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Hax
01-15-2011, 02:15
Tunisia in turmoil as President flees from the anger of the dispossessed Tourists evacuated and state of emergency declared as one of North Africa's longest-standing regimes falls to popular protest
By Charlotte McDonald-Gibson

Tunisia's president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali fled the country yesterday after sacking his government and declaring a state of emergency, as a month of violent protests that escalated to pitched street battles appeared to have ended his iron-fisted 23-year rule.
As the military shut down Tunisian airspace and reports suggested that Mr Ben Ali, 74, had flown out of the capital, Tunis, the Prime Minister, Mohamed Ghannouchi, addressed the nation, saying he had taken over and vowing to restore stability after the biggest protests the government had faced in decades. "Since the President is temporarily unable to exercise his duties, it has been decided that the Prime Minister will exercise temporarily these duties," he said. There were conflicting reports of Mr Ben Ali's whereabouts last night, with Reuters reporting that French police had been told to expect him to land at an airport near Paris.
Thousands of people protesting against unemployment, corruption and political repression had filled the streets of Tunis and crowded on rooftops, shouting "Ben Ali, assassin!" and "Ben Ali, out!" Police fired tear gas at groups of stone-throwing youths who tried to enter the Interior Ministry, and witnesses reported hearing gunshots. British tourists were urged to leave the country.



The official news agency TAP had reported earlier that parliamentary elections would be held within six months, while state television announced emergency rule, which included an overnight curfew and threats of force against anyone violating the restrictions.
"This state of emergency means that any gathering of more than three people is forbidden and that arms will be used by security forces in cases where a suspect does not stop when asked to do so by the police," the state television report said.
Dozens of people have been killed in the protests, which began in December after Mohamed Bouazizi, 26, set himself ablaze in the town of Sidi Bouzid. A university graduate forced to sell vegetables on the street because of crippling unemployment, Bouazizi made his final desperate protest after police confiscated his food cart.
News of Bouazizi's self-immolation spread through Twitter and Facebook, and, by the time he died of his burns nearly three weeks later, protests had mushroomed throughout the North African nation. This week, the unrest reached the government's doorstep in the capital, and they responded by deploying the military and sending police armed with tear gas and live ammunition. Tunis descended into scenes of smoke, gunfire and chaos once again yesterday, with TV images showing police beating protesters on the streets.
"A bus came with police in it and they started firing tear gas. Women, children and everyone fled," Emen Binmluka, 21, told Reuters news agency.
The government said 23 people have died in the protests, but opposition parties and human rights groups put the figure as high as 66. On Thursday night alone, 12 people were killed, Tunisian medical officials reported.
A spokesman for Thomas Cook said that 1,800 British and Irish holidaymakers would be flown out yesterday, following Foreign Office advice against non-essential travel. The tour operators Thomson and First Choice said they were monitoring the situation.
The demonstrations had spread to the tourist hub of Hammamet, a chic Mediterranean resort where many of Mr Ben Ali's allies keep summer homes.
Mr Ben Ali had made an emotional televised address on Thursday night, vowing to step aside in 2014 and ordering staple food prices be slashed. But the measures did not stem the anger aimed squarely at the authoritarian leader, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1987. He was re-elected for a fifth five-year term in 2009, but the vote was widely criticised as neither free nor fair.
During his rule, unemployment has soared and the media have been strictly censored. His regime is accused of harassment of critics and arbitrary arrest, often in the name of cracking down on Islamist extremist groups. Official figures put unemployment at 14 per cent, but the real figure is thought to be much higher. Analysts say the challenge now is finding viable new leaders for Tunisia. "Now is the critical time – there is no clear candidate or person who can take over," said Rasha Moumneh, Middle East and North Africa researcher for Human Rights Watch.
Neighbouring Algeria has also been hit by unrest, with two people killed and hundreds injured in a wave of rioting last week sparked by high food prices.
Profile: Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali
*The inglorious end of Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali's presidency comes 23 years after he was first declared head of the state in Tunisia, when doctors decided his predecessor, Habib Bourguiba, was unfit to govern.
Few international observers believe the transfer of power was anything other than a power grab by the then Prime Minister, who, like many an African leader before him, has devoted much of his time in office to career preservation – three election victories where he won more than 99 per cent of the vote are testament to that.
Supporters claim that Mr Ben Ali's presidency has left Tunisia in a stronger position than its neighbours in the Maghreb: Tunisia draws in more tourists than they do, while Mr Ben Ali has succeeded, in the most part, in keeping Islamic militancy at bay. The exception was the huge bomb that ripped through a synagogue in the resort of Djerba in 2002, which killed 21 people.
Educated in France and the US, Mr Ben Ali was appointed head of military security in 1964 before diplomatic posts took him to Morocco, Spain and Poland. He took the presidency within weeks of becoming Prime Minister – after only a brief political career. His fall from power has been even swifter.
Alistair Dawber

