posted
In Algeria something similar is going on. A bit strange, if you ask me. As if outside forces are working to get this results. Tunesia has no organised opposition so it is very well possible that they are excahnging one bad situation for another one. Same counts for Egypt. a Coup can bring a better life for the people, but there has to be a kind of organised gouvernment already ready to start. Otherwise all what they get will be chaos...
-------------------- “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.” Posts: 7202 | From: EU | Registered: Nov 2006
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But no I have met several Tunisians and they seemed genuinely happy with their nation, like 5 years ago.
Still Tunisia has one of the smallest Arab populations so a dramatic shift quickly would make sense.
Nations with larger populations can absorb more adversity and also are more flexible against government tyranny.
Besides the governates in Egypt have a great deal of anatonomy from the "federal" branch of the government, other Arab nations don't have as much regional ability to control their own affairs.
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posted
There are demonstrations in Yemen, in Egypt, in Algeria,in Lebanon, perhaps I've missed a few. The whole islamic belt is bubbling, ready to burst. Activist see Tunesia as an example; now they see what is needed to get rid of a president and a gouvernment.
-------------------- “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.” Posts: 7202 | From: EU | Registered: Nov 2006
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Tunisia has been rocked by riots recently over unemployment and corruption, thought to have been sparked by the suicide of a young man who could not find a job and was barred from selling fruit without a permit.
The unrest culminated today with the ouster of president and strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi announced on state television that he had taken control of the country.
A cable released by WikiLeaks called Tunisia a "police state" and criticized Ben Ali for being out of touch with the people. This has fueled references to the current protests as a "WikiLeaks Revolution."
Posts: 770 | From: www.cafepress.com/tahrir_square | Registered: Jul 2010
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quote:Originally posted by Questionmarks: There are demonstrations in Yemen, in Egypt, in Algeria,in Lebanon, perhaps I've missed a few. The whole islamic belt is bubbling, ready to burst. Activist see Tunesia as an example; now they see what is needed to get rid of a president and a gouvernment.
These "protests" have nothing to do with Islamists, it has to do with a youth in which are not being served by their government.
QM you failed to make the same observation of anarchists and atheists in Greece and France when they had their youth protests.
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posted
The Islamic belt is called this way because of the place, not the religon. I could have called it Arabic Liga countries...
-------------------- “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.” Posts: 7202 | From: EU | Registered: Nov 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Questionmarks: The Islamic belt is called this way because of the place, not the religon. I could have called it Arabic Liga countries...
Then call it Arabic Liga countries.
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1 down 22 to go. “Wikileaks Revolution” is one laughable reference that western writers who didn't know anything about Tunisa or Ben Ali until a week ago are now all over. This is all due to the Youth of Tunis. Wikileaks nor any western entity played a role in any of this. It is the Tunisan Youth Revolution, one that has been brewing. The triggers are the spate of public suicides by college graduates, lifting of subsidies, and riots in next door Algeria that further fueled momentum.
I can only hope that they limit the damage in their exertion of outrage. Although many of the businesses looted and destroyed actually belonged to members/friends/associates of Ben Ali's regime. Such as certain banks, Porche/Kia dealers, etc.
Is Egypt next?! I really don't know, probably not as Egyptians are too passive. I do know probability wise the odds are higher than ever before, and logically it is a matter of time, but I doubt Egypt is next. The student riots (during Sadat's days) are an example of lack of solidarity and passiveness. Cairo U rioted, Ain Shams also to some extent but other campuses in Cairo and around all of Egypt remained quiet.
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posted
Does anyone know the whole story? Who sold the president out and why? It couldn't be a sudden attack of morality and it couldn't be a few protesters. Someone or a group of people decided to stop remove the protection he enjoyed all those years and that someone is looking for power not justice.
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quote:Originally posted by this: Does anyone know the whole story? Who soled the president out and why? It couldn't be a sudden attack of morality and it couldn't be a few protesters. Someone one or a group of people decided to stop remove the protection he enjoyed all those years and that someone is looking for power not justice.
Where is Ben Ali now? He's in KSA, therefore some politician of the west must've arranged it. The House of Saud would not be that generous unless they were asked by the right people.
Yes you are right, its about power, but unfortunately its not possible that power is decided within Tunisia. Its been decided behind close doors by a few western leaders (think NATO) with the intention to introduce a power shift and apply pressure to the Arab League to go about its business differently.
