Riots in Tunisia (and throughout the Middle-East)

[Nin]

Since several days now, the country of Tunisia has seen a series of riots in various citites, which have now reached the capital Tunis. There have already been several victims of the voilences surrounding the riots.

In comparison to many other arab countries, Tunisia has been rather quite since its independance, developping tourism and a very moderate islam - always in comparison to other arab countries.

I was surprised to see no thread about this subject. There are many reasons for those riots, many of them are economic (unemployment among young academics is very high), some are politic - although in theory a democracy, Tunisia has the same president since 1987.

Yet, the risk of escalation of those riots does exist und with that certainly the risk of more radical islamists gaining more power - and I'd be curious to know, how you think about it.

Or maybe this rather quiet and small country does simply not exist on the political horizon of other countries where French is not spoken? Here, reports in the media are quite detailled, as today a French and Swiss woman were killed and as French is spoken in Tunisia - the "francophonie" does stick together in moments like this.

To give you some more information and some images: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12180738
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/afric ... index.html

[Primula Baggins]

Thank you for those links, Nin.

The BBC story says that one possible contributing factor to the riots was the Wikileaks cables that contain frank assessments of the level of corruption and the Tunisian government's lack of interest in reforms. (Here's an interesting and detailed one.)

But the level of violence is shocking, with innocent people killed, and evidently no consistent policy for dealing with the situation. The president's son-in-law has reportedly fled to his mansion in Canada, evidently unsure it's going to come out well for the existing power structure.

I hope this will become more prominent in U.S. news as the Tucson shooting recedes from the top of all reports.

[Dave_LF]

Or maybe this rather quiet and small country does simply not exist on the political horizon of other countries where French is not spoken?

This is the first and only place I've heard about it.

[Nin]

Well, here the media report a lot about those riots which are emblematic for the crisis of the moderate Arabic states, like Egypt,Marocco, Algeria or Syria, in a lesser way Lybia.

Most of those countries have at least some oil, but despite that the population is growing poorer and there are no jobs for young people - especially not for young academics as the industry settled is often tourism or textile industry, so little technology value added industry.

Those are young countries: in Tunisia 2/3 of the population are under 30. But they are ruled by old men - and many of them since long years. Tunesia since 1987, Egypt has the same president since 30 years... democracy is not really existing and none of those countries, however rich are those who have oil, have succeeded in creating any stable form of social security. Many young people have no perspective and the political situation is seen as stagnation.

During the last weeks, major problems have occured in Egypt with violence against the Christian minority of Copts (do you say so in english?) Lebanon seems on the edge of another civil war. And the list goes on...

Today, Hillary Clinton intervened.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... 9066.story

In the past, those not very democratic - but very stable - political regimes have all had US support, being seen as guarantees of stability against islamism. When I see those riots, I fear that the contrary could be happening: the rise of a more radical islamist gouvernement which is at least promising to people what they want most: change.

[SirDennis]

During the last weeks, major problems have occured in Egypt with violence against the Christian minority of Copts (do you say so in english?) Lebanon seems on the edge of another civil war. And the list goes on...

I heard a blurb about the situation in Egypt. Here we say "Coptic Christians."

As for Tunisia, like Dave_LF, this is the first place I've heard anything about it. Presently the media here are focused on another French speaking nation, Haiti; yesterday was the 1 year anniversary of the earthquake. (Conditions remain very poor while rioting, though isolated, is on the rise.) And Tuscon for obvious reasons.

Thank you for the update.

[Primula Baggins]

The situation with Coptic Christians did get some coverage because of the stories of crowds of Muslims gathering outside their churches to protect them during their Christmas services.

[Primula Baggins]

Just now, from BBC News: Tunisia President Ben Ali 'will not seek new term'

Tunisia's president has said he will not seek a new term in office in 2014, following widespread protests which have left at least 23 people dead.

Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali also said he was also ordering police to stop using live fire against protesters.

Of course, as he said this, troops were firing live rounds at protesters.

[Nin]

And he is 74 years old... so it is not a very convincing gesture.

When I open my newspaper today, on the first pages are articles about Tunisia, about Tusco and Palin's reaction (with a translation of a part of her intervention), about the crisis in Lebanon, the € crisis and the organ traffic in Kosovo...

There has been a lot of coverage of Tusco and the anniversary of the earthquake, but Tunisia is on the front page since two days. Today, a Swiss bi-national woman was killed, that's of course part of the reason.

I still have to read today's in depth analysis, but can gladly report.

Were other international crisis, like Ivory coast, reported in the US?

[eborr]

I did quite a lot of research into the Mahgred to test it as a viable market, and had I stayed in that role probably would have tried to do some more business there. The bulk of the u work was for Libya, but looking at the area, there were a good number of countries which were viable, including Tunisia, however against the fact that a good number of these countries were stable, relatively rich and reasonably well disposed towards the west, there were a couple of political problems affecting every country in the region, firstly the so called democratice govts were very factionalised and unfrt the main man the competing factions were very divisive and encouraged endemic corruption. Secondly there are large groups of dissafected people, and whislt militant Islam may not be a natural home for them. nonetheless it does offer to fulfill their aspirations.

[Primula Baggins]

There has been U.S. coverage of the situation in Ivory Coast, Nin.

[BrianIsSmilingAtYou]

The riots in Tunisia are on the main page of the NY Times online:

I've linked to the article below:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/14/world ... ia.html?hp

BrianIs AtYou

[Túrin Turambar]

I've followed this on and off on the BBC. The main cause is allegedly the spike in food prices - a similar spike caused riots in Africa and the Carribean in 2008. interesting, though, that they seemed largely confined to Tunisia and Algeria, suggesting (as Nin noted) local factors at work.

[Hachimitsu]

I am a little behind on this thread, but I did hear about Tunisia, either in the paper or on the news. But just 1 line. I had heard about the Coptic Christians.

[Primula Baggins]

Here's an article in today's New York Times:

Behind Tunisia Unrest, Rage Over Wealth of Ruling Family.

[Griffon64]

On its front page, CNN reports that Tunisia's prime minister, Mohamed Ghannouchi, has taken over as an interim president. Mention is made of media reports stating that President Ben Ali left the country.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/01 ... 1&iref=BN1

[vison]

This is the future. We better get used to it.

[SirDennis]

This is the future. We better get used to it.

It certainly seems that way...

A late development:

Tunisian president steps down amid riots
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2011/01/1 ... z1B2pdXA2i

[Dave_LF]

This is now making front pages in the US too.

[River]

I really really really hope this doesn't open the door for extremists to take power.

[eborr]

maybe I am just a romantic taking a rosy view of the world, but when a popular uprising gets rid of a bad leader it makes me feel good. Problem is that all it does is create an oppurtunity for the next bad leader.