Campus police leave Tunisian universities

After more than three decades, university police have retreated from Tunisian campuses.

By Iheb Ettounsi for Magharebia in Tunis – 11/02/11

For more than thirty years, a special campus police unit has monitored Tunisian students. One of the first moves by the Tunisian interim government was to order an end to their presence.

"We are working towards fostering responsibility among students," government spokesman Taieb Baccoucheb said at a January 22nd press conference.

Speaking at the same event, Minister of Higher Education Ahmed Brahim announced that he would "take all necessary steps to enforce the government decision to abolish campus police in the universities".

Along with providing security on campus, the police monitored university students' activities.

Members of the General Union of Tunisian Students (UGET), which was opposed to ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his predecessor Habib Bourguiba, were subject to particular scrutiny.

UGET members faced restrictions and were persecuted for demanding better education and accommodation. Seventeen students were arrested as a result of a demonstration at Manouba University in 2009.

"We have been oppressed and subjugated for more than three decades, but in the end – thanks to the Tunisian people's revolution – we will be able to take back our rightful place in Tunisian universities," said Moez, a student at 9 April University.

The university security scheme came into existence in the 1970s as a result of campus protests when pro-government students took over the 18th conference of the UGET. This was met with resistance from all student bodies and ended in massive demonstrations under the government of Hedi Nouira.

Students were relieved to learn about the decision by the caretaker government.

"The era of campus police is over," said law student Amir Al-Tahiri. "They were responsible for limiting students' movements and suppressing their demands. Students need a climate of freedom in order to be creative and productive."

Given the sudden security vacuum, however, political science student Afaf Souidi called upon students to be "cautious and responsible" on their own.

"Universities are for gaining knowledge, not for surveillance," the Ariana resident told Magharebia.

The Tunisian revolution has brought another important change to campuses.

During Ben Ali's tenure, student members of the Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD) occupied more than 90% of seats on committees representing students. RCD students and campus police would allegedly accost students and falsify the campus votes. The elections were generally seen as rigged.

Along with abolishing the university police, the higher education ministry now plans to hold new elections for the committees.

Source: Magharebia.com.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2011/02/11/feature-02.