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Behind Tunisia Unrest, Rage Over Wealth of Ruling Family

Kandahar

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HAMMAMET, Tunisia — The police on Thursday all but abandoned this exclusive Mediterranean beach town — haven to the capital’s rich and powerful — as rioters calling for the ouster of Tunisia’s authoritarian president swarmed the streets, torched bank offices and ransacked a mansion belonging to one of his relatives.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/14/world/africa/14tunisia.html?_r=1

It looks like the oppressive and brutal regime of Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali is finally getting what it deserves. And unlike in other countries that seemed primed for revolution, the protesters actually seem to be winning.
 
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Re: Tunisian Rioters Overwhelm Police Near Capital

This is good news. I've been to Tunis, beautiful city.

Here's the problem though, revolutions sometimes falter, in the way that, sure they could over throw the government, but who's to say whatever government takes their place isn't just as repressive. Especially since you'll be turning many years of status quo on its head over night, which sometimes leads to repression even after a revolution has occured.

The issue also will be how will a new government be formed, should the rioters win? Will it take the form of an Islamic Republic. If so, would that not take a repressive nature as well?

Anyway. This is all wild speculation and theory.

VIVA LA REVOLUTION!
 
State of emergency declared in Tunisia - Government dissolved

It was less than 24 hours ago that Tunisia's President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali appeared on national televison in response to weeks of protests in the country.

The president announced that he would not be standing for re-election in 2014 in a bid to appease those angry at the apparent lack of political freedom in the country as well as high unemployment levels.

But today the capital once again saw confrontation between the police and demonstrators calling for the president to go.

There have now been further dramatic developments. BBC's Adam Mynott reports from Tunis.
BBC World Service - Africa - State of emergency declared in Tunisia

Woohoo. Go Tunisia's people. But please don't turn into a military dictatorship which may happen
 
Re: State of emergency declared in Tunisia - Government dissolved

PM replaces Tunisia president

Tunisia's long-standing president has left the country amid violent protests and the prime minister has taken over control of the government from him.

"Since the president [Zine El Abidine Ben Ali] is temporarily unable to exercise his duties, it has been decided that the prime minister will exercise temporarily the [presidential] duties," Mohammed Ghannouchi, the Tunisian prime minister, said on state television.

Ghannouchi is now the interim president.

He has vowed to respect the constitution and restore stability, and has called on citizens to "maintain patriotic spirit ... in order to brave through these difficult moments".

He also vowed to carry out inflation and unemployment redressal policies "exactly" as they had recently been announced by President Ben Ali.

PM replaces Tunisia president - Africa - Al Jazeera English
 
Re: State of emergency declared in Tunisia - Government dissolved

It was less than 24 hours ago that Tunisia's President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali appeared on national televison in response to weeks of protests in the country.

The president announced that he would not be standing for re-election in 2014 in a bid to appease those angry at the apparent lack of political freedom in the country as well as high unemployment levels.

But today the capital once again saw confrontation between the police and demonstrators calling for the president to go.

There have now been further dramatic developments. BBC's Adam Mynott reports from Tunis.
BBC World Service - Africa - State of emergency declared in Tunisia

Woohoo. Go Tunisia's people. But please don't turn into a military dictatorship which may happen

he's gone now.
 
Re: Tunisian Rioters Overwhelm Police Near Capital

Thousands of European Tourists have been evacuated in the last 48 hours...
and tyrants throughout the Middle East are quaking in their boots.

I started an analysis string in the Africa section this morning.
 
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Re: Tunisian Rioters Overwhelm Police Near Capital

The President has fled the country.
 
Re: Tunisian Rioters Overwhelm Police Near Capital

This is good news. I've been to Tunis, beautiful city.

Here's the problem though, revolutions sometimes falter, in the way that, sure they could over throw the government, but who's to say whatever government takes their place isn't just as repressive. Especially since you'll be turning many years of status quo on its head over night, which sometimes leads to repression even after a revolution has occured.

The issue also will be how will a new government be formed, should the rioters win? Will it take the form of an Islamic Republic. If so, would that not take a repressive nature as well?

