In a significant legal development, Tunisian judicial sources revealed on Friday that the Court of Appeal in Gabes, located 400 kilometers south of the capital Tunis, has issued its final verdict in a case of armed confrontations and violent acts. This case, which erupted three years ago between the Marazig and Howaya tribes from the Medenine and Gabes governorates in southern Tunisia, led to three deaths, dozens of injuries, and substantial material losses.
A Range of Sentences for the Accused
The court’s verdict varied from death sentences for two accused, one of whom is still at large, to the reduction of previously decreed capital punishment for four detainees to 20 years in prison. Additionally, seven other defendants received prison sentences ranging between four to eight years.
The Nature of the Criminal Charges
The primary criminal charges leveled against the defendants included unauthorized possession of firearms and premeditated murder with prior intent, implying that the actions were preplanned and materially prepared.
Background of the Violent Clashes
These unprecedented violent and armed confrontations in Tunisia date back to January 2020 and were sparked by a “property dispute” between rural area inhabitants and tribes. The dispute involved accusations of altering property ownership of agricultural lands and areas with an old conflict in Douz (Kebili governorate) and Beni Khedache (Medenine governorate), both in southeastern Tunisia.
The Tragic Outcome
The violence resulted in the deaths of Hadi Al-Kardawi, Saleh Al-Yahyawi, and Noufel Al-Saadaoui, all from the Beni Khedache area in Medenine governorate. Following the deadly events, Tunisian President Kais Saied visited the “Ain Al-Sukhna” area, where the violent confrontations took place. He arrived two days after the armed forces controlled the situation, imposing calm and ceasing fire exchange and violence, and after extinguishing fires that broke out in properties and vehicles.
Presidential Call for Wisdom
President Saied, after a meeting with military and security leaders and regional and local authorities, called for prioritizing wisdom and avoiding discord within the same region. He warned against hidden attempts to undermine the state from within and expressed regret over the escalation of events and surprise at how some prioritized narrow interests over the country’s stability.
Governmental Efforts to Understand and Prevent Future Violence
The Ministry of Interior and the government held security-political meetings to comprehend the deep-rooted causes of these bloody events and to prevent their recurrence. Some experts and independent rights activists, including Zuhair Maghzaoui, a parliamentarian and head of the “People’s National Party” from Kebili governorate, criticized the state’s failure to address property disputes and socio-economic issues in border areas between certain delegations and governorates, which led to misunderstandings, violence, and rumors sparking the confrontations.
Direct Causes and Historical Context
Some former parliament members attributed the direct cause of the 2020 events to rumors about a major Qatari investor’s arrival in the area, leading to speculation about rising land values and potential revenues from oil production. This led to a citizen building a hut and café near the disputed area to assert property rights, which adversaries then set ablaze, igniting a cycle of violence and armed action.
Given similar property disputes in various regions since the 1950s, including in border areas after new administrative and property divisions, experts have urged for the resolution of these “inherited disputes from past eras” as soon as possible to avoid similar social explosions and violent armed conflicts.
