Govt confident Tunisia will remain open and tolerant
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Tunisia's revolution is unlikely to trigger Islamic militancy in the traditionally secular state, but Muslim leaders should avoid mixing religion with politics, the government's minister of religious affairs said.
North Africa's most developed country has been in flux since protests ended the 23-year rule of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali last month, sparking riots across the Arab world that analysts fear could play into the hands of al-Qaeda.
"After the Jan. 14 revolution, the country experienced change on every level, including the religious sphere," Aroussi Mizouri, minister of religious affairs in the caretaker government, told Reuters.
Today, there is no restriction on speech in the mosques. But they should not become platforms for political ideology 
"Today, there is no restriction on speech in the mosques. But they should not become platforms for political ideology," he said in an interview this week. "We are counting on everyone to keep our society open and tolerant."
Religious tensions have been on the rise in the normally sleepy Mediterranean country, with anti-Islamist protests clogging central Tunis last weekend after a flurry of pro-Islamist demonstrations.
The murder of a priest and reports of threats against Tunisia's small Jewish community have also raised concerns among moderate Tunisians, worried that a post-revolution security vacuum could encourage religiously-motivated crime.
"I think that the coexistence of all religions in Tunisia will continue always, and the Jewish and Christian minorities will always have the respect of Tunisia," Mizouri said. "They have and always will be a part of Tunisian society."
Tunisian authorities last week quickly blamed the murder of Polish priest Marek Rybinski -- found with his throat slit -- on a terrorist extremist group, only to recant later after evidence the murder was related to a personal vendetta.
Elections
The role of al-Qaeda in the Maghreb is something everyone is concerned about, but I have great confidence in the ability of the Tunisian people to succeed Tunisia's main Islamist group Ennahda, led by moderate Muslim scholar Rachid Ghannouchi, condemned the killing. The group, which was banned for more than 20 years under Ben Ali's rule, has requested a license to form a political party in the hope of contesting upcoming elections.
Analysts have said any moves to sideline Ennahda, which is likened to Turkey's moderate AK Islamist party, could backfire by radicalizing the group and encouraging militants seeking a foothold in the country.
The interim government has yet to approve Ennahda's license, and is working to rewrite the country's constitution ahead of the polls hoped for by July or August.
A successful transition to democracy in Tunisia could provide a model to other countries in the region facing uprisings. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped down on Feb. 11 after a Tunisian-inspired revolt, while massive rallies are pressuring other governments including Libya's.
A serious misstep by Tunisia, however, could pave the way to lasting religious unrest -- no small issue for a country where tourism is a major part of the economy, or for a region where democracy being tested.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs, William Burns, told reporters in Tunis on Thursday he expected Tunisia to be able to avoid the threat of al Qaeda if it succeeds in holding free and fair elections.
"The role of al-Qaeda in the Maghreb is something everyone is concerned about, but I have great confidence in the ability of the Tunisian people to succeed," he said.
"The wave of democratic change sweeping the region is ultimately the most powerful antidote to the challenge of violent extremists."
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