INTERNAL DISSENT COULD IMPEDE OPPOSITION PARTY

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 000188

SIPDIS

NEA/MAG (PATTERSON/HAYES); DRL (JOHNSTONE/KLARMAN)
LONDON AND PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO TS
SUBJECT: INTERNAL DISSENT COULD IMPEDE OPPOSITION PARTY

REF: A. 08 TUNIS 1124

B. 08 TUNIS 864

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

--------------
Summary
--------------


1. (C) The efforts of the independent opposition Democratic
Forum for Labor and Freedom (FDTL) to prepare for
presidential and legislative elections in fall 2009 may be
derailed by internal dissent. FDTL political bureau member
and Editor-in-Chief of FDTL's Arabic weekly Mouatinoun Jelal
Lahbib condemned FDTL Secretary General Mustapha Ben Jaafar's
recent trip to Europe, accusing Ben Jaafar of seeking foreign
support. Ben Jaafar responded with a press release that
implied Lahbib's actions were being prompted by the GOT. End
Summary.

--------------
Tempest in a Teapot
--------------


2. (C) Shortly after Mustapha Ben Jaafar, Secretary General
of the opposition Democratic Forum for Labor and Freedom
(FDTL),returned from Europe, the editor-in-chief of the
FDTL's Arabic-weekly Mouatinoun and political bureau member
Jelal Lahbib said Ben Jaafar should have stayed in Tunisia
instead of meeting with European Parliament members in Paris
and Geneva. Lahbib added that Ben Jaafar should have been
preparing for the upcoming party congress, and accused him of
working for a "foreign agenda." Arabic-weekly al-Hadath,
considered to be the mouthpiece of the Ministry of the
Interior, published a long article on Lahbib's statement
highlighting the discord within the FDTL.


3. (C/NF) In response to the accusations levied by Lahbib,
the FDTL issued a press release that was also published in
the March 26 edition of Mouatinoun. In his statement, Ben
Jaafar said that he did not need lessons on patriotism from
others. Ben Jaafar said he was responding to Lahbib and
those "who were behind him" implying that Lahbib's remarks
were prompted by the GOT or the ruling party. Despite
numerous attempts by PolOff to contact him, Ben Jaafar could
not be reached for additional comment. Former secretary
general of the opposition Progressive Democratic Party (PDP)
Nejib Chebbi opined that unlike the pro-government faction
within the PDP, he considered Lahbib to be "of the
government." PDP Secretary General Maya Jribi expressed a
similar sentiment, saying that Lahbib was probably affiliated
with "police," meaning he has ties to the Ministry of the
Interior.

--------------
Comment
--------------


4. (C) Ben Jaafar's theory that Lahbib may have been
prompted by the GOT, is credible. Individuals with ties to
the GOT have been at the center of similar divisions within
the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH) and the National
Center for Labor and Freedom (CNLT) (Ref B),among others.
Moreover, accusations of being too close to foreign powers
are nothing new. Lahbib's statement is significant because
it might detract the FDTL from its elections-related agenda.
The fact that Ben Jaafar has not been returning our calls is
probably indicative that the pressure is having its intended
effect. In addition, the Lahbib situation appears to have
influenced the FDTL's decision to postpone its party congress
until late April. As a small party with limited resources,
the FDTL's ability to mount presidential and parliamentary
campaigns will be significantly hampered if it also has to
devote energy to defending itself against charges of
disloyalty. End Comment.
Godec