http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2012/1111/re6.htm
16 - 22 August 2012
Issue No. 1111
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875
Women power in Tunisia?
Tunisian women are becoming increasingly concerned at the possible consequences
of Islamist rule, writes Lasaad Ben Ahmed in Tunis
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Click to view caption
Protesters wave flags and shout slogans during a demonstration in Tunis.
Thousands of Tunisians rallied on Monday to protest against what they see as a
push by the Islamist-led government for constitutional changes that would
degrade women's status in one of the Arab world's most liberal nations
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Women's Day, held on 13 August, was marked by exceptional events in Tunisia
this year, with hundreds of Tunisian women gathering for a night-time
demonstration at 14 January Square on Al-Habib Bourguiba Street in the capital
Tunis. The demonstration was a clear signal of defiance to the Islamist groups
that Tunisian women feel are threatening their rights, despite reassurances
that the ruling Islamist Al-Nahda Party will not seek to change the country's
liberal personal status laws.
The fears had been stoked after the first draft of the country's proposed new
constitution had referred to women's "complementarity" to men, which Tunisian
women reject, saying that they want equality and not complementarity. The use
of the word in the draft constitution triggered a series of protests,
especially among the country's opposition and the nascent Tunisia Call Party
led by former prime minister Al-Beji Caid Al-Sebsi.
In a statement, Al-Sebsi said that the personal status laws were a "red line"
that could not be crossed, as any infringement of women's rights would
undermine modern Tunisian society.
Some observers feel that the reactions to the word have been exaggerated, since
it was used in a draft version of the new constitution that will be debated
after the Tunisian parliament returns from recess in early September.
At the same time, article 22 of the constitution states that Tunisian citizens
are equal in terms of rights, duties and freedoms. The protests against the use
of the word "complementarity", some observers argue, have been exaggerated "by
an opposition that has failed to make a contribution or present an alternative
[to the ruling Al-Nahda Party] and has been left out of the transitional
process at a time when the country needs to consolidate efforts."
Although the first draft of the new constitution is now finished, albeit after
some delays, the rapporteur of the country's constituent assembly, Al-Habib
Khedher, has said that it will be impossible to produce a final draft by the 23
October deadline, given the bickering among MPs on many crucial issues, such as
the character of Tunisia's new political system and whether it will be
parliamentary, presidential or a mix of the two.
Some political groups have used such delays as an excuse to call for a vote of
no confidence in the Al-Nahda Party, saying that "it has not and will not meet
the one-year deadline for writing a new constitution." Meanwhile, no real
progress has been made in dealing with Tunisia's structural problems of
unemployment and imbalanced regional development, stirring up a series of
protests.
Hundreds of people have taken to the streets across the country recently in
such protests, notably in the town of Sidi Bouzeid, the cradle of last year's
Tunisian revolution, triggering fierce battles between the protesters and the
security forces, which used teargas and rubber bullets.
Several people have been arrested, and the opposition has denounced what it
calls an "excessive use of force in dealing with the legitimate demands of the
people". Once again, it has also called for the end to the restricted "troika"
coalition government and the forming of a broader coalition government instead.
However, Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Al-Jibali has not responded to such
criticisms, and the leader of the Al-Nahda Party, Rached Al-Ghanouchi,
commented that "the enemies of Islam are willing to destroy the country in
order to ensure that Al-Nahda does not succeed. But their attempts will fail as
long as the nation adheres to its religion and righteous path."
Al-Ghanouchi said that the Al-Nahda victory in last year's elections would
"pave the way for the success of the Islamist project after the Revolution,"
perhaps a reference to Al-Nahda's desire to do away with the modernising
reforms passed during the rule of former Tunisian president Habib Bourguiba,
which are championed by the opposition as well as by Al-Sebsi, who has defended
the reforms as fundamental pillars of modern Tunisian society.
The political dimensions of such conflicts have been illustrated in the
fractures that have taken place in the ruling troika government and the unrest
that took place in the constituent assembly during the last week before
parliament's recess.
On this occasion, several MPs joined the Tunisia Call Party, making the Party a
member of the assembly even though its candidates had not stood in the
elections. This in itself will mean that the previous kind of heated politics
will return in full force when the assembly reconvenes.
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