Tunisia 2018: Is the Revolution of Jasmin fading?
7 years after the Revolution, anti-austerity strikes are still taking over Tunisia’s streets.
Left-wing parties like the Popular Front Political leaders also seized the moment to showcase a social backlash to the Prime Minister Youssef El Cheded in a very delicate time, 5 months before Tunisia’s long-awaited municipal elections.
“This law is a barrel of gunpowder that exploded in the face of the government,” warned Ammar Amrousia, a leader in the Popular Front and an outspoken supporter of «Fech testannew».
However, the opposition’s discourse has attracted several controversies and accusations of taking advantage of people’s anger to re-advocate for their reputation as “the party of the people”. Noting that all political parties were very familiar with the budget that passed with 132 votes for, 21 against, and 14 abstentions on December 7, 2017, the sudden reaction of some of the political leaders who had a previous idea about the budget since December 2017, has put into question the sincerity of their support.
Further, although protestants sent a significant explicit message regarding their social demands asking for efficient economic reform and ensuring equal access to opportunity between regions, the short-sightedness trials to cool down the national anger was clear through the government's answer on January 14th. Decisions covered increasing aids for needy families to only 180 dinars (around 74 USD) and launching a Youth complex in Hay Tadhamon, one of the most populated neighborhoods of the capital where unemployment and poverty has been an age-long challenge.
Under pressure from the International Monetary Fund, 2018 marks the Tunisian parliament’s approval of the 36 billion dinar ($14.55 billion) national budget that aims at cutting the budget deficit and creating growth. It increased tax on a majority of consumer services and “non-essential” goods, which left so little consideration for citizens and brought to the surface a profound public dissatisfaction with the country’s current economic state. Clashes between citizens and police resulted over 806 arrests and at least 35 people have been reportedly killed during the regional demonstrations.
 |
| ”فاش نستناو“ " What are we waiting for?" Nawaat, 2018. |
For the 7th year now, January has been known to be the month of evaluation for Tunisians. It is the month that marked the spark that initiated the regional dialogue over “Employment, Freedom, and National Dignity.” However for January 2018, Tunisia’s streets have seriously underscored the society’s outrage and disappointment through 18 protests across the country. Although political parties expressed their concerns over the fiscal budget, the country-wide social panic was what brought the debate over the economic crisis back to the table.
The protests swept Tunisia on January 3 responding to the social media campaigns from activists, members of Students’ Union and different social movements, namely «Manich Msameh» (I Will Not Forgive), «Moush Ala Kifek» who were all organized behind the same banner of the campaign «Fech nestannew» (What are we waiting for?). Although the campaign called for peaceful protests, Chaos broke out when clashes sparked between citizens and security forces, resulting the death of one of the protestants in Tbourba, Khomsi Yafrni, a young man who suffocated by the tear gas thrown by the police, as reported by the Tunisian Interior Ministry.
The protests swept Tunisia on January 3 responding to the social media campaigns from activists, members of Students’ Union and different social movements, namely «Manich Msameh» (I Will Not Forgive), «Moush Ala Kifek» who were all organized behind the same banner of the campaign «Fech nestannew» (What are we waiting for?). Although the campaign called for peaceful protests, Chaos broke out when clashes sparked between citizens and security forces, resulting the death of one of the protestants in Tbourba, Khomsi Yafrni, a young man who suffocated by the tear gas thrown by the police, as reported by the Tunisian Interior Ministry.
Protesters, once again, occupied Tunis town hall on January 3rd, in tandem with the anniversary of the bread riots that the country witnessed from December 1983 till January 3, 1983. Chants called for the “fall of the budget” and shifted the attention beyond the unfulfilled promises, populist political speeches, and trivial negotiation meetings.
 |
| "We fell into the same track.", France 24. |
Left-wing parties like the Popular Front Political leaders also seized the moment to showcase a social backlash to the Prime Minister Youssef El Cheded in a very delicate time, 5 months before Tunisia’s long-awaited municipal elections.
“This law is a barrel of gunpowder that exploded in the face of the government,” warned Ammar Amrousia, a leader in the Popular Front and an outspoken supporter of «Fech testannew».
“All protests will cease when Prime Minister Youssef Chahed follows in the footsteps of Bourguiba and annuls the new prices,” Amrousia added.
However, the opposition’s discourse has attracted several controversies and accusations of taking advantage of people’s anger to re-advocate for their reputation as “the party of the people”. Noting that all political parties were very familiar with the budget that passed with 132 votes for, 21 against, and 14 abstentions on December 7, 2017, the sudden reaction of some of the political leaders who had a previous idea about the budget since December 2017, has put into question the sincerity of their support.
Further, although protestants sent a significant explicit message regarding their social demands asking for efficient economic reform and ensuring equal access to opportunity between regions, the short-sightedness trials to cool down the national anger was clear through the government's answer on January 14th. Decisions covered increasing aids for needy families to only 180 dinars (around 74 USD) and launching a Youth complex in Hay Tadhamon, one of the most populated neighborhoods of the capital where unemployment and poverty has been an age-long challenge.
Throughout the years, Tunisians have developed a sense of maturity when it comes to their demands. What the people are now asking for goes beyond temporary aids and shiny buildings in the marginalized regions where people can no longer afford a pound of vegetables. The collective need now seeks a deep structured road-map of sustainable development that takes into consideration the country's status quo and people's needs of justice, transparency, employment, and institutionalized democracy.
Austerity measures adopted by the government hence, are a temporary remedy to silence the International creditors and the Monetary Fund's (IMF) $2.8 billion loan that initially conditioned building economic and social reforms.
What the decision makers need to focus on now is to fully engage in an inclusive conversation around investing in quality education, guaranteeing freedoms, and addressing the roots of these continuous threats to the country's prosperity and fulfillment to the Revolution's promises to its martyrs.
Comments
Post a Comment