(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, APRIL 30 - The eve of May the first is
marked by a degree of apprehension in Tunis this year. Two
marches have been scheduled to take place in the city centre
tomorrow - both by trades union organisations. The first of
these has been called by the UGTT, the country's general labour
union, to take place in Bourghiba Avenue; the second has been
organised to take place just a few hundred metres away in Avenue
Mohamed V by the Union of Tunisian Workers (UTT).
The country's Interior Ministry has impressed upon both union
organisations the need to stick to their schedules as well as to
the agreed routes.
But cause for concern centres rather on memories of what has
happened over the past weeks during other marches organised in
protest at the policies of the Ennahda-led government. On such
occasions, the leafy backdrop of Bourghiba Avenue and other
central city streets became the scene of violence enacted upon
those taking part in the protests.
These incidents led the Interior Minister to impose a ban on
any protest marches of any kind in these symbolic venues, but
the Ministry has since backed down under pressure from
organisations and political parties who pointed out that such a
ban comes close to political repression.
So tomorrow's marches are to go ahead, and the city will be
holding its breath - at least until the early afternoon when
they will probably have come to an end. The fear is of a
repetition of scenes in which infiltrators whose normal attire
helped them to blend in with the other protesters, used the
march as a chance to attack the very people who had come out on
the streets in order to uphold civil rights. Among their victims
were members of professional associations such as the Bar or
even elected elected delegates at the Constituent Assembly
attacked while carrying the national flag.
In a warning of the type of thing that we could expect, the
Ennahdha party has issued an official note bearing the signature
of communications chief Mohamed Nejib Gharbi, speaks of
''persons unknown wearing Ennahdha party epaulets and pennants,
who will carry out acts of damage to public buildings''.
The alarm raised by the party led by Rached Gannouchi has been
echoed by one from Chokri Belad, spokesperson for the Movement
of Democratic Socialists, who has also learned of possible
infiltrators who will be aiming to attack public buildings, but
who will be wearing the insignia of his own party.
So there is not only apprehension, but also confusion in the
air ahead of tomorrow's march. The Interior Ministry has made it
known that police and security personnel will be deployed
throughout the centre tomorrow and will not tolerate any violent
act from whatever quarter it appears to arise. (ANSAmed).
