Friday 14 January 2011 -- After a dramatic 24 hours when Tunisia's dictator president Ben Ali first tried promising liberalisation and an end to police shootings of demonstrators and then, this evening at 16:00, declaring martial law, he has finally fallen from office. While the rumours are still swirling, one thing is clear, Ben Ali has left Tunisia and the army has stepped in. The comments after this article contain continuous updates of the uprising.
The day began with a mass demonstration called by Tunisia's trade union federation, the UGTT, in the capital Tunis. Between 10 and 15,000 people demonstrated outside the Ministry of the Interior. The initially peaceful scene broke down at around 14:30 local time as police moved in with tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd, some of whom had managed to scale the Ministry building and get on its roof. From then on, the city centre descended into chaos with running battles between the riot police and Tunisians of all ages and backgrounds fighting for the overthrow of the hated despot.
Finally, armoured cars from the army appeared on the street and a state of emergency and curfew was declared with Ben Ali threatening the populace that the security forces had carte blanche to open fire on any gatherings of more than three people. Soon, however, he disappeared from view and the rumours began to circulate. The army seized control of the airport and there were reports of convoys of limousines racing to the airport from the Ben Ali families palace. Finally the official announcement came. Ben Ali is gone. Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi appeared on state TV to announce that he was in charge of a caretaker government backed by the army.
Tonight the long-suffering people of Tunisia may rejoice that their last four weeks of heroic resistance has finally seen off the dictator who ran the most vicious police state in North Africa over them for the last 23 years.
But tomorrow morning will find the army in charge. What will happen tomorrow and the days to follow is anybody's guess. But the people now know that they have the power to overthrow a long-entrenched dictatorship, how much easier to take on a new unstable regime.
Report by Workers Solidarity Movement
Comments
A new chronicle: Ben Ali of Tunisia: the beginning of the ending
And finally for tonight...
Just now on twitter
Huge security on all ways to the Presidential palace in Tunis #sidibouzid guys shall I go to bed or continue to see Ben Ali's end
Video of woman describing the arrival in Montreal of El Materi, magnate and Ben Ali relative http://goo.gl/zgueq
As #JasminRevolution clashes approach the Presidential Palace, Ben Ali's in-laws flee to #Montreal?
The dictator's 3 daughters along with their husbands flee the country http://www.985fm.ca/audioplayer.php?mp3=88706 #SidiBouzid
Eyewitness : Ministery of interior surrounded by the military
OK so I'm going to do this:
1. Merge the first and second posts on this thread together.
2. Convert this to a news article
3. Add a second path alias for it (so it's available at /news and /forums)
4. Write a short introduction to the thread as the basis for the news article.
Then we can try to improve the article itself from there.
Edit - this is now done. Will try to sort it out a bit more later.
Don't in any way want to derail this excellent and informative thread, but just to respond to joselito's
(post #103) - no i didn't.
And for extra information about the uprising in Kabylie in 2001, other than the Encylopaedie des Nuisances one previously mentioned, check out this.
Also, today there's a Guardian article, expressed obviously in liberal terms, on the possible spread of social movements in the Arab world.
Just seen this:
http://thenextweb.com/twitter/2011/01/12/military-coup-in-tunisia-the-revolution-is-being-tweeted/
Suggests there's been a military coup and there's a new acting president. Not sure if this is new information or just the same things that Mark. picked up last night summarized.
TBH, I dont have much experience writing up articles and it will definitely need a good proof read before posted. Any ideas for a beginner?
There's some stuff here - http://libcom.org/notes/content-guidelines
With this specifically, since events are moving so quickly, it might be worth trying to do a timeline summary of events - this would allow for later updating as well. For a lot of people it's going to be the first thing they see about it so that format allows them to get an idea quickly, and can link off to twitter, other articles and this thread for more information.
It'd be more or less just picking things out from here, and formatting it with dates in a single post with an introduction. This doesn't preclude either you or someone else writing something more analytical in a separate article later.
Also like Mark. said, trying to build up an image gallery would be great as well, all posters on the site can make image galleries now I think (if not I can fix that or give you permissions).
Mike - Thanks for sorting that out. Check this link for continuing updates today.
Tunisia LiveBlog: Will President Ben Ali "Go the Way of Romania's Ceausescu"?