source (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/tunisia-in-turmoil-as-president-flees-2185148.html)

I'll just let Keanu take this one:


http://ownd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/keanu-reeves-whoa.jpg


Could this mean something new for the Maghreb? I remember being in Tunisia several times and there were pictures of the president all over the place. I'm interested to see what way this goes, what the thoughts of the Org?

Greyblades
01-15-2011, 02:25
All right! Thats one opressive government down and, let's see, N.Korea, burma, zimbabwe, iran...

...fiji and chad, so thats 60+ countries to go.

...It's a start!

Seriously though, it sounds pretty promising. Assuming no millitary general or politician tries to fill the hole and take power in the president's absence, tunisia looks to have a promising future. Although I wouldn't be surprised if picking up the pieces will take afew years. Pity it took a man dying in a pretty horrific fasion to so much as get it started.

Fragony
01-15-2011, 10:20
Kneedeep into trouble if the president flees, gonna watch this one. Don't really know anything about Tunesia...

rory_20_uk
01-15-2011, 10:54
I hope things will get freer. But I fear that uprisings in Algeria didn't manage to allow this to happen.

~:smoking:

Cute Wolf
01-15-2011, 12:52
you should start considering moving back to tunisia and start a campaign to make you as new Tunisian President Hax!

Hax
01-15-2011, 13:25
you should start considering moving back to tunisia and start a campaign to make you as new Tunisian President Hax!

Nah, I don't have the Tunisian nationality. Perhaps I could make my way as the governatorgovernor of Sfax or some place.

Cute Wolf
01-15-2011, 13:35
Nah, I don't have the Tunisian nationality. Perhaps I could make my way as the governatorgovernor of Sfax or some place.

in that case, you should try to found new royal dynasty instead... I heard 80% of royal dynasty worldwide are foreigners, or reared in foreign ways compared to the rest of their subjects

HoreTore
01-15-2011, 13:40
The Facebook Revolution.

Will it succeed where the twitter revolution failed?

gaelic cowboy
01-15-2011, 16:06
The Facebook Revolution.

Will it succeed where the twitter revolution failed?

Ah I would say no the internet is vastly overblown as a tool against tyranny.

You will prob find later element in the present government forced him out to protect themselves

Beskar
01-15-2011, 22:38
This has been nicknamed the "Wikileaks Revolution" as it was the wikileaks of US diplomatic reports which spurred on the uprising and popular unrest.

HoreTore
01-15-2011, 22:43
Really?

I've heard it was the suicide of an unemployed young academic who was denied selling fruit by the police.

Oh, and gaelic cowboy, your statement shows a misconception of what facebook is used . It's used as a tool to organize, ie. telling people stuff like "the demonstration tonight will happen at X at nine o'clock". And its a superb tool for that purpose.

gaelic cowboy
01-15-2011, 22:50
This has been nicknamed the "Wikileaks Revolution" as it was the wikileaks of US diplomatic reports which spurred on the uprising and popular unrest.

