R 271610Z FEB 98
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7604

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TUNIS 000933 
 
 
FOR G - BISA WILLIAMS-MANIGAULT 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AMGT EAID PREL TS
SUBJECT:  PEACE CORPS: VIEWS OF AMBASSADORS: TUNIS RESPONSE 
 
REF:  STATE 24652 
 
¶1.  PEACE CORPS?  WE LOVED THEM--AND TUNISIA LOVED 
THEM--FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
DEVELOPMENT THE 2,382 AMERICANS AND THEIR THOUSANDS 
OF TUNISIAN COUNTERPARTS MADE DURING THE 34 YEARS OF 
THEIR COMMON ENDEAVOR TO IMPROVE THE HUMAN CONDITION. 
TUNISIA HAS ATTAINED A LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT THAT 
PRECLUDES OUR CONTINUING TO FUND A PEACE CORPS PROGRAM 
HERE NOW; THE PEACE CORPS FORMALLY LEFT TUNISIA ON 
AUGUST 23, 1996. 
 
¶2.  FITTED TO THE THREE GUIDELINE QUESTIONS OF REFTEL 
PARAGRAPH 4.ARE SEVERAL EXTRACTS AND PARAPHRASES OF 
SOME OF THE MATERIALS PRESENTED IN THE BROCHURE "PEACE 
CORPS TUNISIA - THE LEGACY - 1962-1996" PREPARED HERE 
(AND IN WASHINGTON) TO COMMEMORATE THE PROGRAM AT THE 
END OF ITS MISSION.  WE HAVE ADDED A FOURTH CATEGORY 
AT THE END OF THIS MESSAGE:  THE CONTRIBUTION FORMER 
PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS BRING HOME WITH THEM. 
 
 
¶3.  ITEM A.L:  THE UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT PEACE 
    CORPS VOLUNTEERS...HAVE PREVIOUSLY MADE: 
 
"TUNISIA WAS ONLY FIVE YEARS INTO ITS NATIONHOOD WHEN 
PRESIDENT HABIB BOURGUIBA CAME TO THE UNITED STATES IN 
MAY 1961.  AS THE FIRST HEAD OF STATE TO VISIT NEWLY 
ELECTED PRESIDENT KENNEDY, ONE OF THE FIRST ITEMS ON 
BOURGUIBA'S AGENDA WAS THE PEACE CORPS.  PRESIDENT 
BOURGUIBA HAD ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AND TUNISIA AS 
REFORM-ORIENTED AND FORWARD-MOVING BY PLACING A 
HIGH PRIORITY ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS, EDUCATION, AND 
EMPLOYMENT.  AT THIS FIRST HISTORIC MEETING, BOURGUIBA 
ASKED PRESIDENT KENNEDY FOR AMERICA'S HELP IN 
FULFILLING THE GOALS OF HIS AMBITIOUS PLANS FOR 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
 
"TUNISIA BECAME THE FIRST ARAB COUNTRY TO REQUEST AND 
RECEIVE PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS.  ENTRY INTO TUNISIA 
WAS GROUND BREAKING AND IT WOULD HELP PAVE THE WAY FOR 
PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS TO WORK IN MANY OTHER NATIONS 
OF NORTH AFRICA, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND THE ISLAMIC 
WORLD.  MUCH OF THE EXPERIENCE IN LANGUAGE TRAINING 
AND CROSS-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING FIRST GAINED IN 
TUNISIA WOULD GO ON TO HELP THE PEACE CORPS PREPARE 
AND TRAIN VOLUNTEERS FOR WORK IN COUNTRIES SUCH AS 
MOROCCO, OMEN, YEMEN, IRAN, AFGHANISTAN, UZBEKISTAN, 
KAZAKHSTAN, THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC, AND TURKMENISTAN." 
 
