Pakistan Cyber Force: Tunisia

Having returned home after more than 20 years of exile, Tunisia's Islamic opposition leader Rashed Ghannoushi calls on the government to free political prisoners. “There are political prisoners still in prison who need to be released. There are consultations between the different political forces away from the government which need to take place within the government and with a view to having all these different political forces represented in government”, Ghannoushi the media in an exclusive interview on Saturday. On Sunday, Ghannouchi left London's Gatwick airport at 08:30 GMT to the Tunisian capital, Tunis, following the departure of the ousted Tunisian Zionist Ruler Zine El Abidin Ben Ali who had earlier fled from Tunisia with his family taking along 1.5 tons of Gold Bars.

Tunisia's Islamic opposition leader Rashed Ghannoushi

Thousands of Tunisians flocked to Tunis airport to give Ghannoushi a hero's welcome. The head of the En-Nahdha Movement was exiled to Britain in 1989 by former Zionist President Zine al-Abdine Ben Ali. His return comes after Tunisia's interim government issued an amnesty for all the country's banned political activists. The amnesty is yet to be approved by the parliament. Tunisia's new government installed after the ousted Tunisian Zionist Ruler Zine El Abidin Ben Ali's fall has unveiled unprecedented democratic freedoms, including lifting media restrictions, releasing political prisoners and registering banned parties. “There is corruption which needs to be addressed. Of course, with regards to the issue of development, real steps need to be taken to launch development projects in the marginalized areas of Tunisia”, he said. Ghannoushi also said that he does not seek to play a role in the new government. “We have not sought to play any role in this government. We have not been consulted about the government or its members or its committees. There are worrying indicators that the security services are still very much active”, he said. Tens of thousands of protesters have kept up their daily rallies in the streets of the Tunisian capital, Tunis, calling for old regime politicians to be swept from power and for the abolition of Ben Ali's Constitutional Democratic Rally party.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Tunisian army will protect revolution

The head of Tunisia's armed forces Rashid 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.

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

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

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Tunisians demanding interim PM to quit - New wave of violent protests erupts

As unrest spreads across volatile Tunisia, protestors are mounting pressure on the country's hypocrite Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi and his cabinet to quit. Thousands held demonstrations in Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia, as well as other cities and protested against the presence of Ghannouchi and other allies to ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in the new government. Country's main trade union also called for a new administration and organized a protest march dubbed the Caravan of Liberation which set off from central Tunisia for the capital on Saturday. Tunisia's interim prime minister, however, has pledged to leave office after elections, which is expected to be held in the next six months, but he has given no indication of when the vote will be held.

Policemen take part in a demonstration on the streets of Tunis, on January 22, 2011

"We want to make the next elections the first transparent and legitimate elections since independence", Ghannouchi addressed the nation on Friday on state-run Tunis TV. "After this transitional period -- with all honesty -- I will leave any political role I have even if I was selected or appointed. I will leave political life and retire", he said. Police officers who previously defended the Ben Ali regime have also joined the protests. The ongoing unrest in Tunisia, which led to the ouster of president Ben Ali, seems to be spreading to other North african countries. On Tuesday an Egyptian man lost his life after he set himself on fire on the roof of his house in protest at the dire living conditions and joblessness in the country.

Two other Egyptian men that were inspired by events in Tunisia attempted to set themselves on fire in downtown Cairo too. Earlier on Saturday, hundreds of Egyptians gathered outside the Tunisian Embassy in Cairo to show their solidarity with Tunisians and called for protests similar to those in Tunisia. Self-immolation attempts have spread across North African countries after an attempt by an unemployed Tunisian man to set himself on fire sparked an uprising that ended the 23-year rule of Ben Ali.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Fresh violent protests erupt in Tunisia

Shots have been fired as Tunisian protesters reach the ex-ruling party headquarters after ministers taking part in the new unity government quit the party of ousted Zionist President Ben Ali. Troops fired warning shots at 1,000 protesters to stop them from climbing a wall at the headquarters of Tunisia's former ruling party. Anti-government protesters took to the streets of the Tunisian capital to demand the resignation of the ousted president's allies.

Tunisian police forces stand guard on January 19, 2011 during a protest in the center of Tunis.

The news comes after the Tunisian cabinet ministers quit Ben Ali's party RCD. Opposition ministers had already left the interim government in protest against the presence of Ben Ali's allies in the cabinet line-up. Meanwhile, Tunisia's state television says 33 members of Ben Ali's family have been arrested while trying to flee the north African country. Ben Ali, himself, fled to Saudi Arabia earlier this month following a nationwide uprising and later on his wife escaped Tunisia along with 1.5 tons of gold bars. Scores of people have been killed in clashes with the security forces over the past few weeks.

Egypt should be next Tunisia: ElBaradei

Egyptian opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei termed a regime change in Egypt as ‘inevitable’ following the popular uprising in Tunisia. “It is inevitable. Change must come”, ElBaradei told the Austrian news in an interview published in an Arabic newspaper.

