Salafis and Brotherhood will make Tunisia collapse

The moment where the Tunisian policemen protested in front of the interior ministry against the violations of their authority, was the moment where we could say that the Tunisian Spring has come to end. Seeing the Tunisian policemen asking for protection in their protest is evidence that there is no more a state authority in this country. A state without authority means nothing. British policemen don't carry guns; the state authority is their only weapon. The Lebanese state failed when the citizens lost any respect for the policemen, and when the army was divided according to sectarian affiliations, while only few officers and soldiers kept their faith in the republic and its institutions. The policemen demonstration that took place last Thursday in Tunis could be a turning point in Tunisia's history. This date was the date where it became clear that the state is nonexistent in Tunisia. The Salafis began to act as if they were above the law; if there is still a law in the country. The Tunisian government to arrest 300 Salafis following the raid that targeted the US embassy in Tunis on September 14; this is not enough. What is required from this government is to have a comprehensive strategy to address this retarded group, especially after one of its "emirs" - an Imam called Nasreddine al-Alawi- dared to say that "the ruling Ennahda movement is nothing but a branch of the US administration in Tunisia". Moreover, al-Alawi called "the youth of the Islamist Renaissance Stream" to prepare their coffins as they are going to assume 'Jihad' against the Ennahda and many other political parties, whom he said are aiming to carry out new elections "on the debris of the Salafi movement". Who is responsible for this deterioration in Tunisia? We can't just acquit Ennahda of what the Salafis are doing, because the Salafis have actually descended from the Ennahda movement, and both of them are off-shots of the Muslim Brotherhood of Tunisia, who always exploited the people's religious faith to reach power. There is no major difference between any of the religious movements, as all of them depend on oratorical slogans which don't take reality into account. The most significant reality in Tunisia is that this country has enjoyed special attributes which enabled it to move forward on many fronts despite its limited resources. Tunisia is currently giving one of the clearest examples of the miserable destiny the state institutions would reach if the ruling parties didn't have an advanced and developed political project, which respects religion or even sanctifies it, but it never uses it as a platform to step up to power. This kind of projects will perfectly suit Tunisia if the current rulers really want to build on the past achievements instead of ruining them. On top of these achievements - that were achieved during the rules of late president Habib Bourguiba and the ousted president Ben Ali- was the establishment of effective state institutions based on modern laws, and developing the education in Bourguiba's era. Ben Ali has worked on developing the economy and making the country more opened to Europe. Acknowledging these achievements has nothing to do with recognising the severe mistakes committed by the two former presidents, particularly Bourguiba's insistence to stay in power even after he became too old and weak to assume his duties effectively. While Ben Ali's major fault was that he behave like a policeman, which led him to force all the country's politicians out for the benefit of the members and friends of his wife's family. Although he had the chance to step down his position in an honourable way, Ben Ali chose to lose himself and his country by insisting to deal with power as part of his family's legacy; the same as the Syrian regime did. Despite the numerous disadvantages of the eras of both Bourguiba and Ben Ali, but they don't look that bad comparing to what is happening currently under the Ennahda's rule. There is a considerable deterioration in Tunisia, particularly regarding the rights of women and security staff. The state looks completely absent, and this absence is reflected negatively on economy and on the society as well. Tunisia, which is one of the closest Arab countries to Europe, is in essential need for a modern manufacturing industry, foreign tourism and developed agriculture; the Ennahda movement must be aware of this. Tunisia is unfortunately on the verge of collapse. But it is still possible to avoid this collapse if the Ennahda has enough courage to reconcile with the post-independence history of Tunisia. There is no shame in acknowledging the achievements of this history, even if they are attributed to Bourguiba and Ben Ali. There is no problem in highlighting both leaders' faults and fixing them. But the Ennahda should remember that they must adopt a vision for a modern state ruled by modern political parties, who would never ask their supporters "to prepare their coffins". The question now is whether the Ennahda movement really believes in democracy, peaceful transfer of power and women rights, or they believe that election is only a way to hijack power and threaten the Tunisians that "if the Ennahda is to leave power so the only alternative would be the Salafis". Using the Salafis as a justification for Ennahda to monopolise power is pure blackmail, and it is not the right way to rebuild the country or to claim that the Arab Spring was good for Tunisia, and that the "Jasmine Revolution" was a true revolution, not a normal repercussion of the failure of the former regime.  -- The views expressed by the author do not necessarily represent or reflect the editorial policy of Arabstoday.