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Face to face with the young
The three days spent in Wurtemberg, Germany allowed us to
make many contacts. I will remember definitely the meeting with
high school students, they were more than a hundred (16-17 years
old) with their principal and a few professors. Looking back
I don't remember well their questions and their answers. The
most important is elsewhere: a wonderful time of meeting and
listening. We were together. Communication was running through
like water in a river. A light breeze was blowing on our heart
and mind. Seeds of freedom were profoundly provided waiting to
sprout. We parted regretfully. |
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An Inter-religions meeting in Lyon
I did not expect that our reunion with the Bishops would be
troublesome. The media were going to change that. Their presence
on my side was irritating. The Bishops ought to think, "
That's happening again". The Protestants had foreseen that
hijacking of the media. It is why some bodyguards accompanied
me from the Cathedral altar up to the bus! Ridiculous! I was
feeling like a prisoner transferred to another jail. I wonder
if the fear of the media was not turning against those who developed
that fear. In inter-religions meeting it would have been desirable
to take time to enjoy together, as Orthodox Bishops did with
me by opening widely their arms to me with great kindness.
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The unfair double-punishment
Khalifa, an Algerian, is spending a jail sentence. When terminated
he will be expulsed to Algeria because he is a foreigner. He
will be punished twice, a double-punishment, that is jail + expulsion.
At the request of a Committee from Bordeaux I participate to
a meeting on double-punishment.
Khalifa arrived in France aged three. France has become his country.
Married, with four children, he is living in Aubiers, a quarter
of Bordeaux. The concern is remarkable for this well-known and
appreciated family. A solidarity action is demonstrated in this
quarter of a low standing. Every body is reacting and saying
that a father of a family should not be separated from his wife
and his children. The right to live as a family is requested
by all people present during this memorable evening of discussions.
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Limited operation
A hundred of militants (Tunisians and French) managed to enter
the office of the Tunisian Direction of Militia in Paris. Their
role is to watch over the Tunisian community in France and forbid
it to have free expression by intimidation, threats and aggression.
The confusion was total. Militants were shouting: " Tunisian
is a police State. Tortures are current practice. Liberties are
suppressed
" This was unusual in this place, unbearable
for disoriented and furious officials. Present TV media were
actively filming the rush, the insults and the violence ironically
trapping the militiamen into their behavior. These unusual images
managed to cross over the Mediterranean Sea
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After this symbolic action I made a visit to Salpetriere Hospital
to see Taouflik Ben Brick, a rebel newsman. He tells me that
he is going to stop its hanger strike because his brother has
been released. He feels better by seeing that the young, women,
officials get over the taboo of fear.
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