Tunisian trade union sources reported that more clashes occurred between
security forces and citizens of the Sidi Bouzid governorate Dec. 25 in
the towns of al-Ragab and Maknasi in central Tunisia. The demonstrations
continued in the following days.
The clashes resulted from an
overnight police crackdown after protests over the nation’s unemployment
and poverty spread to the capital, Tunis.
A teenager was killed
Dec. 24 when police in Bouziane fired on protesters. The protests began
Dec. 17 in response to the attempted self-immolation of Mohammed
Bouazizi, an unemployed university graduate.
The government has
promised to fight joblessness with a $10 million employment program, but
the opposition says the promises are false and the efforts are too
late.
“We are unhappy with the policies in Tunisia, we are
unhappy with everything—it is not just unemployment,” (Al-Jazeera, Dec.
26) said Tunisian blogger Lina Ben Mhenni.
