sub-comissão de turismo - Assembleia da República

ASSEMBLEIA DA REPÚBLICA
JOSÉ MENDES BOTA
Deputado à Assembleia da República em representação da Região do Algarve
Palácio de S. Bento 1249-068 Lisboa
Telef: 213 917 282 Mail: [email protected]
RELATÓRIO Nº 48
Lisboa, 26/10/2011
ÂMBITO: ASSEMBLEIA PARLAMENTAR DO CONSELHO DA EUROPA
(APCE)
LOCAL: ROMA
PARTIDA: 24 de Outubro de 2011
REGRESSO: 25 de Outubro de 2011
OBJECTIVO: Participação em conferência organizada pelo Centro Norte/Sul do
Conselho da Europa (APCE)
No dia 25 de Outubro de 2011, participei como orador convidado na conferência
subordinada ao tema “Women as agents of change in the south mediterranean
region”, organizada pelo Centro Norte/Sul do Conselho da Europa, realizada no
parlamento italiano, em Roma, e que congregou duas centenas de participantes de
altos responsáveis governamentais, parlamentares, diplomatas, representantes de
organizações não governamentais, de múltiplos países europeus e da orla sul do
Mar Mediterrâneo.
Aproveitando o facto de ter acabado de chegar da Tunísia, onde fiz parte da missão
de observação eleitoral do Conselho da Europa, que supervisionou no dia 23 de
Outubro de 2011 as primeiras eleições livres naquele país africano e
mediterrânico, foi-me solicitado que integrasse o painel dos oradores da sessão
dedicada precisamente a discutir o advento da chamada “primavera árabe”. As
linhas gerais da minha intervenção constam do Anexo A do presente relatório.
Finalmente, coube-me a honra de pronunciar o discurso final da sessão de
encerramento, cujas linhas de orientação constam do Anexo B do presente
relatório.
Nesta sessão, antecederam-me no uso da palavra a Ministra da Igualdade de
Oportunidades da Itália, Mara Carfagna, a Ministra do Desenvolvimento Social,
Família e Solidariedade de Marrocos, Nouzha Skalli, a Ministra do Ensino Superior
e Investigação Científica da Argélia, Souad Bendjaballah, a Secretária Geral Adjunta
da União para o Mediterrâneo, Cecília Attard-Pirotta e o deputado italiano e
presidente do Grupo do PPE na APCE, Luca Volonté.
Assembleia da República, 26 de Outubro de 2011
José Mendes Bota
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ASSEMBLEIA DA REPÚBLICA
ANEXO A
Intervenção do deputado Mendes Bota, na Sessão Especial dedicada às “Eleições
na Tunísia”, da conferência sobre “Women as Agents of Change in the South
Mediterranean Region”, organizada pelo Centro Norte/Sul do Conselho da Europa
Palazzo Montecitorio, Parlamento Italiano, Roma, 25 de Outubro de 2011-10-25
Chers Mesdames,
Cher Messieurs,
Comme vous pouvez le constater, je n‟étais pas prévu sur la liste d‟orateurs dans cette
section de la conférence. Je viens d‟être mobilisé par Mme. Bergamini, pour profiter de
ma mission d‟observation électorale que je viens d‟effectuer en Tunisie, aux élections
du 23 Octobre dernier.
J‟ai eu de la chance de vivre de près une révolution au Portugal, le 25 Avril 1974, qui a
mis à cinquante ans de dictature. Et je trouve beaucoup d‟similitudes entre ce qui s‟est
alors passé au Portugal, et ce qui se passe en Tunisie. Là-bas comme ici, le caractère
pacifique de la transition vers une démocratie, la volonté populaire exprimée dans la rue
par la foule du peuple.
Il y a plus de 37 ans, j‟ai vécu un jour inoubliable dans ma vie. Avant-hier, j‟ai vécu un
autre jour qui m‟a vraiment touché, rempli le cœur, un sentiment d‟avoir contribué,
modestement, bien sur, sur le chemin de la démocratie d‟un autre pays.
Je me suis déplacé sur la région de Sfax, au sud de Tunisie, peu développée, plutôt
habitée par une population plus conservatrice, plus religieuse, peu ouverte à la
modernisation des costumes, et ou le parti islamiste trouve une adhésion importante, au
pair d‟un taux d‟analphabétisme qui touche dans certains villages les 40% des
personnes.
Cette circonstance surement a conditionné le vote, tandis que ce n‟était pas permis que
les électeurs analphabètes puissent bénéficier d‟appui d‟une autre personne au moment
de voter. J‟ai assisté à de multiples situations où les gens dans cette situation ne savaient
pas du tout à qui voter, où même quoi faire avec le bulletin de vote.
Un deuxième problème est parvenu du fait d‟un tel nombre d‟électeurs qui n‟étaient pas
inscris sur les listes électorales, mais qui pouvaient le faire au même jour de l‟élection.
Il‟ y avait d´énormes files d‟atteinte, la connexion Internet ne fonctionnait pas parfois,
et même s‟ils s‟étaient inscrits, on les a mis sur des bureaux de vote très éloignés de sa
résidence habituelle.
Bien sur, il y avait des longues files d‟atteinte, mais le manque d‟expérience de tous,
électeurs et membres des bureaux de vote, peut justifier en grande mesure la confusion.
En général, on peut dire que les élections ont été libres et démocratiques.
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ASSEMBLEIA DA REPÚBLICA
Les citoyens voulaient vraiment exprimer sa volonté, dans un cadre démocratique.
