Tunisia is a small country with almost a
homogeneous population, a liberal economy, and well-educated middle class with a
history of inclusion. Women make 50% of university students. They enjoyed citizens’ rights equally to men.
Women serve in the military and other professions. Prior to January 2011,
Tunisia was seen as a model for Islamic North Africa. It was stable,
experiencing a growing economy, lacked threat of Islamic fundamentalism. The
government has either arrested radical Islamists or has forced them into exile
(Alexis, 2011).
Since gaining independence from France
in1956, Tunisia has only two leaders. The late Habib Bourguiba, a secular
nationalist who led the country to independence. Bourguiba ruled till 1987 when
he was succeeded by Ben Ali who the popular uprising, "The Jasmine
Revolution Protests" forced out of
power on January 14, 2011 (Alexis, 2011).Tunisia has strong tie to European. Many Tunisians are living in Europe
particularly in France. Despites Tunisia’s relative stability, the population
is divided between rural and urban areas.
The developed friendly coasts and poorer and hostile interior. Half of
its population resides in Tunis and other major coastal towns. There is
anti-government resentment rooted in historical dislike of the Ben Ali regime
and its oppressive governing machineries (Alexis, 2011).
The first news report about protest
started on December 17, 2010, in town of Sidi Bouzid, when Mohamed Bouazizi set
himself on fire to protest police brutality after being harassed by the police
for selling vegetables without a permit. By mid-December, several waves of
protests fueled by local anger over unemployment, political and socio-economic
oppression forced Tunisians to join Mohamed Bouazizi in the street turning one
man’s protest into a national revolution.
On January 12, 2011, a massive riot engulfed Tunis. The government
responded by declaring the state of emergence. It ordered the police to shoot
anybody not obeying the state of emergence. The state of emergence made it illegal for more
than three people to gather at one time in any public setting. As a result of
the police intervention, several protesters got killed, hundreds arrested including
journalists, opposition party members, lawyers and human rights activists that
Ali’s regime accused responsible for instigating violence/protests (Vasily,
2011).
Ben Ali made series of concessions on
political and civil rights areas in an effort to defuse the situation. However,
these efforts did not appease or satisfy protesters’ demands. On January
13, 2011, Ben Ali addressed Tunisians on national television and pledged to
step down when his term expires on January 2014. The news of Ben Ali remaining
in power for another four years further angered many and fueled more protests.
Instead, the demonstrator asked for his immediate resignation and dissolution
of the governing party. On January 14, 2011, Ben Ali left the country for Saudi
Arabia (Alexis, 2011).
Since the demise of Ben Ali regime,
Tunisia has held elections. A new National Assembly formed. Interim president
and prime minister appointed to lead Tunisia’s transition government. Some political
prisoners have been released, political space started to open up, new political
parties emerging, some media repressive laws uplifted. The ruling party, Revolutionary Constitution
Democratic (RCD) dismantled. Steps toward respecting human rights have been
taken including adhering to Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Though these steps have been taken, nobody knows whether new national
constitution will pave the way for further liberal reforms. The reason, the
main Islamist Party, Harakat al Nadha controls 41% of the National Assembly. In
general, Tunisia is showing some signs of progress, but, the future is still
uncertain (Alexis, 2011).
In conclusion, Tunisia’s regular citizens
who were historically repressed and marginalized by ruling elites finally
understood that the real power lies with them. The spontaneous speed at which protests spread
across the country reinforced the power of collective activism. In addition,
Tunisia’s uprising debunked the old myth that Islamist Movements are only ones
with an organizational power to challenge Islamic regime in the Arabs' world (Paul,
2011). In Tunisia, a non-ideological citizens' driven revolution achieved what
Islamist movements have failed to do in the past several decades. Furthermore,
the success of the Tunisian’s revolt sent a strong message to political leaders
in the region. It conveys to them that the
fights for human rights, economic freedoms, social justices and liberties are
important to many Muslims in the region.
Therefore, Islamists and monarchies in the Arabs’ world have to accept
the reality that Muslims are opened to liberal reforms. More importantly, the nature of Tunisia’s
uprising disapproved the historical narrative of the Arabs’ regime change. In
the past, regime change also meant the collapse of the state’s apparatus. The
demise of Saddam’s regime brought with it the collapse of the entire country. In
the case of Tunisia, Ben Ali’s regime collapse, but, Tunisia did not collapse neither
did it became a failed state (Paul, 2011).
References
Arieff,
Alexis. (2011). Political transition in Tunisia. Retrieved March 8, 2012. Congressional Research Services.
Retrieved March 8, 2012, from: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RS21666.pdf
Kuznetsov,
Vasily. (2011). Riots in Tunisia and Egypt- different causes, the same
consequences. RIA Novosti. Retrieved March 8, 2012, from: http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20110202/162421979.html
Meinardus,
Ronald. (2011). Tunisia’s uprising and the politics in the Arab World. The Daily News Egypt. Retrieved March 8,
2012, from: http://thedailynewsegypt.com/global-views/tunisias-uprising-and-politics-in-the-arab-world.html
Salem,
Paul. (2011). Arab World: How Tunisia’s revolution transforms politics of Egypt
and the region. Los Angeles Times.
Retrieved March 8, 2012, from.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/01/arab-world-how-tunisia-revolution-changed-politics-of-egypt-and-region-.html
