Tunisia seeks to form unity cabinet after Ben Ali fall

16 January 2011 Last updated at 10:01 GMT

Some residents have formed impromptu militias to protect their homes

Tunisian political leaders have started efforts to fill the power vacuum created by the fall of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali amid mass protests.

Interim leader Foued Mebazaa - who was sworn in on Saturday - promised to form a unity government.

The country appears to be mostly quiet, although gunfire was heard in Tunis during a second overnight curfew.

The previous night had seen widespread violence, including looting, torching of buildings and deadly jail riots.

A state of emergency remains in force and there is very little economic activity. Schools, government offices and most shops are closed

Election demand

The BBC's Adam Mynott in Tunis says the immediate future of the country, thrown into unprecedented turmoil, is in the hands of the military.

Mr Mebazaa, who until Saturday was the Speaker of parliament, has asked Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi to form a national unity government.

"All Tunisians without exception and exclusion must be associated in the political process," Mr Mebazaa said in a televised address.

Opposition leader Najib Chebbi told France's RTL radio that he had already held talks with Mr Ghannouchi about taking part.

He said his main demand was that elections should be held "within six or seven months" under international supervision.

Under the present Tunisian constitution a presidential election must be held within 60 days.

Another opposition figure, Mustafa Ben Jaafar, told Reuters news agency that he too had been contacted and called for "real reforms".

Further talks are expected on Sunday.

The exiled head of Tunisia's banned Islamist party, Rached Ghannouchi, said he would return to the country within weeks.

Speaking to the BBC in London, he said Tunisians had got rid of a dictator, but they had a long way to go were a long way from bringing down the dictatorship.

Self-defence

The centre of Tunis has been sealed off by troops guarding key public buildings. Helicopters are patrolling overhead.

Residents in some areas have armed themselves with sticks and clubs, forming impromptu militias to protect their homes.

Fall from power

• 17 Dec: Man sets himself on fire in Sidi Bouzid over lack of jobs, sparking protests
• 24 Dec: Protester shot dead in central Tunisia
• 28 Dec: Protests spread to Tunis
• 8-10 Jan: Dozens of deaths reported in crackdown on protests
• 12 Jan: Interior minister sacked
• 13 Jan: President Ben Ali promises to step down in 2014
• 14 Jan: Mr Ben Ali dissolves parliament after new mass rally, then steps down and flees
• 15 Jan: Parliamentary Speaker Foued Mebazaa sworn in as interim president

• Profile: Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali
• Tunisia holidaymakers back in UK

A resident of Nabeul, south of Tunis, Haythem Houissa, told the BBC that he had joined a volunteer group "to help clean up and guard our city".

"The security situation is much better since yesterday," he added.

Some of the violence is being blamed on supporters of Mr Ben Ali.

However many attacks appeared to target businesses and buildings connected with the former president and his family.

A hospital source in Tunis told AFP news agency that Imed Trabelsi, the nephew of Mr Ben Ali's powerful wife, had been stabbed to death on Saturday.

Saturday's deadliest incident was in Monastir, about 160km (100 miles) south of Tunis, where fire swept though a prison, killing at least 42 people.

The leader of neighbouring Libya, Muammar Gaddafi, praised Mr Ben Ali, whom he said he still considered the "legal president of Tunisia".

"You have suffered a great loss... There is none better than Zine (Mr Ben Ali) to govern Tunisia," he said in a speech broadcast on state television.

In the past month, protests have swept the country over unemployment, food price rises and corruption. Police used live ammunition against protesters and dozens died.

Mr Ben Ali, who had been in power for 23 years, fled to Saudi Arabia on Friday, after the unrest culminated in a giant rally against him. He was only Tunisia's second president since independence in 1956.

ElBaradei: Tunisia riots result of suppression and social injustice

Fatema Zaidan

Sat, 15/01/2011 - 18:15

Photographed by AFP

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Tunisia's current calamities are the result of suppression, social inequality, and the absence of the factors enabling a peaceful change, said Muhammad ElBaradei. In a message on Twitter, the former Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and founder of the National Association for Change also said that such conditions constitute a "booby trap."

Futhermore, in a YouTube video, ElBaredai said that what happened between Muslims and Copts in Egypt reflects suppression, economic deterioration, political oppression and social injustice in a society that is falling apart.

