17. September 2014 · Kommentare deaktiviert für Tunesien, Konterrevolution: Ben Ali · Kategorien: Tunesien · Tags:

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„Welcome back Ben Ali!“

On September 17, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following opinion piece by Tunisian writer Mohamed Krichan: „“All that is left is for Ben Ali to return.“ This is how Omar Sahabo, one of the most prominent Tunisian journalists, commented on the noticeable return of the men and ministers of deposed President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, not only to political life and the commands of the parties, but also as candidates in the presidential elections in November …

During the 2011 October elections, none of the latter would have dared appear in public, let alone run, in light of a temporary law that prevented them from doing so at the time. But today, many factors have accumulated and allowed them to peak their heads out bit by bit. And when they became certain that the „road was clear,“ they fully emerged …

„No one in Tunisia is calling for improvised or fabricated political trials for the latter, nor for the hanging of nooses. Whoever among them was corrupt and whoever pillaged public funds or took bribes, can be held accountable by the judiciary. Indeed, it would be unfair to try all of them in court because of the mistakes of some, but this does not mean that they can simply dust off the previous stage and reenter public life as though nothing had happened… Hence, while it is the right of any figure not to be ashamed of himself, it is the duty of the national group to draw the line based on the political responsibility of Ben Ali’s men, whether they like it or not, even if the judiciary were to acquit them from other charges. If this is not done, we would have limited all the calamities endured by the Tunisians throughout the last two decades to the president, his wife and his sons-in-law, which is neither right nor fair.

„And because of the lack of shame and political responsibility, which can only be understood by those who have the courage and personal integrity to face themselves and their actions, a proposal was made for a political isolation law, which would distance the latter from the political scene at least for a specific period of time until the country regains its health with new blood. However, this law was not meant to see the light after it provoked wide controversy, thus prompting Ennahda to relinquish it. At this level, the movement’s leader Rached Ghannouchi said at the time that the people were wise and will exclude whoever should be excluded in the ballot boxes. This might have been a wise decision that spared the country further tensions, but no one can guarantee today that the returnees among Ben Ali’s men will not use the same old machine to mobilize the people and win via the ballot boxes.

„They might be able to do so by exploiting the people’s frustration with instability, terrorism, the rise of prices and the retreat of development, especially if they are joined by those who have accumulated illicit funds, and who will protect and save them from any possible pursuit… The worst thing that could happen in Tunisia is for the next elections to maintain the same political scene in the country. This will push the people to curse the elections as a means of democratic change, which will open the door before the adventurers and the numerous lurkers waiting at the door.“ – Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom

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