

Tunisia Constituent Assembly Head Jafar to EuroFora: New Democratic Ideas from Arab Spring's cradle?

*Strasbourg/Council of Europe/Angelo Marcopolo/- The President of the Constituent Assembly of Tunisia, the cradle of "Arab Spring's Historic Democratic Changes at the Mediterranean, Dr. Ben Jafaar, speaking to "EuroFora" shortly before a crucial, July 2012, first "Draft" for a brand New Constitution of the country, didn't exclude the possibility for Hannibal's fatherland to actively contribute also to Europe's own current Debates on the Future of Democracy, eventually by presenting some interesting New Ideas on relations between Citizens and States, inspired also by the Dramatic Symbol of Bouazizi.
Tarek Bouazizi was a poor Young Tunisian Man who set himself on Fire in despair after his complaints were totaly ignored, against alleged Insults trumpling underfoot Human Dignity in Public, by the former regime's Police, which had violently denied him even the elementary Freedom to sell some Fruits and Vegetables in order to help his Family survive, after he was hindered to find a job corresponding to his qualifications, according to a Legend spreading among Young People accross the Mediterranean, up to the G-8 Heads of State/Government Summit last May 2011 at Deauville, (Comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the spot, f.ex. : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/sarkozystandbypeoplefightingforfreedom.html , http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/egyptetunisiangos.html , http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/deauvillefreedominternetmediterranean.html ) to the point that "he has become our Hero", as said to "EuroFora" the Egyptian Young lady Activist, Asmaa Mahfouz, who was honored by EU Parliament with the "Sacharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and Expression" on December 2011, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/arabspringbouazizizacharovprize.html )
Tunisia's Ancient History is also famous by the "New City" of Poenicians : Carthage, which had developed a strong Maritime Empire in the Western Mediteranean, to the point that its Chief, the Greek-educated Strategist Hannibal, had notoriously succeeded to cross throughout Europe, (via Spain, France and Switzerland towards Italy) and even via the Alps Mountains, up to Rome, thanks to ingenuity and innovation, daring to undertake the most daunting tasks.
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- "EuroFora" observed that, even if several bodies of CoE's PanEuropean Organization for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, as f.ex. the Top Legal Experts of "Venice Commission", also known as "Democracy through Law", could certainly provide useful advise if consulted by the Tunisian Constitution-makers, (Comp. Infra), nevertheless, "also Tunisia itself", (as the Cradle of a growing series of Democratic Changes still going on accross the Mediterranean since the 2011 "Arab Spring"), has already offered, and might, eventualy, offer some more useful inputs to Europe, even if mainly of a Symbolic nature".

- "A well known Symbol, mainly for Young People, but also older, is Bouazizi's Dramatic case, which was one among many others, in Tunisia and elsewhere", "EuroFora" reminded.

=> So that, "the Question arises, if, at your Knowledge, and given your important Responsibilities" (as President of Tunisia's Constituent Assembly), one may Hope to see some Interesting, New and/or Original Ideas emerge, in addition to hopefuly robuste solutions to classic Constitutional issues, (f.ex. of Power-Sharing between Institutions, etc), which might be useful also in the current Debate on the Future of Democracy in Europe itself", as we pointed out.

- Such a possible move could, "f.ex., concern Citizens' Rights, and/or People's possibilities to participate in the (Public Authorities') Decision-making processes, in one way or another, by using, or not, New Technologies as Internet, Social Media, etc", (where Tunisia has a special role, since the 2005 UNO's World Internet Forum, etc ), given that "such issues, which go well beyond the Traditional Constitutional Questions, interest many People Today", both in Europe and accross the entire World, "EuiroFora" noted, in conclusion.

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- "Thank you.. We accept willingly this additional Responsibility that you suggest to give us", even if, "already, our shoulders bear the Heavy Burden of the (main) Responsibility to bring the Democratization process of the Country to its conclusion", joked, smiling but Positive, from the outset, President Ben Jafar.

