Ben Ali is forced out of Tunisia

By: Dr/ Najeh Ibrahim

Before he leaves the country, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali delivers a speech to his people saying that he now understands every thing… he knows the honest and the liar… the faithful and the cheater… and that he was deceived by his retinue … and that he knows now what his people want and will fulfill it completely"

President Ben Ali should have comprehended that long years ago. He shouldn't have waited such bloody protests to know the needs and problems of his people. But he lived in an ivory tower not caring about the sufferings of the Tunisians.

Is it accepted from a ruler of an Arab Muslim country to ban hijab in schools, universities and Government jobs?

What's your problem with hijab? Leave women choose freely what to wear. Do veiled women compete with you over power to prevent a whole nation from doing what they like, from the simplest religious rights?

Ben Ali imagined that by doing this he is transforming Tunisia to a secular state. He didn't know that one of the basic principles of secularism and liberalism is freedom for every one.  Every person can wear as he pleases and believe in what he wants as long as he doesn't harm others.

But the man allowed women to wear mini and micro skirts while he deprived others by force from their right to wear Islamic garments.

Some may think he banned the niqab. No, he barred covering the head and whoever breaks the ban will be excluded from school or fired from job.

Look at such tyranny. We blame the west for their hostile approach to Islam but by God they are far better that Ben Ali and his ilk. Millions of women wearing hijab and niqad live in the US without being harassed or annoyed at all. Moreover, Obama's adviser on Muslim affairs- Dalia Mogahed- is veiled. Everyday, she goes in and out the White House without being bothered by anyone.

Even the racist, Gorge W. Bush, couldn't breach the freedom of Muslim American women to wear hijab or niqab because the American society is based on freedom.

Zine El Abidine Ben Ali hated Islam itself not only the Islamic movement. He followed Bourguiba's example.

However, the latter fought against Islam by thoughts only but the former used violence, torture and banishment.

Bourguiba used to say that fasting weakens the economic power of the country. This is as if his state lives in luxury and fasting will make it economically underdeveloped.

Once, I heard sheikh al Ghazaly saying:

"There is a big Arab idol alleges that fating weakens the economy of the country"

It is astonishing that Ben Ali was ousted by the same constitutional article as his predecessor but he didn't get the lesson.

Translated by: Fatima Suleiman

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