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Violence, chaos continue in Tunisian capital
Sunday January 16, 2011 06:06:12 PM,
DPA
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Tunis/Paris: Violence
and chaos continued Sunday in the Tunisian capital Tunis,
according to eyewitness reports in the ongoing turmoil despite the
end to the 23-year autocratic presidency of Zine el-Abidine ben
Ali.
As the overnight looting and sound of gunfire continued,
eyewitnesses spoke of an extremely tense atmosphere. Tanks were
seen patrolling through the streets Sunday morning.
A German-Tunisian national told DPA that as he was on his way to
Tunis airport, "we were stopped five times by soldiers." The man's
wife added: "I was totally frightened."
The tensions continued barely 48 hours after the tumultuous events
Friday when a state of emergency was declared, followed by Ben Ali
fleeing to Saudi Arabia.
In the immediate aftermath, Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi took
over as interim president. But that move was a violation of the
constitution, which stipulates that the speaker of parliament is
the next in line of succession.
On Saturday, 77-year-old speaker of parliament Foued Mbazaa was
sworn in as interim president after being appointed by the
Constitutional Council.
Mbazaa instructed Ghannouchi to propose a unity government with
ruling party and opposition members to govern until the next
elections, which must be held within 60 days, according to the
constitution.
The opposition, which was neutered under Ben Ali's rule, has been
demanding to play a part in running the country, saying the
current administration is corrupt and tainted by the police
killing dozens of demonstrators.
Tunisia's political turmoil followed a month of unrest which was
initially triggered in mid-December when a young unemployed man
burned himself to death in a public protest against Tunisia's
bleak employment and economic picture.
That act sparked further street demonstrations in Tunis and in
cities elsewhere around the country, with the government
responding with harsh measures, sending in riot police to shoot
protesters, in turn fuelling further protests.
A day before Ben Ali fled, reports had put the number of deaths in
the violence at over 60, while thousands of Tunisians continued to
take to the streets to protest the killings.
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