Tunisia political crisis deepens after assassination
BBC News online - 7 February 2013
BBC's Sihem Hassaini: "We can see a lot of police in downtown Tunis barricading protesters"
Tunisia's political crisis is deepening after the assassination of a leading opposition leader earlier this week.
But the ruling Islamist party Ennahda rejected the move, saying Hamadi Jebali "did not ask the opinion of his party".
Meanwhile, police have fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Tunis and in the central town of Gafsa, reports say.
The Gafsa demonstrators, who were observing a symbolic funeral for Chokri Belaid, rallied outside the governor's office, throwing stones and petrol bombs at the police.
Analysis
Protesters in central Tunis are voicing their anger at the assassination of the opposition leader Chokri Belaid by chanting: "Bread and water and no Ghannouchi" - a reference to Rachid Ghannouchi, the leader of the governing Ennahda party. It is an echo of the slogan from the uprising two years ago that ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali: "Bread and water and no Ben Ali".
Their fury stems from the massive disappointment many feel towards the moderate Islamist party after it was elected in October 2011. Its critics say it has failed to find the young jobs, write a new constitution, compensate injured revolutionaries and handle growing insecurity.
Ultra-conservative Salafist groups have been blamed for some of the violence - targeting alcohol sellers, attacking Sufi shrines and harassing opposition rallies. But the detention without charge of some Salafists since September has infuriated them too, and like most Tunisians they feel let down by the justice system.
With instability growing, the tourists are opting for Morocco instead of Tunisia's Mediterranean beaches, further hindering the recovery.
In a separate development,
lawyers and judges across Tunisia have reportedly launched a two-day
strike in response to Wednesday's killing.
The country's largest trade union, the General Union of Tunisian Workers, called a general strike for Friday.
Reacting to the escalating crisis, France said it would close its schools in the capital Tunis on Friday and Saturday.
Mr Belaid's killing has brought to a new pitch a long-simmering political crisis in Tunisia, with secularists and liberals accusing the Islamists of amassing too much power, the BBC's Sebastian Usher says.
Ennahda denies opposition claims that it was behind the assassination in Tunis.
'Many enemies'
"We in Ennahda believe Tunisia needs a political government now," party Vice-President Abdelhamid Jelassi said on Thursday.
"We will continue discussions with others parties about forming a coalition government," he added.
Chokri Belaid's funeral will be held on Friday, his family saysLate on Wednesday, Mr Jebali said he would dismiss the current cabinet and form a government of "competent nationals without political affiliation".
The new ministers would have a mandate "limited to managing the affairs of the country until elections are held in the shortest possible time", the prime minister said in a nationally televised address.
The killing of Mr Belaid - the first political assassination in Tunisia since the Arab Spring uprising in 2011 - sparked angry protests across Tunisia.
Tunisia in the Arab Spring
- Dec 2010: Trader Mohammad Bouazizi sets himself on fire in Sidi Bouzid, sparking anti-government protests, and later dies
- Jan 2011: Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali stands down as president after escalating protests and clashes
- March 2011: New technocratic government announced by interim president
- Oct 2011: Tunisians vote in first elections of Arab Spring
- Dec 2011: Ex-dissident Moncef Marzouki chosen as president, with Ennahada's Hamadi Jebali as PM
- May 2012: Salafi Islamists clash with police amid a row over alcohol sales
- June 2012: Mr Ben Ali is sentenced to life in prison over the killing of protesters in the 2011 revolution. Saudi Arabia refuses extradition
- Feb 2013: Opposition politician Chokri Belaid shot dead; PM announces plans for technocratic government, a move rejected by Ennahada.
He was shot dead at close range on his way to work. The attacker fled on the back of a motorcycle.
Thousands of people later rallied outside the interior
ministry, many chanting slogans urging the government to stand down and
calling for a new revolution.In the centre of Tunis, a police officer was killed during clashes between police and opposition supporters protesting against Mr Belaid's death.
Mr Belaid was a respected human rights lawyer, and a left-wing secular opponent of the government which took power after the overthrow of long-serving ruler Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.
Current President Moncef Marzouki said the assassination should not affect Tunisia's revolution.
"There are many enemies of our peaceful revolution. And they're determined to ensure it fails," he said.
Referring to Mr Belaid as a "longstanding friend", he said his "hateful assassination" was a threat.
"This is a letter being sent to us that we will refuse to open," the president said.
Mr Marzouki also announced that he was cutting short a visit to France and cancelling a trip to Egypt to return home to deal with the crisis.
Labels: Conflict, Crisis Politics, Islamism, Revolution, Tunisia
posted by Pieface @ Thursday, February 07, 2013
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