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Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to National Dialogue Quartet in Tunisia Nobel Peace Prize Is Awarded to National Dialogue Quartet in Tunisia
(about 1 hour later)
LONDON — The National Dialogue Quartet in Tunisia won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday “for its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011.” LONDON — A coalition of labor unions, businesses, lawyers and human rights activists won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday “for its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011.”
The prize comes nearly five years after an unemployed street vendor set himself on fire, touching off a political earthquake that toppled Tunisia’s longtime authoritarian president and proceeded to reverberate throughout the Middle East and North Africa. The prize to the coalition, known as the National Dialogue Quartet, comes nearly five years after an unemployed street vendor set himself on fire, touching off a political earthquake that toppled Tunisia’s longtime authoritarian president and proceeded to reverberate throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
Among the disappointments of what has become known as the Arab Spring — collapsed states in Libya, Syria and Yemen; the return of rule by a military strongman in Egypt; and the rise of the Islamic State in the sectarian caldron of Syria and Iraq — the relative success of Tunisia’s transition to democracy has been a wisp of hope.Among the disappointments of what has become known as the Arab Spring — collapsed states in Libya, Syria and Yemen; the return of rule by a military strongman in Egypt; and the rise of the Islamic State in the sectarian caldron of Syria and Iraq — the relative success of Tunisia’s transition to democracy has been a wisp of hope.
The quartet comprises four organizations: the Tunisian General Labor Union; the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts; the Tunisian Human Rights League; and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers. But the Norwegian Nobel Committee emphasized that the prize “is awarded to this quartet, not to the four individual organizations as such.”The quartet comprises four organizations: the Tunisian General Labor Union; the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts; the Tunisian Human Rights League; and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers. But the Norwegian Nobel Committee emphasized that the prize “is awarded to this quartet, not to the four individual organizations as such.”
“The Arab Spring originated in Tunisia in 2010 and 2011, but it quickly spread to other countries in North African and the Middle East,” said Kaci Kullmann Five, the chairwoman of the committee, who announced the prize in Oslo. “In many of these countries, the struggle for democracy and human rights has come to a standstill or suffered setbacks. Tunisia, however, has seen a democratic transition based on vibrant civil society, with demands for respect of basic human rights.”“The Arab Spring originated in Tunisia in 2010 and 2011, but it quickly spread to other countries in North African and the Middle East,” said Kaci Kullmann Five, the chairwoman of the committee, who announced the prize in Oslo. “In many of these countries, the struggle for democracy and human rights has come to a standstill or suffered setbacks. Tunisia, however, has seen a democratic transition based on vibrant civil society, with demands for respect of basic human rights.”
In Tunisia, the winners rejoiced at the news. “Congratulations to Tunisia, to the quartet and to all parties that facilitated the mission of the quartet,” the labor union’s secretary general, Houcine Abassi, told Radio Mosaïque FM, a Tunisian station. “This prize came at the right time, because our country is still threatened by different security challenges.” In Tunisia, the winners rejoiced. “Congratulations to Tunisia, to the quartet and to all parties that facilitated the mission of the quartet,” the labor union’s secretary general, Houcine Abassi, told Radio Mosaïque FM, a Tunisian station. “This prize came at the right time, because our country is still threatened by different security challenges.”
The president of the Human Rights League, Abdessattar Ben Moussa, told the radio station, “It proves that dialogue is the only way to solve a crisis and not weapons.”The president of the Human Rights League, Abdessattar Ben Moussa, told the radio station, “It proves that dialogue is the only way to solve a crisis and not weapons.”
In a Facebook video, President Beji Caid Essebsi called the award a triumph of negotiation over violence. “Tunisia has no other solution but dialogue,” he said, adding, “We are facing a war against terrorism, and we can’t win unless we stay together.”
Tunisia, a former French colony that achieved independence in 1956, has been the crucible of momentous change since the street vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, set himself on fire on Dec. 17, 2010, spurring gigantic demonstrations.Tunisia, a former French colony that achieved independence in 1956, has been the crucible of momentous change since the street vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, set himself on fire on Dec. 17, 2010, spurring gigantic demonstrations.
Days after the vendor died in January 2011, the protests forced the country’s longtime dictator, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, into exile. The Islamist Ennahda Party won the most votes in parliamentary elections that October, but it fell short of an outright majority. In August 2012, thousands took to the streets of Tunis, the capital, to protest a proposal to, among other things, remove the full equality of women and men guaranteed in the 1956 Constitution — and undo a secular political tradition that the French left behind. Days after the vendor died in January 2011, the protests forced the country’s longtime dictator, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, into exile. The Islamist Ennahda Party won the most votes in parliamentary elections that October, but it fell short of an outright majority. In August 2012, thousands took to the streets of Tunis, the capital, to protest a proposal to, among other things, remove the full equality of women and men guaranteed in the 1956 Constitution — and undo a secular political tradition that the French left behind. The backlash against Ennahda paralleled events in Egypt, where huge demonstrations led to a military coup in 2013 against the one-year-old government of President Mohamed Morsi, a leader of the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood.
The four groups honored on Friday were vital in helping Tunisia negotiate its way through the most serious threat to its nascent transition: the crisis that followed the assassination of the opposition politician Mohamed Brahmi in July 2013. The protests that came after threatened to undo the country’s democratically elected “troika” government, led by Ennahda Party. The four groups honored on Friday helped Tunisia avert such an outcome. They helped Tunisia negotiate its way through the most serious threat to its nascent transition: the crisis that followed the assassinations of two opposition politicians, Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi , in 2013. Giant protests that summer threatened to undo the democratically elected government, led by Ennahda. The Islamists refused to cede power until they completed their mandate to pass a new Constitution.