Now lets see if the sons of the last long standing powerful Presidents can assert a regional dialogue with their citizens interests first instead of toeing to Israel then go back to stabbing each other in the neck.
Wasn't the last Arab League summit in Tunis?
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I don't think the troubles in Tunisia are down to Wikileaks, Isreal, religion or any other outside influence.
It started after weeks of unreast, when a 26-year-old Tunisian graduate - despairing of getting a decent job and abused by the police - set fire to himself in a public square, his story resonated far beyond his provincial town.
It is a shame the looters got on the band waggon and damaged buildings and robbed shops. It appears a revolution of young educated people who were not allowed to have a say in how their lives were run. Materially many had a good life style, but could not voice an opinion in how their country was governed.....until now!!!!!!
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... Unemployment, however, was officially measured at 14 percent, and was far higher – 52 percent – among the young. Despair among job-seeking young graduates was palpable.
The riots started after an educated but jobless 26-year-old committed suicide in mid-December when police confiscated the fruits and vegetables he was selling without a permit. His desperate act hit a nerve, sparked copycat suicides and focused generalized anger against the regime into a widespread, outright revolt.
The president tried vainly to hold onto power. On Thursday night he went on television to promise not to run for re-election in 2014 and slashed prices on key foods such as sugar, bread and milk.
Protesters gathered peacefully Friday in front of the Interior Ministry, but six hours after the demonstration began hundreds of police with shields and riot gear moved in. Helmeted police fired dozens of rounds of tear gas and kicked and clubbed unarmed protesters – one of whom cowered on the ground, covering his face.
A few youths were spotted throwing stones, but most demonstrated calmly. Protesters were of all ages and from all walks of life, from students holding sit-ins in the middle of the street to doctors in white coats and black-robed lawyers waving posters.
"A month ago, we didn't believe this uprising was possible," said Beya Mannai, a geology professor at the University of Tunis. "But the people rose up."
"My first reaction is relief," said Dr. Souha Naija, a resident radiologist at Charles Nicole Hospital. "He's gone. ... I finally feel free."...
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posted
Maybe sometimes it is what it is, and reading the timeline, it is obvious that this was indeed a spontaneous uprising that gathered momentum as events unfolded.
1.Dec 17. Suicide attempt by college grad fruit seller. Cops took away his sources of livelihood.
2.Dec 20. Tunisian Development Minister attempts to calm matters with job program initiate (for college grads that were unemployed 2+ years)
3.Dec 22. 22 Year Old Tunisian commits suicide in public over unemployment.
4.Dec 24. Civil unrest spreads to TOWNS not just cities
5.Dec 25. Civil unrest spreads more provinces in the North, East and Southern parts of the country.
6.Dec 27. Unrest continues and spills over to one of the main tourist cities
7.Dec 28. Ben Ali appears on TV, barking. Trade Unions hold rallies in Gafsa. Lawyers hold rallies in several cities. Governors of 3 provinces are dismissed (read this as they were dismissed because they refused to crack down on the protesters)
8.Dec 29. Rallies continue is cities and towns in different parts of the country.
9.Dec 30. Lawyers condemn crackdown, and show solidarity towards the movement.
10.Jan 2. Tunisian Hacktivist initiate “Operation Tunisia” showing solidarity with protestors . Government hacks into their accounts.
11. Jan 3. Unrest spreads to small town in north western Tunisia (Thala)
12. Jan 4. Tunisia Bar Associations holds general strike
13. Jan 5. The dude that attempted suicide on Dec 17 (burned himself) dies of his wounds.
14.Jan 7. Bloggers, Activists, Journalist and Rapper are arrested.
15. Jan 8. Unrest continues to spread this time to Kasserine Province in West Tunisia.
16.Jan 13. Ben Ali appears on TV promising more freedoms and promising to step down next general election (2014)
17.Jan 14. Ben Ali declares State of Emergency and promises elections in 6 months. Ben Ali leaves Tunisia this same day around 4 pm, arrives in Cyprus. France says it doesn't want him or his family. Was believed to be headed in to Dubai but his private plane lands in Jeddah K.S.A. Tunisia PM (Ben Ali Homeboy) announces as a result of the situation he is assuming leadership.
Just one day after the PM was sworn in as interim president. The House speaker becomes the new interim president. 3 presidents in less than 24hrs, not bad, eh
What is obvious here is that unrest spread east, west, north and south. Capital city, small cites, towns and villages. Coast areas and deep inside the nations. This exactly what a popular uprising is.
