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| Tunisia protests: authorities accused of indiscriminate crackdown | Tunisia protests: authorities accused of indiscriminate crackdown |
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| Human rights campaigners and activists have accused Tunisian authorities of an indiscriminate crackdown “of inexplicable violence” as the country braces itself for a weekend of massive protests. | |
| More than 500 protesters have now been arrested and the army deployed in several Tunisian cities after days of anti-government demonstrations. | |
| Some protests have turned violent, with dozens of policemen injured. One demonstrator has died. | |
| In Thala, near the Algerian border, troops were sent in after protesters burned down a national security building on Wednesday night, forcing police to retreat from the town, witnesses said. | |
| The unrest began at the weekend after a small gathering of civil society and opposition activists in Tunis, the capital, was broken up by police. Almost all the country, including in the tourist resort of Sousse, has been affected since. | |
| Activist leaders have accused authorities of targetingpeople who are not breaking the law. | |
| “It’s getting more and more difficult. The police are arresting protesters in every region. They’re not even interested in the looters and the anarchists. They’re seeking our protesters and accusing them of things that just don’t make sense,” said Heythem Guesmi, of the Manich Msamah organisation. | “It’s getting more and more difficult. The police are arresting protesters in every region. They’re not even interested in the looters and the anarchists. They’re seeking our protesters and accusing them of things that just don’t make sense,” said Heythem Guesmi, of the Manich Msamah organisation. |
| Ahmed Sassi, a well-known activist, was arrested at his home in Tunis with about 10 associates on Wednesday evening. | |
| Ayoub Ghedamsi, a lawyer and human rights campaigner, accused the government of arresting activists who had not committed any crime. | |
| “These are well educated, well-behaved people, not hooligans or lawbreakers in any way,” Ghedamsi said. | |
| The immediate causes of the unrest are government-imposed price and tax rises, which will raise the cost of basic goods. The government says the moves are essential to cut a ballooning deficit and satisfy international lenders. | |
| Telephone calls, data, coffee, tea, cooking gas and cars are among hundreds of items which will become more expensive. | Telephone calls, data, coffee, tea, cooking gas and cars are among hundreds of items which will become more expensive. |
| Longer-term factors include high levels of poverty, deep inequality and youth unemployment, particularly among graduates. Many of those who have taken to the streets are students. | Longer-term factors include high levels of poverty, deep inequality and youth unemployment, particularly among graduates. Many of those who have taken to the streets are students. |
| While Tunisia is widely seen as the only democratic success story among Arab spring states, it has had nine governments since the overthrow of the authoritarian leader, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, in 2011. | While Tunisia is widely seen as the only democratic success story among Arab spring states, it has had nine governments since the overthrow of the authoritarian leader, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, in 2011. |
| The revolt was was sparked by the death in 2010 of Mohamed Bouazizi, a street seller who set himself on fire in a protest over unemployment and police harassment. | The revolt was was sparked by the death in 2010 of Mohamed Bouazizi, a street seller who set himself on fire in a protest over unemployment and police harassment. |
| The ousting of Ben Ali, who ruled for 24 years, raised expectations of rapid improvement and a much fairer distribution of wealth. | |
| Instead, few of the deep structural problems which led to the revolt have been dealt with, and development has favoured areas and elites which had prospered under the former regime. | Instead, few of the deep structural problems which led to the revolt have been dealt with, and development has favoured areas and elites which had prospered under the former regime. |
| “We are seven years after the revolution but have achieved none of its objectives,” said Ghedamsi. | |
| Though sporadic protests have been growing over recent years, the anniversary of the 2011 revolt has become an occasion for more general demonstrations of discontent. | Though sporadic protests have been growing over recent years, the anniversary of the 2011 revolt has become an occasion for more general demonstrations of discontent. |
| “Over the last three years, there has been an increasing number of popular protests about socioeconomic questions by people who feel excluded from the democratic transition … Basically, people are saying that demands for major change, particularly an end to corruption and a much more just economic system, haven’t been addressed,” said Rory McCarthy, an expert in Tunisia and Islamism at Magdalen College, Oxford University. | “Over the last three years, there has been an increasing number of popular protests about socioeconomic questions by people who feel excluded from the democratic transition … Basically, people are saying that demands for major change, particularly an end to corruption and a much more just economic system, haven’t been addressed,” said Rory McCarthy, an expert in Tunisia and Islamism at Magdalen College, Oxford University. |
