torture et l’emprisonnement s’il est retourn\u00e9 dans son pays d’origine. \u00abImmigration Canada le reconna\u00eet, je suis un opposant au r\u00e9gime tunisien. Pourquoi me retourneraient-ils l\u00e0-bas?\u00bb demande-t-il. \u00a0 Le leader religieux croit avoir une r\u00e9ponse \u00e0 sa propre question. Ses probl\u00e8mes avec Immigration Canada ont commenc\u00e9 quelques mois apr\u00e8s qu’il eut rendu public son projet de doter Montr\u00e9al d’une grande mosqu\u00e9e. \u00abJe n’ai rien fait et je paye la facture de ben Laden!\u00bb s’exclame-t-il. \u00a0 Sa\u00efd Jaziri a fond\u00e9 la mosqu\u00e9e Al-Qods en 2000. Cette mosqu\u00e9e, situ\u00e9e rue B\u00e9langer, est fr\u00e9quent\u00e9e par des musulmans francophones de Montr\u00e9al. En octobre 2005, lorsqu’il a re\u00e7u une premi\u00e8re lettre de l’Agence des services frontaliers lui annon\u00e7ant que son statut de r\u00e9fugi\u00e9 \u00e9tait remis en cause, il s’est barricad\u00e9 dans sa mosqu\u00e9e. Il en est cependant ressorti quelques semaines plus tard. \u00a0 (Source : \u00ab La Presse \u00bb, (Qu\u00e9bec), le 14 juillet 2006)<\/font><\/div>\n
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Demain la tenue du congr\u00e8s unificateur des syndicats de l’enseignement sup\u00e9rieur<\/font><\/strong> <\/font><\/h2>\n
Sur fond de controverses !…<\/strong><\/font><\/div>\n
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\u2022 3200 enseignants universitaires esp\u00e8rent y voir plus clair 3200 enseignants universitaires adh\u00e9rents \u00e0 l’UGTT seront concern\u00e9s de pr\u00e8s ou de loin, par le congr\u00e8s d’unification de la repr\u00e9sentativit\u00e9 syndicale de l’enseignement sup\u00e9rieur et de la recherche scientifique qui se tiendra demain \u00e0 Amilcar. Lire l’article… B\u00e9chir Hamrouni S.G du bureau \u00ab\u00a0dissous\u00a0\u00bb du SGESRS \u00ab\u00a0Ce sera une m\u00e9diocre copie du congr\u00e8s d’Amilcar 1\u00a0\u00bb<\/font> \u00a0 Le Temps : Quelles sont les raisons qui vous poussent \u00e0 refuser l’unification ?<\/font><\/div>\n
M. B\u00e9chir Hamrouni : Au moment ou les parties syndicales responsables et conscientes, il s’agit de notre bureau, de celui du syndicat des professeurs et ma\u00eetres de conf\u00e9rence, des technologues et des syndicalistes ind\u00e9pendants, sont en train de se concerter pour trouver une solution \u00e0 la crise, le bureau ex\u00e9cutif de l’UGTT bafoue sa parole et ses d\u00e9cisions ainsi que nos efforts et d\u00e9cide de tenir un congr\u00e8s unificateur le 15 juillet 2006. Il sacrifie l’int\u00e9r\u00eat du secteur ainsi que sa cr\u00e9dibilit\u00e9 en se pliant au d\u00e9sir de certains de ses membres qui n’ont pas cess\u00e9 de s’acharner pour nuire au secteur de l’enseignement sup\u00e9rieur et de la recherche scientifique pour des int\u00e9r\u00eats personnels et des vis\u00e9es politiques. Lire l’article… Sami Aouadi membre du B.E du SGESRS issu du congr\u00e8s de juin 2003 \u00ab\u00a0Aucun corps universitaire n’a refus\u00e9 l’unification\u00a0\u00bb \u2022 Le Temps : D’apr\u00e8s vous que va-t-elle apporter cette unification au secteur ?<\/font> M. Sami Aouadi : L’unification est tout d’abord la r\u00e9alisation d’un r\u00eave et d’une ambition port\u00e9e par les g\u00e9n\u00e9rations qui nous ont pr\u00e9c\u00e9d\u00e9 \u00e0 la t\u00eate des deux syndicats. L’unification nous permettrait de rassembler nos rangs et d’am\u00e9liorer l’efficacit\u00e9 de nos actions syndicales. Lire l’article… \u00a0 (Source : \u00ab Le Temps \u00bb du 14 juillet 2006)<\/font><\/div>\n
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La Tunisie accueille Enrico Macias<\/strong><\/font><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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\u00a0Soir\u00e9e sp\u00e9ciale : ENRICO MACIAS (France) – Festival de Tabarka Concert le 16 juillet 2006 Basilique de Tabarka D\u00e9but du Concert : 21 h 30 <\/font>\u00a0 N\u00e9 dans une famille juive, il a c\u00f4toy\u00e9 une famille de tradition musicale du maalouf, son p\u00e8re \u00e9tait violoniste dans l\u2019orchestre de Raymond Leyris dit Cheikh Raymond , mais il apprend aussi la guitare avec des amis gitans, ce qui lui vaudra le pseudonyme du petit Enrico, qui se transformera par la suite en son nom d\u2019artiste. \u00a0 Il travaille irr\u00e9guli\u00e8rement jusqu\u2019\u00e0 ce qu\u2019il fasse la premi\u00e8re partie d\u2019un concert de Gilbert