EUROPEAN DELEGATION VISITS TUNISIA, FOCUSES ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 001196 SIPDIS NEA/MAG (NARDI/PATTERSON/HAYES); DRL (JOHNSTONE/KLARMAN) LONDON AND PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2018 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO TS SUBJECT: EUROPEAN DELEGATION VISITS TUNISIA, FOCUSES ON HUMAN RIGHTS REF: A. TUNIS 1092 ¶B. TUNIS 841 ¶C. TUNIS 615 ¶D. TUNIS 596 Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) The trials stemming from the January to June unemployment protests in Gafsa and Redeyef have begun to attract high level international attention. A European delegation visited Tunisia November 26-28. While in-country, they met with civil society representatives to discuss human rights, with opposition parties about elections, and with the families of those arrested in the Gafsa/Redeyef protests. Though the group did not encounter difficulties arranging or holding meetings, the government-controlled press reacted negatively to their visit. End Summary. -------------- Euro Delegation -------------- ¶2. (C) From November 26-28, a human rights-focused European delegation visited Tunisia to speak to members of civil society. The group included French Member of Parliament Marie-George Buffet, and the National Secretary of the French Green Party Cecile Duflot. European diplomats confirmed that the visit was considered personal, not official, though some European embassies did assist by putting the delegation in touch with members of Tunisian civil society. ¶3. (C) On November 26, the delegation met with representatives of civil society at the National Headquarters of the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH),including opposition Progressive Democratic Party Secretary General Maya Jribi and LTDH President Mokhtar Trifi. Jribi told PolOff on November 28 that she believed the meeting had been very productive, and the group covered a variety of topics ranging from freedom of expression and freedom of association to the upcoming Tunisian legislative and presidential elections in 2009. Ahmed Inoubli, the First Secretary of the Renewal Movement (at-Tajdid),also hosted a meeting with the delegation and other opposition party officials on November ¶26. ¶4. (C) After meetings in Tunis, a third of the delegation departed for Europe. The remaining members split into two groups. Half traveled to the southwestern mining town of Gafsa and the rest to Redeyef, the locus of dozens of unemployment protests from January to June. Several dozen people were arrested in connection with the protests, and the ringleaders are being tried for plotting to overthrow the government as part of an armed revolution (Ref B). While in Gafsa and Redeyef, the delegations met with the families of imprisoned protestors. The families claim that they are being denied access to their relatives, and per the lawyers of the protestors their clients are subject to harassment and torture while in prison. Despite prior difficulties experienced by individuals who visited the region (Ref A), according to Trifi the delegation had no trouble arranging or conducting meetings. ¶5. (C) Though civil society members seemed pleased with the visit, the reaction of the government-controlled press was virulent, including editorials in the ruling party's French-daily Le Renouveau. In response to statements made by the delegation upon its return to Europe (French MP Buffet proposed forming a solidarity committee for democracy in Tunisia and Cecile Duflot, the French National Secretary of the Greens, said, "...the state of liberties is not making advances in Tunisia"),nineteen Tunisian organizations (all of which are considered to be close to the government) issued a statement calling the visit "neo-colonial interventionism," asserting that Tunisia makes "constant and tangible progress" on human rights. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) The European group represents the highest level delegation solely focused on human rights to visit Tunisia this year. The GOT is highly sensitive to criticism of any kind, thus the negative press reaction was to be expected. Moreover, as the GOT prepares for presidential and legislative elections in 2009, it appears to be cracking down on any who might tarnish President Ben Ali's reelection campaign. Thus, although civil society members were buoyed by the international attention, it is unlikely that the European delegation's visit will temper the GOT's approach towards Gafsa. Those being charged as leaders of the protests will probably receive lengthy sentences. End Comment. Godec