. © Jens Schicke/FES
Building democracy
Many ways for justice in Arab countries
One lesson that Arab Spring activists are learning at present is that,
without deaths, they only get few headlines. Yet this is the point at which democratic politics really begin. Three young activists from Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria recently discussed their vision in Berlin.
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Caravans of justice
After the first protests erupted in Tunisia on 14 January, many countries across the Arab world witnessed popular movements in one form or another. Everywhere, the call was for justice, but not necessarily democracy. But are justice and democracy the same? That question was addressed in November at a panel discussion hosted by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Berlin. Apart from experts on democracy-building, speakers included Habib Guiza, the general secretary of Tunisia’s independent new trade union, the CGTT. He says the strongest driving force for change in Tunisia was the well educated, but unemployed youth: “We knew for years that the problems of youngsters with no prospects would eventually break the government’s back.”
Several young Arab activists said in Berlin they now have a chance to find their own way to a system that promises more justice. They agreed that political opponents and Islamist forces cannot simply be made illegal, even though they are aware of the risk of religious parties merely exploiting people’s fears and dreams to gain power. But many young democrats believe politics, not repressive institutions, is the right way to fight intolerance.
Peter Hauff
Young activists’ voices
Fida Hammami of the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights says: “Tunisians need to decide among themselves what future they want. No one from abroad is entitled to any say in these matters. I don’t necessarily need a political party to become active in political life. Young Tunisians do not need lectures on democracy. In overthrowing the government, we amply demonstrated that we can fight for responsibility and represent our own interests. To anyone who questions that, I would say: Please have patience and faith. Our society does not just consist of Islamists. When I ride the metro to work in Tunis in the morning, sitting beside friends with head scarves, I do not feel threatened by Ennahda. Europe should stop underestimating our young democracy.”Mehdi Bouchoua recalls how the protests in the Arab world began and considers Morocco’s specific situation: “First of all, there was no repression like in Egypt. Second, the movement started with demands for social and economic change that require institutional reform. Third, the protests are still ongoing: many Moroccans continue to be annoyed at the slow pace of government action. A democratic constitution as such does not make a parliamentary democracy, and even the early elections on 25 November will not really change the system. King Mohammed remains the head of state, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, religious leader and the only person with the power to appoint civil servants and ministers. Apart from that, the Interior Ministry continues to control the lists of candidates for election to public office. What Morocco really needs is free media that discuss politics; so far, political debate in Morocco takes place elsewhere. As long as democracy is only theatre, we will choose the street.”
According to Charaf Eddine Kadri from Algeria, the relatively weak protests seen in his country are due to the fact that it experienced a successful revolution in 1954 and improved its institutions back in 1984: “Algeria does not have a single-party system. There is no intrinsic value in changing the system: reforms can be implemented gradually. Before the CNCD (Coordination Nationale pour le Changement et la Démocratie) called for the march on Algiers on 12 February, many turned up to protest against high food prices and demanded, already in January, democratic reforms. But the protests died down after a couple of months for lack of public support. A great deal of the dissatisfaction stems from people’s worries about their economic future. In the spring, lawyers, doctors and teachers raised very clear demands. What we have in common with all the countries of the Arab Spring is the high percentage of frustrated young people. We have the demographics of a developing country. In the middle of next year, Algeria will hold the first legislative elections since the Arab Spring. We will see how the demands and interests expressed in the protests will translate into various parties’ influence and actual policy.”
More about
D+C, 2011/12, Monitor, Page 448