Anyway. This is all wild speculation and theory.

VIVA LA REVOLUTION!

you know the same food price increases they're seeing over there, we're seeing here. does this mean you support revolting against our government?
 
Re: Tunisian Rioters Overwhelm Police Near Capital

That's probably good for the 3000 British tourists still there. Now they just have to hope the airport is reopened before they get shot at.
 
Re: Tunisian Rioters Overwhelm Police Near Capital

Here's the scary part of this.

Much of this is simply a food riot. People are hungry, unemployed, and going stir crazy.

A third consecutive poor global food harvest is expected this year. Prices will go up.

Oil is breaching $100 per barrel. Food is more expensive to transport, so prices will go up further.

The global economy is already hurting many people, who can doubly not afford for prices to go up.

Too many things are coming together the wrong way. Expect food riots to increase across the globe, possibly even in America.
 
Re: Tunisian Rioters Overwhelm Police Near Capital

Good for Tunisia, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali's clock is ticking.

He fled the country and stepped down a couple hours ago. Hopefully this is the beginning of a more democratic future for Tunisia. Ben Ali's government was among the most oppressive in the world.
 
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Re: Tunisian Rioters Overwhelm Police Near Capital

I guess this is the end of any credibility for The Economist's Political Instability Index. They ranked Tunisia as 134th of 165 countries in terms of political instability...which is better than the US, UK, or France. :roll:
 
Re: Tunisian Rioters Overwhelm Police Near Capital

Moderator's Warning:
Threads merged.
 
Tunisians drive leader from power in mass uprising - Yahoo! News

6948fcf1d3233c0eb79f705ccda71b57.jpeg



TUNIS, Tunisia – After 23 years of iron-fisted rule, the president of Tunisia was driven from power Friday by violent protests over soaring unemployment and corruption. Virtually unprecedented in modern Arab history, the populist uprising sent an ominous message to authoritarian governments that dominate the region.

The office of Saudi King Abdullah confirmed early Saturday that ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his family had landed in Saudi Arabia, after several hours of mystery over his whereabouts. "As a result of the Saudi kingdom's respect for the exceptional circumstances the Tunisian people are going through, and with its wish for peace and security to return to the people of Tunisia, we have welcomed" him, the statement said.
[....]
The dreaded 'instability' may yield some good intermediate and Long term results throughout Arab North Africa and Middle East.
This is what might have happened in non-Arab Iran had the govt not crushed the people so brutally.
 
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Tunisian president toppled after 23 years

Tunisian president toppled after 23 years

Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled the country on Friday amid a wave of deadly social protests in a dramatic end to his 23 years in power that is unprecedented for a leader in the Arab world.

Ben Ali signed a decree handing interim presidential powers to Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi and flew out of Tunis bound for an unknown destination after failing to quell growing public anger against his iron-fisted regime.

After 23 years of a dictator, Tunisia is having elections in 6 months, hopefully they'll be fair and open.

And I found this very interesting:
Tunisia: The WikiLeaks connection | World news | The Guardian

Publication of WikiLeaks sourced private US comments on the corruption and nepotism of a hated "sclerotic" regime is said to have helped create Tunisia's protest, and generated talk by US commentators of a "Wikileaks revolution".

So there is the possibility that the catalyst for this was Wikileaks, hopefully the same can happen in other repressive regimes.
 
Re: Tunisian president toppled after 23 years

I wouldn't be surprised if the exile will be in France... popular destination for former dictators from former French colonies...

As for elections, I won't hold my breath, but hopefully they will be able to put together a semblance of a free and fair election...
 
Re: Tunisian president toppled after 23 years

I wouldn't be surprised if the exile will be in France... popular destination for former dictators from former French colonies...

Surprisingly, his exile in France was not granted. Ben Ali has landed in Saudi Arabia last night.

Here's that bringing democracy thing for you.
 
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Moderator's Warning:
Threads merged.
 
Re: Tunisian president toppled after 23 years

So there is the possibility that the catalyst for this was Wikileaks, hopefully the same can happen in other repressive regimes.

