Tunisian leader warns against exploiting protests

Ben Ali accuses opposition of exaggerating scale of protests, foreign media of dramatising events without fact-checking.

Middle East Online

Tunisian President urged understanding the root causes of the unrest TUNIS - Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali said Tuesday he was worried by days of social unrest in the north African country triggered by the attempted suicide of an unemployed man. "I have followed with anxiety and concern events in recent days in Sidi Bouzid," he said during an address on national broadcaster TV7, referring to the region at the centre of the protests. Ben Ali said it was necessary to understand the root causes of the unrest, which have been linked to high youth unemployment. Tensions flared on December 17 when a 26-year-old man who was selling fruit and vegetables on the streets set himself on fire after police confiscated his produce. Four municipal officials have been suspended in connection with the incident, Tunisian media reported. One protestor died in clashes between mostly unemployed youths and government security forces last Friday. Ben Ali accused the opposition of exploiting the situation and exaggerating the scale of the protests. He also accused foreign media of dramatising events and not checking the facts.