People in Tunisia already know that the changes in their country will not be as fast as they imagined. That is also why they are disappointed. "There is tension in society. I am one of those who are dissatisfied with the current situation in our country," says Asma Mansour. She is one of the fourteen representatives of the Tunisian civil sector who visited Slovakia as part of the PDCS project. Tunisians are currently drafting a new constitution that will outline the country's future direction. The key question is: will Tunisia remain one of the most liberal Muslim countries, or will it embark on an Iranian-style radical path?
"The relationship between Islam and politics is the most sensitive topic these days," says Omar El-Matri from the non-governmental Association Nová Republika. "Although there are moderate forces in power, there is also a radical wing in the ruling party. The country is under tension, attacks on artists, journalists, and activists are increasing. Some politicians claim that Iran is a democratic country and there are points in the drafts of the new constitution that resemble paragraphs of the Iranian constitution. People are convinced that Iran also financially supports the ruling party," Omar portrays. He adds the example of bloggers who were jailed for seven and a half years for criticizing the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Radical Muslims were also irritated by the case surrounding the award-winning animated film Persepolis, in which director Marjane Satrapiová based on her own childhood experiences describes how cruelly the Iranian revolution affected her life. "This film has been shown in our country for a long time, but it was recently redubbed by a certain private television. It used the expressions of Tunisian radicals, which were strikingly similar to the Iranian ones, which were heard in the film," Omar explains. Radicals organized demonstrations, launched an attack on Islam, and even tried to set fire to the television," he adds.
Life is harder after the revolution
Ordinary people are plagued by insecurity and fear. "At some demonstrations, radicals attacked people. Even I don't dare to say everything I think anywhere on the street," admits Asma. "Although Tunisians have never been overly religious, some politicians are now abusing Islam to brainwash and achieve their goals. It is difficult to estimate which side the majority will lean on, because we don't have public opinion polls. In any case, the debates about the introduction of Islamic Sharia law push to the sidelines topics that are really important for the country," complains Asma. According to Omar, ordinary people do not even feel support in justice, because the courts are paid to the government. The law on freedom of the media has been prepared for a long time, but its approval is still being delayed. And on top of that, Tunisians are struggling with growing economic problems. "Just like us after the revolution, they also expected that in a year or two the problems would be solved and they would be the second Switzerland. However, the fact is that their economic situation has worsened since the revolution, gasoline prices have risen, and they are troubled by corruption," recalls Katarína Bajzíková, PDCS project manager.
Changes will be slow
In Tunisia, decisions are being made about the character of the country in the future. Civic activists and non-governmental organizations are one of the tools to influence events in society and the creation of a new constitution. The PDCS project is supposed to help them. Training, public discussions, meetings with parliamentarians, representatives of ministries and non-governmental organizations awaited the fourteen Tunisians in Slovakia. In the next phase of the project, after returning home, they will share new knowledge and experience. The aim of the project is mainly to strengthen civil society and offer experience from the transitional period that Slovakia went through after the revolution. "We came to see how non-governmental organizations work in your country, to draw inspiration and try to agree on cooperation," says Asma, whose organization mainly focuses on unemployed people. "We can see from your example that changes require considerable time. Although it is long after the revolution, the transit process is still not over. It will not go quickly here either, but at least we know that we do not have to panic - because it is normal that some things change slowly and gradually, many other countries have gone through this. We just have to stick to the proverb that says - learn from the mistakes of others," adds Omar.
Marian Szûcs
The article was published in the Development Aid - Spring 2012 newsletter. It is published by Platforma mimovládnych rozvojových organizácií (MVRO), which is an association of legal entities - an umbrella organization of 31 (23 regular members and 8 observers) Slovak non-governmental organizations that deal mainly with foreign development and humanitarian aid. http://www.mvro.sk