'아랍의 봄'의 나라, 계속되는 불안 속의 튀니지 (BBC)

*주요내용

Tunisia's president has sacked the PM and suspended parliament, after violent mass protests nationwide on Sunday. Mr Saied, an independent, has had a long-standing feud with the man he has removed, PM Hichem Mechichi. Mr Mechichi has the backing of the largest party in parliament, Ennahda. Tunisia's revolution in 2011 is often held up as the sole success of the Arab Spring revolts across the region, but it has not led to stability economically or politically., Al Jazeera TV, which has been viewed as sympathetic to Ennahda, said security forces had raided its offices in Tunis, unplugging all equipment and telling staff to leave. The events are largely linked to an acute power struggle between the presidency, the PM and the speaker of parliament. Coronavirus-related deaths reached a record for the country last week, passing 300 in one 24-hour period. Tunisia has one of the highest per capita death rates in the world. But Covid is only one factor in the unrest. Tunisia has had nine governments since the 2011 revolution, many of them short-lived or fractured.

 

일요일에 전국적인 시위를 이유로 튀니지 대통령은 수상을 해임하고 의회를 정시시켰다. 무소속의 사이드 대통령은 히쉠 메치치 수상과 오랜 불화가 있었다. 수상은 최대당, 엔나하다을 기반으로 한다. 2011 튀니지의 아랍의 봄 혁명은 중동지역에서 유일한 성공 살례로 인정되지만, 경제및 정치적인 안정은 찾아오지 않았다. 계속 엔나하다당의 입장에섰던 알자지라 방송에 보안요원이 들이닥쳐 장비와 인력을 철수시켰다. 대통령과 수상간그리고 국회 대변인 사이의 격력한 파워 게임이 이 번 사건에 연관되어 있다. 지난 주에 코로나 사망자 수가 24시간에 300명에 육박하는 등 상황이 심각하며, 1인 인구당 가장 높은 코로나 관련 사망률 국가이다. 그러나 코로나 상황은 단지 하나의 요인일 뿐이며 지난 2011년 이후로 9번의 정부가 꾸려질 정도로 불안정하다. 

 

*단어및 표현

it has not led to stability economically or politically 경제적 정치적으로 안정을 이끌지 못했다.
fuelled long-standing public frustration. 지속적인 대중의 분노에 기름을 부었다.
President Saied also vowed to respond 대통령 자이드는 대응을 약속했다.
potentially destabilising ramifications 가능한 불안정한 파급효과
oversees only the military and foreign affairs 군대와 외교에 대한 역할을 하다
long been in conflict with 오래 이어진 불협화음
Deep-rooted problems of unemployment 실업의 뿌리 깊은 문제.

 

*짧평

아랍의 봄은 개인적으로 내 인생의 전환점이 되었던 사건이다. 나는 2011년 리비아에 3년간 있었고, 결국 아랍의 봄 혁명으로 인해 리비아를 떠나 남미로 오게되었으니 말이다. 2011년 봄, 처음에는 튀니지의 수도 튀니스의 거리 행상의 분신자살이 기폭제가 되어 온 아랍세계에 혁명의 불씨를 번지게 하였다. 기사에서도 말하듯 유일한 성공 사례라고 불리는 튀니지의 혁명은 결국 오늘 뉴스에서 알게 되듯, 여전한 정치와 경제적인 불안 요소를 걷어내지 못하고 있다. 물론 리비아, 시리아, 이라크, 이집트 등의 국가등이 격어온 지옥의 시간들에 비하면 다소 낫다고 평가할 수도 있겠지만, 아랍의 봄 이후에도 여전히 후진국의 굴레를 벗어나지 못하고 있다. 식민지에서 독립할 때, 중진국으로 도약할 수 있는 사회적 시스템, 즉 정치적 경제적 기반을 가지지 못했고, 대한민국 같은 국가가 받은 미국등의 선진국의 지원을 받지 못한 상황으로 국가 발전의 기틀을 마련하지 못하고, 소수 권력자의 부패만이 만연한 전형적인 후진국의 상황에 놓여있는 것이다. 아름다운 지중해의 나라 튀니지에 그리고 평화로운 그 국민들에게 다 나은 미래와 평화가 찾아 올 수 있기를 맘 속으로 간절히 기도한다.

 

Tunisia's president has sacked the PM and suspended parliament, after violent mass protests nationwide on Sunday.

Anger over the government's handling of a massive recent spike in Covid cases has added to general unrest over the nation's economic and social turmoil.

President Kais Saied, who was elected in 2019, announced he was taking over.

His supporters erupted in celebration, but opponents in parliament immediately accused him of staging a coup. Clashes among rival groups continued on Monday.