How was he or his regime supposed to squash dessent in villages, towns and cities on literally every square mile of Tunisia. How many people would he have arrested or made dissappear? All 8000 Tunisian Lawyers that stood up, all the young people in the streets, the celebs, the mayors and governors that disobeyed orders? The police that refused to shoot. The Army officers that basically told Ben Ali, Go F yourself!
Sometimes enough is enough, and those suicides played a role, because that dude could have been any college grad in Tunisia.
The wonderful thing now is that those officers and officials that carried out Ben Ali's orders to torture, beat, imprisioned Tunisians are being hunted as I type.
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It was spontaneous on part of the people. The usual response was ( and is in Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Syria and.....) is to shoot and arrest as many as it takes to scare the hell out of the rest. I'm talking tens of thousands.
After the 2006 Dahab bombings more than ten thousand Egyptians, mostly from northern Sinai, were arrested and temporarily put in soccer fields and school yards until they were transferred to prison.
Someone in the Tunisian center of power decided that it was time to shake things up. Now who those people are is beyond me as I don't follow Tunisian politics. The alternative would be to believe that everyone who supported and protected the president, and benefited from him, through all theses years, suddenly had a change of heart and decided to do the right thing! Unlikely.
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This is what we will find out in the coming days and weeks. Latest reports are that Ben Ali's supporters are being rounded up.
I also thought that Ben Ali was being sacrificed by the regime in order to keep what they have without an all out civil war. But that doesn't appear to be the case because the Interior Minister, Senior Police Chief as well Ben Ali's closest General ally (the equivalent of Amn Aldowla boss) are all under arrest. This in addition to relatives of Ben Ali.
These are facts.
My opinion is that elements of Tunisian military and security forces stayed on the sidelines. Why?? This wouldn't be a precedent. This has happened repeatedly in history, where generals order their troops to stand down despite official orders from the president.
Sure this unfolded in a matter of weeks, because it's been brewing for several years. Perfect timing. I'm sure not everyone in Tunisia has blood on their hands, sometimes good prevails over evil. It's a victory for the Arab World, yes I'm shocked too, but Arabs had to awake one day, right.
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quote:Originally posted by Pink cherry: It's a victory for the Arab World, yes I'm shocked too, but Arabs had to awake one day, right.
So, do you thing other Arab countries will follow?
Without a doubt, an Arab World precedent has been set. Arab governments are truly under pressure now, not by washington, not by Europe, not by corporations but by the public. I lived in Jordan, and I do pretty well, but locals there don't have enough income to pay for $2 liter of fresh milk, $3 liter of fresh orange juice, $15 kg of local lamb (with bone). Pay 16% sales tax, pay $4 for gallon of gas, when the government buys it for less than $2 from neighboring Iraq. All of this prices were half that in 2007. The middle class can't hardly afford these prices anymore.
This is just an example, in this particular situation, the government has said they will lower food costs and well as fuel, and also release a food price guide on a weekly basis.
Morrocco is going to fall that's for sure. The thing is Arabs can only succeed if there is solidarity. But when Islamist have a cause, and secular Arabs have another cause, essentially neutralizing each other, but if they come together like they did in Tunisia, then watch out. And the one thing, and only thing that will bring them together is when they can't afford to put basic food on the dinner table.
Tunisia has about 10 million population not sure about Morocco
What I would like to see is Egypt make a stance. But I am afraid religion will get in the way
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quote:Originally posted by Pink cherry: I only hope the people keep it secular....
What I would like to see is Egypt make a stance.
Hopefully in our lifetime. But I think Egypt will be more of a transition than a revolution. It will be too messy otherwise. The one factor that might surprise us is the Army (military), they have been innocent of the transgressions of the past 30 years. Well mostly, and they can effectively neutralize the police and internal security forces that rule the country.
Keep in mind the Defense Minister and HM are very close and in the same roles for the past 30 years, but if HM passes away then that allegiance is no longer there.
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This thing is far from over. The sneaky evil former regime of Ben Ali thinks it can fool the people by building a so called “coalition government.” This is total nonsense because:
1.)It is just a show to appease the unrest. Ben Ali former regime will give socialists and other political parties some ministries but that is not enough. The prizes are 1.) Presidential seat 2.) Prime Minister seat 3.) Interior Minister. Who as of now are still held by Ben Ali's former regime. Their concessions are health, education and other BS ministries (power wise).
