The visit of a writer of origin rif native to Melilla has unleashed a storm that has buffeted the tripartite Government that, since last June, directs the autonomous city. Members of the Executive belonging to the Coalition for Melilla (CPM), the political formation with biggest number of supporters among the communities of muslim and rifeña, have criticized the invitation, on the part of a councillor for the PSOE, of Zoubida Boughaba. The Islamic Commission, the main organization of the muslims in melilla, has branded the author of “islamophobic” for their claims against the taxation of the women of the hijab, the islamic veil.

“they don't like that a woman of muslim origin to think freely”, said yesterday the author, in a telephone conversation, a day after delivering in Melilla, the controversial talk. Boughaba, author Spanish born in al hoceima, had been invited by the ministry of Culture melillense to give a talk on the celebration of Yennayer, the amazigh new year (of the community rifeña). After learning of the call, the Islamic Commission issued a press release in which he stated to the writer persona non grata for alleged statements in which he asserts that “the hijab oppresses muslim women, degrades and invisibiliza”. The organization is muslim compared to the deniers of the Holocaust or with the actor Willy Toledo and his support to the procession of the Holy Pussy Rebellious as a mockery of the Holy Week christian.

“You have taken comments out of context,” explains Boughaba, in reference to accusations of islamophobia. “I was born in the field muslim, my mother wore the veil, and work with women who wear the veil, I fight with them for that to work, even with a veil.” According to the author, the controversy over his visit he has gone from the hands of his critics, after receiving threats through social networks. What is certain is that the writer has finally seen wrapped in a new political crisis in the Executive melillense with the religion background.

CPM, the strongest party in the Government presided by Eduardo de Castro, Citizens, criticized “the sponsorship with public money,” the act Boughaba had been invited by the minister of Culture, Elena Fernández Trevíño, of the PSOE, the second formation of the local Executive. In a press release that alludes to the Pact for Interculturality to be signed by all the parties in the city in 2014, CPM considered offensive to the muslim excerpts published by the author in that blemish of submissive women who wear the veil. In that same press release, the training with more implementation among the muslim charge against the PP, the party with the most votes in the elections and in power for the last two decades, to stoke the controversy, but avoids directly attacking their partners.

this is Not the first time that a dispute on account of religion put at risk the stability of the Government in Melilla, where approximately half of the population is muslim. Last July, the leader of CPM, Mustafa Aberchán, he threatened to quit the Executive if he would not lift the import ban from Morocco sheep for the celebration of the Eid el Kebir, the biggest muslim holiday. Aberchán noted directly responsible to the delegate of the Government, the socialist Sabrina Moss, and claimed that it could not share responsibilities in the local Executive with the PSOE if it is not respected the right of the muslim population to celebrate his feast.