Tunisians are mesmerized by sudden emergence of salafi activism as most intriguing new phenomenon since fall of Ben Ali regime.

TUNIS - From university campuses, to mosques around the country or to the raucous crowds around the seat of the recently-elected Constituent Assembly, Tunisians are mesmerized by the sudden emergence of salafi activism as the most intriguing new phenomenon since the fall of the Ben Ali regime.

Although members of "Hizb Attahrir" (Islamic Liberation Party) and Salafi movements, who see democracy as "un-Islamic", have chosen not to run in the October 23rd elections, Salafists of various hues are trying to shape the face of "new Tunisia", with such demands as allowing "Niqab"-clad young women to be allowed to attend classes at Tunisian universities, closing down a TV station which broadcast a cartoon film showing God as an elderly character or calling for the grander goal of the establishment of the “Caliphate” (Sharia-based pan-Islamic rule).

Salafi activism has come to light quite dramatically during the ongoing showdown, around the Bardo Parliament building, between ultraconservative salafists, on one side, and liberal and leftist secularists, on the other. The showdown has proven problematic for the moderate-Islamist leaders of "Ennahda" party, who are trying to form a coalition-government with a number of secular parties.

Reuter's Tunisian correspondent Tarek Amara believes Ennahda is in an awkward position because it wants to be seen to be defending the rights of Muslims to express their faith, but at the same time it is wary of alarming secularists and Western governments by appearing too close to Islamist hardliners."

Although Ennahda has tried to distance itself from Bardo showdown, its secularist rivals have tried to present Salafi demonstrations as part of a concerted Islamist effort aimed at intimidating secularists and doing away with Tunisia's secular traditions. Islamist activists are from their end accusing "secularist extremists" of attempting to stage a "street coup" after having failed to win a majority during last elections.

Jean-Baptiste Gallopin, a political analyst and North Africa expert with Control Risks, a British risk assessment firm, believes "some secular parties such as the PDP seized the opportunity to play up the Islamist fear and demanded strong condemnations from Ennahda in an attempt to undermine the party."

Although it has consistently condemned violence and "takfiri" stands, Ennahda has taken pains not to alienate the Salafists. The party leader, Rached Ghannouchi, said a few weeks ago that an Ennahda- led government does not exclude the possibility of legalizing "Hizb Attahrir" and other salafist formations. He told "Foreign Policy" magazine this week, during a visit to the United States that Tunisian salafis are "a very small minority, very small groups. We defend their right to exist, and to express themselves. We believe that in a free environment we can convince these people that their understanding of Islam is not a good understanding."

Sources in Tunis say last month's uproar over statements by secretary general of Ennahda party, Hammadi Jebali, over his talk about the establishment of a "sixth Caliphate" in fact stemmed from an intent to co-opt salafists but ended up scaring secular groups.

"He was just borrowing from a page of Islamic heritage an expression that strikes the imagination of the salafist fringe and was not by any means reneging on the party's firm commitment to democratic pluralism and modernity, " said a source close to Ennahda.

Advocating a model of government akin to that of Turkey's Justice and Development Party (AKP), Ennahda is expected by next week to announce the makeup of a "national coalition government".

At a time when the country is expecting its annual economic growth to drop to an unprecedented zero percent rate or less and when the population is seeing no end in sight to the swelling ranks of the unemployed, the polemic over salafist vs. secularist politics is seen as distracting the new majority from tackling the increasingly critical socio-economic priorities.

Tunisian sociologist Alaya Allani attributes the growth of salafist groups in Tunisia and the Maghreb, not to ideology, but to social and political factors. "The wide gap between the social classes increases the state of social tensions, and the violent dealing with ethnic and cultural diversity has contributed to the instigation of sectarian feelings. As to ideological factors, they come last."

Source : middle-east-online.com