2.)To have any kind of legitimacy all exiled parties must return and must be part of the process, this includes Islamists and other outlawed parties. That is what democracy is about.
I just hope that Tunisia learned a valuable lesson from Algeria's 1993 elections. You guys remember those, well they were free and fair, but what happened? The Islamist won and they won big, so what did the government do? They canceled the elections and a civil war erupted with more than 150,000 dead as a result.
What is Democracy if the people can't elect who they want. South Africans have been electing imbeciles after apartheid, but you know what, it's their right to do so.
The Tunisian Army needs to be neutral, they need to respect whoever the people vote for. And before sneaky presidential elections, there needs to be legistalive elections in Tunisa. And before that polticians affilaited with Ben Ali in any way must be purged from the goverment. Give them amnesty or whatever but they should never hold public office ever again.
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Bloodshed, tears, but no democracy. Bloody turmoil won’t necessarily presage the dawn of democracy
By Robert Fisk, Middle East Correspondent
January 17, 2011 "The Independent" -- The end of the age of dictators in the Arab world? Certainly they are shaking in their boots across the Middle East, the well-heeled sheiks and emirs, and the kings, including one very old one in Saudi Arabia and a young one in Jordan, and presidents – another very old one in Egypt and a young one in Syria – because Tunisia wasn't meant to happen. Food price riots in Algeria, too, and demonstrations against price increases in Amman. Not to mention scores more dead in Tunisia, whose own despot sought refuge in Riyadh – exactly the same city to which a man called Idi Amin once fled.
If it can happen in the holiday destination Tunisia, it can happen anywhere, can't it? It was feted by the West for its "stability" when Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali was in charge. The French and the Germans and the Brits, dare we mention this, always praised the dictator for being a "friend" of civilised Europe, keeping a firm hand on all those Islamists.
Tunisians won't forget this little history, even if we would like them to. The Arabs used to say that two-thirds of the entire Tunisian population – seven million out of 10 million, virtually the whole adult population – worked in one way or another for Mr Ben Ali's secret police. They must have been on the streets too, then, protesting at the man we loved until last week. But don't get too excited. Yes, Tunisian youths have used the internet to rally each other – in Algeria, too – and the demographic explosion of youth (born in the Eighties and Nineties with no jobs to go to after university) is on the streets. But the "unity" government is to be formed by Mohamed Ghannouchi, a satrap of Mr Ben Ali's for almost 20 years, a safe pair of hands who will have our interests – rather than his people's interests – at heart.
For I fear this is going to be the same old story. Yes, we would like a democracy in Tunisia – but not too much democracy. Remember how we wanted Algeria to have a democracy back in the early Nineties?
Then when it looked like the Islamists might win the second round of voting, we supported its military-backed government in suspending elections and crushing the Islamists and initiating a civil war in which 150,000 died.
No, in the Arab world, we want law and order and stability. Even in Hosni Mubarak's corrupt and corrupted Egypt, that's what we want. And we will get it.
The truth, of course, is that the Arab world is so dysfunctional, sclerotic, corrupt, humiliated and ruthless – and remember that Mr Ben Ali was calling Tunisian protesters "terrorists" only last week – and so totally incapable of any social or political progress, that the chances of a series of working democracies emerging from the chaos of the Middle East stand at around zero per cent.
The job of the Arab potentates will be what it has always been – to "manage" their people, to control them, to keep the lid on, to love the West and to hate Iran.
Indeed, what was Hillary Clinton doing last week as Tunisia burned? She was telling the corrupted princes of the Gulf that their job was to support sanctions against Iran, to confront the Islamic republic, to prepare for another strike against a Muslim state after the two catastrophes the United States and the UK have already inflicted in the region.
The Muslim world – at least, that bit of it between India and the Mediterranean – is a more than sorry mess. Iraq has a sort-of-government that is now a satrap of Iran, Hamid Karzai is no more than the mayor of Kabul, Pakistan stands on the edge of endless disaster, Egypt has just emerged from another fake election.
And Lebanon... Well, poor old Lebanon hasn't even got a government. Southern Sudan – if the elections are fair – might be a tiny candle, but don't bet on it.
It's the same old problem for us in the West. We mouth the word "democracy" and we are all for fair elections – providing the Arabs vote for whom we want them to vote for.