He added that educational and religious institutions have created an atmosphere of hostility between Muslims and Copts, stressing that the government committed a "crime" by allowing the problem to become worse.

We must recognize the existence of problems that threaten the unity of the Egyptian society, starting from laws on the construction of houses of worship to Coptic demands to assume high positions, he said, stressing that we should not bury our heads in the sand.

He continued: "Copts' fear of going to church takes us back to the pre-Islamic era, which is totally unacceptable."

He added that the Alexandria church bombing on New Year's Eve marks a new renaissance.

ElBaradei said that the sectarian tension in Egypt is like the tension between the poor and the rich, and the government and the public. He pointed that a new home must be built where there is freedom of belief, freedom of expression and respect for the other.

"There must be democracy and we must know that what unites us is much greater than what divides us. The real problem is not between Muslims and Copts; the problem is much bigger. What we see are only bubbles on the surface."

Sectarian tension is only one of many tensions all Egyptians suffer from, he continued, and when a human being can not have a job, a chance for a dignified life, freedom of expression and freedom of belief, this creates a state of anger inside him; what is happening is just one form of expressing anger.

The 29 days that preceded Ben Ali's departure from Tunisia

Ashraf Allam

Sun, 16/01/2011 - 01:23

Photographed by AFP

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Twenty-nine days were enough to revolutionize the status quo in Tunisia. They saw President Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali flee the country after 23 years in office. What started with a jobless young man's self-immolition ended with Ben Ali's flight to Saudi Arabia.

The following is a chronological narration of events:

17 December 2010: 26-year-old Muhammed Bouazizi sets himself ablaze to protest municipality agents' confiscation of his vegetable cart. Authorities had rejected his complaint against a policewoman who slapped him in public.

18-19 December 2010: Clashes between security forces and protestors during demonstrations of solidarity with Bouazizi in the city of Sidi Bu Zeid. The protests were also against unemployment and backwardness in Tunisia.

21 December 2010: Sidi Bu Zeid's protests turn into massive demonstrations in other cities, such as Miknassi, Regueb, Sidi Ali Ben Oan and Manzel Bu Zyan. People demand job opportunities, equality, and and civil and political rights.

24 December 2010: An 18-year-old man is killed and scores wounded in clashes between protestors and security forces in Manzel Bu Zyan, where a peaceful demonstration by nearly 2000 jobless youths turns violent. Protestors attack police stations and the police open fire. The Interior Ministry announces the death of one demonstrator and the wounding of two demonstrators and a number of policemen, two who are in a coma.

25 December 2010: Demonstrations reach Tunisia’s capital, Tunis, where hundreds of citizens demonstrate peacefully downtown, expressing sympathy with the people of Sidi Bu Zeid. They chant "Shame on you government! Prices are on fire," "to work is a human right," "all against tyranny" and “freedom is part of our national dignity."

26 December 2010: Renewed clashes in Sidi Bu Zeid start spreading to new areas, including the city of Souk al-Gedid, 15km south of Sidi Bu Zeid. National Guard members fire into the air to disperse demonstrators, who blockade a post office and burn the Souk al-Gedid governorate headquarters. Violent clashes lasting six hours took place in Regueb city, 37km south east of Sidi Bu Zeid, between police and rioters. Protestors set fire to government offices and smash shops. Demonstrations reach Ben Gardane, near the Tunisia-Libya border.

27 December 2010: Renewed protests in Tunis and other cities, including Sfax and Kairouan. Unionists and students join the protests. Security forces intervene and two protestors commit suicide, one a young man who drowns himself in a well.

28 December 2010: The president gives a speech labelling the rioters a mere "minority of extremists." He promises to continue fighting unemployment, provide job opportunities for new graduates and expand social welfare. He visits Bouazizi in Ben Arous hospital and meets the young man's mother. He also meets the father of Muhamad al-Amari, a protestor shot by police, and the mother of Hasan Ben Nagi, a protestor who committed suicide by grabbing an electric wire.

29 December 2010: Ben Ali reshuffles five cabinet departments: telecommunications, youth, commerce, religious affairs and foreign affairs. He calls a plan to solve the unemployment problem. The president of Libya, Muammar al-Qadhafi, opens a labor market in Libya for Tunisians.

