We publish here a statement in solidarity with the people of Tunisia  by the International Workers’ Unity – Fourth International (IWU-FI)
On November 24, ISIS attacked to the capital city of Tunisia once again after its massacres at the Bardo Museum in the capital on March 18 and in Susa on June 26. Aimed at the bus carrying presidential guards, the suicide bomb attack occurred in front of the headquarters of the Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD), the party of ousted leader Ben Ali, in Mohammed V Avenue, one of the busiest locations in the capital. Twelve people, who were all presidential guards, died and 20 were injured in the attack.
The government has declared state of emergency after the attack, just as it did after the Susa massacre. However, the law is enforced much more strictly this time. As part of the state of emergency, the curfew will be implemented between from 21:00 to 05:00 for one month across the country. The rights to assemble, demonstrate and march are also banned. Moreover, Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) cancelled the general strike of the private sector which was to be held in the capital city on November 25 with the excuse of the need for “national unity”.
As socialists of IWU-FI (International Workers’ Unity – Fourth International), we condemn this attack carried out by ISIS! With these terrorist attacks of ISIS, the government justifies its own repressive policies and causes the withdrawal of mass mobilization. The counter-revolutionary role of ISIS in the North African and Middle East revolutions strengthens further with these attacks.
All ruling governments after the ousting of dictator Ben Ali have been trying to control the movement of masses without fulfilling any of their demands, by the help of the implications of democratic reactionary policies pursued in the cooperation with the imperialism just as the current president Beji Caid Essebsi and the ruling party Nidaa Tounes. The government, once more, has used this attack of ISIS in order to justify itself as it has done before, and attacks the freedom of the Tunisian people and workers through the implementation of repressive methods, curfews, prevention of the rights of strike, of protest demonstration and of marching through a discourse of “national unity†and “fight against terrorismâ€. In the country, no progress can be seen under this so-called democratic transition; the social and economic crisis increasingly deepens and each day the importance of the struggle for a humane and dignified life becomes more crucial. Moreover, the government uses the attacks carried out by ISIS to improve its collaboration with imperialism. Regarding this collaboration, the government has signed an agreement with the European Union at the amount of 23 million Euros for renewal of the security forces in early November and announced that 20 percent of the budget for 2016 will be allocated to security and defence spending. To sum up, the government forces Tunisian people to make a choice between ISIS terrorism and the state terrorism.
As IWU-FI, we reject the repressive policies of the Tunisian government as we condemn the attacks of ISIS! In Tunisia, the main dynamics of the struggle against counterrevolution can only be provided by a struggle program targeting democratic, economic and social transformations. A struggle front led by UGTT, People’s Front, Revolutionary Front and other youth and labour organizations can stop the repressive policies and make it possible to set back the radical Islamists, through an action plan based on the mobilization of the masses.
We condemn the attack of ISIS in Tunisia! We reject the repressive implementations of the Tunisian government! No to the state of emergency! No to the curfew, the prevention of the right of strike, of assembly and of demonstrate in protest!
International Workers’ Unity – Fourth International (IWU-FI)
November 25, 2015
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