- "Because, in the Momentum generated by the (Tunisian) Revolution, sometimes, it was said that Tunisia and more generally the Arab Spring may affect even the whole World" in a way, "in what might be an Historic moment", he pointed out.
>>> So, "I don't know if there might be New Ideas, but the Genius of the (Tunisian) Revolution, which has already Succeeded to turn Peacefully the page of one of the most firm Dictatorships, might, perhaps, be also able to advance some Ideas for Debate", Ben Jafar agreed, optimistically.
=> Indeed, "I think that this is the Moment that we can, absoilutely, take advantage of, if we become Conscious enough, in order to Revise our Drafts, and our view of the World", the President of Tunisia's Constituent Assembly replied to "EuroFora"s Question
- Particularly "if we become Aware and Conscious of the fact that we are at a Juncture in the Relations between the North and the South, between West and East", the experienced politician highlighted.
=> - F.ex., "We've just ascertained that Democracy and Islam can be Compatible. But, advancing well beyond the issue of Democracy in the Muslim and Arab World, we should, perhaps, seize this Historic Opportunity", he stressed, pointing at a possible contribution to an even Wider issue currently concerning also Europe and the whole World.
- F.ex. "in order to renew the Relations between West and East, between North and South, in what some have already started to call "Mediterranean's 2 shores", on a more Balanced basis, avoiding some previously prevailing views of Fear, which were dominated by Security issues (only), in order to start thinking Together in terms of a Common Future, based on shared Universal Values" (of Democracy/Human Rights, etc) and Peace, but also on a Strategy of Co-Develmopment, able to resolve, directly or indirectly, all the concerns that you moght have in our regard each time that an immigrant dives in the Mediterranean Sea and crosses it in order to go to Lampedousa or elsewhere", as he said.
=> In fact, "I think that the Exchanges that will continue between us (CoE and Tunisia) will help to Better handle such (contemporary) Democracy issues", as those raised by "EuroFora"s question (Comp. Supra), he suggested in reply.
- "The aged Democracy of the West, is not so "old", since it Inspired us" (Tunisia's Democratic Revolution), he noted.
+ "But, I think that, if there are some Problems (to solve Today : Comp. f.ex. earlier "EuroFora"s NewsReports on the forthcoming Strasbourg's 1st "World Forum on Democracy", October 2012, and on CoE's policies related to Young People, etc), we (Tunisia's Constituent Assembly+) are Ready to take part (Participate) in the Debate, in order to try to Solve them", President Jafar positively concluded.
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- In practice, "we excpect to have a 1st Draft in the middle of July, so that we could finaly adopt the New Constittion on October 23"', i.e. at the Anniversary of the "1st Democratic Elections in Tunisia's History" (23/10/2011) as he said earlier.
Well informed Diplomatic sources from Tunisia told "EuroFora" that, when 6 specialized Commissions of the Constituent Assembly will present ther Draft Proposals, ine a few Days, after the end of a long series of various Hearings, the main task will be that of a Coordinating Committee, responsible for the overall Draft Text, which is Chaired by the President of the Constituent Assembly, Ben Jafar himself.
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+ Meanwhile, the above mentioned potential Perspectives could become even more important in the foreseeable Futrue, since CoE Assembly's President, French MEP Jean-Claude Mignon, stressed at this occasion that Tunisia's way towards Democratization could soon become an "Historic case of Exemplary value", also for others, while Tunis might also decide, after October 2012, when it will have a fully-fledged New Parliament (thanks to the New Constitution prepared by the current Constituent Assembly), to develop closer, even Institutional, links with the CoE, f.ex. by asking to get a "Partner for Democracy" status., as suggested the Head of the PanEuropean Assembly, which has the power to give such a Status mainly to selected Neighbouring Countries.

