Riots in Tunisia: Clinton warns Arabia

The anger of the demonstrators in Tunisia can not be tamed, thousands have been days on the road. U.S. Secretary of State Clinton shows understanding for the angry young people and criticized Arab governments - in an unusually sharp tone. Doha - Thousands walk in Tunisia against President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali on the barricades, dozens have died in the riots.

Now U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke up and criticized the Arab leaders sharp. "The people of the corruption in the authorities and in the rigid political systems have had enough. They demand more effective reform and opening," she said to the participants of the conference "Forum for the Future" in the Qatari capital Doha.


In the Arab States currently one in five young people was unemployed. In some countries, youth unemployment is even much higher, she added. To solve this problem, fundamental political and economic reforms are necessary. These reforms could not be enforced from outside but must come from within.

Clinton urged the Arab leaders, moreover, non-governmental organizations do not treat more as a security risk, but to accept them as partners. Year to date there have been violent protests in several Arab states. In Algeria, the people came to protest against high food prices on the street.

In Tunisia, the security forces shoot for days on demonstrators protesting against high unemployment and destroying public property. The death toll in the bloody riots on Wednesday has risen further. At least six people died in violent incidents, according to new witnesses killed. A 25-year-old was hit in the center of the capital Tunis by a bullet in his head.

A total of at least 66 deaths were reported from more victims and Tataouine Douz in the south of the country - in Douz, therefore, five people died in protests. Among the victims according to French media reports, a Franco-Tunisian University Lecturer, the holiday is made in his homeland.

In the town of Sidi Bouzid, about 10,000 people took to the streets and demanded the resignation of President Ben Ali. In overall terms, the ongoing unrest in weeks, according to the French human rights group FIDH today, at least 66 people were killed. The riots were like a continuous "massacre." On Tuesday the alliance had spoken of 35 dead since the weekend, the government was to last 21 dead.

In Tunis, the situation after riots the night before tense. On Thursday morning, but it was initially remained calm, residents reported. In several poor districts, it was in the evening, despite a curfew came back to protests against President Ben Ali, who is blamed for high unemployment, corruption and police violence.

So far, no restrictions on tourists, the army has retreated to the violent protests in the Tunisian Hauptstadtderweil revealed. Instead, special police forces were stationed in the relatively bustling center as a journalist from the news agency reported. Task forces of police were on the armored vehicles from the Army before central locations and transport nodes.

Only in one place in the city center first two military vehicles were seen with armed soldiers. Tunisia for tourists, there are estimated by the German Travel Federation (DRV) has so far no restrictions. were also not have higher cancellation requests have been found, said association spokesman Torsten Schäfer in Berlin.

"The tourist areas are far away from the clashes. Also present is low season," said Schaefer. He estimated the number of guests of German tour operators in Tunisia at present to less than 5000 Taken as a whole year there are around 480,000, according to DRV. Also planned trips would find more normal place, said Schaefer.

Already on Monday had the Foreign Office (AA) reported that currently there would be no increased risk to visitors. The riots were domestic political reasons and is not directed against Western tourists, said the spokesman for the AA.

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