TUNIS - Five people were killed in the clashes taking place in Tunisia between demonstrators and security forces, according to Al Jazeera television and the envoys of the news agencies. The victims, including a university professor, were killed with blows of a firearm during the incidents between protesters and police, under way in several cities.In the evening, a witness speaks of a dead man in Hammamet: Reportedly killed by police a boy of 27 years. A sign of how the insurgency - including repression - is spreading. In Tunis, in the afternoon hundreds of young people shouting slogans against the regime on the square of the Gate of France tried to advance toward the avenue Habib Bourguiba, but security forces have blocked their way by throwing tear gas.
The five deaths today are in addition to dozens of previous days, since the beginning of the uprising of the people, exhausted by the crisis. The Tunisian President Ben Ali is trying to meet the people in revolt: it ordered the release of all those detained following the unrest of recent days, said at a press conference the Tunisian Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi.
In addition, the Tunisian president has announced the appointment of a new interior minister, Ahmed Fraa, academic and former secretary, and also has established the creation of a special commission to investigate corruption and behavior of public officials. The European Union has, however, condemned the "disproportionate" use of force by police during the protests that follow each week in Tunisia.
"Deep concern" for "news related to excessive use of the Tunisian government to force" was also manifested by Mark Toner, spokesman for the U.S. State Department. Already in the early morning armed troops were deployed in strategic points of Tunis, on the night after clashes between demonstrators and police in riot gear were also raging in the capital of Tunisia, where for weeks in the course of the intifada bread.
Eye witnesses said, including journalists' sources at the scene. The soldiers, equipped with light armored vehicles, in particular, took position around the headquarters of state television. According to reports in several Egyptian sites, there is the possibility that the military face a coup to depose President Zin El Abidin Ben Ali, after he removed the chief of staff, Gen.
Rashid Bin Ammar. Meanwhile, the Libyan government has abolished all taxes which affect the price of food for sale in the country. According to reports from the Arabic television 'Al-Jazeera', the government has decided to take a drastic measure to stop the rising cost of living and to avoid protests by citizens like those that erupted in Tunisia and Algeria.
Eliminate all taxes on foodstuffs imported from abroad but also on local products. The measure includes barley, rice, wheat, pasta, sugar, oil and milk. In addition, the Libyan government has asked banks in the country to increase funding for families, both in terms of the loans as personal loans.
Tunisia paralyzed by strikes. After the demonstrations against high prices and unemployment figures and the violence of recent days in Tunisia, trade unions and opposition groups have decided to give birth to a barrage of strikes that will affect the whole country. According to reports from the Arabic television 'Al-Jazeera', was proclaimed a general strike today in the cities of Sfax and Kasseri decided Tunisian General Labour Union.
A similar strike is planned for tomorrow and at Kairouan Jendouba in the capital while the protest is scheduled for next Friday. Unions have called for the creation of a commission of inquiry to ascertain the truth about the repression of demonstrations in recent days and some episodes in which the police would open fire on demonstrators.
They also ask that the army units deployed by the government to withdraw immediately from the cities. Yesterday in fact there were four more deaths in clashes in Kasserine, while in the late evening the protest and the violence came to the outskirts of Tunis, where hundreds of artists and intellectuals attempted to stage a protest outside the theater before the municipal Police who uploaded them.
Attacked a crew of TG3. A troupe of TG3 was attacked today in Tunis a few protesters, as he was documenting the ongoing protests in the city center. "My colleagues were taken to the streets - they explain by the editors of TG3 - to follow one of the manifestations, then dispersed by police with tear gas, when they were attacked by a group of people not in uniform.
Claudio Rubino was shot and the camera was torn, Maria Cuffaro has been pushed to the ground, but both were able to return to the hotel. There seems to be nothing serious, even if they are now at rest because of shock. " The two journalists were immediately alerted the Italian embassy of the incident.
"I also managed to get back to the camera, although it seems to be broken," concluded the editorial. Curfew in the capital. The Tunisian government has declared a curfew in Tunis from 20 to 6 am on January 13. Bloggers: "We will give the police jasmine." The movement of the Tunisian blogger has decided to distribute jasmine police, asking them to protect the protesters and not to attack them.
Said the blogger Zied El Heni, adding that soon will be decided on the day of this initiative. "The idea started by my colleague Mahmoud Laroussi, who also works the opposition newspaper Attariq Aljadid - said El Heni - who proposed to distribute roses. But I have suggested, even though we are in winter jasmine to distribute, as we are 'the Land of the jasmine.
" Hence the decision to characterize the meantime, the movement of social protest in recent weeks, in which even the counter-blogger of information is playing an important role, as the revolt of jasmine.
No comments:
Post a Comment