¶4.  PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS ASSIGNED TO TUNISIA HAD 
TASKS AS VARIED AS ANY IN THE WORLD.  THE INITIAL 
GROUPS OF PCVS IN TUNIS INCLUDED: 
 
--  ARCHITECTS, TOWN PLANNERS, AND CITY SUPERVISORS, 
    WHO WORKED ON THE COASTAL TOWNS OF SOUSSE AND 
    MONASTIR; 
 
--  JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS, WHO 
    TAUGHT MORE THAN 50,000 TUNISIAN STUDENTS IN THE 
    FOLLOWING 16 YEARS; 
 
--  YOUTH SPECIALISTS, WHO ADDRESSED NEEDS IN THE 
    FIELDS OF SPORTS, EDUCATION, AND NURSING, 
    INCLUDING ONE WHO WAS APPOINTED ASSISTANT COACH 
    OF THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM; 
- 
--  HOSPITAL AND CLINIC-BASED NURSES, FOCUSSING ON 
    EDUCATING NEW MOTHERS, FAMILY PLANNING, NUTRITION, 
    HEALTH EDUCATION, WATER AND SANITATION; AND 
 
--  MECHANICS, FISHERIES AND AGRICULTURAL SPECIALISTS, 
    WHO PROVIDED VOCATIONAL TRAINING AT TECHNICAL 
    CENTERS, MARINE FISHERIES, AND TAUGHT FARMING 
    METHODS, BEEKEEPING, AND TREE PLANTING. 
 
IN LATER YEARS, PROGRAMS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE, FOR 
EXAMPLE: 
 
--  ARCHITECTS TEACHING ARCHITECTURE; A SCHOOL OF 
    ARCHITECTURE WAS OPENED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF 
    TUNIS; 
 
--  THE GOT EFFORT TO IMPROVE URBAN HOUSING WAS 
    ASSISTED BY THE PC SELF-HELP HOUSING PROJECT; 
 
--  PCVS ENTERED THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CENTER; 
    A SPECIAL OLYMPICS WAS INITIATED; A MODEL TRAINING 
    FACILITY WAS BUILT ON THE ISLAND OF DJERBA--THE 
    FIRST OF ITS KIND; AND 
 
--  VIA THE TUNISIAN NATIONAL SPORTS FEDERATION, YOUTH 
    PCVS RETURNED AND INITIATED A YOUTH PROJECT BASED 
    IN RURAL YOUTH CENTERS; 
 
¶5.  ITEM A.2.:  EVALUATION OF THE VOLUNTEER'S 
    CONTRIBUTIONS. 
 
THERE FOLLOWS THE TEXT OF A LETTER FROM HIS EXCELLENCY 
ZINE EL ABIDINE BEN ALI, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF 
TUNISIA, DATELINED CARTHAGE, AUGUST 23, 1996. 
 
BEGIN TEXT: 
 
      LETTER TO THE PEACE CORPS IN TUNISIA 
      ON THE OCCASION OF THE END OF ITS MISSION 
 
  ON THE OCCASION OF THE END OF YOUR MISSION 
  IN TUNISIA, IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO EXTEND 
  TO YOU, IN MY NAME AND ON BEHALF OF THE TUNISIAN 
  PEOPLE, MY CONGRATULATIONS AND SINCERE APPRECIA- 
  TION FOR THE IMPORTANT AND NOBLE SERVICES YOU 
  HAVE PROVIDED DURING YOUR STAY IN TUNISIA, THE 
  LAND OF PEACE AND THE CROSSROAD OF CULTURES AND 
  CIVILIZATIONS THROUGHOUT HISTORY. 
 
