Tunisian Islamists offer reassurance to gays, women

[SandraJane]

Tunisian Islamists offer reassurance to gays, women

By Paul Canning | Wednesday, 26 October 2011

http://madikazemi.blogspot.com/2011/10/tunisian-islamists-offer-reassurance-to.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SaveMehdiKazemi+(LGBT+asylum+news


Photo credit European Parliament

The newly elected Islamist-led government in Tunisia has offered reassurances to both women and gays that they will respect 'individual freedoms'.

In an interview with Spanish news agency EFE, Ennahda ("Renaissance") party spokesman Riad Chaibi said that they will not pursue the use of alcohol or punish atheism and homosexuality.

[Michelle.]

Here's hoping their idea of "ennahda" and ours are more or less the same.

[mimpi]

Here's hoping their idea of "ennahda" and ours are more or less the same.

What do you mean by that? If you are referring to the 19th century al-Nahda movement things were very different back then with no internet and no TV etc.

This time however 'the awakening' appears to be travelling in the opposite direction...

[Michelle.]

What happened in Europe in the 1500's. Modern tech is our version of the printing press. Which allowed for the Reformation to spread. Which brought about the Enlightenment, literature, law, modern politics, science etc etc.

[SandraJane]

Here's a Wiki link about the history of the Al-Nahda movement;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Nahda

SJ

[spacial]

What do you mean by that? If you are referring to the 19th century al-Nahda movement things were very different back then with no internet and no TV etc.

This time however 'the awakening' appears to be travelling in the opposite direction...

I wonder, to what extent, these reformist movements of the early 19th century were pushed along by individuals who took sponsorship and recieved encouragement from outside influences.

With the sudden fall of Gadaffi and the seeming turmoil suddenly appearing in Syria, it seems very strange that, for years, the peoples of these societies, apparently loved their leaders so much. Yet these same peoples are now, seemingly, dancing on the graves of Gafaddi all thanks to the benevelent support of outside influences.

Pure co-incidence is such a wonderful device.

Oh to take a short glimpse at a history book from 2000 years in the future.

[justmeinoz]

A lot of the early 19th Century movements were started by people who wanted to catch up to Europe. They wanted to restore national pride in countries which had not really had much experience as entities separate from the Ottoman Empire for centuries.  A lot of them eventually gave up on Europe when they felt slighted due to racism they encountered there, and became revolutionaries instead.

Spacial,  I think a lot of people would cheer if they knew the alternative was going to be unpleasant for them, their families or even entire villages. 
In other cases, there are not that many people willing to be martyrs if no-one is going to know what happened to them either, and they just "disappear".

Karen.