Protests mark Tunisian revolution's sixth anniversary

[Zarvan]

Tunisia on Saturday marked the sixth anniversary of the fall of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali without fanfare [Zoubeir Souissi/Reuters]


Several protests over jobs have been staged in several Tunisian towns and the presidential convoy was stoned by demonstrators, on the sixth anniversary of the north African country's revolution.

Protests erupted in Sidi Bouzid, Meknassi and Gafsa, where Essebsi visited to mark the 2011 uprising that ousted autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

In Gafsa, angry youths protested against Essebsi's visit, throwing stones and blocking the road. Local media and residents said the president's convoy was forced to change its route before he left by air.


In Sidi Bouzid, the cradle of the Tunisian revolution sparked by the death of a street vendor protesting against official corruption and abuses, hundreds demonstrated in front of the local governorate, making the same demands as six years ago.



Six years ago, protests in Tunisia led to the fall of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the country's ruler for 23 years. Today the country marks the anniversary with little fanfare, after official recognition of failure on the economic and social fronts.

Prime Minister Youssef Chahed acknowledged on national television on Friday night that authorities had so far failed to address the grievances of the Tunisian people that had fuelled the 2011 revolution.

"Today, we are not achieving this [democracy] because unemployment and social inequalities have increased," Chahed said.

Protests return to Tunisia as trading route is closed


There's a huge gap between the government and youth in the country, Malek Tazdaghli, a computer scientist, told Al Jazeera.

"The government doesn't understand the number of unemployed and the widespread depression caused by lack of jobs," Tazdaghli said.

"For instance, in 2008 there was zero unemployment in the tech sector, now there isn't a field where people can easily find jobs."

Six years after that revolt, Tunisia is hailed as a model of democratic transition, but rural central and southern regions remain flashpoints for rioting in marginalised towns where many young Tunisians see little economic opportunity or progress.

"The revolution in itself is a big win, we can't ever ignore that, but people can't even afford food," Imen Dridi, who lives in the capital Tunis, told Al Jazeera.

Taoufik Selmi, a resident of Sidi Bouzid, told Al Jazeera that food was unaffordable, and the recent cold weather had led to several deaths in the city.

"We haven't seen any change here since the revolution," Selmi said. "We might be free of oppression now, but we're hungry and cold."



In Meknassi, close to Sidi Bouzid, a general strike has been declared in protest at a lack of development.

President Essebsi on Saturday announced a package of new projects during a visit to the central province of Gafsa.

According to Nessma, a private television channel, however, security forces fired tear gas to disperse protesters hurling stones at Essebsi's convoy.

Tunisian authorities have struggled to restore the economy and reduce youth unemployment -- particularly among new graduates -- over the past six years.

In January 2016, the government imposed a nationwide night time curfew after Tunisia witnessed some of its worst social unrest since the revolution.

READ MORE: Revealing Tunisia's corruption under Ben Ali

Anger erupted after the death of a 28-year-old unemployed man who was electrocuted when he climbed a power pole while protesting in the central town of Kasserine.

That unrest had echoes of the public anger after the death of a young fruit seller who set himself on fire in Sidi Bouzid in December 2010 in protest at unemployment and police harassment.

"If it continues down this path, with people not finding the money to buy food, then the country could erupt again," said Dridi.

Mohammed Dhifallah, a university professor and analyst, described the situation as normal given the transitional period which the country is undergoing.

"One could say the economic fallout is what happens when a new system tries to takeover and eradicate the old corrupt system. The cleanup takes time, but it will hopefully get better and things will pick up."

Tunisia tackles unemployment amid charges of corruption


Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/...lution-sixth-anniversary-170114203028731.html

 

[Saif al-Arab]

The "Arab Spring" is yet to end and it is almost inevitable that another will arrive within 5 years if not sooner.

As long as key issues such as corruption, nepotism, unemployment, lack of development, inequality and neglect are not tackled by the regimes in power they are just prolonging the inevitable.

Eventually the masses will take charge and solve those problems but if the regimes in power want to prolong their rule, they should combat those issues and similar ones honestly and quick otherwise they can and will end up as previous dictators did and others will do in the near future.

Anyway Tunisia was one of the few success stories actually which should be praised.

 

[HannibalBarca]

BS as always thanks Aljazeera ....
Well unumployement is here yes. but it's not different than before Ben Ali, the country is restructuring himself, nothing change in few years. Administration + education+infrastructure are being redo, since the past dictator bastard kept the money in his pocket.
And about the rise in food prices, it's nearly back to normal, since there is a state price per items imposed since last year, with more controls on sellers.
About death bc of cold weather, this guy is bullshiting, only one little girls died from cold in rural area.

The problem with a part of the population, is that they are asking to much on the state, while doing nothing to help it. a great part of them are unskilled and still they are picky on the type of job. the same that are unumployed today, were unumployed yesterday. and stupidity among student is mindblowing, the gov is telling them to not choose this type of branch bc it's full on the job market, and still they jump on it... and then they complain about no available jobs... .

