ALL AFRICA: Tunis — One year after extremist violence first emerged in Tunisia, many citizens are convinced that jihadi salafism poses a threat to the future of their country.
From the street to the highest levels of government, Tunisians say that the growing influence of jihadists puts the country's democratic transition in jeopardy.
"Stopping extremist moves, whatever the ideological foundations, means stopping the destructive violence to Tunisian lives and the tarnishing of Tunisia's image abroad," President Moncef Marzouki said Saturday (November 17th) at a Carthage conference.
A string of violent incidents has created an "unhealthy climate, which increased the fear of Tunisians", Marzouki said at the event organised by salafist Sheikh Bechir Ben Hassen.
"Tunisians see the phenomena as a threat to the way of life of the majority," he said, warning against those extremists who try to "impose their law by force in some mosques and neighbourhoods in the country".
Marzouki called on the media, preachers, salafist leaders, families, politicians and the government to work together to stem the spread of extremist ideology.
For his part, Sheikh Ben Hassen called for an end to behaviour that could "lead to a bloodbath and end the Tunisian revolution".
"We are all Tunisians," he said. » | Monia Ghanmi | Friday, November 23, 2012
ALL AFRICA: Tunisie: Les Tunisiens redoutent une vague djihadiste – Tunis — Un an après l'apparition des premières violences extrémistes en Tunisie, de nombreux citoyens sont convaincus que le salafisme djihadiste représente une menace pour l'avenir de leur pays. » | Monia Ghanmi | vendredi 23 novembre 2012
