Mideast: Tunisia’s new constitution
and changing politics
-DR. ABDUL RUFF COLACHAL
_______________
Tunisia, the first
and only Muslim nation in Mideast that underwent,
rather successfully, the Arab spring experience three
years ago, changing, as perhaps the CIA then wanted, the
autocratic regime of Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, has since
established an Islamic government though without any real Islamic changes
taking place in the country. .
Tunisia framed a
new constitution to fulfill the promises made to the people and make the nation
and people really Islamic in practice. Tunisia's national assembly with an
overwhelming vote has approved the country's new constitution on 26th January
in one of the last steps to establishing full democracy three years after the
uprising that toppled Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.
As one of the most
"secular" nations in the Arab world, Tunisia has struggled since the
revolt, with divisions over the role of Islam and the rise of
ultra-conservative Salafists, who the so-called “secularists” feared would try
to roll back empty liberal rights.
The new
regime began drafting a new constitution and completed the work in 2
years time The constitution, approved on a 200-4 vote, was expected to be
signed by the president, prime minister and Assembly speaker. The National Constituent Assembly was elected in October
2011 to draft the document. Tunisian lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a new
constitution to replace a 1956 document drafted after Tunisia gained
independence from France. Heated debates arose over issues such as the role of
religion in the constitution, presidential candidacy requirements and details
of the post-constitution transition.
Ennahda, a moderate
Islamist party, won the first democratic elections after long-time ruler Zine
al-Abidine Ben Ali was forced from power in 2011. But it has faced fierce opposition
from secular groups, who have accused it being Islamist.
The new
constitution sets out to make the North African country of 11 million people a
democracy, with a civil state whose laws are not based on Islamic law, unlike
many other Arab constitutions.
The Ennahda party,
which holds more than 40 percent of the seats in the assembly, backed down on
putting a number of religious-inspired measures into the constitution in the
face of wide opposition. At times the constitution looked like it would
never get written, with numerous walkouts by different parties and at one point
a complete suspension of its activities in the wake of the assassination of a
left-wing deputy in July. In the end, Ennahda made concessions to the
opposition and stepped down in favor of a caretaker government to manage the
rest of the transition, allowing the constitution to be completed.
Tunisia's Islamists
were more willing to compromise. After months of protests and deadlock, Ennahda
agreed late last year to step aside for a caretaker administration of
nonpolitical appointments that would govern until elections. Mehdi Jomaa, an
engineer and former minister appointed as premier in December, who named his
cabinet with key posts given to technocrats with international experience.
Hakim Ben Hammouda, an economist with experience at the African Development
Bank, was named finance minister and Mongi Hamdi, a former U.N. official,
foreign minister. Jomaa told reporters that the objective is to arrive at
elections and create the security and economic climate to get out of this
crisis.
An entire chapter
of the document, some 28 articles, is dedicated to protecting citizens’ rights,
including protection from torture, the right to due process, and freedom of
worship. It guarantees equality between men and women before the law and the
state commits itself to protecting women’s rights.
The completion of
the constitution is also a tribute to the assembly’s disparate parties to
compromise and negotiate to reach a consensus. While the new constitution
recognizes Islam as the country's religion, it also enshrines freedom of
conscience and belief, and equality between the sexes. The text recognises
equality between men and women for the first time.
Opposition parties oppose Islamic system. the assassination of
two opposition leaders , though, pitched the small North African country into
crisis with the ruling Ennahda, under pressure to step down. Opposition
leaders blamed Ennahda for going easy on hard-line Islamists who promoted the idea of Islamic state
based on strict sharia law to make Muslims truly Islamic by shedding
hypocritical beliefs. .
Tunisia's new
constitution as well as the progress the new system has made contrasts sharply
with messy transitions in Libya, Egypt and Yemen which are still caught up in
turmoil after ousting their own long-standing leaders in 2011 revolts and uprisings.
Tunisia, under
Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa, could wither all negative political climate and
survival without any harm done to the nation. After the historic vote, the
red and white Tunisian flag was unfurled and assembly deputies embraced, danced
and sang inside the chamber in Tunis to celebrate the charter, which has been
widely praised for its inclusiveness. Assembly chief Mustapha Ben Jaafar
said: "This constitution was the dream of Tunisians, this constitution is
proof of the revival of the revolution, and this constitution creates a
democratic civil nation".
Just before the
constitution vote, Mehdi Jomaa appointed a caretaker cabinet as part of a deal
to end a crisis between Tunisia's Islamist party and its so-called “secular”
opposition until new elections this year.
Tunisia seems to
move towards reconciliation of political parties. After the vote, in what many
saw a symbol of compromise, Mongi Rahoui, a deputy from the assassinated
leaders' party, embraced Habib Louz, an Ennahda hardliner. The two men sparred
furiously over Islam last week.
Ennahda chief
Rached Ghannouchi said of the charter that these advances in democracy in
Tunisia should have a positive effect on the other Arab Spring countries. Such
compromise, though, looks difficult elsewhere in Mideast, especially in Libya
and Egypt where anti-Islamic forces have played mischief with the Islamist
rulers.
The overthrow of
the Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt by the military in July and
subsequent violent repression was a stern warning to Tunisia, said Yahyaoui of
Bawsala, and it helped the various parties find a compromise.
Anti-Islamic west
and their agents in Islamic nations target Islamist regimes. Two years after
President Col Muammar Qaddafi was toppled and assassinated by NATO led
opposition army, Libya's congress is deadlocked between Islamists and a
nationalist party over the route for transition, a constitution is still
undrafted, and former militia fighters run amok. Egypt's own elected Islamist
president, Mohammed Morsi, has been deposed by the anti-Islamic army and jailed
and his Muslim Brotherhood declared a terrorist organization. Morsi is being
dragged to courts on fake charges by the military rogues. Egyptians this month
approved their new constitution as part of a transition plan from army chief
General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi after he ousted Morsi in July.
Jomaa's new cabinet
will have to tackle demands from international lenders to cut public spending
and curb the budget deficit without triggering protests over social welfare.
Islamist militants, tied to al Qaeda operations in North Africa.
Anti-Islamic
western nations say since Tunisian economy depends on European tourism and
overseas remittances for its hard currency income, purely Islamic agenda might
not suit the nation’s economic needs, though it enhances Islamic identity of
the nation.
While the
constitution itself will not solve the country’s persistent unemployment,
rising prices, crushing debt and constant demonstrations, it will move politics
forward and reassure foreign investors that the country is back on track after
a rocky transition.
Tunisia is going to
have general poll to elect government to govern the nation’s resources meant
for common people. No date has been set for elections but they will be held
later this year with Ennahda and key opposition alliance Nidaa Tounes likely to
battle for the government.
Politicians hope
Tunisian unity will send out a message of stability after months of deadlock
between Islamist and secular forces.
Muslim rulers should
better keep in mind without making sincere efforts to establish Islamic
societies they are indeed failed rulers that prop mote and pamper only the rich
and corporates. This is what non-Muslim as well as anti-Islamic ant
rulers have been doing for decades.
UN chief Ban
Ki-moon hailed the agreement as a historic milestone.
Hopefully, Tunisia would now concentrate on
strengthening national economy and establishment
of Islamic society.
Revolution would be a waste if the government which
emerged as a consequence of it does not
starting working on a new Islamic state to
serve the cause of Islam and Islamic society with focus on the
uplift of common people.
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