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February 26, 2011
Tunisia, Protesting Disease
Libya in crisis – live coverage | World news | guardian.co.uk
I'm growing concerned that the Tunisian case can go seriously sideways. I fail to see how bringing down Ghannouchi helps. Now is the time to monitor and to prepare. Changing faces in an interim regime does not solve much. Organising proper parties, political networks. Change forced by demonstration is only a good thing as a very extraordinary measure.
Three people have been killed in clashes between Tunisian security forces and youths rioting in central Tunis, an interior ministry official told Reuters.
The claims of Ben Ali agents provocateurs can't be dismissed out of hand, but is a bit pat.
The official, who declined to be named, said another 12 had been injured in the clashes, which he said occurred after a riot orchestrated by loyalists of ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. He said about 100 people had been arrested.
"Those who were arrested have admitted they were pushed by former Ben Ali officials," he said. "Others said they were paid to do it."
A Reuters witness had earlier seen Tunisian soldiers fire into the air and use tear gas in an effort to disperse dozens of youths, many carrying sticks, who were breaking shop windows near Tunis's Barcelona Station
More from French sources, which give more detail and suggest perhaps by timing and behaviour that the agent provacteur thesis is not unfounded - but could as well suggest that the slum hooligan profile exploiting the situation:
Tunisie : Nouvelle manifestation violente à Tunis | International | Radio-Canada.ca
De violents affrontements ont eu lieu samedi entre les forces de l'ordre et des manifestants à proximité du ministère de l'Intérieur, à Tunis.
Une véritable bataille rangée et des courses poursuites se sont déroulées dans le centre de la ville. Les policiers ont lancé de nombreuses grenades lacrymogènes et tiré des coups de feu de somation pendant que les manifestants répondaient à coups de pierres.
La police a effectué de multpiles arrestations musclées et demandé des renforts à l'armée. Mais les manifestants ont continué à tenter de retrancher les forces de l'ordre vers le ministère de l'Intérieur.
Ce dernier a annoncé l'interdiction de circuler pour les piétons et les voitures dans l'avenue Habib Bourguiba à partir de ce samedi 18 H jusqu'à dimanche minuit. Cette artère a été le principal théâtre des affrontements.
Le ministère de l'Intérieur pris pour cible
Déjà hier, des heurts violents avaient eu lieu entre policiers et groupuscules. Les manifestants tentaient de pénétrer dans le ministère de l'Intérieur et avaient incendié ou saccagé trois commissariats dans le centre.
Vingt-et-un policiers ont été blessés et plusieurs véhicules de police incendiés, a indiqué samedi le ministère.
Ces heurts font suite au rassemblement de quelque 100 000 personnes qui a eu lieu hier dans les rues de la capitale. Les manifestants demandent le départ du gouvernement de transition dirigé par Mohammed Ghannouchi.
Deux journaux tunisiens pensent que le pays risque de s'enliser dans le chaos si le gouvernement transitoire reste « insensible » au message du peuple.
L'équipe de transition, ignorant ces appels, a annoncé la tenue d'élections au plus tard mi-juillet sans préciser s'il s'agissait d'un scrutin présidentiel ou législatif.
[REPORTAGE] "Pas le droit de mettre un pied dehors" à Tunis - Les révolutions arabes - Nouvelobs.com
" Bienvenue dans la démocratie". Saouane, informaticien d'une trentaine d'années, a lâché la phrase tout doucement. Comme s'il se parlait à lui-même. Nous somme une centaine de personnes à être enfermées dans le hall de l'Hôtel International, dressé avenue Habib Bourguiba, en plein centre de Tunis. Cela fait déjà quelques heures que la plus importante manifestation depuis la chute de Ben Ali a dégénéré. Elle avait sagement commencé, après le déjeuner, devant la Kasbah. Avec ses jeunes garçons et ses jeunes filles enroulées dans le drapeau tunisien qui se photographiaient les uns les autres, leur carton "Ghannouchi dégage", décoré d'un portrait du Premier ministre, levé au dessus de la tête. Elle a pris une autre tournure en milieu d'après-midi quand plusieurs centaines de manifestants ont commencé à jeter des pierres sur la façade du Ministère de l'Intérieur avant de s'attaquer aux vitrines des magasins et à l'armée de policiers, arrivée en catastrophe.
Posted by The Lounsbury at February 26, 2011 05:24 PM
Filed Under: Maghreb
, North Africa
, Political Development
, Society & Culture
, The MENA '48
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Comments
"Ben Ali agents", I don't believe. Hooligans backed up by people who have access to this government and/or slum hooligans, possible.
I do believe changing Ghannouchi and many of his ministers would be good - I know we disagree about the extent of his skills, but at the very least, his government has some very serious communication issues. The mistakes resulting from his door being open to too many people from the old regime who are still quite influential add to the unrest (see the 19 governors he nominated for example, many of which are deeply corrupt).
Also, in terms of communication still, where's the elections schedule?
Posted by: Shaheen ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.aqoul.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at February 27, 2011 05:38 AM
My concern is that the efforts of opposition are going to flow into "easy" things like protests, and going to the street over someone one doesn't care for or to call for magic wand solutions to long-tern ills, rather
The election timeline is a good point, but on the other appointments, I remain of the opinion that in the interim period, there is need for stability to organize and so long as the police are not involved in political arrests, pressures (the strike at state TV over censorship and pressures is however an indication perhaps I am being too generous re the interim appointees), I think it is more useful to focus on the elections and ensure that there is a powerful secular set of choices - and not ten thousand fragments so that only the Islamists and the Ben Ali people are organized.
for extraordinary circumstances, protests are fine, but for ordinary government and for the preparation of ordinary politics, they're a problem in my view.
Posted by: The Lounsbury at February 27, 2011 05:58 AM
Fully agree.
The election timeline imo is the most critical piece in fact, as it is the one element that is missing for political forces to focus on elections and organize around them. Elections providing legitimacy is also critical for a government to be able to face demands from every vocal demonstrator.
My impression is there's a drift, willingly or not, from both the government and a very significant section of the population, from a focus on being a transitional government managing current affairs in sight of an election, to just being a ruling government managing the country.
Posted by: Shaheen at February 27, 2011 09:04 AM
Ghannouchi now in press conference: election timeline by end of next week.
Posted by: Shaheen at February 27, 2011 09:53 AM
