Tunisians celebrate 1st anniversary of forcing dictator Ben Ali to run away
Special to USAfricaonline.com:
Hundreds of Tunisians have turned out in central Tunis to demand jobs and dignity as the north African country marked a year to the day since its despot Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled into exile.
“Work, freedom and dignity,” “Work is a right,” “Tunisians rise up” and “We will continue the fight” were among the slogans chanted by demonstrators brandishing banners on the avenue which was the epicentre of the popular uprising that gave birth to the Arab Spring.
“We made this revolution against the dictatorship to impose our right to a dignified life and not to help certain opportunists realise their political ambitions,” 33-year-old Salem Zitouni told AFP.
Other demonstrators, wearing the red and white of the national flag, called for recognition of the “martyrs” killed during the weeks of unrest before Ben Ali was toppled.
“We are faithful to the blood of the martyrs” and “We will never forget our martyrs,” their banners read.
Pride of place was given to the memory of Mohamed Bouazizi, the 26-year-old vegetable seller from the central town of Sidi Bouzid, whose desperate act in setting fire to himself was the trigger of the revolt.
Tunisia’s revolution, which culminated in a peaceful election in October, inspired reform movements that felled long-standing autocrats Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and Muammar Gaddafi in Libya.
Leaders from Tunisia’s neighbours as well as other Arab countries were expected to take part in anniversary celebrations over the weekend.
Among the most prominent guests Tunisia’s democratically elected leaders will host on Saturday, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika — who was a minister in his country’s first post-independence government half a century ago — has so far weathered growing social discontent.
The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, seen as one of the main sponsors of the Arab Spring, is also expected in the Tunisian capital.
Foreign Minister Saad-Eddine El Othmani will represent Morocco, where King Mohamed VI introduced reforms curbing his near absolute powers to nip growing Tunisian-inspired street protests in the bud.
The head of Libya’s new National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, was expected for the celebrations, for which no detailed program has been issued.
Weeks after Ben Ali hurriedly flew out of Tunisia, a rebellion started in neighbouring Libya, eventually toppling Gaddafi’s regime.
Ben Ali has been convicted of economic and other crimes by Tunisian courts and was granted exile in Saudi Arabia after his plane was denied permission to land in France.
According to the new authorities in Tunisia, Saudi Arabia has twice ignored extradition requests for Ben Ali, who faces an avalanche of trials if he returns.
Tunisia’s Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, of the Islamist Ennahda party, has been officially invited to visit Saudi Arabia.
Among the problems that remain to be solved by the new authorities are soaring unemployment of 19 per cent nationally — up to 50 per cent in certain inland areas overlooked for investment in the past — and widespread social discontent.
Corruption also remains a challenge, with Transparency International downgrading the country from 59th to 73rd place out of 183 countries on its corruption list amid fears that former regime officials have blended into the new political landscape.
Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki will pardon more than 1,000 prisoners on Saturday’s anniversary.
Priority will be given to aged people and adolescents, the justice ministry said, adding that some other detainees will benefit from conditional release and reduced sentences. ref: ninemsn/au
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Nigeria’s Federal Republic of Insecurity. By Chido Nwangwu, Publisher of USAfrica, USAfricaonline.com and the Nigeria360 e-group. https://usafricaonline.com/2011/12/17/nigeria-federal-republic-of-insecurity-by-chido-nwangwu/ : IF any of the Nigerian President’s 100 advisers has the polite courage for the extraordinary task of reminding His Excellency of his foremost, sworn, constitutional obligation to the national interest about security and safety of Nigerians and all who sojourn in Nigeria, please whisper clearly to Mr. President that I said, respectfully: Nigerians, at home and abroad, are still concerned and afraid for living in what I call Nigeria’s Federal Republic of Insecurity. FULL text of commentary at USAfricaonline.com https://usafricaonline.com/2011/12/17/nigeria-federal-republic-of-insecurity-by-chido-nwangwu/
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