B\u00e9caud et passe \u00e0 la t\u00e9l\u00e9vision dans l\u2019\u00e9mission Cinq colonnes \u00e0 la une. Il adopte alors le pseudonyme d\u2019Enrico Macias. \u00a0 Tr\u00e8s appr\u00e9ci\u00e9 du public pied-noir, son audience s\u2019\u00e9largira rapidement. Aujourd\u2019hui, Enrico est reconnu internationalement comme chanteur et ambassadeur de la paix et de la tol\u00e9rance. \u00a0 \u00a0 Plus d\u2019infos : Yaz Production & Organisation Bureau : 00216 71 234080 Fax : 00216 71 231499 www.yazproduction.com\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2 rue Kamel Ataturk el menzah 7 Tunis 2037 -Tunisie<\/font> \u00a0 (Source : le portail \u00abVille de Tunis \u00bb , le 14 juillet 2006)<\/font> URL: http:\/\/www.villedetunis.com\/articles\/article1124.html<\/a><\/font><\/div>\n
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HAMAS\u00a0 ET\u00a0 HEZBOLLAH: <\/font>LA GOUVERNANCE ISLAMISTE GUERRIERE<\/strong><\/font><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
\u00a0BALHA BOUJADI<\/strong><\/font> \u00a0 L\u2019aviation isra\u00e9lienne \u00e9tait en train de d\u00e9truire tous les ponts, les pistes de l\u2019a\u00e9roport de Beyrouth, les centrales \u00e9lectriques, des villages entiers ont \u00e9t\u00e9 ras\u00e9s, des enfants d\u00e9chiquet\u00e9s, des femmes en larmes\u2026 Un tableau dantesque qui donne une id\u00e9e sur la barbarie humaine au d\u00e9but de ce XXI si\u00e8cle. \u00a0 Pour fuir ce spectacle, on zappe d\u2019une cha\u00eene \u00e0 autre, et partout on trouve des barbus de Hezbollah entrain de crier victoire et faisant des louanges \u00e0 la r\u00e9sistance du peuple contre l\u2019ennemi sioniste\u2026. Le pauvre peuple libanais, des gens cultiv\u00e9s, civilis\u00e9s, amoureux de la vie\u2026 se trouvent malmen\u00e9s par les syriens, les iraniens, les isra\u00e9liens\u2026 il n\u2019a qu\u2019\u00e0 supporter la r\u00e9pression des milices aux turbans qui sont au solde des syriens et des iraniens qui d\u00e9cident de la guerre et de la paix \u00e0 leur guise. \u00a0 A peine d\u00e9barrass\u00e9s des syriens, les libanais commen\u00e7aient \u00e0 respirer et \u00e0 vivre, ce qui n\u2019a pas \u00e9t\u00e9 au go\u00fbt des syriens et de leurs pions. Ceci dit, il y\u2019a plus de prisonniers libanais dans les bagnes de Damas que dans les ge\u00f4les Isra\u00e9liens, mais ceux l\u00e0 Hezbollah ne les a jamais r\u00e9clam\u00e9. \u00a0 Hezbollah, ou le parti de Dieu, est un parti politique l\u00e9gal, qui a des d\u00e9put\u00e9s et des ministres au gouvernement libanais, il est arm\u00e9s jusqu\u2019aux dents. Il poss\u00e8de des missiles qui ont atteint Haifa, 3\u00e8me ville isra\u00e9lienne et premier port maritime,\u00a0 \u00e0 60 Km de la fronti\u00e8re\u2026 Ce \u00ab parti politique \u00bb islamiste int\u00e9griste a fait \u00ab l\u2019exploit \u00bb d\u2019entrer dans le territoire isra\u00e9lien et tuer trois soldats de garde de fronti\u00e8re et prendre en otage deux autres. Comment appelons cela ? Hezbollah et tous les partis populistes arabes (Baath and company) parle de \u00ab R\u00e9sistance \u00bb,\u00a0 Isra\u00ebl et tout l\u2019opinion publique mondial depuis l\u2019Australie jusqu\u2019au Norv\u00e8ge parle d\u2019 \u00ab agression \u00bb et \u00ab d\u00e9claration de guerre \u00bb. Aucun pays du monde (A part la Syrie et le manitou iranien) n\u2019a soutenu cette \u00ab r\u00e9sistance \u00bb \u00a0 La guerre, c\u2019est le mot cl\u00e9 de ces \u00ab partis \u00bb qui n\u2019ont jamais su \u00e9laborer un autre programme : r\u00e9sistance, djihad, vengeance, sang, feu, missiles\u2026 c\u2019est tout ce qu\u2019ils ont dans leur lexique pour offrir \u00e0 des g\u00e9n\u00e9rations qui n\u2019arrivent plus \u00e0 comprendre quoi que se soit. \u00a0 C\u2019est le m\u00eame programme offert par Hamas aux palestiniens, des aventures \u00ab h\u00e9ro\u00efques \u00bb pour amuser la galerie et raviver les sentiments d\u2019un nationalisme primaire qui a fait tellement du tort \u00e0 des peuples plong\u00e9s depuis des g\u00e9n\u00e9rations dans la mis\u00e8re. \u00a0 Pour Hamas comme Hezbollah provoquer Isra\u00ebl est une question de survie pour eux, c\u2019est leur fond de commerce, ils n\u2019ont plus rien \u00e0 offrir, ils ont manipul\u00e9 les pauvres gens par leur bla-bla-bla quotidien, jouant sur les fibres d\u2019une spiritualit\u00e9 excessive jusqu\u2019aux divagations toxique et un nationalisme ridicule et grotesque. \u00a0 En