Live streams

Tunisia's Islamists Rally in Support of Ruling Party

Several thousand supporters of Tunisia's ruling moderate Islamist party rally in a pro-government demonstration in the capital Tunis, February 9, 2013.

TEXT SIZE - +

Lisa Bryant

February 09, 2013

TUNIS — Thousands of Islamists marched in Tunisia's capital Saturday a day after the funeral of secularist politician Chokri Belaid, who was shot dead earlier in the week. The demonstration is the latest signal of deepening divisions in this North African country.

A day after a massive outpouring of grief and anger against religious hardliners in Tunis, supporters of the ruling Islamist Ennahda party staged their own counter-demonstration in the capital Saturday.

Chanting pro-Ennahda slogans, several thousand protesters marched down the tree-lined Habib Bourguiba boulevard. Many were men, but there were also women wearing the body-covering hijab and a few children.

Many carried the white Ennahda flag. Some unfurled banners calling on former colonial power France to butt out of Tunisian affairs.

The slogans appeared to be a response to remarks by a French minister warning of rising "Islamist fascism" in Tunisia following the shooting death of Chokri Belaid - who had been a fierce critic of Ennahda and Islamists.

Supporters of the ruling Ennahda party shout slogans in support of the party during a demonstration in Tunis, Feb. 9, 2013.
A tear gas canister flies in the air as thousands of Tunisians gathered at el Jallez cemetery to attend the funeral of slain opposition leader Chokri Belaid, Feb. 8, 2013.
A Tunisian woman walks past burning cars during clashes with the police near the funeral of slain opposition leader Chokri Belaid, Feb. 8, 2013.
Riot police clash with protesters next to the cemetery where thousands of Tunisians gathered to attend the funeral of slain opposition leader Chokri Belaid, near Tunis, Feb. 8, 2013.
Mourners carry the coffin of opposition leader Chokri Belaid during his funeral procession, Tunis, Tunisia, Feb. 8, 2013.
A sticker with an image of the late opposition leader Chokri Belaid is seen as a woman mourns during his funeral procession, Tunis, Feb. 8, 2013.
Mourners carry the coffin of slain opposition leader Chokri Belaid during his funeral procession towards El-Jellaz cemetary, Tunis, Feb. 8, 2013.
Tunisians accompany the ambulance carrying the body of opposition leader Chokri Belaid, from his home to his father's home, Tunis, Feb. 7, 2013.
A woman cries over the coffin of opposition leader Chokri Belaid, in Tunis, Feb. 7, 2013.
Protesters gather on Tunis 'main avenue after a Tunisian opposition leader critical of the Islamist-led government was gunned down as he left home, Feb.6, 2013.
A protester gestures to police during clashes in Tunis, Feb. 6, 2013.
The body of Chokri Belaid, a prominent Tunisian opposition politician, is carried into an ambulance after he was shot, in Tunis Feb. 6, 2013.
Basma Chokri, the wife of assassinated prominent Tunisian opposition politician Chokri Belaid, mourns in Tunis Feb. 6, 2013.

◀

▶

⏪ ▶ || ⏩ 1/13

⇱ Disable Captions Enable Captions

Many Tunisians blame Ennahda and more hardline Salafists for Belaid's assassination and protestors have attacked the party's offices. Ennahda strongly denies any role in the opposition politician's death. So does demonstrator Fatah Ousleti. He says the Islamists are actually protecting Tunisians from rising insecurity.

"They are usually targeted as people who are criminals but they are not really criminals. For example yesterday, they were protecting people in Tunisia. They were protecting the shops, they were protecting the banks..etc."

Another demonstrator, Nasser Ajmi, said Islamists were pacifists. He said it is important to have both religion and politics in Tunisian life.

Ajmi said Tunisian Islam is modern and moderate. It is not fundamentalist, nor does it follow the path of the Talibans or former al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden.

While Islam is the dominant religion here, it is also deepening divisions in this North African country. More secular Tunisians warn against mounting fundamentalism. Human rights advocates and political activists have pointed to a slew of attacks by hardline Islamists against artists, politicians and secular figures - culminating, they assert, with Belaid's death.

You May Like

FILE- Unmanned Predator B drone, taken November 8, 2011.

Pakistan Reiterates Opposition to US Drone Strikes

Day earlier US President Barack Obama justified 'constrained' drone usage to save lives More

Authorities are taking samples of live poultry from mainland China to test for the H7N9 virus, April 11, 2013.

Study Identifies Risks of Human Spread of H7N9 Bird Flu

Study suggest that international measures to contain the H7N9 influenza, in the event of severe outbreak, will need to be targeted in Asia More

Anti government protesters burn tires and place rocks in the streets in Conakry, Guinea, May 3, 2013

Violence Continues in Conakry Over Upcoming Elections

Opposition has called for boycott of elections More

Syria's Civil War Fuels Violence in Iraq

Analysts say al-Qaida-linked militants are flowing back and forth from both countries More

Star Trek Influence Lives Long and Prospers

As new movie thrills, many are once again discussing the iconic franchise's influence on society, science and technology More

A view of Badong city on the banks of the Yangtze River, in Hubei province, China, August 7, 2012.

OECD: Developing Green Cities Key to Sustainable Future

OECD suggests strategies to mitigate rapid growth, industrialization in urban centers, which produce about two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions More

This forum has been closed.

Comment Sorting

Comments

by: Sam from: Los Angeles

February 09, 2013 6:18 PM

Report Comment

guys! these people had a revolution, they want democracy, I wonder why don't we leave them alone, they all muslims therefore they have the right to elect muslims leaders.
why we kept criticizing them and tagging them with a slogan islamists ???/
they are muslims and their leaders must be muslims not zionist puppets and dictators.

give them a break.

Featured Videos

Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.

Video

Volunteers Help Revive LA's Concrete River

The Los Angeles River is a concrete drainage channel through much of its 80-kilometer length. It channels waste-water from storm drains and has become a receptacle for much of the city's trash. But as Mike O'Sullivan reports, the river is slowly being restored with the help of volunteers, who take part in an annual clean-up.