West stands by dictators in Tunisia

Ousted Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/161861.html

Political analysts say the West supports a dictatorial regime in Tunisia instead of an Islamic government, which could bring "prosperity and freedom" to the Arab people.

In an interview with Press TV, Sari Hanafi, the professor of sociology at the American University in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, said Western countries are standing by dictatorial regimes in Tunisia over concerns of Islamic rule in the North African country.

"The international community -- the Western capitals -- keeps saying that they prefer this dictatorial regime," which was ousted after former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled the country on January 14.

The concerns grow as the former opposition leader of Tunisia's Islamic party al-Nahada, Sheikh Rashed Ghannouchi is set to return to the country after 20 years in exile in London.

The movement was one of the most repressed in Tunisia during the Ben Ali regime.

Members of the movement were jailed or sent into exile, and the party was banned from politics. But after the country's interim government allowed banned parties, Ghanouchi decided to return home.

Ghannouchi however believes that the current interim government is "an extension of Ben Ali's fallen regime" as most of the old figures still remain in the interim government.

In December, the self-immolation of 26-year-old Tunisian street vendor Mohammed Bouazizi unleashed a wave of street riots across the country that ended in the dramatic ouster of strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.Ben after 23 years in power.

More than 100 people have so far been killed in the unrest in Tiunisia, according to the UN High commissioner for Human Rights. At least 70 of those killed were shot dead.

The country however has been in upheaval ever since Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia.

There is particular anger that after the overthrow of Ben Ali, his Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi has taken the reins of the transitional administration.

Hundreds of protesters kept up an angry vigil outside his office for a third day on Tuesday calling on him to quit, ahead of an expected government reshuffle.

Tunisian army vows to protect revolution

Protesters demonstrate outside Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi's office in Tunis on January 24, 2011

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/161754.html


The head of Tunisia's armed forces Rachid Ammar has pledged to safeguard the country's historic revolution against any possible deviations.

Ammar made the pledge to a crowd of anti-government protesters in the capital Tunis on Monday.

"The national army is the guarantor of the revolution. The army has protected and protects the people and the country," Ammar said.

The remarks come as police clashed with protesters camping outside the office of interim Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannoushi the premier's office, calling on the government to resign.

Protesters demand that the allies of ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali resign from the interim cabinet.

Meanwhile, Tunisian police have put Ben Ali's former interior minister and his advisor under house arrest. They also raided a TV station, arresting its owner on charges of treason and working for Ben Ali's return.

This comes as Tunisian schoolchildren returned to classes for the first time since the protests toppled the government ten days ago. Universities will also reopen on Wednesday.

Ben Ali's 23-year of dictatorship, which was marred by repeated human rights violations and torture, ended earlier this month after weeks of street protests.

3 protesters killed in clashes in Tirana Albania

Three people were killed during clashes between police and protesters in Tirana on Friday

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/161326.html


Albania's riot police have killed three people during clashes with at least 20,000 opposition supporters outside Prime Minister Sali Berisha's office in Tirana.

On Friday, state health officials confirmed that three of the protesters were shot dead, the BBC reported.

One victim was shot in the head and the other two died due to gunshots wounds to the chest.

Supporters of the opposition Socialist party held the demonstration to protest against corruption and electoral fraud, Reuters reported.

The Socialist party has rejected the results of the 2009 parliamentary election, which Berisha's Democratic party officially won, and is calling for new elections.

The clashes came in the wake of the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Ilir Meta on January 14, 2011. He also resigned from his other posts as minister of economy and leader of the Socialist Movement for Integration.

“I resigned because in order to face justice it's very important that I forfeit my government duties in order to appear before prosecutors as a regular citizen,” Meta said at a press conference after he presented his resignation to Prime Minister Sali Berisha.

The clashes broke out when some protesters were separated from the main crowd, started to throw stones and set police cars on fire. The riot police immediately responded with tear gas, plastic bullets, and water cannons.

There have been no reports yet on how many individuals were arrested during the unrest.

President Bamir Topi and opposition leader Edi Rama asked the demonstrators to “calm down for the time being.”

“We shall continue our struggle in a determined way, because the way out is clear -- either a free Albania for all, or keep the people subdued under the boot of barbaric power,” Rama added.