They threw stones at each other outside the legislature, which has been barricaded by troops, who have also prevented workers from entering some government buildings.

Mr Saied, an independent, has had a long-standing feud with the man he has removed, PM Hichem Mechichi. Mr Mechichi has the backing of the largest party in parliament, Ennahda.

Tunisia's revolution in 2011 is often held up as the sole success of the Arab Spring revolts across the region, but it has not led to stability economically or politically.

The recent coronavirus surge has fuelled long-standing public frustration. The health minister was sacked last week after a bungled vaccination drive.

Statesman or dictator?

On Sunday thousands of people across Tunisia demonstrated against the PM and Ennahda, the moderate Islamist ruling party.

Its local headquarters in the south-western city of Touzeur were set on fire.

One protester in Tunis, Lamia Meftahi, told Reuters news agency this was "the happiest moment since the revolution".

Another in the town of Gafsa told AFP news agency the president had "shown himself to be a true statesman", but a second resident there said: "These fools are celebrating the birth of a new dictator."

In the early hours of Monday, the speaker of parliament, Rached Ghannouchi, who leads Ennahda, tried to get into the legislature in Tunis. He was blocked by those who supported Mr Saied's move, and responded with a sit-down protest with his own loyalists.

Later on Monday, Al Jazeera TV, which has been viewed as sympathetic to Ennahda, said security forces had raided its offices in Tunis, unplugging all equipment and telling staff to leave.

IMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS

image captionProtesters erupted with celebrations on Sunday at the news that the PM had been dismissed

On Sunday, in a televised address, Mr Saied said: "We have taken these decisions... until social peace returns to Tunisia and until we save the state."

He later joined the celebrating crowds in Tunis.

President Saied also vowed to respond to further violence with military force.

"I warn any who think of resorting to weapons… and whoever shoots a bullet, the armed forces will respond with bullets," he said.

Acute power struggle

Analysis by Rana Jawad, BBC North Africa correspondent

To many, it feels like fresh hope after a year of chaotic governance - to others a move that is constitutionally questionable, with potentially destabilising ramifications and far-reaching consequences.

The events are largely linked to an acute power struggle between the presidency, the PM and the speaker of parliament.

Was this a power grab by the president or a temporary move to get the country back on track? And will his political opponents mobilise their own support on the streets? If so, to what end?

Key to how all this plays out will be how quickly a new prime minister is appointed - and a new plan communicated on moving forward.

Coup accusations

In Tunisia, both the president and parliament are elected by popular vote.

Under the constitution, the president oversees only the military and foreign affairs, but Mr Saied has long been in conflict with Mr Mechichi.

Mr Saied has said he will now govern alongside a new PM, with parliament suspended for 30 days.

 

media captionYoung Tunisians have been protesting as they strive to live in and shape the post-revolution dream.

The president cited Article 80 of the constitution for his actions, saying it allowed him to suspend parliament if it was in "imminent danger".

But the opposition disputes this, and Tunisia's legal and political framework is unclear. The 2014 constitution calls for a special court to be set up to decide disagreements like this, but it has not been established.

As the largest party in parliament, Ennahda has the right to nominate the PM. It denounced the president's move.

Speaker Ghannouchi accused Mr Saied of mounting "a coup against the revolution and constitution" and called on the Tunisian people to defend them both.

Two other parties, Heart of Tunisia and Karama, echoed the coup accusations.

Ennahda denounced attacks on its offices, blaming "criminal gangs" who were trying to "seed chaos and destruction".

Covid flare-up

Coronavirus-related deaths reached a record for the country last week, passing 300 in one 24-hour period. Tunisia has one of the highest per capita death rates in the world.

Vaccinations have been slow: only 7% of the 11.7 million population are fully vaccinated.

• Abir Moussi: The Tunisian MP who was slapped but not beaten

The government attempted to speed up vaccination by opening it to all over-18s during the Eid al-Adha holiday. However, the effort descended into chaos, with stampedes, shortages of supplies, and incidents of violence.

IMAGE COPYRIGHTREUTERS

image captionThe health service is under serious strain dealing with surging Covid hospitalisations

The PM sacked the health minister - an ally of the president - prompting Mr Saied to instruct the military to take over management of the coronavirus crisis.

But Covid is only one factor in the unrest. Tunisia has had nine governments since the 2011 revolution, many of them short-lived or fractured.

Deep-rooted problems of unemployment and crumbling state infrastructure that were behind the uprising have never been resolved.

Tunisia now has budget deficits and debt repayment issues that could require a new loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

But that could hurt Tunisians with the loss of state jobs and reduced subsidies on goods.

 

*원문

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-57958555