  SINCE ITS CREATION, THE PEACE CORPS HAS BEEN 
  A GREAT SUCCESS AND HAS ACHIEVED THE NOBLE 
  OBJECTIVES OUTLINED BY PRESIDENT JOHN FITZGERALD 
  KENNEDY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 1960'S.  I AM 
  CONFIDENT THAT YOU HAVE DISCOVERED, THROUGH YOUR 
  MEETING AND DAILY ACTIVITIES IN THE DIFFERENT 
  REGIONS OF OUR COUNTRY, THE HOSPITALITY, THE 
  OPENNESS AND THE TOLERANCE THAT CHARACTERIZE 
  THE TUNISIAN PEOPLE AND HAVE OBSERVED SOME 
  ASPECTS OF THE RICHNESS OF OUR CIVILIZATION AND 
  INCREASED YOUR COMPREHENSION OF THE HABITS AND 
  THE PARTICULARITIES OF OUR COUNTRY.  THIS WILL 
  CERTAINLY CONTRIBUTE TO BRINGING THE TUNISIAN 
  AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLES CLOSER TOGETHER. 
  YOUR NOBLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE IMPROVEMENT 
  OF LIVING CONDITIONS IN SEVERAL REGIONS IN 
  TUNISIA, BY THE COMPLETION OF DEVELOPMENT 
  PROJECTS, HAVE CERTAINLY ALLOWED YOU TO DEVELOP 
  STRONG TIES AND DEEP RELATIONS WITH TUNISIA AND 
  ITS PEOPLE AND WILL CONTRIBUTE TO STRENGTHENING 
  THE TRADITIONAL RELATIONS OF FRIENDSHIP AND 
  COOPERATION BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF TUNISIA AND 
  THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 
END TEXT. 
 
¶6.   MANY OF THE VOLUNTEERS WHO SERVED IN TUNISIA 
CHOSE NOT TO LIMIT THEMSELVES SOLELY TO THE TASK FOR 
WHICH THEY WERE INITIALLY SENT, BUT EXPANDED THEIR 
ENDEAVORS LATERALLY, THEREBY ALSO DEMONSTRATING A 
DIFFERENT APPROACH TO PRIVATE ENTERPRISE THAN HAD 
PREVIOUSLY BEEN UTILIZED BY THEIR COUNTERPARTS.  FOR 
EXAMPLE, THE BEEKEEPER INVOLVED HIMSELF NOT ONLY IN 
TEACHING THE CARE OF BEES AND INCREASING THE HONEY 
PRODUCTION, BUT ALSO IN DEVELOPING LIP BALM AND OTHER 
BEESWAX BYPRODUCTS INSTEAD OF BURNING OFF THE COMBS IN 
WINTER AS HAD BEEN DONE PREVIOUSLY.  HE INVOLVED THE 
KEEPERS IN ORGANIZING THEIR OWN SMALL BUSINESSES TO 
MARKET THESE PRODUCTS.  THE VOLUNTEER WHO TAUGHT 
CLOTHING CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER SEWING SKILLS TO A 
GROUP OF 15-20 GIRLS LATER FOUND HERSELF DEVISING 
VISUAL AIDS TO TEACH HER SEMI-LITERATE STUDENTS 
QUALITY CONTROL, BASIC ACCOUNTING, MARKETING, AND 
PURCHASING MATERIALS.  THESE GIRLS THEMSELVES LATER 
FOUND THEMSELVES TEACHERS AND LEARNED TO READ AND 
WRITE. 
 
¶7.   ITEM B.  RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF PCVS IN 
     FURTHERING U.S. INTERESTS IN TUNISIA 
 
PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS INCULCATE AMERICAN SOCIAL 
VALUES, EDUCATIONAL VALUES, THE WORK ETHIC, COMMUNITY 
SERVICE, AND SELF-SACRIFICE IN A WAY THAT OUR OTHER 
AGENCIES' PROGRAMS ARE RARELY ABLE TO ACHIEVE, AND TO 
A TARGET GROUP OUTSIDE OF THE CAPITAL IN REGIONS OF 
THE COUNTRY RARELY EXPOSED TO DIRECT CONTACT WITH 
AMERICANS OR ANY FOREIGNERS. 
 
¶8.   ITEM C.  WAYS IN WHICH THE ROLE OF THE PEACE 
     CORPS DIFFERS FROM THE ROLE OF OTHER U.S. 
     GOVERNMENT AGENCIES/PROGRAMS IN TUNISIA 
 
