[현지특별기고] ‘노벨평화상 수상’ 튀니지 국민대화기구, ‘재스민 혁명’ 정신 이어간다

* ‘아시아엔’ 해외필진 기고문의 한글요약본과 원문을 함께 게재합니다.

[아시아엔=사이다 조그비 튀니지 라디오 앵커·?번역 김아람 기자] 올해 노벨평화상 수상의 영광은 ‘튀니지 국민4자대화기구’(이하 4자기구)에게 돌아갔다. 지난 2013년 출범한 이 단체는 튀니지노동연맹(UGTT), 튀니지산업·무역·수공업연맹(UTICA), 튀니지인권연맹(LTDH), 튀니지변호사회로 구성돼있다. 지난 9일 노벨위원회는 4자기구 선정 이유에 대해 “재스민 혁명 이후 혼란스러웠던 튀니지에서 민주주의 구축에 결정적인 공헌을 했다”고 했다.

재스민 혁명은 지난 2011년 튀니지 중부 소도시의 한 노점상 청년이 생계를 비관해 분신하면서 시작된 민주화 혁명운동이다. 이에 극심한 생활고와 함께 독재정권, 집권층의 부정부패에 시달리고 있던 튀니지 국민들의 불만이 전국적으로 터져나오며 민주화 바람이 일었다. 이 운동은 이집트, 리비아, 시리아 등 인접국가로 확산돼 아랍 독재정권의 연쇄 퇴진을 촉발하며 ‘아랍의 봄’을 불러일으켰다.

4자기구는 혁명 이후 불안한 정세에 휩싸인 튀니지에서 민주정부를 구성하자는 취지로 결성돼, 모든 국민에게 평등한 기본권을 부여한다는 내용의 새 헌법을 채택했다. 다만 기존 헌법에서 튀니지를 ‘국민 국가’라고 정의했던 부분은 그대로 유지했다. 이 헌법은 아랍에서 가장 진보적이고 민주적이라는 평가를 받고 있다.

이번 4자기구 노벨평화상 수상에 대해 국제연합(UN)은 “평화를 수호하려는 튀니지의 의지가 결실을 본 것”이라고 밝혔다.튀니지노동연맹(UGTT)의 후세인 아바시 총장은 “이번 노벨평화상 수상은 모든 아랍국가들이 무기를 내려놓고 대화를 통해 문제를 해결해야 한다는 메시지”라고 수상소감을 전했다.

베지 카이드 에셉시 튀니지 대통령은 “4자기구의 노벨평화상 수상은 튀니지가 선택한 통합과 대화를 통한 대타협이 인정받은 것”이라며 “튀니지 국민들의 영광”이라고 말했다. 이들의 업적은 유럽에서도 인정받는다. 프랑수아 울랑드 프랑스 대통령은 “2015년노벨평화상이 튀니지 민주혁명의 주역들에 돌아갔다”고 찬사를 보냈다.

재스민 혁명이 일어난지 어느덧 4년이 흘렀으나, 여전히 중동의 정세는 어지럽다. 그러나 이번 튀니지 4자기구의 노벨평화상 수상은 중동이 대화와 타협을 통해 더 나은 민주사회를 이룩할 수 있다는 것을 시사한다.

Nobel’s Tunisian Quadripartite

The quartet advocating national dialogue in Tunisia, Tunisian general union for work, national union of industry and commerce and handicrafts, Tunisian association advocating human rights, and national assembly of lawyers, were awarded Nobel Peace prize for 2015. Norwegian Nobel committee announced giving the award to the quadripartite formed during 2013 while the transition to democracy faced dangers of political assassination and social disturbances on a wide scale.

The national dialogue gained the blessings of the three main bodies, the presidency, the government, and the national constituent assembly after the political and social crisis that followed the assassination of martyrs Chokri Belaid and Mohammed Al-Brahmi, and after “Raheel” sit-in which demanded the resignation of Troika’s government headed by Islamic renaissance movement member Ali Al-Ared. The national dialogue was described as long and hard but eventually, it helped in getting over the paralysis that hit the country’s institutions with Troika’s government resignation and assigning a new government headed by Mahdi Gomaa, saving the country from a predicted civil war.

With the initiation of the dialogue they agreed on the necessity of quickly putting forward the constitution and they decided on its first chapter keeping its old format, thus agreeing on keeping Tunisia a civil state, which ended a dangerous conflict on sexual discrimination and freedom of belief and religious activities. The calendar for legislative elections was set as well after people expressed their rage at national constituent assembly which was elected for one year to issue a new constitution for the country that fits the hopes of Tunisian people who brought down a vicious regime. But they’ve been in power for almost three years and issued a first and a second draft of the constitution and that worried liberal and leftist parties and did not satisfy Salafi party which demanded for “Islamic sharia is the main source for legislation” to be written clearly.

But the national dialogue which made its sponsoring quadripartite win Nobel Prize this year had a rough start because the intransigence they had from Al-Motamar party of the presidency which refused to sign the final agreements considering a national dialogue having legitimacy above the national legitimacy. They said that a consensual legitimacy cannot be like elected legitimacy. While Nahda movement had a vague stance towards the dialogue after their contradicting statements were accused of wasting time, especially when some of their leaders opposed Ali Al-Ared’s resignation, but they eventually signed on the agreement. On 5 October 2013, in the opening session of the national dialogue, those who refrained from signing were given the agreement with no signature, those were “Al Motamar for the Presidency”, “Al-Islah”, “Al-Tanmia”, and “Tiar Al-Mahaba” parties.

Regional and international responses came one after another when the committee announced the quadripartite advocating national dialogue in Tunisia won Nobel Prize for peace. United Nations described this win as a motivation for advocates who work for peace.

While EU foreign minister announced that sponsoring the winning quadripartite for the national dialogue in Tunisia is an example of how to get out of crisis in the region.
On her twitter account, she also said that giving Nobel Peace Prize to the quadripartite advocating national dialogue in Tunisia is the only way to solve problems and it symbolizes democracy and national unity.

President of France, Francois Holland said that Nobel Peace Prize is dedicating its efforts to ensure the success of Tunisia’s transition to democracy.

While in Tunisia, the secretary general of Tunisian general union for work and one of the participants in the national dialogue, Hussein Al-Abassy said, “The prize is a message to all Arab countries still finding trouble in using dialogue and agreements in getting out of their crises.”

While Tunisian president, Beji Caid Essebsi said that the Nobel Peace Prize achievement of the quadripartite is to show the dedication of the principle of consensus.