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Translation 3: Articles and Brief Commentary on Riots in the South of Tunisia
Source: Campaign for Human Rights in Tunisia
Email: chrtunisia@hotmail.com Date Received: February 10, 2000
Note: Yours truly is anything but an expert on Tunisian
human rights groups in Europe, the place most of them are based.
We'll learn about them together. This one appears to be
based in London and was written in English. Several other articles
appeared on this subject in French. After giving you the verbatim
statement from this English source I will summarize some of the news
from the French press on the same subject.
Also note that these events took place approximately three weeks ago.
The demonstrations took place throughout the country, but apparently
especially in the region from Sfax - or more accurately Djebinia, and
further south (in the area of Gabes, Medinine as well as further west
near Gafsa) They began on February 3 and continued for a whole week
and were marked, according to a number of accounts (see
Liberation of February 17), by considerable violence and
destruction. Sfax, apparently had never seen anything like it.
Several reports suggested that while the students did the
demonstrating and rioting that their actions enjoyed broad support
from on-lookers. Liberation (same date cited) gives a figure
of 400 arrested and that most of those involved were youth between
the ages of 13-15 years. Unemployment rates in the south tend to be
higher than in the Tunis region. Take for example El Hamma where only
2000 people out of a population of 80,000 have jobs, or Gabes where
70% of the unemployed are under 25 years of age.
rjp
Tunisia- Protests: News
Last week, several Tunisian cities witnessed demonstrations and
protests in reaction to the high increase in the price of petrol,
transport and food products especially bread. News of the exact
number of arrests and injuries are still not confirmed.
+ Zarzis, Jerba and El Hamma: Protests are reported to have
begun in the middle of the week, in secondary schools and colleges
where students began a strike. When students went out to protest in
the streets, the clashed with police. Students were supported by
locals, mainly youth, and the protests resulted in damage to police
cars and shop windows, as well as a petrol station in Zarzis. The
protestors threw stones at the police who used tear gas bombs. Police
forces were stationed at the entrances of colleges, and some
secondary school students were arrested, and will be brought before
court
+ Gafsa, Guebili: Circulation of the news of protests in other
regions, state of anticipation, but on actual protests so far
+ Beja: Unconfirmed reports of strikes in secondary schools
and colleges, clashes with the police and a number of injuries and
arrests.
End of article 1
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