attendant, il faut revenir 30 ans en arri\u00e8re, car pour reconstruire les ponts, les a\u00e9roports, les centrales \u00e9lectriques, les universit\u00e9s\u2026 il faut des \u00e9nergies et des millions de dollars qu\u2019on aurait pu les d\u00e9penser pour am\u00e9liorer la qualit\u00e9 de vie existante, au contraire il faut tout refaire de z\u00e9ro, demander l\u2019aum\u00f4ne au \u00ab satanas \u00bb am\u00e9ricain et aux \u00ab cochons \u00bb saoudiens\u2026 Pendant ce temps l\u00e0, Isra\u00ebl deviendrait de plus en plus forte et de plus en plus prosp\u00e8re, soutenu par le reste du monde comme \u00e9tant un pays victime qui n\u2019a jamais d\u00e9clench\u00e9 un conflit\u2026 alors que Hamas et Hezbollah chercheraient encore la meilleur excuse pour provoquer une nouvelle bataille pour \u00ab survivre \u00bb\u2026 <\/font>\u00a0 BALHA BOUJADI, le 14 juillet 2006<\/font> balhaboujadi@yahoo.es <\/div>\n
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\u00a0Closing Off Avenues for Dissent<\/strong><\/font><\/font><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Bassam Bounenni<\/strong> (*) \u00a0 <\/font>Unlike Arab countries such as Egypt or Jordan, which opened the political space in 2004-5 only to shut it again in 2006, Tunisia has continued unabated its campaign against avenues for the expression of peaceful dissent including human rights organizations, labor unions, and civil society organizations. The latest target has been lawyers. The weapon used against them is a controversial new draft law, likely to be passed within weeks, creating an academy for the training of lawyers. \u00a0 The law, which has drawn strong objections from Tunisian lawyers, gives broad authority to the Ministry for Justice and Human Rights to decide who may enter this academy and thereby who may practice law. Members of the profession view it as an attempt to bring lawyers to heel, allowing the regime to select only candidates that conform to its views. Lawyers believe the law is aimed particularly at the lawyers\u2019 syndicate, one of the few centers of opposition and independence in a county where only the voice of authority is heard. \u00a0 The action against the lawyers\u2019 syndicate would continue a pattern of repression used effectively against human rights organizations, where regime supporters infiltrate and undermine organizations. The Tunisian Human Rights League, considered the oldest institution for the defense of human rights in Africa and the Arab world, has been subjected to a series of legal actions by members loyal to the government, preventing it from holding its annual conference. Tunisian authorities previously used similar tactics to disrupt the Tunisian Association of Magistrates. Elements of the Association loyal to the government maligned its executive office and held a special election to choose a parallel leadership. \u00a0 The Tunisian government evokes the specter of foreign interference frequently as a justification to silence a wide variety of potentially independent voices, be they human rights activists, opposition politicians, or independent journalists, especially the handful of foreign media reporters in Tunisia. Tunisian authorities even refused to permit an organization concerned with the legacy of late President Habib Bourghiba, despite the fact that the founders of the organization are veterans of the ruling party. \u00a0 As part of its fear-inspired campaign against dissent, the regime has recently put forward in official political discourse the slogan \u201cNo loyalty but to the nation.\u201d Tunisian newspapers loyal to the government have become the arena for accusations of disloyalty against independent political activists and lawyers. The situation has been aggravated by recent legislation that restricted the freedom to found organizations and parties, including a counter terrorism and money laundering law that has become a tool for threatening and intimidating opposition elements. Even legally-recognized organizations and independent parties do not receive the public funding to which they are entitled under Tunisian law, forcing them to try to collect funds internationally. But such efforts bring forth accusations of lack of patriotism or even legal action, leading to a situation in which independent parties and organizations often are deprived of adequate funds to support a headquarters or even the simplest communication equipment. \u00a0 Despite this