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Tunisia faces general strike after Belaid assassination sparks crisis | Tunisia faces general strike after Belaid assassination sparks crisis |
(7 days later) | |
Tunisia is facing a general strike on Friday after angry protests triggered by the assassination of an opposition politician plunged the country into its biggest crisis since the revolution two years ago. | Tunisia is facing a general strike on Friday after angry protests triggered by the assassination of an opposition politician plunged the country into its biggest crisis since the revolution two years ago. |
The UGTT, Tunisia's trade union federation, called the strike in protest at the murder of Chokri Belaid on Wednesday. It will be the first such strike since 1978 and there is now deep uncertainty and anxiety about how events will unfold. | The UGTT, Tunisia's trade union federation, called the strike in protest at the murder of Chokri Belaid on Wednesday. It will be the first such strike since 1978 and there is now deep uncertainty and anxiety about how events will unfold. |
Belaid, a secular, leftist human rights lawyer, was shot dead at close range on his way to work in an attack that was condemned by the government, blamed on extremists but claimed by nobody. The assailant fled on a motorbike pillion. | Belaid, a secular, leftist human rights lawyer, was shot dead at close range on his way to work in an attack that was condemned by the government, blamed on extremists but claimed by nobody. The assailant fled on a motorbike pillion. |
The killing has opened up the possibility that Tunisia could now see the kind of political polarisation that it has so far managed to avoid since the overthrow of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011. | The killing has opened up the possibility that Tunisia could now see the kind of political polarisation that it has so far managed to avoid since the overthrow of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011. |
Rached Ghannouchi, leader of the ruling Islamist party Ennahda, was among those condemning the murder of Belaid and urging Tunisians to unite against those who want to push the country towards "violence and chaos". | Rached Ghannouchi, leader of the ruling Islamist party Ennahda, was among those condemning the murder of Belaid and urging Tunisians to unite against those who want to push the country towards "violence and chaos". |
On Thursday police fired teargas to disperse 300 protesters who gathered near the interior ministry in central Tunis in driving rain chanting "the people demand the fall of the regime" – the trademark slogan of the Arab spring uprisings. | On Thursday police fired teargas to disperse 300 protesters who gathered near the interior ministry in central Tunis in driving rain chanting "the people demand the fall of the regime" – the trademark slogan of the Arab spring uprisings. |
Protests were also held in the central mining town of Gafsa, where petrol bombs were thrown. The demonstration was organised by the Popular Front, a leftist alliance to which Belaid's Democratic Patriots party belonged. In Siliana, the office of Ennahda was burned down. | Protests were also held in the central mining town of Gafsa, where petrol bombs were thrown. The demonstration was organised by the Popular Front, a leftist alliance to which Belaid's Democratic Patriots party belonged. In Siliana, the office of Ennahda was burned down. |
On Wednesday one policeman was killed in Tunis after being hit in the chest by rocks. Ennahda offices were attacked in Gafsa and several other towns. | On Wednesday one policeman was killed in Tunis after being hit in the chest by rocks. Ennahda offices were attacked in Gafsa and several other towns. |
In the capital protesters massed on the same broad, tree-lined central boulevard where just over two years ago anti-government protests led to the fall of Ben Ali, Tunisia's longtime dictator. That was the catalyst for the revolutions in Egypt, Libya and elsewhere in the region. | In the capital protesters massed on the same broad, tree-lined central boulevard where just over two years ago anti-government protests led to the fall of Ben Ali, Tunisia's longtime dictator. That was the catalyst for the revolutions in Egypt, Libya and elsewhere in the region. |
Police in Tunis were described as "very violent" by one Twitter user. The French embassy, surrounded by tanks, announced that all French schools will close down on Friday and Saturday. "Yesterday we were shocked but today the pain and the sadness have given way to anger and uncertainty," Jilani, a civil servant, told France 24. "Today we are heading towards the unknown." | Police in Tunis were described as "very violent" by one Twitter user. The French embassy, surrounded by tanks, announced that all French schools will close down on Friday and Saturday. "Yesterday we were shocked but today the pain and the sadness have given way to anger and uncertainty," Jilani, a civil servant, told France 24. "Today we are heading towards the unknown." |