| This year’s protests have drawn in hundreds in each town where they have taken place. | This year’s protests have drawn in hundreds in each town where they have taken place. |
| “The date of 14 January [when Bouazizi died] is very symbolic. For the first few years after 2011, there were celebrations. Now people are seeing it as an occasion to protest,” Meh Dia Hammami, a Tunis-based analyst, said. | “The date of 14 January [when Bouazizi died] is very symbolic. For the first few years after 2011, there were celebrations. Now people are seeing it as an occasion to protest,” Meh Dia Hammami, a Tunis-based analyst, said. |
| Government officials have minimised the social and economic grievances of demonstrators while emphasising criminal offences committed during the unrest. | Government officials have minimised the social and economic grievances of demonstrators while emphasising criminal offences committed during the unrest. |
| “Some 330 people involved in acts of sabotage and robbery were arrested on [Wednesday night],” said the interior ministry spokesman, Khelifa Chibani. | |
| The army was deployed in several other cities on Wednesday night, including Sousse, Kebeli and Bizert, to protect government buildings that have become a target for protesters. | |
| Earlier on Wednesday, the prime minister, Youssef Chahed, accused the opposition of fuelling dissent by calling for more protests. | Earlier on Wednesday, the prime minister, Youssef Chahed, accused the opposition of fuelling dissent by calling for more protests. |
| Food prices in Tunisia have risen by around eight percent each year since 2011, but inflation dropped to less than half that 18 months ago before spiking to a new high last autumn. There has been little increase in incomes for most people. | Food prices in Tunisia have risen by around eight percent each year since 2011, but inflation dropped to less than half that 18 months ago before spiking to a new high last autumn. There has been little increase in incomes for most people. |
| Chahed, who heads a coalition of secular and Islamist parties, has said that 2018 will be a difficult year for Tunisia but the economy will improve rapidly once the new measures take effect. | Chahed, who heads a coalition of secular and Islamist parties, has said that 2018 will be a difficult year for Tunisia but the economy will improve rapidly once the new measures take effect. |
| International lenders extended a crucial $2.8bn (£2.1bn) loan to Tunisia in 2015, demanding cuts to the civil service and a broader austerity programme. | International lenders extended a crucial $2.8bn (£2.1bn) loan to Tunisia in 2015, demanding cuts to the civil service and a broader austerity programme. |
| Authorities now face a difficult choice between maintaining the price hikes –which would risk further protests and heavy losses at municipal elections later this year – or making concessions which could defuse the crisis but might imperil long-term financial stability. | Authorities now face a difficult choice between maintaining the price hikes –which would risk further protests and heavy losses at municipal elections later this year – or making concessions which could defuse the crisis but might imperil long-term financial stability. |
| “We’re preparing for the weekend and waiting for some kind of positive response from the government. Right now, all they’re talking about is the violence. We just want something from them,” said Guesmi. | “We’re preparing for the weekend and waiting for some kind of positive response from the government. Right now, all they’re talking about is the violence. We just want something from them,” said Guesmi. |
| Dhia Ben Letaife, 43 who recently opened an English-language teaching centre in Tunis, said people have the right to protest, but need to do so without violence. | Dhia Ben Letaife, 43 who recently opened an English-language teaching centre in Tunis, said people have the right to protest, but need to do so without violence. |
| “We went for democracy seven years ago, we should stick with it … As a business owner, I understand we’re in for a difficult time, probably for the next three years. That’s OK, but we need to get through them without violence,” he said. | “We went for democracy seven years ago, we should stick with it … As a business owner, I understand we’re in for a difficult time, probably for the next three years. That’s OK, but we need to get through them without violence,” he said. |
| A more inclusive political system is the only way to avert continuing cycles of unrest, say analysts. | A more inclusive political system is the only way to avert continuing cycles of unrest, say analysts. |
| “The protestors are not trying to topple a regime but it is about deciding what type of democracy emerges in Tunisia,” said McCarthy. | “The protestors are not trying to topple a regime but it is about deciding what type of democracy emerges in Tunisia,” said McCarthy. |