bitter reality for civil society elements and opposition forces, the government\u2019s policies still enjoy tacit approval from the international community, especially the European Union and the United States. Although they may occasionally issue official statements condemning the transgressions of the Tunisian authorities, this criticism has no true impact. Tunisia apparently remains exempt from the demands on other countries in the region to achieve greater openness and improve human and political rights records. \u00a0 Tunisia, which this year celebrated fifty years of independence from French colonialism, has been able to make huge strides in the vital areas of education and culture, thereby creating a large educated class. Those gains, however, will eventually be undermined by the fact that the regime not only refuses to consider political reforms but actually is moving in the opposite direction of greater restrictions on intellectual, legal, and political activity. One example of the deleterious effects of such a trend is the worsening of corruption in the administration of the Tunisian state documented by Transparency International in its annual reports. \u00a0 Despite the apparent determination of Tunisian authorities to suppress every independent political or rights initiative and the indifference of the international community, there are still Tunisian opposition forces clinging to their rights through extralegal actions. But there is a steep price to pay for opposition to the reality of daily life in Tunisia. The most recent victim was the Tunisian lawyer Muhammad Abbou, sentenced to three years in prison for a series of articles in which he criticized the government\u2019s human rights record. As the space for free expression becomes ever narrower in Tunisia, the few who dare to challenge the situation are likely to suffer Dr. Abbou\u2019s unfortunate fate.<\/font> \u00a0 (*) Bassam Bounenni is a Tunisian journalist and researcher residing in Doha. This article was translated from Arabic by Kevin Burnham.<\/font> \u00a0 (Source: \u201cThe Arab Reform Bulletin\u201d, Published by The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW – Washington D.C. 20036-2103 Phone: 202.483.7600 | Fax: 202.483.1840 | Contact: info@CarnegieEndowment.org ) <\/font>\u00a0 URL: http:\/\/www.carnegieendowment.org\/publications\/index.cfm?fa=view&id=18528&prog=zgp&proj=zted#Tunisia<\/div>\n
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Fight for Mideast democracy faltering<\/strong><\/font><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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by Michael Rubin<\/font> \u00a0 \u00ab\u00a0It is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world,\u00a0\u00bb President Bush declared at his second inauguration. \u00a0 Government-controlled newspapers in the Arab world scoffed at the idea of democracy. Egypt’s al-Ahram daily called it \u00ab\u00a0worrying.\u00a0\u00bb The United Arab Emirates’ al-Bayan wrote that \u00ab\u00a0the slogan of fighting tyranny is just a pompous expression.\u00a0\u00bb Many Bush critics in the United States agreed. \u00a0 Still, democracy took root in what many once dismissed as infertile ground. Lebanon’s Cedar Revolution drove out Syrian military occupation. Just a year ago, Lebanon’s future looked bright. U.S. diplomatic pressure forced Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak to hold his first contested presidential election. That democracy came to Iraq through war may be unpopular, but it does not cancel the fact that Iraqis went to the polls three times, twice to pick a leader and once to ratify a constitution. \u00a0 Dissent grew bold. Libyan democracy activist Fathi El-Jahmi publicly challenged Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi to hold elections. Rola Dashti campaigned tirelessly for women’s suffrage in Kuwait. Jordanian columnist Salameh Nematt took the call for democracy a step further when, on Nov. 25, 2004, he called on all Arab states to embrace democracy. \u00ab\u00a0It is outrageous and amazing that the first free and general elections in the history of the Arab nation are to take place… in Iraq, under the auspices of American occupation, and in Palestine, under the auspices of the Israeli occupation,\u00a0\u00bb he wrote in the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat. \u00a0 Dissent in the Middle East was no cakewalk. Gadhafi threw El-Jahmi in prison. Both