In Algeria 20 years ago, they didn't. In "Palestine" they didn't. And in Lebanon, because of the so-called Doha accord, they didn't. So we sanction them, threaten them and warn them about Iran and expect them to keep their mouths shut when Israel steals more Palestinian land for its colonies on the West Bank.
There was a fearful irony that the police theft of an ex-student's fruit produce – and his suicide in Tunis – should have started all this off, not least because Mr Ben Ali made a failed attempt to gather public support by visiting the dying youth in hospital.
For years, this wretched man had been talking about a "slow liberalising" of his country. But all dictators know they are in greatest danger when they start freeing their entrapped countrymen from their chains.
And the Arabs behaved accordingly. No sooner had Ben Ali flown off into exile than Arab newspapers which have been stroking his fur and polishing his shoes and receiving his money for so many years were vilifying the man. "Misrule", "corruption", "authoritarian reign", "a total lack of human rights", their journalists are saying now. Rarely have the words of the Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran sounded so painfully accurate: "Pity the nation that welcomes its new ruler with trumpetings, and farewells him with hootings, only to welcome another with trumpetings again." Mohamed Ghannouchi, perhaps?
Of course, everyone is lowering their prices now – or promising to. Cooking oil and bread are the staple of the masses. So prices will come down in Tunisia and Algeria and Egypt. But why should they be so high in the first place?
Algeria should be as rich as Saudi Arabia – it has the oil and gas – but it has one of the worst unemployment rates in the Middle East, no social security, no pensions, nothing for its people because its generals have salted their country's wealth away in Switzerland.
And police brutality. The torture chambers will keep going. We will maintain our good relations with the dictators. We will continue to arm their armies and tell them to seek peace with Israel.
And they will do what we want. Ben Ali has fled. The search is now on for a more pliable dictator in Tunisia – a "benevolent strongman" as the news agencies like to call these ghastly men.
And the shooting will go on – as it did yesterday in Tunisia – until "stability" has been restored.
No, on balance, I don't think the age of the Arab dictators is over. We will see to that.
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And now whenever I see the name fisk all I can think of is "fisting" which helps because all that dude does is blame the world's problems on the USA.
Very surprised this article didn't attribute blame completely on the Americans. But I am sure Ben Ali managed to stay in power with the help of some NATO nation, but since it wasn't USA at fault no fault is given in fisting, ahem fisk's article.
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Some NATO-nation... The only country with prosperity is Israel...doesn't that say enough?
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Fisk is as creative and genuine as a Chinese Iphone. Usually “glorified” journalists become more reputable with age. This dude is obviously not holding true to that pattern. It's not that I don't like Fisk, I do, but it seems like he mailed this one in. Perhaps he should stick to his specialty, Lebanon, because this piece echoes laymen of Cairo, you know the ones who proclaim Egypt as the richest nation on earth, failing to realize that Egypt doesn't even have a national car. I'm alluding to Fisk's claim that Algeria is just as rich as Saudia Arabia. Algeria has less than 3 billion oil barrels in reserve, Saudia Arabia has nearly 300 billion. As for natural gas reserves Saudia Arabia has almost double the reserves of Algeria. There's no comparison, as for the rest of his piece, well Hosni Mubarak told us all about “benevolent dictators” several weeks ago, perhaps Fisk should get his feet on the ground because if his info is also from Wiki-Leaks then he's nothing more than a parrot.
@metinoot, fisting is an appropriate term because Fisk's views is just that, "Fisking" US foreign policy. Posts: 2275 | Registered: Dec 2009
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quote:Originally posted by Exiiled: @metinoot, fisting is an appropriate term because Fisk's views is just that, "Fisking" US foreign policy.
Problem with a brit "fisting" as it is with "fisking", is due to their anti-sex nature they can't get kink right. Brits have little respect nor understanding of the innerworkings of USA or the vessal they fist, or fisk!
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قال مصدر أمني تونسي، إن الرئيس السابق زين العابدين بن علي، قد تعرض لخدعة دفعته للهروب من القصر الرئاسي على متن طائرته خوفا على حياته، بعدما أبلغ بأن هناك هجوما متوقعا على القصر، دون أن يكون لديه نية للهرب أو الاستقالة من منصبه، وأن بن علي لم يدرك حقيقة الخدعة التي تعرض لها إلا بعد وصوله إلى جدة، أو ربما وهو في الطائرة، ورافقه اثنان من أبنائه الستة وزوجته وشقيقتها و 6 من مرافقيه ولم يحمل معه أي أغراض خاصة، إلى درجة أنه ركب الطائرة حتى من دون ملابس إضافية.