The groups’ intervention helped pave the way for the troika government’s peaceful resignation, its replacement by a constituent assembly, the adoption of a new Constitution and the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections in October and November 2014. The political impasse began to destabilize the country as the government grappled with creeping terrorism, popular unrest and strikes and a worsening economy. It took months of sometimes heated negotiations nevertheless to find a way out of the crisis. The deal, concluded in December 2013, forged a new contract between the political parties, including a timetable for a democratic transition. The Islamist government agreed to step down and hand power to a caretaker government that would oversee the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections in October and November 2014.
Ms. Five suggested that the achievement was decisive in the Nobel committee’s thinking. “An essential factor for the culmination of the revolution in Tunisia in peaceful democratic elections last autumn was the effort made by the quartet to support the work of the constituent assembly and to secure approval of the constitutional process among the Tunisian population at large,” she said. “The quartet paved the way for a peaceful dialogue between the citizens, the political parties and the authorities, and helped to find consensus-based solutions to a wide range of the challenges across political and religious divides.” The quartet was instrumental to the success of the 2013 talks, since it represented a credible third party that could guarantee the agreement. Having seen the elected Muslim Brotherhood government deposed and arrested in Egypt, Tunisia’s Islamists feared a similar fate. Although the Islamists did not trust its political opponents, they reported did trust Mr. Abassi, the union leader.
However, the current peace in Tunisia — overseen by a coalition of secular liberals, trade unionists and some officials from the former Ben Ali era — is still fragile. In March, Islamist extremists stormed the National Bardo Museum in Tunis, killing 21 tourists and a police officer, and in June, an Islamist gunman killed 38 people at a beachside resort of Sousse. Most of the victims were tourists, and the attacks shattered what had been a pillar of the economy. The government has moved to shut mosques thought to be associated with extremists. Participants have commented that Tunisia was lucky in that no single group in the country was strong enough to consider enforcing its own hegemony. Unlike in Egypt, in Tunisia, the army — always kept weak under Mr. Ben Ali’s dictatorship — was not in a position to take power. Nor could members of the former regime, or its more democratic opponents, overthrow the Islamist government.
In Oslo, Ms. Five said that the 2013 achievement was decisive in the Nobel committee’s thinking. “The quartet paved the way for a peaceful dialogue between the citizens, the political parties and the authorities, and helped to find consensus-based solutions to a wide range of the challenges across political and religious divides,” she said.
However, the current peace in Tunisia — overseen by an alliance of secular liberals, trade unionists and some officials from the former Ben Ali era — is still fragile. In March, Islamist extremists stormed the National Bardo Museum in Tunis, killing 21 tourists and a police officer, and in June, an Islamist gunman killed 38 people at a beachside resort of Sousse. Most of the victims were tourists, and the attacks shattered what had been a pillar of the economy. The government has moved to shut mosques thought to be associated with extremists.
At the Nobel announcement, officials deflected questions from reporters about the Islamic State and other extremist groups, though Ms. Five acknowledged, “We want to prove that it is possible for Islamist and secular political movements to work together in the best interests of the people.”At the Nobel announcement, officials deflected questions from reporters about the Islamic State and other extremist groups, though Ms. Five acknowledged, “We want to prove that it is possible for Islamist and secular political movements to work together in the best interests of the people.”
The prize is the 96th to be awarded since 1901. The quartet joins 103 individuals and 22 organizations honored by the prize. (The International Committee of the Red Cross has won three times, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees twice.)The prize is the 96th to be awarded since 1901. The quartet joins 103 individuals and 22 organizations honored by the prize. (The International Committee of the Red Cross has won three times, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees twice.)
The last winner of the prize from the Arab world was Tawakkol Karman, a women’s rights activist, who shared the prize in 2011 with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and the Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee.The last winner of the prize from the Arab world was Tawakkol Karman, a women’s rights activist, who shared the prize in 2011 with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and the Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee.
The prize is 8 million Swedish kronor (around $975,000). The committee that awards the prize has five members — who are appointed by the Norwegian Parliament but who are formally politically independent and elect their own chairman and vice chairman — and considered 273 candidates this year.The prize is 8 million Swedish kronor (around $975,000). The committee that awards the prize has five members — who are appointed by the Norwegian Parliament but who are formally politically independent and elect their own chairman and vice chairman — and considered 273 candidates this year.
Last year’s award went to two children’s rights campaigners, Malala Yousafzai, who is from Pakistan but now lives in Britain, and at 17 was the youngest Nobel laureate in history, and Kailash Satyarthi of India.Last year’s award went to two children’s rights campaigners, Malala Yousafzai, who is from Pakistan but now lives in Britain, and at 17 was the youngest Nobel laureate in history, and Kailash Satyarthi of India.
This year’s winner was the subject of much speculation. The names that were floated the most included Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany; Pope Francis; Secretary of State John Kerry and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of Iran; Denis Mukwege, a gynecologic surgeon from the Democratic Republic of Congo; and the Rev. Mussie Zerai, an Eritrean Catholic priest who has helped refugees arriving in Italy.This year’s winner was the subject of much speculation. The names that were floated the most included Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany; Pope Francis; Secretary of State John Kerry and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of Iran; Denis Mukwege, a gynecologic surgeon from the Democratic Republic of Congo; and the Rev. Mussie Zerai, an Eritrean Catholic priest who has helped refugees arriving in Italy.