2013–2014 Tunisian political crisis
The 2013 protests in Tunisia refer to the ongoing political crisis between the Islamist-led government of Tunisia dominated by the Rashid al-Ghannushi's Ennahda Movement and the mainly secular opposition. The events come as an aftermath of the 2011 Tunisian revolution that saw the ouster of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali followed by a general election when Ennahda won a plurality alongside Moncef Marzouki's allied CPR. Many incidents fueled the protests including the assassination of prominent secular leaders Chokri Belaid on the 6th of February 2013 and Mohamed Brahmi on the 25th of July. Other factors include the government's failure to deal with the rise of hardline Salafist groups including Ansar al-Sharia which is widely believed to be behind the assassinations and many other attacks on security officers and state institutions. This prompted the government to list the group as a terrorist organization amid growing pressure by opposition groups. The protests intensified on October 23 when thousands of demonstrators took to the streets calling for the government to step down hours before talks between the ruling Islamist coalition and opposition leaders that concluded with Ennahda promising to resign in three weeks ending a months-old political deadlock.
Background
Tunisian revolution of 2011
A period of civil resistance characterized by riots and unrest took place throughout the nation following the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi on 17 December 2011 and fueled by high unemployment, corruption, political repression and poor living conditions forcing President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to flee the country ending his 23-year rule over Tunisia. This was followed by the suspension then dissolution of the former ruling RCD party and the resignation of Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi amid further public pressure.
Constituent Assembly and new government
Following the revolution, an election for a constituent assembly which had 217 seats was held on 23 October 2011 that saw the Ennahda Movement led by Rashid al-Ghannushi win a plurality in the election (41% of the seats) closely followed by the Congress for the Republic (CPR) led by Moncef Marzouki (13.4% of the seats) who was later elected as President of Tunisia by the Constituent Assembly.
The Ennahda Movement had long been banned in the political spectrum by former President Ben Ali, most notably in the 1989 elections where some of its members had to run independently due to government repression. It described itself to be a "moderate Islamist" party by advocating democracy and recognizing political pluralism and dialogue with the West. However, the movement was accused to have been shaped by Qutbism and is highly influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt. It is also believed that Rashid al-Ghannushi himself, the co-founder of the party had a long history of violence. Following Ben Ali's ouster, the party was legalized and Ghannushi was welcomed by a crowd of 1,000 people upon his return to the country after 22 years of exile in Europe. Ghannushi later formed an alliance with two allegedly-secular political parties called the Troika which included Moncef Marzouki's CPR and the Democratic Forum for Labour and Liberties.
Assassination of Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi
The protests were fueled by high scale political assassinations, most notably the murder of Democratic Patriots' Movement leader Chokri Belaid on 6 February 2013 and of People's Movement leader Mohamed Brahmi on 25 July 2013 who were both members of the same left-wing coalition. Both murders were blamed on Islamic extremists with Boubacar Hakim, a hardline Salafist who is being sought for under suspicion of smuggling weapons from Libya, as the prime suspect.
On 6 February 2013, Chokri Belaid was leaving his house in the neighborhood of El Menzah, Tunis, when he was shot four times in the head and chest by two gunmen. He was rushed into a nearby clinic, and died there.[1] According to Tunis Afrique Presse, Belaïd died in the hospital after being shot by one man who later fled with an accomplice on a motorbike. Belaid had reportedly received multiple death threats in the days prior to his death.[2] The night before he was killed, Belaid said; "All those who oppose Ennahda become the targets of violence."[3] Earlier that week, Belaïd said that the committees established out of the revolution were a "tool" used by the Islamists.[4] Following news of his death, demonstrations occurred near the Interior ministry in Tunis and the police had to use tear gas to disperse the thousands of demonstrators .[2] Other protests spontaneously occurred in cities throughout the country, including Mezzouna, Gafsa and Sidi Bouzid, where tear gas was also used to disperse protesters.[2][5]
On 25 July 2013, Mohamed Brahmi was fatally shot in Tunis outside his Ariana home in front of his wife and children by two men on a motorcycle who were allegedly the same gunmen who killed Belaid.[6] He was shot 14 times and died later that day in a hospital in Ariana.[7] As a result of his death, hundreds of his supporters, including relatives and fellow party members, demonstrated in front of the Interior Ministry's building on Avenue Habib Bourguiba and blamed the incumbent Ennahda Party and their followers for the assassination.[8][9] Hundreds of supporters also protested in Brahmi's hometown of Sidi Bouzid.[8] During Brahmi's funeral, protesters called for the government to be toppled, while police fired tear gas on them.[10]
Investigations had been issued following both assassinations and Interior Minister Lotfi Ben Jeddou announcing at a news conference that the same 9mm automatic weapon that killed Belaid also killed Brahmi.[11][12] The Chokri Belaid defense committee spokesman Tayeb Oqaili claimed on 2 October that, according to official documents, Abdulhakim Belhadj of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group was involved in the killings of both Belaid and Brahmi, pointing to links between the LIFG, Ansar al Sharia and the Ennahda Movement. The left-wing leader maintained that Belhadj apparently intended to carry out terrorist attacks in Tunisia, and trained the Ansar al-Sharia cell that killed the opposition politicians, all under under close observation by Ennahda leaders Rashid al-Ghannushi, Hamadi Jebali and Samir Dilou, among others.[13]
Islamist insurgency
References
- ^ Cherif, Rached (7 February 2013). "Remembering Chokri Belaid". Jadaliyya. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
- ^ a b c "Tunisia: Chokri Belaid assassination prompts protests". BBC News. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
- ^ Loveday Morris. "Uprising in Tunisia as regime critic is murdered". The Independent. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
AJEwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
NYTwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Najjar, Yasmin (28 July 2013). "Tunisia buries slain politician". Magharebia. Tunis. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ "Tunisian politician Mohamed Brahmi assassinated". BBC News. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
FTDaragahiwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Gall, Carlotta (26 July 2013). "Second Opposition Leader Assassinated in Tunisia". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ "Tear gas fired at Tunisian protesters". Al Jazeera. 28 July 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ "Islamists rally to defend Tunisian government after assassination". Reuters. 26 July 2013.
- ^ "Tunisia opposition figures 'shot by same gun'". Al Jazeera. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ Noureddine Baltayeb (3 October 2013). "Tunisia: New Details in Opposition Assassination Point to Libyan Islamist". Al Akhbar. Retrieved 6 October 2013.