Reports are surfacing of a revolution in Tunisia. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the dictatorial president of Tunisia, has fled the country and the army has taken control. This shift in power follows protests in the capitol of Tunis. The unrest, caused by anger over rising food prices, government corruption, and unemployment, began on December 17 when a frustrated graduate, hassled by police over his lack of a permit to sell vegetables, set himself on fire. It has culminated in Ben Ali being ejected from the country.
Mohamed Ghannouchi the prime minister has taken power. In this interim period he will take over the presidential powers. It is not certain that the appointment of Ghannouchi’s will calm the unrest. For the people of Tunisia, who have suffered years of infringement against their basic human rights; it might not be enough to have power shifted to Ghannouchi, a member of the ruling party recently headed by Ben Ali. Will moving another head of “The Constitutional Democratic Rally” to the seat of power, reduce the anger of a population that can’t find work or afford food?
Earlier, in an attempt to stabilize the situation in the capital, Ben Ali placed the city under a state of emergency, and promised new elections to the growing crowds. This effort to save his position as leader did little to quell the outpour of dissatisfaction from the protesters who flooded the streets. Ben Ali’s offer to end the corruption of his regime came too late for the Tunisian people who have suffered for 27 years under his tyranny. There are conflicting reports of where the ousted president is heading. Some sources point to the island of Malta, while others indicate that he will land in France.
Al Jazeera was first to break the story, but other major news sources soon followed
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali took power in 1987 after acting President Habib Bourguiba was declared incompetent on medical grounds. After almost three decades in power and numerous fraudulent elections, Ben Ali now finds himself on a plane fleeing his own country
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Samuel Bryant
Samuel Bryant a native of Martha’s Vineyard (He worked on the mansions, but never lived in them) left home to attend Sarah Lawrence College where he studied fiction writing and literature. After graduation he moved to Brooklyn. He spends his time honing his writing, and ...
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