Amid the rising tensions, Ennahda rejected a call by its own prime minister, Hamadi Jebali, to form a technocratic government to rule until elections, set for June 2013. | Amid the rising tensions, Ennahda rejected a call by its own prime minister, Hamadi Jebali, to form a technocratic government to rule until elections, set for June 2013. |
"The prime minister did not ask the opinion of his party," said Abdelhamid Jelassi, Ennahda's vice-president. "We in Ennahda believe Tunisia needs a political government now. We will continue discussions with other parties about forming a coalition government." | "The prime minister did not ask the opinion of his party," said Abdelhamid Jelassi, Ennahda's vice-president. "We in Ennahda believe Tunisia needs a political government now. We will continue discussions with other parties about forming a coalition government." |
But analysts said such a coalition was unlikely to materialise since Ennahda's rivals would not want to be seen as close to it in the runup to new polls. The fear is that if civil unrest continues and the police cannot cope, the army might intervene. | But analysts said such a coalition was unlikely to materialise since Ennahda's rivals would not want to be seen as close to it in the runup to new polls. The fear is that if civil unrest continues and the police cannot cope, the army might intervene. |
Four opposition groups – including the Popular Front – announced that they were pulling out of the national constituent assembly in protest at the murder. | Four opposition groups – including the Popular Front – announced that they were pulling out of the national constituent assembly in protest at the murder. |
Opposition parties have said that the government should bear responsibility for the killing of Belaid as ministers had failed to curb intimidation, violence and threatening language used by radical preachers and on extremist websites. | Opposition parties have said that the government should bear responsibility for the killing of Belaid as ministers had failed to curb intimidation, violence and threatening language used by radical preachers and on extremist websites. |
Hamma Hammami, another leftist and associate of Belaid, suggested the killing might be part of a broader campaign. "This political assassination has been committed by parties which want this country to descend into chaos," he warned. "The government is responsible because it did not take the measures necessary to prevent the crime." | Hamma Hammami, another leftist and associate of Belaid, suggested the killing might be part of a broader campaign. "This political assassination has been committed by parties which want this country to descend into chaos," he warned. "The government is responsible because it did not take the measures necessary to prevent the crime." |
Ahmed Najib Chebbi, veteran leader of the centrist Republican party and a staunch critic of Islamists, told RTL that he was on a hit list and had been given official protection four months ago. Le Quotidien warned of the risk of "death squads" being unleashed to target political opponents. Judges and lawyers announced that they too were going on strike. | Ahmed Najib Chebbi, veteran leader of the centrist Republican party and a staunch critic of Islamists, told RTL that he was on a hit list and had been given official protection four months ago. Le Quotidien warned of the risk of "death squads" being unleashed to target political opponents. Judges and lawyers announced that they too were going on strike. |
Political analyst Salem Labyed said the opposition appeared to want to leverage the crisis to its advantage. "It seems that the opposition wants to secure the maximum possible political gains but the fear is that the … crisis will deepen if things remain unclear at the political level," he said. "That could increase the anger of supporters of the secular opposition, which may go back to the streets again." | Political analyst Salem Labyed said the opposition appeared to want to leverage the crisis to its advantage. "It seems that the opposition wants to secure the maximum possible political gains but the fear is that the … crisis will deepen if things remain unclear at the political level," he said. "That could increase the anger of supporters of the secular opposition, which may go back to the streets again." |
The French foreign minster, Laurent Fabius, expressed alarm at the Tunisian crisis. "The revolution at the beginning was a fight for dignity and freedom, but violence is taking over," he said on BFM-TV. "I want to offer France's support to those who want to end the violence. We cannot let closed-mindedness and violence take over." | The French foreign minster, Laurent Fabius, expressed alarm at the Tunisian crisis. "The revolution at the beginning was a fight for dignity and freedom, but violence is taking over," he said on BFM-TV. "I want to offer France's support to those who want to end the violence. We cannot let closed-mindedness and violence take over." |
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