From what I hear twas protests about unemployment which ended up turning more violent after a protester died.

News24: Tunisian man dies after protest (http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/Tunisian-man-dies-after-protest-20110105)

Aljazeera News: Tunisian protester dies of burns (http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/01/201115101926215588.html)

gaelic cowboy
01-15-2011, 22:58
Oh, and gaelic cowboy, your statement shows a misconception of what facebook is used . It's used as a tool to organize, ie. telling people stuff like "the demonstration tonight will happen at X at nine o'clock". And its a superb tool for that purpose.

Yes a tool for social networking which everyone thinks cannot not be used by autocrats to round people up.

Social media had only a small effect on the Iranian green movement far more important was good mobile phone coverage.

Louis VI the Fat
01-16-2011, 00:48
Such an encouraging development!


This could have repercussions for the entire region. It is only a matter of time now before northern Tunesia will oust its pedophile dictator Silvio! :yes:

Megas Methuselah
01-16-2011, 06:39
in that case, you should try to found new royal dynasty instead... I heard 80% of royal dynasty worldwide are foreigners, or reared in foreign ways compared to the rest of their subjects

Are you suggesting that I steal your country and your wife?

Louis VI the Fat
01-16-2011, 13:25
That reminds me of the 'gypsy king' phenomenon. Europe's underprivileged classes, especially those of minorites, are full of people completely convinced they are really royalty, based on some misunderstood history, mythologised, and mixed with outright fantasy.

Hax
01-16-2011, 13:39
That reminds me of the 'gypsy king' phenomenon. Europe's underprivileged classes, especially those of minorites, are full of people completely convinced they are really royalty, based on some misunderstood history, mythologised, and mixed with outright fantasy.

Besides, if you go back far enough, everyone is royalty.

HoreTore
01-16-2011, 13:50
That reminds me of the 'gypsy king' phenomenon. Europe's underprivileged classes, especially those of minorites, are full of people completely convinced they are really royalty, based on some misunderstood history, mythologised, and mixed with outright fantasy.

Who'd want to be one anyway?

Beskar
01-16-2011, 14:12
From what I hear twas protests about unemployment which ended up turning more violent after a protester died.

News24: Tunisian man dies after protest (http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/Tunisian-man-dies-after-protest-20110105)

Aljazeera News: Tunisian protester dies of burns (http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/01/201115101926215588.html)

Here are sources on the net which match my original source:
http://www.sify.com/news/tunisia-reformation-described-a-first-wikileaks-revolution-news-international-lbqpkceabdd.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1347336/First-Wikileaks-Revolution-Tunisia-descends-anarchy-president-flees.html
http://wikileaks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/01/13/wikileaks_and_the_tunisia_protests

HoreTore
01-16-2011, 14:27
People don't get that pissed at corruption they already knew about anyway.

But people get that pissed at unemployment and having no money. Sure, learning of the various forms of corruption the ruling family commits will add to the fire, but it started, as your links say, with unemployed young people.

Strike For The South
01-17-2011, 19:54
Will this hurt the exportation of Starkist?

gaelic cowboy
01-17-2011, 19:58
I hope not then adds like this will disappear of telly


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ycv3s7Z-I6Y

ICantSpellDawg
01-18-2011, 01:10
Tunisian revolution, Wikileaks various releases, Darrel Issa as HOGR Chairman, Sarah Palin lampooned nightly, Ricky Gervais Golden Globes, Skype, Khan Academy, Union Gouging, etc. All of this chaos has given me a semi. I'm looking forward to the rest of the new year.

Beskar
01-19-2011, 16:49
Cute Wolf with an avatar of a female, female in signature, etc. Looks like there will be opening of closets this year as well.

Fragony
01-23-2011, 16:12
Cute Wolf with an avatar of a female, female in signature, etc. Looks like there will be opening of closets this year as well.

All Asians are kinda gay didn' you know. Except Bruce Lee, he was a flaming homosensual that guy could handle sticks just thinking about them.