Tunisia to lift political party ban

Tunisia's interim cabinet held its first meeting on Thursday.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/161167.html


Tunisia's interim government says it will recognize all banned political groups a week after a revolution ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

The announcement comes after the new cabinet held its first meeting on Thursday. The cabinet meeting had been postponed amid opposition calls not to give key posts to members of Ben Ali's Constitutional Democratic Rally party.

Meanwhile, protests have continued with demonstrators demanding the exclusion of Bin Ali associates from the future administration.

Tunisian army fired warning shots in capital Tunis as angry protesters tore down signs from the ruling party's headquarters on Thursday.

The troops were trying to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who surrounded the buildings.

The army has deployed troops in the streets of the capital to prevent violence. Tension remains high despite the presence of troops across the capital city.

Ben Ali's 23-year of dictatorship, which was marred by repeated human rights violations and torture, ended earlier this month after weeks of street protests.

The new unity government aims to prepare Tunisia for new elections.

Iran warns West of meddling in Tunisia

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addresses crowds of people in the central Iranian city of Yazd, January 19, 2011

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/160878.html


Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has warned the United States, Israel and some Western states not to interfere in Tunisia and Lebanon's internal affairs.

Addressing crowds of people in the central Iranian city of Yazd on Wednesday, President Ahmadinejad emphasized that Western countries aim to deprive the Tunisians of their rights through psychological warfare.

Massive riots and protests have rocked Tunisia this past month. The Riots broke out in Tunisia following the self-immolation of a 26-year-old fruit vendor, identified as Muhammad Bouazizi, who set himself on fire after police confiscated his merchandise.

President Ahmadinejad urged Tunisian politicians to exercise vigilance in face of foreign interference and pay due attention to the needs and choices of their people, adding that Tunisians want an Islamic government.

Elsewhere in his speech, the Iranian president slammed the Western-backed UN tribunal investigating the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.

President Ahmadinejad called on the US and its European allies to stop meddling in Lebanon, which he said is at a critical juncture.

Lebanon is in a political standoff after Prime Minister Saad Hariri's government collapsed on Wednesday when 11 Hezbollah-affiliated ministers resigned in a dispute over the US-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), probing the assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafiq Hariri in 2005.

The US-sponsored tribunal is reportedly about to indict some Hezbollah members in the Hariri murder case -- an allegation which has been vehemently rejected by the Lebanese resistance movement.

The Iranian chief executive also called for the promotion of unity among all Lebanese factions.

Pointing to the "Iranian nation's achievements" over the past 32 years, the Iranian president said," Today the Iranian nation is shining in the world and has brought its enemies to their knees."

Anti-government protests continue in Tunis

In recent days, thousands have protested across Tunisia to call for ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD) party to be shut out of the government

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/160893.html


Hundreds of Tunisian demonstrators have taken to the streets of the capital city of Tunis, protesting the continued presence of the ousted president's party on the political scene.

Protesters marched down the main street of Tunisia's capital on Wednesday, calling for the expulsion of the ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali's allies from the transitional government.

The demonstrators sang nationalist songs and held up signs, which read, "RCD Out!'', referring to the former ruling party, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday.

The fresh protests come as the new unity cabinet is scheduled to meet on Thursday.

The meeting will be the first gathering of the cabinet since the removal of Ben Ali from office on January 14.

Amid widespread public dissatisfaction with the new cabinet line-up, four of Ben Ali's opponents have already quit the new government in protest against the continued domination of his party. Three of the four ministers were from Tunisia's main trade union. Their decision came after the General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT) refused to recognize the country's new leadership.

Opposition ministers want to see all members of the former government dismissed.

In recent days, thousands have protested across Tunisia to call for Ben Ali's Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD) party to be shut out of the government as the country's security forces tried to disperse the protest.

Police and security forces used water cannon and fired shots into the air to disperse the demonstrators.

Tunisian president, PM quit RCD

Tunisia's interim President Fouad Mebazaa (L) and Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi have resigned from the former president's RCD party.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/160832.html

Tunisian interim President Fouad Mebazaa and Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi have resigned from the ruling party of ousted leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

They quit Tunisia's ruling Constitutional Democratic Rally party (RCD) on Tuesday as protests over the inclusion of RCD members in the new government came to a peak, CNN reported.