Recently on twitter (claims may be unconfirmed)
BREAKING NEWS: Tunisian interior minister fired, says prime minister http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/3716.aspx
Tunisian president fires interior minister, orders release of all detained in #SidiBouzid unrest accr to (Reuters) http://bit.ly/fC9zsI
TV7: Ben Ali orders release of all ppl detained during protests except those involved in criminal activity
Tunisian President fires minister of interior, appoints a new one - from same clan -, orders release of all Uprising detainees
Tunisian state-run TV: Ben Ali appoints new Prime Minister
Ben Ali announces release of prisoners, while reports say opposition figure Hamma Hammami kidnapped last night
BreakingNews: 30,000 people in streets in Sfax city in Tunisia
Trouble in Tunisia: Unrest Reaches Capital City - TIME #sidibouzid http://bit.ly/eFLOin
Screenshot de la bourse #freetunisia #sidibouzid http://plixi.com/p/69467732
It's hard to track what's going on unless you speak French or Arabic but there are significant developments in Tunisia - see #SidiBouzid
Appeal to army, security bodies, not to let Ben Ali flee Tunisia (French) http://bit.ly/gib6ZM
Thala, police firing on protestors with live ammo right now. Ben Ali is a murderer and a liar
Manifestation #sfax : 1 death at least just wait for his name
Video: tens of thousands marching in Sfax today فيديو: مظاهرة ضخمة في صفاقس اليوم #sidibouzid http://post.ly/1TY2T
New Min of Interior Friaa - Former Min of Comms, mayor, & Dean of Engineering http://tinyurl.com/62s2gtd
Troops move to curb tunisia unrest: Armed forces were stationed on the capital's streets for the first time sinc... http://aje.me/fNE6Fd
Economist: Will Ben Ali be tunisia 's Ceausescu? http://arb.st/gOonDo
BBC News: tunisia n interior minister sacked: tunisia 's president dismisses Interior Minister http://bbc.in/eWCJG7”
New on Arabist: Uncertainty in tunisia http://arb.st/hcJLZj
Video: The Latest Protests of "Tens of Thousands" http://tinyurl.com/6aoa9bq
Tunisie : la France ne condamne pas... elle propose son aide à Ben Ali: http://bit.ly/f9vyDS
Le #Maroc interdit une manifestation de soutien aux #tunisiens http://bit.ly/fIhB84
2 Martyrs in Douz today, one of them is a university professor at a French university
I repeat: The liberation of detainees is conditioned. Source TV7. It's a lure I tell you people!
#Army at 7novembre one of #Sfax main streets. confirmed by phone!
2 morts ce matin a sfax.. source sure de l'hopital de sfax
2nd largest HQ of the dominant political party (RCD) in Sfax is on fire
Sfax today: bombes lacrymogènes http://tinyurl.com/4onufck
Street protests, tear gas and deployed army this second in #Mednine in southern Tunisia
teargas in bizerte..police is filming evreybody taking part in manifestation
Tunisia: whisperings of coup just rumor
On the alasbarricadas thread
Tweetin' bout a revolution
a few more links
Morning Star - Around 50 killed at Tunisia jobless protests
wsm.ie - Tunisia: The revolution will not be televised
Anarkismo - Protestas en el Norte de África ¿qué está pasando?
Google translate of the last one:
actually the wikileaks 2009 cable on Tunisia http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/217138 has some quite quotable bits for article writers:
Events in Tunisia, January 12
Protest in Sfax today. More videos:
The Latest Protests of "Tens of Thousands"
Protests in Paris as Tunisia unrest escalates
‘Scores’ killed in Tunisian protests
Tunisia’s wave of violence spreads to the capital
Student protest in Tunis yesterday
Recently on twitter (claims may be unconfirmed)
DAY 27 of Tunisian Uprising is stronger than ever. Protests have spread virtually everywhere in the country, North to South
Day 27 of Tunisian Uprising: 2 dead in Tuzer, 1 dead in Sfax, 2 dead in Hammamat, 3 dead in Dar Shaaban, 15 injured in Nabel
General strike in Sousse http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=171171672926155
BBC News - tunisia imposes curfew in Tunis to quell protests http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12175959
The Sick Man of the Middle East: Is tunisia 's strongman president about to fall? http://bit.ly/gP4HuV
According to @viagramoniak, chaos reigns in Marsa (Tunis) - gun shots, car alarms, cries & shouts
Can anyone check this? RT @shackow: RT @SBZ_news: Bezert sees violent clashes btw police & protestors-city out of control
Report: According to a witness from Nabeul there are 15 injured and 4 of them are in a critical condition
A women was killed in Dar Chaabane when cops opened fire on the crowds #SidiBouzid http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=171194292923893
