Protests in Tunisia Continue While Government Announces Reshuffle
Protests in Tunisia (globalpost.com)
Protests in Tunisia continue on Thursday as the people stormed police barricade in the capital, asking the prime minister to reshuffle government and dismiss loyalists of former president Ben Ali.
Since the deposition of former president of Tunisia, ousted by continuous protests for weeks against poor life conditions, unemployment and lack of freedom, the people have demonstrated in the streets of the capital against former ruling party’s members of the government.
On Thursday, people broke through police lines and approached prime minister’s office, pledging to camp outside his office until their demands are met.
Protests in Tunisia (dawn.com)
A small group of protesters said they started a hunger strike, and hundred joined the protests.
Governmental spokesman said that a reshuffle of government is expected on Thursday. Sources said that interior, defense and foreign minister are to be replaced.
Analysts consider that if the new government, or better said the renewed government, retains more public figures of former regime, the demonstrations will continue until the last of them has been removed.
Apart from the reshuffle of government, Tunisians aim at establishing a council of “wise men” to lead their country from dictatorship to democracy.
Ahmed Mesteri, prominent figure during the era of Habib Bourguiba, Tunisia’a independence leader, said he hoped he would lead the council and would protect the revolution in Tunisia.
Human rights activists began documenting cases by which security forces killed demonstrators at close range or shut them in the back.
The government has decided in spite of the turmoil in the streets to reduce curfew hours.11