Jafar, who is also President of a mainstream Poliical Party and former Candidate for the Country's Presidency, after many Years spend on Journalism and as co-Founder of Human Rights' organisation, before serving also recently as Minister, anounced that Tunisia has already started a series of exchanges with CoE's "Venice Commission" (Comp. Supra), and spoke to "EuroFora" just before addressing CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg, which debated and voted today on the differend but topical developments in the Egyptian and Tunisian cases of the so-called "Arab Spring", alias a Democratisation Wind blowing after the 1990ies in former Central-Eastern European Countries, now also, mutatis mutandis, in 3rd Mediterranean Countries, all the way from Morocco up to Syria now, at the borders of Turkey.
(../..)
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("DraftNews", already sent earlier to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate and Full, Final Version may come asap).
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- "Europe must be liberated from this undermining "wooden talk" of a "unique thought" which hampers democratic debates", stressed incoming EU Chairman, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, speaking to Journalists after his official meeting with EU Commission's President, Jose Barroso, at Elysee Palace in Paris
- "It's precisely because there are not enough Debates, that EU hasn't managed yet to make it clear to European citizens what is really at stake", he added, in an obvious reference to the latest Irish "No" in 2008, after a long series of similar, unprecedented events, from the 1st Majority Abstention to EU Parliament's Elections in 1999, repeated in 2004, to the Dutch and French "No" in 2005, etc.

- "This is not an easy period, but we shall act with determination, while also listening to Citizens' views", he promised.
Sarkozy's move came shortly before his opening Speech, next week in EU Parliament in Strasbourg, for the first Public Debate on the Priorities of the French EU Presidency (July - December 2008), and that's one of the reasons for which he significantly opened his EU Council's Chairmanship by welcoming at Elysee palace EU Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert Poettering at first..
The incoming EU Chairman was replying to Press Questions about rumours that controversial British EU Commissioner on Trade, Mandelson, was alone to drop an invitation to have a working Diner at Elysee palace, together with all other EU Commissioners and the French Government, only because he would have been upset for some critical points made earlier by President Sarkozy in defense of European Agriculture vis-a-vis its Foreign competitors.
But, as smiling Sarkozy played down Mandelson's reported refusal to debate, saying that he had to visit Marseille for a Ministerial meeting on Trade the next morning, and that "all our British friends are always welcome to taste a nice diner" in France, perhaps at another occasion..
- "It's urgent to win anew the trust of the People" : Lately, "the European ideal lost its momentum. Since several years, whenever Citizens are questioned on Europe, they react with reserves : They even have .. a tendency to reply "NO".. After this 3rd "No" of a People in some years, there is an Urgency to convince", added French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, after a meeting earlier the same day of all Ministers with EU Commissioners, followed by an interview with Barroso
"According to recent Polls, only 30% of French people believe that the European construction is a source of hope. It's only a poll, but we all now quite well, that, since 2005, it's dangerous to neglect these alarming signals, as it would be dangerous to treat with contempt the Irish "No", Fillon warned.
"We all have a common duty to prove to the European Citizens who have doubts, that EU is more useful, more necessary, than ever" : And "that EU can take decisions needed in order to respond to European or Global challenges", the Prime Minister concluded.
- "We believe, together with President Sarkozy, that EU should open debates on all issues of direct, concrete interest to Citizens", confirmed later to EuroFora the Head of France's governing party (UMP), Patrick Devedjan, after his speech to the European People's party (EPP) Study Days in Paris (2 - 4 July 2008).
He didn't deny that one of them is Turkey : - "Public Opinion in France is very much unfavorable to Turkey's EU bid, and President Sarkozy has said that several times", he told EuroFora.
From European Central Bank's controversial policies on Euro's value, to EU Enlargement Strategy, etc., issues of obvious importance to EU Citizens will be plenty, next week in EU Parliament in Strasbourg, before President Sarkozy launches the debates on EU 2008 French chairmanship's priorities on Thursday.