From: Erooth Mohamed <ekunhan@gmail.com>
Date: 2011/2/25
Subject: [bangla-vision] Hijab regains popularity in Tunisia... Libya burns.. Tunisia: Stollen Currencies & Wealth Discovers in Palace..
T
Hijab regains popularity in Tunisia
While some fear that the regime change in Tunisia could turn the tide against the country's staunch secular tradition, others enjoy the new-found freedom to practice Islam in public.
By Houda Trabelsi for Magharebia in Tunis – 24/02/11
| [Reuters/Zohra Bensemra] In a controversial move, Tunisia may soon overturn a law that banned wearing the hijab in public. |
After years of restrictive policies against religious attire, Tunisia might soon rescind its long-standing ban on the hijab in public institutions.
The veil is a personal matter and part of women's individual freedom, Religious Affairs Minister Laroussi Mizouri announced on February 12th in the first official statement regarding the issue.
Under Tunisian law, the veil is considered "sectarian dress" rather than a religious duty. The country's first president, Habib Bourguiba, outlawed the hijab in public places, and his successor, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, vowed to preserve the Personal Status Code.
"Our manager imposed a complete ban on wearing the veil at work," complained Sonia Labadh, who works in the public sector. "Therefore, I had to take it off at the door of the department and put it back on when I leave; something that caused me much embarrassment."
"I've always hated these behaviours from the former regime," she added. "How could they prevent anyone from wearing what they like and from observing their religious duties in a country that is supposed to be Muslim?"
Public discontent with former policies culminated in 2003, when protesters demanded that the government intervene to stop insults against veiled women, and a group of lawyers and rights activists signed a petition condemning the authorities.
"I got sick with the hit-and-run game with the administration and security in university, who were preventing us from wearing the veil," Sourour Mhadhbi, 22, said. "I often felt oppressed and humiliated, and the matter would reach the worst point when I heard obscene words."
The situation has changed since the January 14th revolution. Tunisian cities have witnessed a strong and noticeable return of the veil.
"I feel as if I was born anew; I no longer have to take the veil off in the university or wear a hat on it to deceive them," Mhadhbi said.
"The restoration of freedom to wear the veil may curb a little bit the scenes of nudity that have swept across Tunisia in recent years," Mondher Ayari told Magharebia.
Some, however, fear a backlash from conservatives. Secondary school teacher Arbia Ezine hoped that women would not be required "to wear the veil, especially with the entry of Islamist parties to the field after years-long absence".
"I respect the freedom of dress and personal belief, but I reject the imposition of wearing or removal of veil because this is a stark assault on individual freedoms," she said.
Ghalya ben Mohamed, a university student, told Magharebia, "I personally don't recommend wearing the veil, but I respect the personal freedom of those who decide to wear it," she said, adding that "those who don't wear the veil must also be respected".
She called for a "clear legal provision" to prevent Islamists from imposing the garment.
Legislative changes, however, don't always lead to changes in behaviour, according to sociology professor Ali Hammi. "The government's permission of veils may not necessarily be followed by a wave of an increasing number of women wearing it. The veil has always been there, though banned. Banned things are always desired."
There are many women who wear the veil as "a form of social expression or fashion and not always as an expression of religious affiliations or a specific approach", according to Hammi.
تونس: اكتشاف أموال ومجوهرات في قصر لبن علي
عثرت لجنة تحقيق على عدة خزائن داخل قصر الرئيس التونسي المخلوع بن علي كان يستخدمها لتجميع الأموال
From: raja chemayel <chemayelraja@yahoo.co.uk>
Egypt sells Natural-Gas to Israel Israel sells Tear-Gas to Egypt Sherlock Hommos I smell Gas !! |
- Libyan state TV reports "gangs" in Benghazi kidnapped Abdul Fattah Younis al Abidi
- Earlier Wednesday, al Abidi said he quit the government and supports protesters
- He predicted protesters will achieve victory in "days or hours"
(CNN) -- Hours after Libya's former interior minister said he resigned to support anti-government protesters, the Libyan government said he had been kidnapped.
Abdul Fattah Younis al Abidi told CNN Wednesday that he resigned Monday after hearing that 300 unarmed civilians had been killed in Benghazi, Libya's second-largest city. He accused Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi of planning to attack civilians on a wide scale.
But the same day, Libyan state media reported that "gangs" in Benghazi had kidnapped him. Witnesses have reported that Benghazi has essentially been taken over by the opposition. Witnesses also told CNN they saw Younis on Sunday and Monday in Benghazi, where he was siding with the protesters.
CNN could not immediately confirm reports for areas beyond Benghazi. The Libyan government maintains tight control on communications and has not responded to repeated requests from CNN for access to the country. CNN has interviewed numerous witnesses by phone.
Libyan state television added that Libyan forces have warned those responsible for the kidnapping that they "will be chased in their hiding places."
Earlier Wednesday, al Abidi said he had quit the government and is supporting the protesters, who he predicted will achieve victory in "days or hours."
"Gadhafi told me he was planning on using airplanes against the people in Benghazi, and I told him that he will have thousands of people killed if he does that," al Abidi said in an Arabic-language telephone interview Wednesday.
"Let us go..."
He called Gadhafi "a stubborn man" who will not give up. "He will either commit suicide or he will get killed," said al Abidi, who said he has known him since 1964.
Al Abidi called on Libyan security forces "to join the people in the intifada." Already, he said, "many members" of the security forces had defected, including those in the capital, Tripoli.
Since the recent protests in Libya started February 15, a growing number of Libyan officials have reportedly resigned.
Libya's ambassador to Bangladesh, A.H. Elimam, resigned to side with pro-democracy protesters, said BSS, the official news agency of Bangladesh, citing a Foreign Ministry official Tuesday.
Justice Minister Mustafa Abdul Jalil also resigned, saying he was protesting the "bloody situation" and "use of excessive force" against unarmed protesters, according to the Libyan newspaper Quryna.
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BBC now admits al qaeda never existed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ_HlmP1aZk
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Fascist America: Are We There Yet? | CommonDreams.org
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