Unity Government in Tunisia Fractured by Resignations
Holly Pickett for The New York Times
Riot police held back demonstrators on Tuesday in Tunis.
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and KAREEM FAHIM
Published: January 18, 2011
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Holly Pickett for The New York Times
Police dispersed protesters in Tunis on Tuesday.
The resignations compounded the pressure on Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi, previously the right-hand man to Mr. Ben Ali, to resign as well.
As the evening curfew approached in Tunis, the new government, backed by the military and a tiny group of recognized opposition leaders, seemed caught in a war on two fronts. On one side were Mr. Ben Ali’s former security forces, which the government has accused of continued acts of violence.
On the other it was battling to hold the loyalties of grass-roots protesters in the streets, who demanded a faster and more radical purge of the old government. “You sympathize with the current government,” one woman shouted, expressing a common sentiment. “How are you supposed to represent the people?”
Some opposition leaders expressed fears that a collapse of the interim coalition — it would be the third rapid-fire turnover of power within less than a week — could trigger a military takeover. Yet, as the police moved forcefully to break up the demonstrations, many protesters said they thought they had much more to fear from the former ruling party, RCD, than they did from the Tunisian military, a traditionally apolitical force.
There was also a looming wild card: the revival of the banned Islamist party. The government said that for now it would continue to block the return of the party’s exiled founder, while he repeated that his party espouses a moderate pluralism.
Many Tunisians said they were waiting — some hopefully, some anxiously — to see what kind of rebirth the once-flourishing but long-outlawed Islamist political party might have. In a radio interview, Prime Minister Ghannouchi said that the exiled leader, Rached Ghannouchi — no relation — would be banned from the country until the government passed an amnesty law lifting a conviction he was given in absentia under the Ben Ali government.
The exiled leader, meanwhile, made clear that his party envisioned a society far more liberal and open than Iran or Saudi Arabia. In an interview with The Financial Times, Rached Ghannouchi said his party had signed a shared statement of principles with the other Tunisian opposition groups that included freedom of expression, freedom of association and women’s rights.
It remained unclear how much support he commands in the country. Some argued that Tunisian society today was too resolutely secular for the Islamists to find much support, after two decades of efforts by Mr. Ben Ali’s vast secret police to eliminate the party and cripple it.
“They have people who are 50 years old or 60 years old, but they don’t have anybody under 40 because of the repression,” said Ahmed Bouazzi, an executive committee member of the largest opposition group, the Progressive Democratic Party.
Others, however, argued that the religious convictions of Tunisians would assure the Islamic parties a strong base of support, especially away from the more cosmopolitan coasts. “Look, they will be easily the most popular party,” said one analyst who opposes the Islamists, speaking on the condition of anonymity to avoid angering family and friends. “No one can say anything against anything that is Islamic.”
Mr. Bouazzi of the Progressive Democratic Party said that over the last three days the military had helped to arrest about half of the 7,000 officers who made up Mr. Ben Ali’s personal security force, who the government says has perpetuated violence since his flight. “They charged them with felonies and killings and so on,” Mr. Bouazzi said.
Adding to the complexity of the political situation, the composition of the crowd in the street protests seemed to be changing. In stark contrast to the relatively affluent group that turned out to demand Mr. Ben Ali’s resignation last Friday —many of them joining the protests for the first time — a more determined core took to the streets of the capital Tuesday. They held their ground against the clubs of charging motorcycle police officers, hurling canisters of tear gas back at the officers before regrouping to return again and again for hours until the evening curfew loomed.
Among them were students, trade unionists and supporters of the outlawed Islamist party.
Unity Government in Tunisia Fractured by Resignations
As in recent days, the Tunisian military appeared to step in between the protesters and the police. During one standoff, soldiers begged the protesters not to advance in the face of an advancing line of police officers. When they stopped, the police soon retreated, to cheers from the protesters. “Long live the people, long live the military,” they chanted at times during the day.
On the other it was battling to hold the loyalties of grass-roots protesters in the streets, who demanded a faster and more radical purge of the old government. “You sympathize with the current government,” one woman shouted, expressing a common sentiment. “How are you supposed to represent the people?”
Some opposition leaders expressed fears that a collapse of the interim coalition — it would be the third rapid-fire turnover of power within less than a week — could trigger a military takeover. Yet, as the police moved forcefully to break up the demonstrations, many protesters said they thought they had much more to fear from the former ruling party, RCD, than they did from the Tunisian military, a traditionally apolitical force.
There was also a looming wild card: the revival of the banned Islamist party. The government said that for now it would continue to block the return of the party’s exiled founder, while he repeated that his party espouses a moderate pluralism.
Many Tunisians said they were waiting — some hopefully, some anxiously — to see what kind of rebirth the once-flourishing but long-outlawed Islamist political party might have. In a radio interview, Prime Minister Ghannouchi said that the exiled leader, Rached Ghannouchi — no relation — would be banned from the country until the government passed an amnesty law lifting a conviction he was given in absentia under the Ben Ali government.