The RCD says it has expelled Ben Ali and six of his associates from the party.

Four ministers of the prime minister's one-day-old coalition have already left the new government amid widespread public displeasure at the new cabinet lineup.

The two top officials' resignation from the RCD was apparently intended to calm the outraged demonstrators who took to the streets of Tunis earlier on Tuesday, calling for the old administration to be swept from power.

The unity government that was formed on Monday included opposition members and members of Ben Ali's party, but the protesters are demanding that backers of the ousted president be kicked out of the new governing team.

"No leftovers from the old regime!" protesters chanted.

Riot police clashed with the protesters and fired tear gas to break up the demonstrations.

The General Union of Tunisian Workers has also refused to recognize the new government. The union stated that the presence of members of the toppled president's cabinet makes the unity government a “masquerade” still dominated by Ben Ali's supporters.

In addition, the Tunisian Islamic Party Ennahdha has announced that it plans to boycott the presidential election scheduled to be held in six months.

Ben Ali's 23-year rule ended after weeks of street protests culminated in the victory of the popular revolution. His era was marred by numerous human rights violations and acts of torture.

Tunisian police, protesters clash amid power shift

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/160831.html

The demonstrations started peacefully enough. But perhaps trigger happy - or just panicked - the Tunisian police were quick to respond when a few protesters ran in front of their lines.

Within seconds, police fired tear gas canisters. The thick acrid vapour dispersed quickly covering a wide area. Victims soon found their eyes, noses and throats stinging.

After the first skirmish on Tunis's iconic Bourgiba Avenue the police briefly allowed this rally a few hundred yards further up to take place. The protesters called for former ministers of the Zine Ben Ali regime to be removed from the new interim Government of Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi.

Then a political bombshell. Three members of the new interim coalition Government quit on their first day on the job. They belong to the General Workers Union, opposed to inclusion of former ministers from the Ben Ali regime.

One of their spokesmen said simply: 'This is in response to the demands of people on the streets.

Prime Minister Mohamed Ghanouchi had earlier defended the inclusion of the former ministers. He said they had 'clean hands' and 'had always served to protect the national interest.

Meanwhile the unrest was spreading to side streets. At this stage, a simple standoff. Minutes later police reinforcements arrive - and then break up another admittedly noisy but still largely peaceful gathering.

And in a separate move, the Government said it would not allow the exiled Nahda party leader Rachid Ghannmouchi - who's no relation of the Prime Minister - to return home.

Tunisian exiled leader to return home

Former Tunisian president Zine El Abidin Ben Ali

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/160381.html


The exiled head of the main Tunisian opposition party says he plans to return home after the departure of the ousted ruler Zine El Abidin Ben Ali.

Rached Ghannouchi, leader of Tunisia's Ennahda political party, said on Saturday that he would return home within the next few days from exile in London.

"I am going to go back very soon," Reuters quoted Ghannouchi as saying in a telephone interview.

"I haven't decided when yet, but possibly in the days to come," he went on to say.

"The reasons that forced me to leave do not exist anymore. The dictatorship has fallen ... There is nothing to stop me [from] returning to my country after 22 years of exile," he added.

Ben Ali left the country over increasing public discontent on Friday after sacking his cabinet members and commissioning Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi to form a new government.

Angry protesters have rallied in the country since last month, opposing the nation's political system and calling for broad reforms and changes in governing institutions.

The opposition and rights groups say scores of people have been killed in clashes with police since the start of the unrests last month.

In the wake of the unexpected ouster of Ben Ali, a new wave of protests and turmoil has swept across the capital, Tunis.

Tunisia's Constitutional Council says the presidential election must be held within 60 days, after placing the country's Parliament speaker Fouad Mebazza in power.

The council, Tunisia's highest legal authority on Constitutional issues, decided to formally oust Ben Ali and put Mebazaa in charge based on Article 57 of the Constitution.

Tunisian airports were reopened after Ben Ali fled to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

Ben Ali ruled Tunisia for more than two decades. His era was marred by repeated human rights violations and torture.