"Reforms promised in Tunisia, but protesters aren’t appeased; Calls to banish ruling party point to troubles ahead" by Bouazza Ben Bouazza, Associated Press / January 18, 2011
TUNIS — Tunisia took a step toward democracy and reconciliation yesterday, promising to free political prisoners and opening its government to opposition forces long shut out of power, but the old guard retained the key posts, angering protesters.
Demonstrators carrying signs reading “Get Out!’’ demanded that the former ruling party be banished, a sign more troubles lie ahead for the new unity government....
My reading on this is that the globe-kickers thought they would chase away the president and then install some underlings -- and the people are not cooperating.
“We’re afraid that the president has left, but the powers-that-be remain,’’ said Hylel Belhassen, 51, an insurance salesman.
Even before the new government was announced yesterday, security forces fired tear gas to repel demonstrators who see the change of power as Tunisia’s first real chance at democracy....
The government said yesterday that 78 civilians have died in the month of unrest, an announcement that underlined the depth of the violence in the usually placid Mediterranean tourist destination....
Nearby nations faced a wave of self-immolation attempts yesterday, apparently influenced by the desperate Tunisian man who set himself on fire a month ago, sparking the protests that brought his president down.
In Tunisia, hundreds of stranded tourists were still being evacuated from the country, and foreign airlines gradually resumed flights that were halted when Tunisian airspace closed amid the upheaval....
Streets of the capital appeared calmer yesterday but police were posted on most corners in downtown Tunis, with busloads of forces waiting to deploy along some streets. Most shops remained shut.
Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi offered a number of concessions to try to appease Ben Ali’s critics, while maintaining the ruling party’s dominance of government and public posts around the country.
Remember, the military has sided with the interim government.
Ghannouchi, a longtime Ben Ali ally who has been premier since 1999, retained his post, as did the ministers of defense, interior, and foreign affairs.
Three opposition figures, including Nejib Chebbi, a founder of the opposition PDP party, will take up posts in the new government. More significantly, Ghannouchi pledged such measures as freeing political prisoners and lifting restrictions on a leading human rights group, the Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights. He said the government would create three state commissions to study political reform, investigate corruption and bribery, and examine abuses during the recent upheaval.
Get out the whitewash!
At least one union leader said the changes were not enough and predicted protests would continue until all ruling party figures had been swept from power. The RCD “left by the back door and is coming back through the window,’’ said Habib Jerjir of the Regional Workers’ Union of Tunis.
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Related: Tunisians in Boston rally for a better nation
Cisco latest firm to suspend Tunisia operations
And who else in the Arab world should be worried about a coup attempt?
"Fiery protests against Arab regimes grow" by Associated Press / January 18, 2011
CAIRO — Protesters set themselves on fire in Egypt, Mauritania, and Algeria yesterday in apparent copycat self-immolation attempts inspired by the act that helped trigger a popular uprising in Tunisia.
The incidents, while isolated, reflect the growing despair among the citizens of many Arab regimes resisting reform.
And pretty much anywhere else in the world.
They are deeply symbolic means of protest in a region that has little or no tolerance for dissent....
AmeriKa's political culture and 9/11.
Ben Ali ruled with an iron fist for 23 years, time spent in the company of similarly authoritarian Arab world rulers like Libya’s Moammar Khadafy, in power since 1969, Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, in office since 1981, and Yemen’s Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has ruled that impoverished nation since he seized power more than 30 years ago.
Okay, you SEE WHO is on the REGIME CHANGE AGENDA, no?
The stunning collapse of the Tunisian leader drew a litany of calls for change elsewhere in the Arab world, but activists faced the reality of vast security forces heavily vested in the status quo and hard-line regimes that crack down on dissent....
What government doesn't?
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Update: US evacuates citizens from Tunisia
Not going the way we planned, huh?
Ever notice everything USrael puts its hand to these days turns to s***?
