Tensions are heating up in Tunisia after the state banned women from wearing the hijab head covering. It appears that what until now only took place in France and other European areas is making its way into Tunisia, and during the holy month of Ramadan of all times.

It all began when Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali declared this week that "we must fight ethnic clothing" – the common name given to the headscarf in official media.

During a meeting with the state's Minister of Religious Affairs Boubaker El Akhzouri, the president stated that "we must separate between the foreign ethnic clothing and the original Tunisian clothing, which is the focus of identity, in order to avoid any resentment."

To his opposers he said: "Tunisia has always stuck to its loyal Islamism and stressed the value of modesty, which is views as part of its clothing tradition in cities and villages."

Ben Ali's remarks were made in support of the stance of his party's secretary-general, al-Hadi Mahni, who expressed his complete rejection of what he referred to as "the ethnic clothing which has nothing to do with the country's identity and which impairs the accomplishments and gains achieved by the Tunisian woman."

In Tunisia, which has proudly maintained its secular identity over the years, clashes and arguments immediately broke out over the ban. Clashes took place in the north of the capital between security forces and Islamic activists. The clashes in a northern suburb of the city, near a mosque, were so severe that security forces in the area were reinforced.

Women wearing headscarfs began complaining that the security forces were trying to force them to sign a commitment to remove the hijab while entering police stations.

In another incident, legal source in Tunisia noted that security forces detained four young women wearing headscarfs and beat them. A human rights activist in Tunisia said that security officers wearing civil clothing attacked the young women and threatened to beat them if they would not remove the scarf. This incident, which was the first of its kind since the Tunisian government launched its current struggle against the headscarf, caused a lot of anger...