Anyways, this is getting interesting. Police joined the protesters, but even more interesting is that it's crossing borders. It started with someone torching himself as a protest, and it catched up in other Arab countries. Talk about flaming. Things are suddenly moving very fast, interesting times. Hats off to Gilles Kepel who understood it all the time.

Vladimir
01-25-2011, 16:43
A ray of hope: http://www.businessinsider.com/egyptian-riot-photos-2011-1#

Anti corruption protests in Egypt have turned violent, reminding everyone of Tunisia.

More than 90,000 Egyptians agreed on Facebook to turn out for a "day of revolution" to mark Police Day, a national holiday. Hundreds of thousands turned out for the protests around the country.

Then the riots turned violent in Cairo, according to the NYT:

The officers formed a moving cordon around the demonstration and there were scuffles as the officers tried to halt the march by linking arms and forming lines. One woman was injured when the officers pushed protesters against a wall near an on-ramp leading to a bridge over the River Nile. But the demonstrators quickly escaped the cordon and marched down the riverside Corniche, snarling traffic.

Now police have started firing tear gas into the crowd. We're following via tweets from local blogger @monasosh and others.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/egyptian-riot-photos-2011-1##ixzz1C3vKpFDD

Favorite pic:

Tell me how you really feel

https://img19.imageshack.us/img19/34/abriefrespiteforcalltop.jpg (https://img19.imageshack.us/i/abriefrespiteforcalltop.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (https://imageshack.us)

HoreTore
01-26-2011, 00:27
Reminds me of Bloody Sunday.

Greyblades
01-26-2011, 00:31
Oh god, I'm a terrible person; these guys are protesting for their freedom and all I can think about is the poor choice of angle the cameraman used.

Fragony
01-26-2011, 08:11
At least your first urge wasn't to kick them, I mean common don't tell me it isn't tempting

Fragony
01-28-2011, 13:43
Internet lockdown in Egypt, opposition-leaders arrested. Riots all over the Arab world. Interesting times, are the Arabs going to succeed where the Persians sadly failed, and what will it mean for us. All in all it's just another fall of the wall?

Furunculus
01-28-2011, 14:16
Reminds me of Bloody Sunday.

lol.

HoreTore
01-28-2011, 15:17
lol.

Ten bucks says you're thinking of the wrong Bloody Sunday.

Fragony
01-28-2011, 15:24
Ten bucks says you're thinking of the wrong Bloody Sunday.

Probably because you mean black september

Furunculus
01-28-2011, 15:30
Ten bucks says you're thinking of the wrong Bloody Sunday.

quite possible, i'm aware of only the one. edumacate me please.............. :)

HoreTore
01-28-2011, 15:35
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_%281905%29

This be the one I'm thinking about.

A priest leading a demonstration against oppression, who were gunned down while praying.

gaelic cowboy
01-28-2011, 16:17
Far as I know there has been about three or four Bloody Sundays two in Ireland one in Russia and prob few others.

When you think about it there have been lots of bloody sundays

Furunculus
01-28-2011, 16:27
ah, cheers Horetore.

Furunculus
01-28-2011, 16:27
Far as I know there has been about three or four Bloody Sundays two in Ireland one in Russia and prob few others.

When you think about it there have been lots of bloody sundays
it is statistically likely.

Strike For The South
01-28-2011, 17:21
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_%281905%29

This be the one I'm thinking about.

A priest leading a demonstration against oppression, who were gunned down while praying.

I thought about prom night

BA DUM TISH

Hax
01-29-2011, 01:06
And with that amusing note from Strike, let's take a look at the situation in Egypt.

I mean, what the hell is happening? It's awesome, it's incredible, it's revolutionary! Mubarak has supposedly sacked the government earlier today and will appoint a new government tomorrow, but I don't think the people are going to take it. Now, let's listen to some Bob Dylan

The times, they are a-changin'

Furunculus
01-29-2011, 01:19
you are right Hax, it is amazing, and i hope mubaraks reign of autocracy is over.

that said, i sincerely hope that whatever replaces him is less cretinous than the muslim brotherhood who blamed the church bombing on israel; "because only the zionists have an interest in a divided egypt"!

