Hachimi al Hamidi, leader of Al Aridha

Note: This interview was conducted in the morning of October 27th.  In a press conference held later that evening, ISIE (the Independent High Authority for the Elections) announced its decision to drop Al Aridha’s lists in several districts, including: Tataouine, Sfax 1, Jendouba, Kasserine, Sidi Bouzid, and France 2, causing the party to lose a total of eight seats.  Subsequently, a recent broadcast on Mosaique FM revealed that Hamidi himself has decided to withdraw his lists from the Assembly.  For an in-depth look at these events and the party’s activities, click here.

Tunisia Live: What drew you to form the Popular Petition for Liberty, Justice and Development Movement [Al Aridha]?  What do you think that your movement has to offer to Tunisian society that other parties do not?

Hachimi al Hamidi: The Popular Petition for Liberty, Justice and Development is a popular movement that formed itself on March 3rd, 2011, after a number of Tunisians called me, wrote me emails, and sent me messages saying that they wanted to vote for me. I decided without any hesitation to reply to their request and told my supporters about my program. The supporters then made a petition (Aridha), which they took to other people to sign. 100,000 people signed the petition to support democracy, justice and development.

TL: Why do you think that your movement has done so well, particularly in areas outside of your home region and outside of the more marginalized areas of Tunisia?  Did you expect to perform this well in the elections?

HH: Al Aridha represents what the people revolted for and their aspirations for dignity. It presented a practical plan, and thus, Tunisians voted for it. Had we been given more air time, we would have won more than 50% [of seats] in the Constituent Assembly.  Many people wanted to know about us. Some asked me why [they had not heard of my program] before now.

Many people in Tunisia did not take me seriously — especially the elite — and were very negative about my program. They are unaware of the hard life of marginalized Tunisians, especially in Sidi Bouzid in the Hawamed area where I come from.

TL: What are some details about your party’s economic and social programs?

TL: You provided many promises to the Tunisian people which will be difficult to fulfill. How do you plan to implement these complicated guarantees? Where will the money come from?

HH: Taxes from the travel industry (airplanes) are one source of income to get funding for our economic program for the poor, the elderly, and the unemployed. We will also be levying taxes from people earning more than 100,000 dinars…Big companies of the Ben Ali era should also pay high taxes because they generate a lot of money — especially the billion of dinars made by the Trabelsi mafia.

TL: What type of campaign activities did your party use?  Publications?  Public meetings?  Billboards?

HH: My supporters went to villages, houses, and cafes and showed Al Aridha’s program to the people. It was a simple way to campaign on a grassroots level and to try to solve people’s problems.

Tunisian national TV denied us the chance to talk about Al Aridha. Since its creation, Al Aridha has not been given a single minute to explain its program to the Tunisian people by Tunisian media.

TL: Why did you prefer to remain abroad during the weeks leading up to the October 23rd elections?

HH: I preferred  to stay in exile and carry out the campaign from London.

TL: What role does Islam play in your party’s platform?

HH: We derive our ideas from both Islam’s ideals of social justice and freedom, as well as the British experience of a social welfare system [which includes] housing benefits, unemployment benefits, and disabled people’s benefits.

TL: What do you think of Ennahda, and are you willing to collaborate with them in the Constituent Assembly?

HH: Ennahda does not want Al Aridha or any connection with it. They remain my brothers, though, and I hope that we can collaborate with them. I am willing to do so for the sake of national unity to serve the poor. Ennahda has never contacted me for any alliance with them. I do not object to that, though.

TL: What do you have to say about recent allegations raised against you concerning violating the electoral code by broadcasting on your personal channel? What about RCD connections?

HH: Those who pretend I am from RCD talk rubbish. They fabricated false stories about me paying lip service to Ben Ali and his regime in the past, and they do not understand such violent attacks on me….Mustaqila TV invited politicians from the PDP, the CPR, etc., but they did not bother to reply to my request to come in to talk on Mustaqila TV…I also tried to communicate with Hamadi Jebali but he never replied to my request.

The law does not prevent anyone from campaigning on any TV channel…Rached Ghannouchi did talk to al Hiwar TV about his party, so why would [appearing on television] be a problem for me? Those who attack me are like wolves, insulting and degrading me. I have been living in exile for 25 years…

TL: Are you interested in running for the position of President or Prime Minister?

HH: There is a clause in the Al Aridha manifesto about people elected to the Constituent Assembly. [The] manifesto states in Number 3 that we will elect the Prime Minister or the President. You can find it in the electoral guide of Al Aridha.