TUNIS: Tunisia’s main Islamist movement Ennahda on Tuesday condemned the latest spate of violent incidents in the country and reiterated its commitment to the electoral process.
"We condemn violence wherever it comes from, be it from demonstrators or from the security forces," the movement’s chairman, Rached Ghannouchi, said at a press conference.
"Our first message is to reassure the Tunisian people: everything that happened does not jeopardize the revolution and elections will take place as planned on October 23," he said.
Ennahda supporters were among those accused of being behind a series of weekend attacks against police stations and protests against the government that left a teenage boy dead.
Ghannouchi took umbrage at comments made Monday by Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi, who saw the latest string of incidents as an attempt by "some parties" to destabilize the country and derail the elections.
"These accusations against forces he did not name were interpreted as being directed at Ennahda," the Islamist leader said.
Ghannouchi stressed that his movement was supportive of the security forces and insisted Ennahda never organized any protests.
A wave of protests by young Tunisians demanding more freedom and jobs led to the shock January ouster of Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, who had ruled the country for more than two decades with an iron fist.
The revolt tipped the first domino of the Arab spring that is still raging across the region but demonstrations also continued in Tunisia, where many have complained over the pace and depth of reform.
The country’s first post-revolution polls are to be held on October 23 for a constituent assembly meant to write a new constitution that would pave the way for parliamentary and presidential elections.
