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Shirin Ebadi on recent protests in Tunisia and Egypt. |
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Posted 2/1/2011 at 10:56 AM by Pantea B |
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Shirin Ebadi writes:
There is no question that the uprising in Tunisia — and resulting departure of a dictator and formation of a transitional government — give heart to human rights activists throughout the Arab world. This link is very clear this week in Egypt, as the world watches confrontations between protesters and authorities across the country. But the influence of Tunisia’s remarkable achievement is also having an impact on activists in my home country of Iran, and other countries as well.
Indeed, as I talk to human rights activists from around the world, so many people are looking to Tunisia and asking themselves: Why not here?
It is a good question. But based on my experience in Iran, and the Iranian Revolution of 1979, perhaps the more important question to ask is how do Tunisians and indeed now perhaps the citizens of Egypt and other countries ensure that what emerges from a popular uprising is a true democracy? In Iran 32 years ago there was only a brief respite from a royal dictatorship before the people were soon suffering under a religious dictatorship.
It is a lesson to keep in mind as the people in Tunisia move forward on their path. I am encouraged by a flourishing civil society there, and indeed, was fortunate to have worked with human rights activists there. |
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