Conference: ‘Building Bridges: Towards Viable Democracies in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya’

[pampango]

The conference (held March 28-29 in Tunis) was an opportunity for participants from the three Arab Spring states to compare notes, analyses and experiences over the last two years. As a participant presenting a paper on the Libyan economy, I was taken aback by the similarities that the three revolutions were sharing.

Delay by the legislature in drafting the constitution, the legislature going beyond its constitutionally designated role and schedule, the constitutional drafting committee being elected or chosen, and being dominated by a certain group, the role of Islam and Sharia, ineffective and partisan government, the authorities not doing enough to solve everyday issues and the economy, minority issues, the role of NGOs, intimidation by militias, self-appointed guardians of the revolution were themes present in all states.

There was also deep and wide discussion in all three countries of concepts of legitimacy, citizenship, representativeness, inclusiveness, equality, pluralism, tolerance, debate, process, and consensus – varying degrees. ... The Arab Spring Revolutions were a popular initiative, despite many attempting to discredit it by portraying it as Western design.

Regarding Islam, democracy and modernity, Ghannoushi felt that there can be democracy and modernity – with Islamic values. It is not Islam that is wrong,but our interpretation of Islam. The dream of the inclusion modernity within Islam is attainable, he felt. Islam is not a barrier to modernity, he retorted, and accused the enemies of Islam of wanting to portray the idea that there can be no modernity or progress within Islam.

He admitted that there was still debate over which kind of political system Tunisia was to adopt – parliamentary or presidential. He said that most of the world has opted for parliamentary, but he thought Arabs had a legacy of presidential rule and rule by princes and one person rule that defaulted into dictatorship. He therefore said his party favoured parliamentary rule.

http://www.libyaherald.com/2013/03/31/learning-from-tunisian-and-egyptian-arab-spring-experiences-part-one/

Apparently this is an annual conference. Hopefully, those who are promoting "legitimacy, citizenship, representativeness, inclusiveness, equality, pluralism, tolerance, debate, process, and consensus" in newly democratic countries will prevail in the long run. At least they are trying, though there are forces pulling in the opposite direction.