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OpEdNews Op Eds    H3'ed 1/18/11

Turmoil in Tunisia

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After Ben Ali fled, talk of new elections subsided, Ghannouchi saying he'd meet with other political parties on January 15, calling it a "decisive day."

A former finance minister and prime minister since 1999, he's a close Ben Ali ally who took over under a constitutional provision letting the second in command assume power if presidents can't fulfill their duties. Tunisia was never ruled democratically. Suggesting a people-friendly national unity government defies credibility, especially with hardline former regime officials in charge.

Major reforms are needed, what Ghannouchi, his cronies, and army commanders won't countenance so repressive rule will continue unless people power intervenes. 

Washington and French pressure, in fact, forced Ben Ali out to prevent Tunisian protests from spreading. On January 14, Jordanian demonstrators held a "day of rage" against high food prices and unemployment, demanding Prime Minister Samir Rifai resign. Eruptions, killing five people, occurred in Algeria for the same reasons, and could explode anywhere in undemocratic Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Qatar, Bahrain, Libya, UAE, Yemen, Oman, occupied Iraq, and Palestine under repressive Israeli rule. 

Libya was struck against poor housing. Is Egypt next, repressively ruled for nearly 30 years by Hosni Mubarak? Outside Tunisia's Cairo embassy, protesters shouted, "Down, down with Hosni Mubarak!" "Ben Ali, you fraud! Mubarak, you fraud! Gadhaffi, you fraud!" Placards read, "Revolution in Tunis, tomorrow in Egypt." However, replacing despots with propertied elitists assures business as usual with new faces.

Business As Usual in Tunisia

Although Ghannouchi's power play failed, parliament speaker Fouad Mebazaa, another Ben Ali ally, replaced him. A curfew remains in force. Tunisia's army and police have full control to protect entrenched power from disruptive protests. The entire Tunis city center is sealed and guarded. Nothing's changed. Repression continues with softer rhetoric. 

On January 17, Beirut-based London Independent journalist Robert Fisk headlined, "The Brutal truth about Tunisia: Bloodshed, tears, but no democracy. Bloody turmoil won't necessarily presage the dawn of democracy," saying:

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