30 December 2010: Security forces prevent protests in Jendouba province in northwest Tunisia, and in the Jabaniana and Gabes provinces in the south. Ben Ali sacks governors of the Sidi Bu Zeid, Jondeya, and Zaghouan governorates. French unions call on the Tunisian government to release detainees and stop suppressing protests.

4 January 2011: Bouazizi dies in hospital.

7 January 2011: Four rioters are wounded in violent clashes with the police at Regueb in Sidi Bu Zeid.

8 January 2011: A campaign begins to recruit 50,000 fresh graduates.

9 January 2011: The Tunisian opposition announces that the death toll from clashes has risen to 25, while the Interior Ministry announces that the number is 14.

10 January 2011: Ben Ali delivers a speech accusing foreign powers and "masked gangs" of causing chaos and disorder in the country, describing the protests as "terrorism." He pledges better conditions for workers and the creation of 300,000 jobs in 2011 and 2012. He calls for early legislative elections with the presence of international observers. The government decides to temporarily close schools and universities. Demonstrations break out in the Kasserine governorate.

11 January 2011: A Tunisian local union member, al-Sadek al-Mahmoudy, says that the death toll of the Kasserine protests has reached 50. Violent clashes break out between demonstrators and security forces in Tunis. For the first time the US expresses its deep concern about excessive use of violence against protestors in Tunisia. The Tunisian Minister of Communication, Samir al-Obeidi, claims that the death toll in the preceding three days is 21.

12 January 2011: Ben Ali dismisses Interior Minister Rafik Belhaj Kassem, and appoints Ahmed Freaa instead. He orders the investigation of certain officials for corruption. Army units spread out over the Tunisian capital. Deadly clashes between demonstrators and security forces break out on Habib Bu Rekeiba, Tunis' main street, and security forces use tear gas to disperse protestors. Freaa imposes a curfew in the governorate of Greater Tunis from 8 PM till 6 AM. Police kill four civilians and a 23-year-old man is killed in clashes in Tala, in southwest Tunis. The Kasserine governorate witnesses violent protests, in which thousands call on the president to step down and leave the country. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights calls on the Tunisian authorities to immediately start a credible investigation. Hundreds of Tunisians in France stage a protest calling for Ben Ali's resignation.

13 January 2011: Seven protestors die and scores of others are wounded in clashes. Rioters burn and destroy properties that belong to the president's family and close friends amid chaos in the southern and western parts of Tunis. Other violent protests take place in the country, many more deaths. Ben Ali dismisses the presidential spokesperson. He declares that he does not intend to run in presidential elections in 2014. He promises to support democracy and end media and internet censorship. He orders the reduction of prices.

14 January 2011: Ben Ali dissolves parliament and calls for parliamentary elections in 6 months' time, after thousands stage demonstrations near the Interior Ministry, chanting slogans demanding his departure. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowds. France calls on Ben Ali to fulfill his promises and to make efforts to restore security. The UK warns its citizens not to travel to Tunisia. Prime Minister Muhamed Ghannouchi announces on state television that he is taking temporary control of the country. Ghannouchi promises to begin discussing political and economic reforms. The US says it is keeping an eye on daily developments in Tunisia and calls on Tunisian authorities to respect human rights. France and Malta announce their refusal to host the fleeing president. Saudi Arabia announces that it is hosting Ben Ali and his family. Some reports say members of his wife's family were arrested at the airport. “The situation in Tunisia is really serious… We will try to avoid more deaths and restore peace,” says German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Assad not attending Arab Economic Summit

Staff

Sun, 16/01/2011 - 09:34

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Photographed by AFP

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President Bashar al-Assad of Syria will not attend the Arab Economic Summit, Arab diplomats said on Friday.

Instead Syria will be represented at Egypt's Sharm al-Sheikh resort on 19 January by its Arab League ambassador, Mohamed Naji Ottri, according to diplomatic sources.

The sources also told Al-Masry Al-Youm that Syria's foreign minister, Walid al-Muallem, will be absent from the meeting of Arab foreign ministers which will make preparations for the summit. He will be replaced by his deputy, Faisal Meqdad.

The Syrian delegation did not give reasons for the absence, but diplomats attributed it to the failure to achieve an Egyptian-Syrian reconciliation. Other diplomats cited the recent political crisis in Lebanon as another factor.

