OPPOSITION PARTY TURNS TO HUNGER STRIKE TO PROTEST

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 001294

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA/MAG (HOPKINS/HARRIS); DRL (JOHNSTONE)
LONDON AND PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2017
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO TS
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION PARTY TURNS TO HUNGER STRIKE TO PROTEST
EVICTION

REF: A. TUNIS 699

B. TUNIS 1044

C. TUNIS 1248

D. TUNIS 493

Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

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Summary
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1. (C) The opposition Progressive Democratic Party (PDP)
announced that as of September 20 PDP leaders began a hunger
strike to protest what they deem a politically motivated
eviction from their Tunis headquarters. During a September
18 meeting with the Ambassador, PDP Secretary General Maya
Jribi explained that the PDP has been paying its rent to the
same landlord (under the same lease agreement) without
incident for over ten years. Because of the sudden nature of
the eviction proceedings, the fact that the landlord has
refused to renegotiate the lease, has recently refused rent
payments, and has not given an explanation beyond "lease
violations," the PDP has concluded the eviction attempt is
retaliation for its political activities. Jribi said that
because the PDP feels this case is politically motivated, it
is responding politically with a hunger strike. End summary.

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Background
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2. (C) The PDP is a registered opposition party that also
operates the Arabic-weekly newspaper al-Mawqif. In a
September 18 meeting with the Ambassador, PDP Secretary
General Maya Jribi explained that technically, the PDP's
lease is in the name of its newspaper as this is common
practice for political parties in Tunisia. Many of the
personnel are the same, and at any rate the combined
personnel are not numerous. The PDP has operated in the same
space, under the terms of its current lease, for over twenty
years. When the current owner, Abdel Rahman Bou Zayen,
bought the building in 1993, he accepted the terms of the
prior lease, and the PDP has been paying rent to Bou Zayen
without incident for over a decade.


3. (C) Without discernable motivation, Bou Zayen suddenly
threatened to begin eviction proceedings in April 2006,
saying that the PDP's sharing office space with al-Mawqif
violated the lease agreement (Ref A). After several threats,
he legally requested eviction in April 2007, and the case is
scheduled to go to court on September 24. According to
Jribi, Bou Zayen has not offered a reason beyond "lease
violations" for his attempt to evict his long-time tenants.
Because of the eviction's sudden nature, the lack of
explanation, the landlord,s refusal to renegotiate the
lease, and recent refusal of rent payments, the PDP's
steering committee concluded that the case is politically
motivated. The PDP, through meetings, campaigns, press
releases, and its newspaper, is an active critique of
government policies. Recently, the PDP has called for
reforms concerning access to the media, with an eye to
presenting viable candidates in the 2009 presidential and
legislative elections.

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Fight Fire With Fire
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4. (C) Because the PDP considers this case to be political,
Jribi announced at a September 20 press conference that the
party would respond politically by staging a sit in and a
hunger strike at the party headquarters. She clarified that
the PDP would not dignify the court proceedings with a
representative. Jribi elaborated that the hunger strike was
not a decision the PDP came to easily or lightly, but one
that members felt necessary to call attention not only to
their own situation, but the treatment of civil society by
the government in general. She specifically noted the
difficulties encountered by the Tunisian Human Rights League
(LTDH, Ref B),which Jribi attributed to the GOT, and the
potentially politically motivated fire at the office of
attorney Ayachi Hammami (Ref C). Journalist Lotfi Hajji and
attorney/activist Ayachi Hammami were stopped and questioned
by plainclothes police en route to the press conference, and
were not able to attend. Hammami was also prevented from
visiting PDP headquarters by plainclothes police on September

21.


5. (C) The move carries some health risks for the

participants, current PDP Secretary General Maya Jribi and
PDP political bureau member Nejib Chebbi (former Secretary
General of the PDP and a potential presidential candidate).
Chebbi is 64, diabetic and has undergone triple-bypass
surgery. Jribi is 48, and though not frail, has a slight
frame and acknowledged the hunger strike would not be easy.
During a September 21 meeting with Pol/EconCouns, Chebbi
explained that neither he or Jribi will eat or drink, and
they will proceed with the hunger strike even against medical
advice. (Note: Jribi and Chebbi are being monitored by
medical personnel. End Note.) During the September 20 press
conference, Chebbi stated that since the PDP would not be
granted the right to hold a demonstration, and because it
does not have free access to the media, the party is pursing
the only means of protest left to it. According to Chebbi,
the goal of the strike is twofold. First, it acts as a call
for solidarity among civil society activists. Second, the
PDP hopes to pressure the GOT into halting the eviction
proceedings.


6. (C) The move comes after a spate of incidents involving
the PDP -- nine of their regional offices have been or are
in the process of eviction. Chebbi told Pol/EconCouns on
September 21 that several of the party,s regional landlords
admitted they were being strongly pressured by police and
local officials to evict the PDP. On August 27, the PDP held
a press conference to protest the last-minute cancellation by
a hotel of a planned summer university targeted at youth.
Management cited ongoing work at the hotel,s facilities, but
the PDP believes that the GOT pressured the hotel to withdraw
the meeting space. Jribi told PolOff she had visited the
hotel and found no evidence of substantial renovations, and
the hotel staff was given leave for the three days the
conference was scheduled. Further, on August 29, the party
published a press release noting that plainclothes police
prevented a social gathering in which Chebbi was
participating in Nabeul. As Chebbi later recounted, the
group attempted to meet in a cafe but left after police told
the owner they would shut down his cafe if he did not throw
out the PDP members. When the group moved to the nearby
beach, police officers tried to disperse them. After their
attempts failed, police officers brought chairs and sat in a
circle surrounding Chebbi and his party.

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Comment
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7. (C) The experience of the PDP shows that, while some
members of the GOT may be willing to pursue reform, not
everyone shares their agenda. Notwithstanding President Ben
Ali,s declaration to CODEL Tanner (Ref D) that he wanted to
strengthen opposition parties, security officials are
hampering their activities. If genuine, Ben Ali,s message
has not filtered down to the GOT rank and file, leaving
independent parties like the PDP little room to maneuver.
The Embassy will continue to maintain close contact with the
PDP and plans to make periodic visits to the hunger strikers.
End Comment.
GODEC