Tunisia: Islamists on the Defensive.
“On manifeste contre la France parce qu’elle soutient des gens
qui veulent nous imposer une Tunisie de gauche”.
Les islamistes tunisiens sur la défensive.
L’ Humanité reports today on Saturday’s Islamist Demonstration in Tunis.
After the massive protests over the assassination of Chokri Belaïd Ennahdha has tried to organise an equal response. But their march-on Saturday only drew a few thousand.
The demonstrators attacked France “for interference” in Tunisian affairs .
Present were four leaders of the Islamist party, Ameur Larayedh and Lotfi Zitoune, the government minister, Slim Ben H’midane, of the Congrès pour la république (CPR, centre left) – the President Moncef Marzouki‘s party.
They denounced the assassination as a plot against “national unity”.
They then went on the shout against the “election losers”, who refused to dialogue with the government and called to “protect the legitimacy of the ballot box”. The crowd shouted, “National Unity”. “The people want Ennahdha” and “France respect yourself!”
The French Embassy was targeted. Marchers cried, “Dégage la France! (Piss off France!). A child carried a placard saying, ”Shut up France! (France tais-toi),.
“La violence ? Ce n’est pas nous, c’est eux, la gauche»
Who killed the left leader? To one of the marchers it was clear, “Il son ami et il accuse ses adversaires (He kills his friend and accuses his enemies). » Saïd, said, “It was an internal party fight.”
Set Back for the Demonstration.
One thing is clear: orders were given to make sure that the demonstration looked peaceful and happy.
However this Islamist march, for all its festive air, was a set back.
It showed that the Islamists’ capacity to mobilise is waning.