وأضاف المصدر في تصريحاته التي أدلى بها لموقع العربية نت، أن بن علي غادر بلاده فجأة وعلى وجه السرعة بعد اجتماع استمع خلاله لتقرير شفهي من مدير الأمن الرئاسي، الجنرال علي السرياطي، وأقنعه من خلاله بضرورة مغادرة البلاد فورا بحجة أن هجوما يستهدف القصر، والدليل على ذلك أنه لم يصدر بيانا متلفزا، أو مكتوبا وممهورا بتوقيعه، أو ما شابه، يشرح فيه الأسباب ويذاع بعد سفره.
وتابع المصدر الذي رفض ذكر اسمه، "وبالتالي فإنه من غير المعقول أن يسلم بن علي منصب الرئاسة لرئيس وزرائه، محمد الغنوشي، بحسب ما زعم الغنوشي فيما بعد".
وفسر المصدر خطة الجنرال علي السرياطي - الذي اعتقلته وحدة من الجيش التونسي فيما بعد - بأنها كانت انقلابا أعده ودبره للاستيلاء على الحكم لنفسه، مستغلا الفوضى التي سادت البلاد "لكن الجيش كان له بالمرصاد" كما قال.
وفي سياق متصل، أكدت العربية نت أن هناك معلومات تناقلتها بعض المصادر منذ أمس، ملخصها أن إقامة زين العابدين بن علي لن تطول في السعودية، سوى إلى أوائل الصيف المقبل على الأكثر
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A security source said Tunisia, that the former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, has been subjected to a trick to induce him to escape from the presidential palace on board the plane, fearing for his life, after he was informed that an attack is expected to minors, without having had the intention to flee or to resign from his post, and bin Ali did not realize the fact that the hoax that was her only after his arrival in Jeddah, or maybe a plane, and was accompanied by two of his six children, his wife and her sister, and 6 of his companions was carrying with him any special purpose, to the extent that boarded the plane even without the extra clothes.
The source added in comments made for the Arab net, Ben Ali left the country suddenly and promptly after the meeting heard during which an oral report from the Director of Presidential Security, General Ali Alsriati, and convinced him of which he should leave the country immediately, arguing that an attack aimed at the palace, and the evidence that it has not issued a televised statement, or communication should be in writing and signed or the like, explaining the reasons and after his broadcast.
The source, who declined to be named, "and thus it is reasonable to hand over Bin for the presidency of the Prime Minister, Mohamed Ghannouchi, allegedly Ghannouchi later."
He explained the source plan Alsriati General Ali - who was arrested by an army unit Tunisian later - that she was prepared and orchestrated a coup to seize power for himself, taking advantage of the chaos that prevailed in the country, "but the army had a lookout," he said.
In a related context, the Arab net confirmed that there is information reported by some sources, since yesterday, pointing out that the establishment of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali will not be long in Saudi Arabia, only to early next summer at the most
Translated it for everyone else. Unless you provide a hyperlink "this" its plagiarism.
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PM (Ghannouchi) reiterates the country will hold it's first ever free elections since indpendence and that he will step down and retire from political life, even if he is reappointed.
"We want to make the next elections the first transparent and legitimate elections since independence," Tunisian Interim Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi said Friday on state-run Tunis TV.
"After this transitional period -- with all honesty -- I will leave any political role I have even if I was selected or appointed," he said. "I will leave political life and retire."
The Newspapers in Tunisa are now free. There are no more banned books. People are calling radio talk shows and talking FREELY about Anything they want.
“I have no fear, for one reason, this new Freedom was not given to us a gift by the politicians, it was Imposed by the people, it was Imposed by the youth of this country”
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Give muslim democracy and freedoms and guess what they do? Yes, as in Gaza and many other Muslim run countries they elect islamists into power. So what do these islamists hate besides kefir and apostates? Democracy and freedom of course.
Tunisian women are watching warily should the popular revolt that ousted the authoritarian president also unravel women's rights bolstered by his secular regime in this predominantly Muslim country.
"I'm scared of the return of the Islamists," said Sonia, a 35-year-old government official who declined to give her last name, as the long-banned Islamist movement Ennahdha prepares to enter the newly-freed political scene.
