Instead of judging the reactions of the United States of America, the minister should start by not interfering in the decisions of a sovereign state nor judge them. As minister of tourism of a particular government failed to say the “calamitux” Elyes Fakhfakh should it not be with his teams flooring train on an emergency communication plan to reassure and soothe customers of the destination? Assume for a moment that the Tunisian Embassy in Washington is sacked by “uncontrolled” and splinter groups that the United States is unable to manage the situation, is it acceptable that the reaction of Tunisians is judged as “exaggerated”?
Last Sunday the French channel M6 broadcasted at a prime time a “Salafi against tourists” reportage. A ten minute documentary which featured images and disquieting stories about the destination. An admittedly erroneous assessment of Tunisia but which marks the spirits and the Western collective imagination.
Since the images of the attack on Friday and whatever its ins and outs, Tunisia scared. This is not denying the truth or by multiplying the TV sets and radios to strut with numbers whose readings can be contradictory that the Tunisian Minister of Tourism will advance his department as well as his country.
For now the impact of these events, besides the national political crisis that causes spawned, if only yesterday the cancellation of a Tunisian-French meeting of preparation for the visit of a delegation of french employers and the cancellation of the visit of the State Secretary of the Swiss economy. Some tour operators who organize Mediterranean cruises as “Aida Cruises” and “Cunard line” have already canceled stops in Tunis.
The clash of words
The words of the Tunisian Minister shock. On the Web, just by reading the comments under the article dedicated to his sensational statements to the newspaper “Le Figaro” counts no less than 73comments and almost all more incendiary than each other. On the Tunisian site Businesnews, comments reach a figure of around and that’s without specifying remarks and comments of horrified Tunisians on social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
A hotel worker in office wrote: “When I read that the Minister of Tourism said micro RFI that the US reaction is exaggerated, I say that this minister is not only incompetent, but he is also unconscious. He did not live the tornado vandalism perpetrated by Salafists and robbers from all sides. Me, I was 150 meters away, and I got the fright of my life. I did not know if I could go home … To find for the Americans, would it have taken their Ambassador dies or some of their embassy? Am I dreaming or what? This minister would have done better to keep quiet ! ”
At a time when the country’s image takes a big hit – to inspirea bout Ali Larrayed ,interior minister – the statements are clumsy and displaced, this is the least we can say!
Defend the indefensible and persist in denying is not the attitude that adopted across the government. What plays Elyes Fakhfakh to want to be more Catholic than the Pope ardently defending a government that skids? Who does he want to be as pleasant to?
The Minister also said: “I understand the concern” of the West “against the rise of violence, but the situation” is much more complex than what can be perceived from the outside. ” “Tunisia is known for its moderation, openness, tolerance (…) we can not put all Islamists in the same boat, those who are violent are a tiny minority,” he assured.
Still, for the first time since 1991 and before that in 1967, the United States advised their citizens not to visit Tunisia. In a statemen, the embassy thanked the Tunisians who rescued him but thanked neither the President nor the Government. A diplomatic way to distance itself despite the diplomatic exchanges between the Foreign Minister and Hillary Clinton.
At a time when Tunisians are shocked by the violence and put their country in the same bag as Sudan, the US Ambassador in Tunisia declares that the image of Tunisia is tarnished and that the country may know some difficulties in the future. The director of the American School of Tunis, which was also sacked, said that the security forces have responded to calls for help after several hours and that firefighters have 3 hours to arrive after the fire!
Mr. Fakhfakh also said: “We will do everything to restore confidence.” Maybe, but this is certainly not denying “amalgams” that it will succeed. The open country image, tolerant, who stunned the world in the aftermath of January 14 is now definitely past. Today, if the government and Mr. Fakhfakh do not take this into account in considering the right approaches, they will not be able to reassure neither foreigners, nor the investors nor even their own citizens.
On the other hand, the tourism minister added: “We will not let anything happen if one feels that there is a return drift back or a willingness to move towards something that is not Tunisia . Any civil society and the parties are mobilized in this process. ” In tourism, “this unfortunate event does not help us.” “It hurts Tunisia.”
No problem, except that the drifts are already there. They are numerous and have already harmed Tunisia. The degree of nuisance can not be measured with the cursor supporters spirits and other electoral calculations and tactical menus.
In saying so, Elyes Fakhfakh does not measure the scope of his remarks. It is the flagship of a vital sector for the economy. One area that deserves diplomacy and tact. A sector with some of the professionals who did not particularly appreciate the performance or delivery of the Minister for his lack of audacity, decision making and risk takes offense to this lack of measuring in his words.
Amel Djait
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