Dashti and Nematt received death threats. An Egyptian court sentenced activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim for his writings about human rights and democracy. But even as they challenged entrenched leaders, dissidents could count on Washington as an ally. Bush defied diplomatic convention and withheld $130 million in aid until Egypt released Ibrahim. Senators lobbied for El-Jahmi’s release. The State Department chastised Iran’s treatment of its imprisoned civil society activists, and condemned the murder of Lebanese journalists. \u00a0 No longer. Where just last year, the White House condemned the murder of Lebanese writers, it now remains silent as Libyan security agents kidnap and kill journalists. Hezbollah might not have sparked the latest violence had Washington kept up pressure for its disarmament. El-Jahmi is back in prison. At the Palestinian Authority’s request, the State Department banned liberal Palestinian activist Issam Abu Issa from the United States after he blew the whistle on corruption. \u00a0 Not only adversaries get a free pass. In the face of Bush’s reversal, U.S. allies who once considered reform now abandon it. Take Mubarak: In recent months, his regime has imprisoned the opposition candidate, an arson attack has destroyed the opposition headquarters, Mubarak has canceled municipal elections, and his security forces have arrested judges who dared to complain. Last week, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh – who wields absolute power – reversed his decision to step down and now says he will run again. \u00a0 Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali – who won his last election with more than 94 percent of the vote – has waged a wholesale assault on independent civil society. In the midst of a crackdown on journalists and bloggers, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld visited Tunis to meet Ben Ali. Many Tunisians compare the photo of the meeting to Rumsfeld’s 1983 handshake with Saddam Hussein. \u00a0 Iraqi Kurdish leader Masud Barzani now casts democracy aside as he builds a personality cult and transforms Iraqi Kurdistan into his own personal fiefdom. Even in democratic Turkey, the White House remains silent as Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan refuses to implement supreme court rulings that say he has overstepped his power. \u00a0 That Bush betrays his rhetoric is tragic. While he once spoke of freedom, he now courts those who oppose it. Fighting terror and supporting reform need not be mutually exclusive. Last year Bush promised, \u00ab\u00a0America will stand with the people that desire a free and democratic Iraq.\u00a0\u00bb Now his administration talks of withdrawal, leaving those who put their lives on the line for democracy to wither. Just as his father once called on Iraqis to stand up and fight dictatorship only to abandon them to Saddam’s gunships, so too does George W. Bush now abandon Arab freedom-seekers, only on a much larger scale and with far more dire consequences for both Middle Eastern democracy and U.S. credibility. \u00a0 (*) Michael Rubin is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and editor of the Middle East Quarterly.<\/font> \u00a0 (Source : \u00ab Philadelphia Inquirer\u201d (USA), July 14, 2006)<\/font> URL: http:\/\/www.philly.com\/mld\/inquirer\/news\/editorial\/15033899.htm<\/a> <\/font> <\/p>\n
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Home – Accueil – \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0626\u064a\u0633\u064a\u0629 TUNISNEWS 7\u00a0\u00e8me\u00a0ann\u00e9e, N\u00b0\u00a02244 du 14.07.2006 \u00a0archives : www.tunisnews.net \u00a0AISPP: Communiqu\u00e9 – Mohammed Akrout est en danger \u00ab La Presse \u00bb, (Qu\u00e9bec): L’imam montr\u00e9alais Sa\u00efd Jaziri (d\u2019origine tunisienne, NDLR) passible d’expulsion Le Temps :Demain la tenue du congr\u00e8s unificateur des syndicats de l’enseignement sup\u00e9rieur Sur fond de controverses !… Balha Boujadi: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22040,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[59,37,29],"class_list":["post-18687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-59","tag-37","tag-fr"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18687"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18687\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22040"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}