Tunisian officer: Washington tells dismissed chief of staff to 'take charge'

MENA

DPA

Sun, 16/01/2011 - 10:43

Photographed by AFP

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Ahmed al-Khadrawi, an officer in the Tunisian National Guards, said that chief of staff Rasheed Ammar who was removed by Zein al-Abedin Ben Ali four days ago has received last-minute instructions via the US Embassy to take charge of Tunisian affairs if the situation gets out of control.

Al-Khadrawi told Al-Jazeera news on Saturday that he has documents proving what he says and that he is fully responsible for his declarations, adding that the Tunisian army enjoys a good reputation among the citizens.

Asked why Ammar has not spread his control over the country and declared military rule, al-Khadrawi said that the sudden popular uprising has shocked both the political and military institutions.

On Saturday, the Tunisian military arrested 50 body guards of the Tunisian president in the city of Tataween, some 500 kilometers to the south of Tunis.

A press source in Tataween told DPA that the military has arrested 50 of the body guards of Ben Ali when they were driving in the direction of Libya in cars that had no license plates. Some of them were taken to hospital after they were injured in clashes with the military, the source added.

Another ten of the president's guards have escaped to a mountainous area and the military is after them, the source said, adding that several of the prominent figures of the toppled regime have attempted to flee to Libya but were arrested by security and the residents.

Observers say that the president's guards were in confusion after the president fled outside the country, while other analysts accuse the overthrown president of orchestrating the intimidation and looting now widespread in the country.

Translated from the Arabic Edition.

Egypt: Turkish committee on Lebanon must clarify its mission

Staff

Sun, 16/01/2011 - 10:46

Photographed by MENA

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Egypt said on Saturday the Turkish-proposed international committee to resolve the Lebanese crisis should clarify its mission.

Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said in a press release, “Egypt welcomes Recep Tayyip Erdoğan [Turkish FM]’s idea to form an international committee to help Lebanon overcome its crisis.”

“Egypt doesn’t mind participating in this committee on condition that it clarifies its mission,” Abul Gheit explained. “However, Egypt would prefer that the Lebanese people take on the responsibility of resolving the current situation through dialogue.”

“Egypt will always support the choices of the Lebanese to maintain their country's stability,” added Abul Gheit.

Erdoğan revealed that Turkey is in communication with various countries regarding the crisis. News reports said France is seeking to form an international committee on the Lebanese situation, to include the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Syria, Qatar and Egypt.

In Lebanon, ten ministers from the Hezbollah-dominated March 8 coalition resigned, as well as an independent minister, and the resulting 11 member shortfall dissolved the cabinet.

UN appeals for Sri Lanka flood aid

Heavy rains, flash floods and landslides leave dozens of people dead and nearly 390,000 homeless. Last Modified: 16 Jan 2011 08:37 GMT

The United Nations has appealled for emergency aid for Sri Lanka where at least 38 people have died and dozens more have gone missing due to floods. The move comes days after flooding disrupted the livelihoods of many in the eastern region where vast rice fields, ready for harvest, are now under water. Neil Buhne, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator, said in a statement released on Friday that the UN will issue an appeal in the coming days for money to help replant the fields and compensate people affected. "I urge donors to generously support priority needs such as mosquito nets, clean water and food," he said. Nearly 390,000 remain homeless and 3,744 houses have been totally destroyed, he said. Widespread flooding and displacement are common in Sri Lanka, where a south western monsoon batters the island between May and September, and a north eastern monsoon runs from December to February. Sellaih Rasiah, a community leader in the eastern district of Ampara, said villagers affected by the devastating 2004 tsunami have lost most of their belongings and would again have to start anew. The government has estimated the flood losses at $500 million. Mine fears A situation report published by the United Nations has advised residents and aid workers in Sri Lanka to keep alert for undetected mines that may have shifted during floods. So far, there have not been any reported mine casualities in the eastern regions in recent times. "Floods and receding waters may unearth mines and explosive remnants of war and carry explosives from contaminated areas into areas thought to be safe," the UN report said. Years of fierce fighting in the east of the island ended in July 2007 and the army says it has cleared the vast majority of mines from the area, though no exact figures are available. The report added that mine clearance agencies were deciding whether areas needed to be re-surveyed after the flooding. A military offensive ended decades of war in 2009 when troops defeated Tamil Tiger fighters who had once controlled one-third of Sri Lanka. Both sides often accused each other of indiscriminately deploying mines.

Source: Agencies