For a few days now Sfax, the second largest city in Tunisia after the capital Tunis, has been living to the rhythm of clashes between Tunisians and sub-Saharan African. At the center, the murder of a young Tunisian, presumably stabbed by a national of sub-Sahara Africa. Surprisingly, the Tunisian government has turned a deaf ear to the alarming situation. Public opinion thinks Europe is just as responsible for this because of its catastrophic immigration stance in Tunisia.
State-promoted hatred
The thousands of migrants present in Sfax are less and less safe, and for good reason, the death of a Tunisian: stabbed to death by a sub-Saharan national on the night of July 4 in Sakiet Eddayer on the road to Mahdia. If this death is the pretense, then tension is high in Tunisia in general, and in Sfax in particular due to the declarations made by the Tunisian President, Kaïs Saïed.
It all started in February when he stated that the immigration laws in Tunisia be strictly applied. In an attempt to modify the demographic composition of the country, he advocated “to consider Tunisia as an African state with no Arab or Islamic affiliation”. Words that shocked the whole world. Several countries in sub-Saharan Africa repatriated their nationals as a consequence. But this didn’t stop the growing immigration with immigrants continuing to converge on Sfax, with the hope of reaching Europe.
As an example, the armed forces transported immigrants, including pregnant women, minors and people benefiting from international protection, to the Libyan borders in blatant defiance of conventions signed by the Tunisian State. Since then, the government had ignored hate speech to gain social political points.
Europe’s troubled game
An agreement between Tunisia and the European Union (EU) is in place to make Tunisia a partner in immigration policy. However, the EU has made promises of budgetary support and funding to combat immigration flow toward Europe. These promises, for the most part, have remained empty.
Olivier Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Policy, was announced in Tunis since June 12. But twice, he has postponed his trip. The President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen has also canceled her trip to Tunisia scheduled for July 6. Europe is reluctant to compensate the Tunisian government for receiving immigrants, destined to Italy. A situation that explains Tunisia’s laxity and the growing social upheaval.
