The Norwegian Nobel committee on Friday,
awarded the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet the 2015 Nobel peace prize.
The quartet which is comprised of workers,
employers’ human rights activists and lawyers was awarded to the group for its
"decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in the
country in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011."
The various organizations that make up the
Tunisian Dialogue Quartet "represent different sectors and values in the
Tunisian society, working life and welfare, principles of rule of law and human
rights" the Nobel committee said.
The National Dialogue Quartet, was formed
in 2013 after the Arab spring began in Tunisia, with protests that forced
President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali to step down in January 2011, after 23 years
in power.
In December 2010, a Tunisian street vendor
set himself on fire in a remote southern city to protest harassment by police.
The 2011 revolution sparked pro-democracy
demonstrations across neighboring Egypt and Libya which eventually brought down
their rulers.
Similar Uprisings broke out in the Middle
East forcing leaders out of power in Yemen and plunging Syria into a
devastating civil war.
The Nobel committee noted that in many of
this countries the struggle for democracy has come to a standstill
“In many of this countries the struggle
for democracy and fundamental rights has come to standstill or suffered
setbacks. Tunisia however, has seen a democratic transition based on vibrant
civil society with demand for basic human rights”
The Syrian war has pushed hundreds of
thousands of people to attempt to migrate to Europe.
According the Norwegian Nobel Committee “the
quartet acted as a mediator and driving force to advance peaceful democratic
development in Tunisia with great moral responsibility”.
“The quartet paved the way for peaceful
dialogue between the citizens the political parties and the authorities, and
helped to find consensus-based solutions to a wide range of the challenges
across political and religious divides”.
While Tunisia's democracy continues to
flourish, an attack in June on a beach resort in Sousse left 38 tourists dead
making its economy worse.
Social media exploded with celebratory
commentary after Tunisian Broadcast media broke the news.
The Tunisian quartet beat favorites like German
chancellor Angela Merkel for her efforts to welcome hundreds of thousands of
refugees fleeing to Europe largely due to civil unrest in Yemen and Syria. Us
secretary of state, John Kerry and Javad Zarif for the landmark deal on Iran’s
nuclear programme.
Others in the strong contention were
American Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who
leaked documents about secret U.S. surveillance programs. Colombian president,
Juan Manuel Santos and Timoleon Jimenez, who agreed to a path for peace this
year, setting the groundwork for a final accord, Mussi Zerai, an Eritrean priest
who helps coordinate rescue missions for migrants crossing the Mediterranean,
and Saudi blogger Raif Badawi who launched free the Saudi Liberals website.
Nobel Prize winners of chemistry, physics,
medicine and literature were presented with their awards earlier in Stockholm. The
award ceremony for the laureates will be held in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, the anniversary of
the 1896 death of prize creator Alfred Nobel, a Swedish philanthropist and
scientist.
Photo credit; AFP Photo
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