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Tunisian man self-immolates in protest recalling death that sparked revolution | Tunisian man self-immolates in protest recalling death that sparked revolution |
(25 days later) | |
An unemployed man has set himself on fire in the centre of Tunis in a gesture recalling the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi, whose death ignited a revolt in Tunisia that echoed across the Arab world. | An unemployed man has set himself on fire in the centre of Tunis in a gesture recalling the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi, whose death ignited a revolt in Tunisia that echoed across the Arab world. |
Security forces and bystanders tried to extinguish the flames before the man was rushed to hospital, witnesses said. | Security forces and bystanders tried to extinguish the flames before the man was rushed to hospital, witnesses said. |
"He is in very critical condition," a medical source in Mourouj hospital said, but gave no further details. | "He is in very critical condition," a medical source in Mourouj hospital said, but gave no further details. |
The incident occurred hours before the prime minister designate, Ali Larayedh, was due to seek a confidence vote for his new Islamist-led government from the National Constituent Assembly. | The incident occurred hours before the prime minister designate, Ali Larayedh, was due to seek a confidence vote for his new Islamist-led government from the National Constituent Assembly. |
The man burned himself outside the municipal theatre in the capital's main Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the focus for protests that toppled the former president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali two years ago. | The man burned himself outside the municipal theatre in the capital's main Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the focus for protests that toppled the former president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali two years ago. |
An interior ministry official did not name the victim, but said he was 27, came from the north-western city of Jandouba and had been out of work for some time. | An interior ministry official did not name the victim, but said he was 27, came from the north-western city of Jandouba and had been out of work for some time. |
Tunisia's unemployment rate stands at about 17%, with graduates forming a large proportion of the jobless total. | Tunisia's unemployment rate stands at about 17%, with graduates forming a large proportion of the jobless total. |
Several Tunisians have set themselves ablaze in the past two years in protests emulating that of Bouazizi, a street vendor who torched himself on 17 December 2010 in the town of Sidi Bouzid after a policewoman confiscated his fruit cart. | Several Tunisians have set themselves ablaze in the past two years in protests emulating that of Bouazizi, a street vendor who torched himself on 17 December 2010 in the town of Sidi Bouzid after a policewoman confiscated his fruit cart. |
Bouazizi's death sparked protests that ended with Ben Ali's overthrow and inspired rebellions elsewhere in the Middle East. | Bouazizi's death sparked protests that ended with Ben Ali's overthrow and inspired rebellions elsewhere in the Middle East. |
The economic and social problems that fuelled Tunisia's uprising have yet to be solved in a country deeply polarised between Islamists and their opponents and still awaiting a new constitution to advance a transition from autocracy. | The economic and social problems that fuelled Tunisia's uprising have yet to be solved in a country deeply polarised between Islamists and their opponents and still awaiting a new constitution to advance a transition from autocracy. |
The last government, led by Hamadi Jebali, collapsed after the premier's own moderate Islamist Ennahda party rejected his plan for a technocrat cabinet to lead Tunisia to elections. | The last government, led by Hamadi Jebali, collapsed after the premier's own moderate Islamist Ennahda party rejected his plan for a technocrat cabinet to lead Tunisia to elections. |
Jebali had proposed this as a way to calm unrest over the assassination on 6 February of the secular opposition leader Chokri Belaid by what the authorities say was a group of Salafi Islamist militants, four of whom have been arrested. | Jebali had proposed this as a way to calm unrest over the assassination on 6 February of the secular opposition leader Chokri Belaid by what the authorities say was a group of Salafi Islamist militants, four of whom have been arrested. |
Larayedh, who was interior minister under Jebali, has asked independents to take several key portfolios, but failed to bring additional secular parties into the Ennahda-led coalition. | Larayedh, who was interior minister under Jebali, has asked independents to take several key portfolios, but failed to bring additional secular parties into the Ennahda-led coalition. |
The political crisis has delayed talks with the International Monetary Fund on a $1.78bn loan. | The political crisis has delayed talks with the International Monetary Fund on a $1.78bn loan. |
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