Freedoms or stability? Do we really have to choose between human rights and economic development?
Food for thought: Connection between political rights and social-economic rights / Are economic development and productive growth incompatible with the promotion of human rights and social justice? / Lights and shadows in the two-side discourse of many countries of the region, which downgrade the question of compliance with access to rights in return for new investments by national or foreign enterprises.
Objective of this dialogue: How to denounce the collusion between political power and economic establishment, and how to encourage the dissemination of good practices promoting economic models which are also socially fair and able to expand democratic participation.
Summary by Antonio Mazzeo, researcher and journalist (moderator)
Participants: Malek Adly, Egypt, lawyer and director of the Lawyers’ Network created by the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights; Ilio Amisano, Italy, engaged in the No-TAV movement, which is based in the Susa Valley (in Piedmont) and which opposes the creation of the new high speed railway line between Turin and Lyon. Ilio Amisano is co-founder of Etinomia, an association of entrepreneurs which runs projects in the field of social and solidarity economy; Kais Zriba, Tunisia, journalist and activist, co-founder of the web magazine Inkyfada.com and of the NGO Al-Khatt promoting the right to information.
The topic of the dialogue was the existing connection between political rights and social-economic rights, with a focus on the Mediterranean region and on those countries which experienced the so-called “Arab spring”. Unfortunately, the Southern shore of the region has implemented “economic development” and “productive growth” programmes, which did not promote human rights and social justice. Collusion between political power and economic establishment has increased through the chase after investments by foreign and/or transnational enterprises as well as the depletion of natural resources, the concentration of assets in the hands of national élites and the impoverishment of people. All these elements contributed also to the reduction of spaces and democratic action. Nevertheless, good practices promoting economic models which are also socially fair and able to expand democratic participation have been detected.
The moderator, Mr. Mazzeo, told in his introduction: « The Arab spring gave voice to people aiming at reducing social differences; nevertheless, at a later stage, neoliberal measures have been implemented, tremendously increasing those differences. On one side, enormous economic resources fell in the hands of a few people. On the other side, more and more people have been denied the chance to access social security and employment; this has further reinforced migrant pressure of thousands of people, particularly young ones, towards Europe». According to Antonio Mazzeo, «neoliberal economic measures voided democracy of any substance».
Malek Adly, who provides victims of human rights violation in Egypt with legal assistance, recalled: «Four years afterwards, that dream of a “democratic revolution” on the Southern shore of the Mediterranean sea has vanished under the violent repression by regimes, armies and national police forces, also with the support of European and US governments. It is terrible being forced to choose between stability and freedom. Before talking about stability, it is necessary to discuss about independence and freedom. If we have to choose between stability and liberty, freedom must be chosen as first objective to be pursued, whatever. Our nation is not free from any points of view, and we cannot access citizenship. It is neither possible talking about social rights, nor about civil ones in Egypt. It is not possible talking about security when there are corruption and election rigging, when people are not free to elect their own president». He added: « The support of Italian government to the Egyptian regime is paradoxical in front of the current situation».
Human rights violations are very serious and restrictions to freedom of expression are heavy in Tunisia too. Tunisia is a Mediterranean country ruled by president Essebsi after the “revolution” of 2011 and the end of Ben Ali’s power. Kais Zriba bitterly denounced: «In Tunisia activists, intellectuals and opponents suffer as much as our brothers in Egypt. According to statistics, 1% of Tunisian people is in prison at the moment: national politics have manipulated terrorism and the bloody attacks that stroke the country to persecute opponents». Kais agrees on the fact that stability or economic development could not be considered as triggers that widened room for democracy. The Tunisian journalist declared: «I believe that talking about stability without having the chance to know the real meaning of freedom is very dangerous for citizens. Stability is not only about the economic aspects, but also about security for citizens from many points of view. As far as this aspect is concerned, Tunisia holds a wide deficiency in terms of rights, freedom and security”.
Besides the guests from Mediterranean Africa, Ilio Amisano participated in the dialogue. He is an activist for the No-TAV movement, which is a true “laboratory” for struggle, aiming at defending the territory and democratic principles, as well as room for citizenship. He declared: «People of Susa Valley realized that their own freedom is limited and that they lost their right to protest. Stability, as it has been conceived and imposed by institutions, has been translated into social control and not into economic stability and development. Communities must choose rights, not the dominant concept of development. Growth for its own is meaningless; we need economic stability, and money must be fairly distributed among all people too. Europe is afraid of Susa Valley as it represents a community which questions internally the dominating neoliberal model».
