w w w . h a a r e t z . c o m

Tunisia opposition vows to block Sharon visit

TUNIS - Tunisia's leading opposition parties vowed on Monday to block an invitation to a summit issued by the government to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Ten opposition parties and human rights groups said the visit by Sharon would bring "lasting shame" on the country. Sharon is unpopular due to Israeli policies towards the Palestinians and Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982.

"The government has to scrap the visit. Otherwise Sharon would have to walk over our bodies to reach the summit site," Nejib Chebbi, head of the legal opposition Democratic Progressive Party, told leaders and members from 10 opposition parties and rights groups.

The government said at the weekend about 100 government leaders including Sharon were invited to the UN-backed World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Tunis in November.

The International Freedom of Expression Exchange, which campaigns for press freedom, last week accused Tunisia of censorship and torture and said that, barring sweeping reforms, the country was not a suitable host for the summit.

The government rejected its report and said that in Tunisia newspapers are free and torture is forbidden.

Protests
Opposition leaders and rights activists said that starting next Friday they would hold rallies and street protests until the summit takes place to put pressure on the government to rescind the invitation.

That could lead to a showdown with a government that has rarely backed down from decisions under opposition pressure.

"Death for us will be sweeter than to bear seeing Sharon trample our land and the dignity and principles of our country," Chebbi said.

"The Palestinian cause is dear to our hearts. If we accept Sharon, we will have lost our dignity," he added, vowing to "translate words into ... action".

The 10 groups pledged to stage rallies and demonstrations at university campuses, party headquarters, and possibly to organize a general strike with the support of trade unions.

Mokhtar Trifi, chairman of the only legal human rights body Tunisian Human Rights League, said his group will host a meeting of opposition leaders and civic associations and rights activists on Tuesday to organize opposition to the visit.