Ennahdha Movement Chairman Rached Ghannouchi said that his party's programme is based on "the principles of freedom of thought, belief, speech and dress," pointing out that it does not include "any project of coercion, constraint or oppression."He assured all categories of Tunisian people on their future and the country's and incited the national and foreign promoters to invest in Tunisia, which will be "a country that will attract more investments," in the coming years.
During a news conference held by Ennahdha on Friday in Tunis, Mr. Ghannouchi urged the citizens of Sidi Bouzid to show restraint and to preserve property, lives and public establishments, urging them "to be the keenest on protecting the Revolution whose first sparks were ignited from their city."
He expressed fears that remnants of the now-dissolved Constitutional Democratic Rally are behind these troubles, by spreading "baseless rumours and allegations attributed to the Movement's Secretary-General Hammadi Jebali."
He pledged, on behalf of Ennahdha, that the region of Sidi Bouzid will be granted absolute priority in the development projects that the next government will work out.
The Ennahdha Chairman explained that the Movement will make no concessions on its principles, its reference systems, or on the demands of the Revolution, for the establishment of a fair, free, solidary, developed regime, for fight against corruption and the corrupt, for handing back the money stolen to the people and the restoration of all rights.
On the consultations the Movement undertook with a view to forming a coalition government, he pointed out that Ennahdha will not enter an alliance just with any party, but with all those forces which had fought against dictatorship and oppression, under the ancien regime, and carried out a definition of their ideological approach in the January 18 document.
That document, he explained, is a platform for the partners and allies of Ennahdha, be it the Congress for the Republic, Ettakatol (Democratic Forum for Labour and Liberties), or the other parties which are striving to establish "a model consensual society that defines clearly the relation between religion and State, as well as that of women and men, and guarantees the freedom of opinion and of belief."
On the shape that the new coalition government would take, the Ennahdha Chairman argued that change in the policies and figures to lead the country is a top priority, and this issue needs to be discussed with the coalition members.
He denied, in this connection, the allegations according to which the Movement got in touch or undertook consultations, on this issue, with the independent tickets which won seats in the Constituent Assembly, notably those of Al-Aridha Ech-Chaabia (People's Petition for Liberty, Justice and Development).
Stressing the "seriousness" of the programme devised by the Interior Ministry to reform the security system, Mr. Ghannouchi pointed up the need to carry out comprehensive transformations of the judicial system as it is "so profoundly corrupt", except for some "honest lawyers who are not touched by corruption."
He said that this would take a long time, estimating that re-establishment of the oppressed people's rights could be made only through an independent and honest Judiciary.
Mr. Ghannouchi reasserted commitment to achieve the Revolution objective of a worthy life for all Tunisians by dealing with the issue of unemployment and poverty among the large fringes of Tunisians.
Regarding the possible return of Abdelfatteh Mourou to Ennahdha Movement's fold, Mr. Ghannouchi reminded that "the place of this founding member within the Movement" is still there, voicing hope that this issue be sorted out shortly.
He commended "the place of the former movement's cadres, among whom Salah Karkar, who has been living abroad for years and who is returning to the country soon."
The issue of illegal immigration, the place of women and their role in society were also discussed.
Mr. Rached Ghannouchi renewed the Ennahdha Movement's commitment to strengthen Tunisian women's gains and their participation in political life. He said that "veiled and non-veiled women" will be present in the next coalition government.
Ennahdha Chairman insisted that Movement will not dictate on anyone to dress the Islamic costume and that he does not wish "to transform the Tunisians in hypocrites by presenting themselves in a way different from what they really are."
"I am in favour of the right of the Tunisian men and women to wear the clothes they like and see suitable, and to live according to their free choices," he said, pointing out that" this is a private matter," and that the role of the State consists in protecting people's rights, and not confiscating them."
He reasserted Tunisia's entire commitment to its Maghrebi, Arab and Islamic environment, to the reinforcement of ties with the European Union as a strategic partnership, and also with the United States, while abiding by Tunisia's commitments towards the international conventions and strengthening world security and peace.
For his part, the Movement's Secretary-General Hammadi Jebali stressed the need not to lengthen the transition period in order to better clarify vision for the people and Tunisia's economic partners.
He reasserted that the winning party in elections is entitled to head the government, after consultations with the other parties.
He added that the tourism sector in the Ennahdha's programme is important, given its ability to generate foreign currency revenues for the country and its capacity to create jobs.
He spoke of "the new tourist products, such as health tourism and ecological tourism, as well as drawing up a 'Revolution Track' to start in Sidi Bouzid and to tour the different regions of the country which had played a crucial role in the January 14 Revolution."
© Tunis-Afrique Presse 2011