 

[Saif al-Arab]

BS as always thanks Aljazeera ....
Well unumployement is here yes. but it's not different than before Ben Ali, the country is restructuring himself, nothing change in few years. Administration + education+infrastructure are being redo, since the past dictator bastard kept the money in his pocket.
And about the rise in food prices, it's nearly back to normal, since there is a state price per items imposed since last year, with more controls on sellers.
About death bc of cold weather, this guy is bullshiting, only one little girls died from cold in rural area.

The problem with a part of the population, is that they are asking to much on the state, while doing nothing to help it. a great part of them are unskilled and still they are picky on the type of job. the same that are unumployed today, were unumployed yesterday. and stupidity among student is mindblowing, the gov is telling them to not choose this type of branch bc it's full on the job market, and still they jump on it... and then they complain about no available jobs... .

Have things in Tunisia really improved drastically since 2011 or only on paper?

 

[HannibalBarca]

Have things in Tunisia really improved drastically since 2011 or only on paper?

Yes improved a lot. but need at least another 5-6 years to begin a good grow. Near 2020-23 Tunisia will finish almost all of his new infrastucture ( 3 deep water ports/Open sky/ railroad btw north-south / highways N-S and E-W/ almost 3 new cities will rise(finance/trade...) ) and Tunisia will be back on biz. we just hope libya will not fall in civil war again.... We have almost 1Mil libyans in our country.

And most important thing, it's tunisia 2020 project will kick in.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Yes improved a lot. but need at least another 5-6 years to begin a good grow. Near 2020-23 Tunisia will finish almost all of his new infrastucture ( 3 deep water ports/Open sky/ railroad btw north-south / highways N-S and E-W/ almost 3 new cities will rise(finance/trade...) ) and Tunisia will be back on biz. we just hope libya will not fall in civil war again.... We have almost 1Mil libyans in our country.

And most important thing, it's tunisia 2020 project will kick in.

Great to hear. I wish all the best for our brothers and sisters in Tunisia.

Personally I consider Tunisia one of the few success stories "post Arab Spring" and I believe that the "Tunisian model" should be emulated by other Arab states.

 

[Kuwaiti Girl]

Tunisia is the only Muslim-majority country in the MENA region and Greater Middle East that's considered to be a "full democracy" as well as a "free country":

This is a massive achievement, in my opinion.

Hopefully the Tunisian people preserve and build upon what they have managed to achieve and not end up like Turkey.

 

[HannibalBarca]

Great to hear. I wish all the best for our brothers and sisters in Tunisia.

Personally I consider Tunisia one of the few success stories "post Arab Spring" and I believe that the "Tunisian model" should be emulated by other Arab states.

It should be emulated, but I don't think it will be possible. The other arab countries were not ready for a revolution, bc Tunisia story is different, the country always had a sense of freedom, that others didn't have And the main difference is that tunisian ppl are highly educated since bourguiba, so for almost 60 years education was promoted has a succes road. Tunisia is one of the most educated country in the region. Unemployement per exemple touch around 40% of ppl with a degree. Those who marched during the revolution in Tunis was laywers/student/teachers/state workers etc... .

And the second condition for Tunisia successfull revolution, is that our country was a police state and not an army one. so ... Ben ali got only limited action.

To be honest, today in tunisia, there is too much freedom, even in france , the press could not say and do the same thing has here. The press became even stronger than the state himself. Too much freedom can destroy it...

Tunisia is the only Muslim-majority country in the MENA region and Greater Middle East that's considered to be a "full democracy" as well as a "free country":

This is a massive achievement, in my opinion.

Hopefully the Tunisian people preserve and build upon what they have managed to achieve and not end up like Turkey.

It will be difficult to end like turkey, since we already tasted a similar party and his ruling with Ennahda, and they failed and get kicked out. Tunisia is a small country 11Mil. You can topple the state by filling the main road of the capital... like we did with Ben ali/ Ennahda and the Troika... Better than any destitution law around the world...

 

[Kuwaiti Girl]

It should be emulated, but I don't think it will be possible. The other arab countries were not ready for a revolution, bc Tunisia story is different, the country always had a sense of freedom, that others didn't have And the main difference is that tunisian ppl are highly educated since bourguiba, so for almost 60 years education was promoted has a succes road. Tunisia is one of the most educated country in the region. Unemployement per exemple touch around 40% of ppl with a degree. Those who marched during the revolution in Tunis was laywers/student/teachers/state workers etc... .

And the second condition for Tunisia successfull revolution, is that our country was a police state and not an army one. so ... Ben ali got only limited action.

To be honest, today in tunisia, there is too much freedom, even in france , the press could not say and do the same thing has here. The press became even stronger than the state himself. Too much freedom can destroy it...



It will be difficult to end like turkey, since we already tasted a similar party and his ruling with Ennahda, and they failed and get kicked out. Tunisia is a small country 11Mil. You can topple the state by filling the main road of the capital... like we did with Ben ali/ Ennahda and the Troika... Better than any destitution law around the world...

Can I please migrate to Tunisia?

 

[HannibalBarca]

Can I please migrate to Tunisia?

Your Welcome to visit or/and live in
But u gonna need to work on our arab dialect... a bit