Report of rioters defying curfew in Tunis suburb of Soukra. If true, very bad news for Ben Ali
[Video] Massive march of protest in Hammamet 12/01/2011 - http://goo.gl/tD6K3
Right now in Slimane(in the capital) #SidiBouzid http://fb.me/Qw9OtTGo
Video reportedly of Professor Hatem Bettaher of the University in Gabes after he was killed http://goo.gl/ZPa1l
Traditional Media Abandon Tunisia to Twitter, YouTube by @curthopkins http://t.co/tJq6Ehf
video [GRAPHIC]: today in Douz (South) protester shot dead by police #sidibouzid الشهيد حاتم بن طاهر أستاذ بجامعة قابس http://bit.ly/eDuH2x
"Tunisians Document Protests Online" http://nyti.ms/hDdwFn | #SidiBouzid | (blogs.nytimes.com)
Tomorrow protest in front of Tunisian Embassy in #London near South Kensington
REUTERS: Tunisian people shout slogans as they demonstrate against President Ben Ali in Marseille. #SidiBouzid http://twitpic.com/3pgk23
Tomorrow: Solidarity stand in Amman, #Jordan with #Sidibouzid http://on.fb.me/fF1vZC
IFJ Backs Journalists Strike against Violence and Press Gag in Tunisia | AidNews - http://goo.gl/uTz0p
#Tunisia finally fixture on NYTimes.com frontpage: Mayhem Spreads in Tunisia - Curfew Decreed http://nyti.ms/eSYQoS #Sidibouzid
New Tunisia Update: Z:a woman is killed by sniper tonight in Nabeul http://liveword.ca/go/7f
Rightnow a clash in Hammam Chott(Ben Arous Gov) between police and protesters
News of death of #Tunisia actor Faraj Attiya by police fire circulating widely. No Evidence to confirm em yet.
Tunisia imposes curfew in capital (Al Jazeera)
Five more killed in Tunisia clashes
Recently on twitter
Flamethrowers to stamp down the protesters !!! http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=171233806253275
Video: Hammamet, clashes between police and protesters http://post.ly/1Tmh1
Update #OpTunisia: A : Hammamet Body being carried down the street, protester... http://liveword.ca/go/a3
video: Beja (North) today باجة اليوم #sidibouzid http://post.ly/1TmHL
Douz today's protest "No to Ben Ali" http://post.ly/1Tlss
video: Sousse today, protesters demanding the release of all prisoners http://post.ly/1Tlof
Night protest in Mahdia http://post.ly/1TkZB
Whoops the police cop disappeared http://fb.me/Pul2MvUT
Crise de liquidités des banques tunisiennes http://bit.ly/i6tLs4
I URGE LONDONERS TO BE OUTSIDE THE TUNISIAN EMBASSY TOMORROW 5-30pm @TunisiaTrends please RT #SIDIBOUZID #jasminrevolt
This is an op-ed written by a friend of mine. He mentions that there have been strikes promised by syndicates (in North Africa syndicates are professional trades such as journalists, lawyers, doctors, engineers and so on).
http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/opinion/tunisia-warning-sign-arab-regimes
US State Dept. is really cranking it up to 11 on this one.
From the AFP yesterday (today only available thru secondary reporters like Hurriyet and Al Ahram, direct AFP story seems to have disappeared from news.google.x )
Ahram online
not sure if that Mrs. Clinton is anyway related to this Mrs. Clinton reported today:
WSJ
But apparently the US coverage is more interested in her remark about Jared Loughner being an "extremist" (shock, horror, outrage!) and, oh yeah, some apparently hilarious footage of her tripping over on her way onto the plane. Go Team USA!
Meanwhile, on Tunisia itself, we have the following gem from that bastion of self-regarding US liberal intellectualism, the New York Times:
pass the sick bag...
edit: just found this, the official US State Dept. transcript of that Clinton Al Arabiya interview - v. quotable:
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2011/01/154295.htm
The guy who posted the flamethrower vid (can't tell what it is exactly cos of the dark/distance but definitely not mollies or gas cans exploding) actually seems to have a good line going on related vids: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=171233806253275#!/video/?id=174905639212943
Tunisia's youth finally has revolution on its mind
From the comments for the article above
Protesters shot dead as angry crowds defy Tunis curfew
This violence is unacceptable. The perpetrators must be identified and brought before the courts,” said a spokeswoman for EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton. “And we cannot accept the disproportionate use of force by the police against peaceful demonstrators."
Suggests a very mixed view from the EU, I can't see them backing Ali if things continue to go south for him - hint to elements of the regime that they need to find a new chief?