"They'll impose a new culture that is totally alien to us like the fundamentalist dress code," said Sonia, referring to the Muslim headscarf worn by some but by no means all women in the north African state.
It's a fear backed by little substance so far -- except for some talk on chat shows and warnings on Tunisian Facebook pages.
Ennahdha, itself, has said it will respect the country's laws.
Yet Mabrouka, 29, a journalist who also did not give her last name, was watchful. "I saw a lot of bearded men today. I was really afraid. I don't think the laws on women's rights will change but the Islamists are going to be even more forceful than before.
"The 23-year rule of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was widely hated by Tunisians and banned many democratic freedoms, but observers say the laws put in place by his regime had effectively improved rights for women.
The new transitional national unity government has emphasised it will defend these rights but many women are concerned by its promises to legalise the Ennahdha (Awakening) as a political party.
Ennahdha's exiled leader Rached Ghannouchi has said he will return to his homeland "very soon". He has embraced moderate goals similar to Turkey's ruling Islamist Justice and Development (AKP) party.
The worry is mainly over any changes to the Personal Status Code -- a law first approved after independence from France in 1956 which bans polygamy and gives equal rights to husbands and wives in a family.
It also says divorced women and their children should receive alimony.
Women's rights groups are unconvinced by the assurances of the new government, notably with some commentators in recent days using the new freedom of expression on Tunisian television to advocate conservative values.
One commentator has said allowing multiple wives would help right a demographic imbalance in the country, another has called for women to stay at home in order to solve the Arab state's unemployment problem.
"Women should wear veils to prevent sexual harassment. That is what one hears now on Tunisia's streets," an article in the La Presse newspaper said....
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"Yet Mabrouka, 29, a journalist who also did not give her last name, was watchful. "I saw a lot of bearded men today. I was really afraid. I don't think the laws on women's rights will change but the Islamists are going to be even more forceful than before."
This brings up an important point—even if the rights of women remain the same on the books, if there are "bearded men" openly roaming the streets, then there will be no one to enforce the free practice of these rights.
If we see the sharp rise of Islam in Tunisia, then it will matter little if women technically retain their rights—not if they are too terrorized to practice them.
gravenimage | January 24, 2011 8:17 AM | Reply
Unless there is a cultural and philosophical non-theocratic counterpoint to Islam (the given influence of Mohammadism which satuates any "Muslim" country), "democracy" in such places is a choice between an "alien" influence (Marxist, etc.) and the "familiar" Islamic one. In this instance, the result of a "democratic" election by an Islamo-brainwashed populace is:
One man, one vote, one time.
And Islam, thus "democratically" entrenched, decrees that no further "democratic" votes are needed, or allowed.
profitsbeard | January 23, 2011 4:23 PM | Reply
Interesting thoughts, profitsbeard... But there is no reforming Islam... And too think otherwise is pure uninformed idiocy or contrived evil... I am an ex-Muslim with a website: http://www.considerationsofacanadianex-muslim.org
SaleemSmith replied to comment from profitsbeard | January 23, 2011 4:45 PM | Reply
The so-called moderate Islamic party is a a wolf in sheep's clothing, moderate Islam doesn't exist, it's an oxymoron. I fear for all the other Muslim countries nearby and for Europe as well. No revolution in an Islamic country has ever brought freedom and democracy and with the present situation bloody Islam is getting stronger by the day. by epistemology | January 23, 2011 6:53 PM | ReplyThis
Probably best to measure these countries by the amount of grief they cause the planet........Tunisia might have been a brutal secular regime but I have not been aware of any Islamic training camps there or 'Little Tunis' on the streets of the UK
Alan Hampton | January 24, 2011 3:07 AM
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What is Democracy, volkswagen? What is thing beautiful thing?
de·moc·ra·cy
1. government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.
2. a state having such a form of government: The United States and Canada are democracies.
3. a state of society characterized by formal equality of rights and privileges.
4. political or social equality; democratic spirit.
5. the common people of a community as distinguished from any privileged class; the common people with respect to their political power.
Tunisians don't have this luxury yet. Whatever government they vote into power will be their choice. Islam is more than just Saudia Arabia and Iran as narrow minds portray it to be. Islam spread not simply by the sword but also by warm and loving embrace such is evident in Indonesia, India, China and Malaysia and these nations alone account for over 50% of all Muslims wordwide. Do the math. I know mine.
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