The exiled leader, meanwhile, made clear that his party envisioned a society far more liberal and open than Iran or Saudi Arabia. In an interview with The Financial Times, Rached Ghannouchi said his party had signed a shared statement of principles with the other Tunisian opposition groups that included freedom of expression, freedom of association and women’s rights.
It remained unclear how much support he commands in the country. Some argued that Tunisian society today was too resolutely secular for the Islamists to find much support, after two decades of efforts by Mr. Ben Ali’s vast secret police to eliminate the party and cripple it.
“They have people who are 50 years old or 60 years old, but they don’t have anybody under 40 because of the repression,” said Ahmed Bouazzi, an executive committee member of the largest opposition group, the Progressive Democratic Party.
Others, however, argued that the religious convictions of Tunisians would assure the Islamic parties a strong base of support, especially away from the more cosmopolitan coasts. “Look, they will be easily the most popular party,” said one analyst who opposes the Islamists, speaking on the condition of anonymity to avoid angering family and friends. “No one can say anything against anything that is Islamic.”
Mr. Bouazzi of the Progressive Democratic Party said that over the last three days the military had helped to arrest about half of the 7,000 officers who made up Mr. Ben Ali’s personal security force, who the government says has perpetuated violence since his flight. “They charged them with felonies and killings and so on,” Mr. Bouazzi said.
Adding to the complexity of the political situation, the composition of the crowd in the street protests seemed to be changing. In stark contrast to the relatively affluent group that turned out to demand Mr. Ben Ali’s resignation last Friday —many of them joining the protests for the first time — a more determined core took to the streets of the capital Tuesday. They held their ground against the clubs of charging motorcycle police officers, hurling canisters of tear gas back at the officers before regrouping to return again and again for hours until the evening curfew loomed.
Among them were students, trade unionists and supporters of the outlawed Islamist party.
Unity Government in Tunisia Fractured by Resignations
Published: January 18, 2011
As in recent days, the Tunisian military appeared to step in between the protesters and the police. During one standoff, soldiers begged the protesters not to advance in the face of an advancing line of police officers. When they stopped, the police soon retreated, to cheers from the protesters. “Long live the people, long live the military,” they chanted at times during the day.
Holly Pickett for The New York Times
Police formed a line in front of protesters in Tunis on Tuesday.
Their principal target was the ruling RCD party, but some protesters also directed their rage at the opposition leaders who had stood by their side before Mr. Ben Ali’s flight, but then agreed to sit in the unity government. In response, three junior members from a labor union resigned, and a fourth opposition member, Mustafa ben Jafaar, the health minister, reportedly resigned or suspended his role.
The protesters repeated a refrain heard since the days when Mr. Ben Ali was still firmly in power and his snipers fired on protesters: that Tunisians would win and keep their freedom on their own, without any help from Americans, French or others.
Sonia Ben Sultan, 53, said she had coughed through clouds of tear gas in the demonstrations against Mr. Ben Ali last Friday, and “it was the best day of my life.
“No political party, only God,” she said. “Not terrorism. I want freedom, I want equality, I want righteousness. That is Islam.” Referring to her head scarf, added, “I cover my hair but I don’t cover my brain.”
At times bystanders sang the national anthem with the protesters. But not all of the bystanders agreed with the demands. “I’m not O.K. with this government,” said Ramzi Achich, emerging from a cloud of gas on the Avenue de Paris. “But we must at least have a country that can protect us.”
Standing next to him, Idriss Bouazizi, a barber, suggested Tunisians had come too far to retreat now. Mr. Bouazizi said he had returned from a life in France a few weeks ago to be here for the revolution. “People are watching,” he said. “We’re not inhaling gas. We’re inhaling freedom.”
Chehidi Souhir, 24, recalled the uneventful stability of Mr. Ben Ali’s police state. “It was peaceful . It was a comfortable life. He made the city look good,” she said. “But poor people didn’t have any chance to live.
“Democracy” she said with a smile. “No fear.”
Sonia Ben Sultan, 53, said she had coughed through clouds of tear gas in the demonstrations against Mr. Ben Ali last Friday, and “it was the best day of my life.
“No political party, only God,” she said. “Not terrorism. I want freedom, I want equality, I want righteousness. That is Islam.” Referring to her head scarf, added, “I cover my hair but I don’t cover my brain.”
At times bystanders sang the national anthem with the protesters. But not all of the bystanders agreed with the demands. “I’m not O.K. with this government,” said Ramzi Achich, emerging from a cloud of gas on the Avenue de Paris. “But we must at least have a country that can protect us.”
Standing next to him, Idriss Bouazizi, a barber, suggested Tunisians had come too far to retreat now. Mr. Bouazizi said he had returned from a life in France a few weeks ago to be here for the revolution. “People are watching,” he said. “We’re not inhaling gas. We’re inhaling freedom.”
Chehidi Souhir, 24, recalled the uneventful stability of Mr. Ben Ali’s police state. “It was peaceful . It was a comfortable life. He made the city look good,” she said. “But poor people didn’t have any chance to live.
“Democracy” she said with a smile. “No fear.”
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