Tunisian government sees Egypt turmoil as cautionary tale: Analyst

Press TV has conducted an interview with Nii Akuetteh, an African policy analyst in Washington.

The following is an approximate transcript of the interview.

Press TV: How do you see the situation in Tunisia? I mean how much has the situation in Tunisia stuck to the goals of the revolution, do you think?

Akuetteh: I think that, if I might put it, there is a tug of war. The ideas that elevated the revolution, there are people who still want to move it along, but clearly there are others who want to oppose it. So, I think there is a sort of a mixed bag. But if I might say, every revolution has to be hard work and a tug of war and people pull it in different directions. So in that sense, Tunisia is behaving like what we have seen in other revolutions. Of course, it depends on who gets the final say in wrestling the movement to their side.

Press TV: Who benefits from the political unrest in Tunisia, do you think?

Akuetteh: I think those who want to throw out the revolution that is my thinking. There are different groups and I even think you have to look at beyond Tunisia and to look in the region.

Look at what has happened in Egypt for instance, where someone who wins an election is kicked out and the US doesn’t want to call it a coup, even though it is a coup.

So, there are people who want to say that – especially groups that have sort of adhered to politicize Islam – I think there are groups around who say we have to keep them away from power and for me that is very troubling because the final arbitration should be who wins the election, who is selected by the people.

So in Tunisia, I am concerned that what I see as people trying to say, “Look these groups, we have to kick them out of power.”

Press TV: With the recent assassinations in Tunisia and what you said alluding to the case in Egypt. How do you think the situation in Tunisia will evolve in the near future?

Akuetteh: I think after the Egyptian situation, there were some interesting remarks from the Tunisian government. And what I mean by that is that it seems to me that the government and other political activists are watching what is going on in Egypt and other places as a cautionary tale.

So, for me that is a good thing to say, “Well hey, look. If others in other countries in the neighborhood make a mistake, we don’t want to make a mistake.” So, I am hopeful, but of course with the assassinations and the turmoil there is some worry on my part, but I think my hope is stronger that Tunisia can sort of guide its way and arrive at a stable democracy that expresses the will of the people and gives power to those that they choose even if those people come from a particular ideology that others may not like. Let the people make the choice.