Tunisia has one of the most censored media/internet presences in the world. I doubt that very many Tunisians have even heard of Wikileaks, much less that it was the catalyst for this.
 
Re: Tunisian president toppled after 23 years

Tunisia has one of the most censored media/internet presences in the world. I doubt that very many Tunisians have even heard of Wikileaks, much less that it was the catalyst for this.

I read somewhere, I'll try and find it in a minute, that some of the protestors were citing wikileaks.
 
Re: Tunisian president toppled after 23 years

Tunisia has one of the most censored media/internet presences in the world. I doubt that very many Tunisians have even heard of Wikileaks, much less that it was the catalyst for this.

I think you're wrong on this one. The internet is in large part the reason why the revolts have been so widespread. This article is a really good summary of what led to the current unrest.

Anatomy of an Autocracy - By Christopher Alexander | Foreign Policy

And this is the part I was talking about:


So why revolt now and not a decade ago? The media coverage of the last month has emphasized frustrations over unemployment and prices. However, it is easy to forget that for most of Ben Ali's rule, Tunisia's economy grew at a respectable rate. Tunisia has a larger middle class and a higher standard of living than any of its neighbors. As long as you stayed out of politics, Ben Ali's government left you alone and allowed you to make some money, buy a nice house or apartment, and live a better life than your parents lived.

More recently, however, the Europe-dependent Tunisian economy was experiencing global-recession-related contraction -- which hit university degree-holders of the sort that took to the streets against Ben Ali particularly hard.

Then there is social media. When the definitive history of this era gets written, Facebook will get its own chapter. Activists used Facebook to organize on the one space that the regime couldn't control -- cyberspace.

Not long ago, police firing on protesters or funeral marchers in out-of-the-way towns like Tala or Kasserine would have remained a bit of local lore, something to whisper about. Not now. Facebook brought the events in Tala to Tunis and helped build coalitions that the government could not break.
 
Re: Tunisian president toppled after 23 years

I read somewhere, I'll try and find it in a minute, that some of the protestors were citing wikileaks.

I can't find the one I was thinking of, but this one's in a similar vein.

WikiLeaks cables: Tunisia blocks site reporting 'hatred' of first lady | World news | The Guardian

Tunisia has blocked the website of a Lebanese newspaper that published US cables released by WikiLeaks describing high-level corruption, a sclerotic regime, and deep hatred of President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali's wife and her family.

They wouldn't've blocked it if people didn't have access to it in the first place.
 
Re: Tunisian Rioters Overwhelm Police Near Capital

Here's the scary part of this.

Much of this is simply a food riot. People are hungry, unemployed, and going stir crazy.

A third consecutive poor global food harvest is expected this year. Prices will go up.

Oil is breaching $100 per barrel. Food is more expensive to transport, so prices will go up further.

The global economy is already hurting many people, who can doubly not afford for prices to go up.

Too many things are coming together the wrong way. Expect food riots to increase across the globe, possibly even in America.

China is concerned about the increase in food prices... it is happening globally... even here in Taiwan and other prosperous Asian democracies, food price increases are a problem, though not likely to lead to the problems in a country like Tunisia...
 
Re: Tunisian Rioters Overwhelm Police Near Capital

This is one of those moments where we in the west have to hold our breaths and pray not another Iraq, Iran or worse comes out of it.

Much can be said about the now former dictator but he did run a very western style country and with him gone we can fear that it will snap back into the dark ages, just like Iran did after the Shah. And this is something no one in the west would like ... the dictator or any dictator would be preferable to Iran 2.0.. both for the west and for the women of Tunisia.

Now on the flip side, since the country is very western, we can really hope that they also want a western style democracy and the last 20 years of brutal regime clampdowns on the radical Islamic factions in the country has pretty much killed them off, so that real democratic forces can spring up. But if the Islamists do get a foothold.. well, then we are screwed since they tend to be very good at the democratic process till the day they remove it of course.

The next year will be critical, and I hope to god the US and the west does not get involved too much since that can have a negative backlash since it was those countries that backed the dictator in the first place.
 
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