TO PLAGIARIZE THE WORDS OF THE FAMOUS BEER COMMERCIAL, 
THE PEACE CORPS REFRESHES THE PARTS THAT OTHER PROGRAMS 
CANNOT REACH.  WE SHOULD NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE SOCIAL 
IMPACT OF THE PEACE CORPS PROGRAM.  UNEXPRESSED NEEDS 
AND HIDDEN LONGINGS MAY HAVE BEEN GIVEN NEW HOPE AND 
ENCOURAGEMENT BY THE VERY EXISTENCE OF THE PCVS. 
BY WHAT THEY WERE, AS MUCH AS BY WHAT THEY DID, OUR 
VOLUNTEERS DEMONSTRATED AMERICAN IDEALS AND VALUES. 
THAT UNIVERSITY EDUCATED MEN AND WOMEN WOULD LIVE IN 
SMALL TOWNS AND ACTUALLY GET THEIR HANDS DIRTY, RATHER 
THAN SEEK A CUSHY SINECURE WITH THE BUREAUCRACY OR A 
FAMILY FIRM, MIGHT WELL HAVE BEEN MIND-BOGGLING. 
SHOCKING THOUGH IT WAS IN 1962-64, ONE WOMAN, PLAYING 
WITH HER PCV COLLEAGUES ON A PREVIOUSLY ALL-MALE 
BASKETBALL TEAM, MAY HAVE DONE MORE WITH HER PRESENCE 
AND THE RESPECT HER TEAMMATES SHOWED HER TO ILLUSTRATE 
THE CAPABILITIES OF WOMEN THAN A HUNDRED LECTURES 
ABOUT WOMEN'S RIGHTS COULD HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. 
 
 
¶9.   ITEM D:  THE CONTRIBUTION FORMER PEACE CORPS 
     VOLUNTEERS BRING HOME WITH THEM 
 
ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO CONSIDER THE THIRD 
GOAL OF THE PEACE CORPS IN THE SCOPE OF THIS CURRENT 
REQUEST, LET US NOT NEGLECT THE CONTRIBUTION PCVS 
BRING HOME.  MAJOR INTANGIBLE BENEFITS ACCRUE TO US 
FROM THE MULTIGENERATIONAL IMPACT RETURNING PCVS HAVE 
HAD AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE ON THE POLITICAL CULTURE 
OF THE UNITED STATES. 
 
DURING THE NEARLY FOUR DECADES SINCE THE INCEPTION OF 
THE PEACE CORPS, FOREIGN TRAVEL HAS BECOME WIDELY 
AVAILABLE AND INCREASINGLY EASY AND CHEAP.  MILLIONS 
OF AMERICANS HAVE BROUGHT HOME A GLIB AND FACILE 
SURFACE FAMILIARITY WITH THE WORLD THAT IS VASTLY 
DIFFERENT FROM THE PEACE CORPS EXPERIENCE. 
 
PCVS THEMSELVES HAVE BEEN PREDOMINANTLY UNIVERSITY 
EDUCATED YOUNG ADULTS WHO MAY HAVE TAKEN FOR GRANTED 
OR HAVE BEEN NEARLY OBLIVIOUS TO THE MULTIPLICITY OF 
ELEMENTS THAT MAKE UP A SOPHISTICATED AND FREE CIVIL 
SOCIETY.  LIVING WITHOUT A FREE PRESS, A MULTI-PARTY 
POLITICAL STRUCTURE, OR TRADE UNIONS COULD HAVE BEEN 
A SALUTARY EYE OPENER.  ON THE OTHER HAND, TO HAVE 
LEARNED, UP CLOSE AND DIRTY (SOMETIMES DANGEROUSLY 
SO), THAT 
 
           "THERE ARE NINE AND NINETY WAYS 
           OF CONSTRUCTING TRIBAL LAYS 
           AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM 
           IS RIGHT" 
 
IS NO MEAN INSIGHT EITHER. 
 
¶10.  FINALLY, LET'S NOT FORGET THE CONTINUING ROLE 
FORMER PCVS PLAY IN FOSTERING IMPROVED TIES BETWEEN 
THE UNITED STATES AND THEIR FORMER HOST NATION. 
PCVS, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE HELPED THE AMERICAN-TUNISIAN 
FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION REMAIN ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE 
OF THESE GROUPS IN WASHINGTON.  ALL IN ALL, THE PEACE 
CORPS EXPERIENCE IN TUNISIA WAS WIN-WIN FOR ALL 
CONCERNED. 
 
LITTREL