Hax
01-29-2011, 03:42
But y'know the thing is, those bombings that are commited by extremist groups? Even if the Muslim brotherhood would gain power in parliament, they'd still have to talk. They'd have to engage in open dialogue with the secularists about how the country is going to be run. Of course, both sides will have to make secessions, but I think that the bombings will sharply decrease to a point, just because of the fact that there'll finally be democracy.

Fragony
01-29-2011, 04:00
Crumble. Added benefit of the brotherhood having to change really fast. Aren't them Arabs a bunch of hotheads gotta love them, way to go.

[insert random V for Vendetta quote]

Beautifull ain't it haxie

Hax
01-29-2011, 04:14
Beautifull ain't it haxie

Come over for drinks at my house, take Tellos and Moros with you too, we can have a good laugh together. Man, I felt the Arab blood boiling in my veins earlier today.

Fragony
01-29-2011, 04:37
It's all pretty damn amazing, never be rude to an arab geez

ICantSpellDawg
01-29-2011, 16:15
FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP

Hax
01-29-2011, 23:28
FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP FAP

...

I'm starting to miss tribesman.

Greyblades
01-30-2011, 01:16
...

I'm starting to wish I was around when he was here so I could miss tribesman.

Fragony
01-30-2011, 08:14
...

I'm starting to miss tribesman.

What he means is that he likes what's happening, new to teh internetz?

Hax
01-30-2011, 21:57
Islamist leader Rachid al-Ghannouchi just came back from 20+ years of exile, apparently. Interestingly, he didn't call for an Islamic state or anything of the like, he called for democratic elections. Here are some of his political point of views:


Rashid Al-Ghannushi represents a progressive strain in Islamic reformism, and continuously stresses the need for innovation against social injustice. He underscores the importance of local culture, and an Islamist movement based in the needs of Tunisians and not in "the obscure theories of Sayyid Qutb (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayyid_Qutb)". He has sided with worker's rights (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worker%27s_rights), unionism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unionism), and women's education (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_education) and rights (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_rights), though those rights are based in Islam and not Western liberal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism) feminism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminism).[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachid_Ghannouchi#cite_note-Linda_G._Jones_1988-1)
Ghannoushi maintains that, women being one half of the Islamic community, women should have full access to education[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachid_Ghannouchi#cite_note-3) He cites oppressive cultural codes in Islamic cultures as the major force behind women's choices to turn to Western culture (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture), and believes that Islamic reform, as part of a larger reformist movement, is needed to address women's education, participation, and respect.[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachid_Ghannouchi#cite_note-report-4)

In discussions of plurality within Islamic societies, Rashid Al-Ghannushi believes that non-Muslim citizens should not be barred from positions in government, aside from the presidency and other leadership roles, setting himself against more conservative (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative) viewpoints.[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachid_Ghannouchi#cite_note-5)

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachid_Ghannouchi#cite_note-5)
On January 22, 2011, in an interview with Al Jazeera (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Jazeera) TV, Rashid Al-Ghannushi confirmed that he is against an Islamic Caliphate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Caliphate), and supports democracy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy) instead, unlike Hizb ut-Tahrir (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hizb_ut-Tahrir). (in the interview Al-Ghannushi accused Hizb ut-Tahrir (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hizb_ut-Tahrir) of exporting a distorted understanding of Islam) [7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachid_Ghannouchi#cite_note-6)


Interesting.

Fragony
01-31-2011, 01:53
A return to humanism, it's really happening. 21th century couldn't have started any better. There suddenly is a lot to be optimistic about. It isn't particularly flattering how he sees western values, nobody is forcing anybody into anything, but I'm not that easily offended.

salaam mia muca's