Les observateurs internationaux ont été très bien reçus partout, par la population, les
militaires et officiers de police, par les volontaires des bureaux de vote, par les délégués
des listes de candidats.
Tout s‟est déroulé de façon pacifique, parmi tous, candidats et électeurs.
Et, si le comptage à duré un temps démesuré, c‟est parce que démesuré c‟était le
nombre de listes de candidats (1.517), provenant de 117 partis politiques (80) et
mouvements indépendants (37).
Cette dispersion, n‟a pas permis de faire bon usage du principe d‟égalité de genre absolu
établi pour ces élections, parce que les femmes n´étaient des têtes de liste que pour 7%
des listes, ce qui nous fais craindre que le nombre de femmes élues pour l„Assemblée
Constituante sera moins que l‟Assemblée National de l‟ancien régime comportait
(27,6%).
En résumée, on pourra dire de cette journée du 23 Octobre 2011, que les élections en
Tunisie ont été un départ promettant, un bon exemple pour les autres pays voisins et une
épidémie démocratique souhaitable.
ANEXO B
Discurso do deputado Mendes Bota de encerramento da conferência sobre
“Women as Agents of Change in the South Mediterranean Region”, organizada
pelo Centro Norte/Sul do Conselho da Europa
Palazzo Montecitorio, Parlamento Italiano, Roma, 25 de Outubro de 2011-10-25
Dear Ministers,
Dear Parliamentarians, other authorities
Ladies and Gentleman,
It is an honor for me to pronounce the closing speech of this important conference on
“Women as Agents of Change in the South Mediterranean”.
My first words go necessarily to Deborah Bergamini, the president of the North/South
Center of the Council of Europe. Thanks and congratulations. Thanks, for the invitation.
Thanks, for the initiative. And congratulations for this enormous success.
We have been looking very accurately to the South Mediterranean with the eyes of
curiosity and hope. We have been feeling the winds of change, This conference
performs the merit of spotting women between the winds of change and the South
Mediterranean.
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In the last two days we have been discussing about political, economic and social
changes. Even an outlook on Tunisian elections was done, as the most promising start
we could ever imagine. What happened down there, may be seen as a desirable
democratic epidemics that hopefully might spread throughout other Arabic countries of
the Mediterranean south shore.
There was a democratic smell of mimosas and jasmine in this room. We have watched
videos, and the power of media as instruments for the promotion of women rights.
Now it is a time for conclusions. Putting the status of women as a top of political
priorities is the leading one, regarding this part of the Mediterranean. And the combat of
all forms of discrimination against women, as well as the principle of equality, have to
become a part of all cooperation programmes established between the Council of
Europe and these counties.
Yes, I also agree the need of creating a women‟s network for democratic governance, to
promote political access to political life.
But let me tell you frankly. We should not only focus on the public sphere of women‟s
political participation. Sometimes, we restrain our fears on the extremist Islamic parties,
and their obstruction to women‟s accession to politics. But there is a private sphere on
the enjoyment of rights by women, that we should not forget on our worryings, and it
has to do with family law, divorce, marriage, polygamy, custody of children, access to
education, getting a job and economic independence, inheritance rights, even the
freedom on dressing the way they like.
Of course, establishing a follow up on what happened here, today and yesterday, having
a yearly cycle of conferences on the theme of “The North South Women‟s
Empowerment Process”, it is a good idea.
But, let me tell you: Europe needs to better understand Islamic traditions, and not
restraining and focusing the whole debate on the use of the veil, as there is a world of
costumes deserving respect and attention.
This is why our Parliamentary Assembly will hold a debate on “Muslim Women in
Europe”, on the next January part session. I also believe muslim women‟s rights must
not be compared only with muslim men‟s rights, but with European women‟s rights.
Another important conclusion remark, is the effort to add more Mediterranean neighbor
parliaments as Partners for Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg,
following the examples of Morocco and the Palestinian Authority.
And finally, it is very important to appeal the Estates that did not signed or ratified yet
the CEDAW Convention, on the eradication of all forms of discrimination against
women, to do it as soon as possible, or to withdraw the reservations that might still
stand up.
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ASSEMBLEIA DA REPÚBLICA
But also very important for the defense of women‟s rights, it will be the signature and
ratification of the recently approved Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and
Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, opened for signature last
11th of May, in Istambul, also known as the “Istambul Convention”.
The Parliamentary Assembly, and myself, have been very much involved on this
international and binding document, opened to any Estate in the world that wishes to
adhere. This is a challenge for you all, and especially to the parliamentarians, to press
and convince their governments to do it.
This is a special Convention, the first in the world that reserves to national parliaments
and parliamentarians a special role on the monitoring of its implementation. We,
parliamentarians, are the bridge between the electors and the institutions, in order to
match what is on de jure established, and the reality in de facto on the field.
When we look to the Mediterranean south shore countries, we talk too much about
democracy. But I would say, we could have the same eyes regarding the European
countries. Because, everywhere, there is a relevant part of the population, women, that
keeps being aggressed and murdered everyday, suffering sexual aggressions, rape,
stalking, harassment, genital mutilations, forced marriages, psychological violence,
domestic violence, and other forms of human rights violations.
It even might happen that all formal and legal requirements are fulfilled by any country,
acting according to the principle of equality, but when gender based violence is
happening, we hardly can talk about democracy. We‟ve better talk about halfdemocracies. And this applies in Africa, as it applies to Europe.
Building a full democracy is an objective, a task, a mission, that we all, together, men
and women have to trail!
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