Protest in Front of Ministry of Higher Education to Resume Classes
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Protesters in front of Ministry of Higher Education
Today, hundreds of protesters gathered in front of Ministry of Higher Education. Among the demonstators were professors, students, unionists, and members of the UGET (Students Union). The crowd protested against allowing the niqab (full-face veil) at Manouba University, and called for the intervention of the Ministry to solve the protest dilemma.
The niqab incident at Manouba University began on November 28, 2011 when a group of Salafists protested against the ban of the niqab at universities. The salafist protestors also demanded a place for prayer. The faculty board of the University of Manouba decided to close the College of Arts and Humanities until further notice due to the disruption caused by the protests.
Subsequntly, classes at Manouba University have been suspended since December 6, 2011.
This website is very biased towards the current government. Two journalists were attacked by police at this rally, why do you not report this? I feel like I am reading La Presse under Ben Ali – just good news.
Dear Salah,
Thanks for your comment. I am not defending the right to wear niqab from a muslim perspective. I know as you do that it is not necessary in Islam and I believe in this context it is not a positive thing either. Perhaps in a rural environment in certain cultures (muslim and non muslim) it may be a cultural norm but in general I do not persoanlly like the niqab. I also do not like many others types of dress some indeed I find offensive. None of this is the point. Neither is the evolution of this incident particularly pertinent. What is at stake here is the freedom of individuals to dress as they wish. Tunisia needs to consensually agree its norms. Personally I think these will inevitably be to include niqab and I hope they will extend to include short skirts and attire I may consider immodest but feel should be left to an individual to choose. This is I believe is an Islamic position and the position of the government (which extends to swimwear on beaches etc.)
Against this liberal and progressive position (which I am certain most Tunisians would support) are two groups of extremists the salafists and the dogmatic atheists who want to ban each others preferences!! God save us from extremism on both sides.
There are several issues here Lutfiya,
First of all they are more then right to demand an immediate end to the occupation of the university. If you have followed the incident many argue that many of these “salafists” are not even studying there! Moreover lessons are all canceled and it has been like for a month now!! This has to be ended obviously, most of the students have nothing to do with it and should be able to continue their studies.
Secondly if these protesters have demands there are other ways to get attention for it. And also other ways to demonstrate. You can not just paralyze the whole university for one bloody month and be surprised many other students also get annoyed with you. They want and expect their lessons to be continued, and are right.
Last but least the issue about niqaab is related to wearing it in universities. And not outside of it, on the street and such. Whatever one might personally think about the dress as such is irrelevant. I am myself a practicing Muslim but think it should be forbidden in universities indeed. Why? Because you do not know who your dealing with first of all, which is quite essential in an educative system for reasons of communication obviously. But more importantly, there are safety issues as well! Next time some drunk Tunisian youngsters (and there are plenty of them around) enter the uni wearing a niqab and try to be funny or have criminal intentions.
From the perspective of Islam you can wear a headscarf as well. Which is agreed on (ijma’) by all different schools of thought, the niqab is not. So wearing a hijab at uni does not harm any practicing Muslim sister in her faith at all. And to emphasize again, I am merely taking this stance at wearing a niqab at universities.
protests against freedom to dress as we chose? I think in the new Tunisia it is not acceptable for one small group to insist everyone dresses in a way they approve of. What is their problem with the niqab?