ElBaradei, former head of the UN atomic watchdog, suggested that Egypt’s long-standing Pro-IsraHell stooge President Hosni Mubarak would soon find himself in a similar position unless political reforms were made. The diplomat, who headed the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency for 12 years and even won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 for his work there, called for a boycott of Egypt’s presidential elections in September, saying the regime in his home country should be brought to its knees via peaceful demonstrations. “We’re trying with peaceful means”, he said.

He and his supporters had already collected one million signatures for a petition calling for the democratization of Egypt. “If more people signed up then we will have the legitimacy to speak for everyone who has signed”, ElBaradei said. He further said that he hoped the regime would change before this year’s presidential elections.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Anti-govt. protests intensify in Tunis

Thousands 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 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 Zionist Ben Ali from office on January 14.

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

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, hundreds of 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.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Tunisia ministers quit new (old) govt

Four ministers have resigned from the new Tunisian government amid widespread public dissatisfaction with the new cabinet line-up. Three of the four ministers were from Tunisia's main trade union whose decision came after the General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT) refused to recognize the country's new leadership. "We are resigning from the government after a call from our union", said Houssine Dimassi, who had been named minister for training and employment in a transitional unity government. The unity government was formed on Monday, three days after President Zine El Abidin Ben Ali was ousted from power in a historic revolution. Ben Ali's 23-year rule ended after weeks of street protests. His era was marred by repeated human rights violations, massive looting and torture.

Police having clashes with demonstrators in Tunis on January 18, 2011

Meanwhile, fresh violent protests have erupted in the capital against the new coalition government. Riot police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. The protesters demand that Ben Ali's party give up power. Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi has defended his new cabinet lineup. Ghannouchi, as well as foreign, interior and defense ministers are to retain their posts. Only three opposition figures will join them. The union says the withdrawal is justified by the presence of 12 cabinet members belonging to ousted President Zine el-Abidine ben Ali's ruling party, stressing that the unity government is "a masquerade" still dominated by Ben Ali's supporters. The opposition Islamic party, an-Nahza, has also boycotted the presidential election due in six months.

Tunisians outraged at new (old) govt

The announcement of a new 'unity government' by Mohamed Ghannouchi, the Tunisian prime minister, has been met with anger by some protesters, who say too many members of ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's party remain in power.

The PM announced that the former defence, foreign, interior and finance ministers will keep their key posts in the new government formed after the public uprising led to the flight of President Ben Ali. Thousands of protesters gathered mainly near Tunis' Habib Bourguiba Avenue to demonstrate against the announcement. Tanks and troops were deployed, and water cannons and tear gas fired against activists who demanded that members of Ben Ali's Constitutional Democratic Rally (CDR) be excluded from the new government. "Who did the revolt? It's the people, those trade union leaders ... they need to find their aspirations in the government. This government does not answer those aspirations," Masoud Ramadani, a workers union activist, told a media correspondent. Ayman Mohyeldin said protesters were "rejecting the possibility that any incoming or caretaker or national unity government could possibly have figures or leaders from the previous regime". "They want the CDR party completely abolished, completely removed from any form of government".

Members of the interim government have defended its composition, however, saying that the zionist members of the incumbent party who have been retained are not politicians. "Members of the ruling party that are in the government are technocratic, they are not political. And we demanded that people who are dirty in corruption and crimes should be evacuated from this government," Ahmed Bouazzi, a member of the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), said.

There were no charismatic leaders who could channel the energy from the uprising towards the formation of a new government. In part, this is because Ben Ali tailored the whole state around his persona. The police, the parliament, everything was linked to him. Furthermore, the opposition has been clamped down on for nearly three decades, with most of its leadership either driven out of the country, or spending many years in jail. This is the big question. Who is going to take over, who is going to lead Tunisia into the future?

The new 'national unity' government includes several members of the incumbent party

Ghannouchi announced the country's new interim government on Monday, adding that a number of opposition members will be assigned to ministerial posts. The prime minister named Najib Chebbi, founder of the PDP, which opposed Ben Ali, as minister for regional development. Ahmed Ibrahim, leader of the Ettajdid party, was named minister of higher education and Mustafa Ben Jaafar, head of the Union of Freedom and Labour, got the health portfolio. Significantly, there will be a separation of the state from political parties, meaning that under the coalition government, the collection of parties will not fall under the control of a ruling party.

One of Tunisia's best known opposition figures, Moncef Marzouki, on Monday branded his country's new government a "masquerade" still dominated by supporters of ousted strongman zionist Ben Ali. "Tunisia deserved much more," the secular leftist declared. "Ninety dead, four weeks of real revolution, only for it to come to this? A unity government in name only because, in reality, it is made up of members of the party of dictatorship, the CRD", said Marzouki on France's I-Tele. According to Ahmed Friaa, Tunisia's interior minister, 78 people have been killed in the country during the recent turmoil, almost quadrupling the official death toll. He also estimated that the unrest had cost the country's economy $2.2 bn as a result of disruption of economic activity and lost export revenues.

Rachid al-Ghannouchi (no relation to Mohamed Ghannouchi), the exiled leader of the Nahdha Movement party, told London-based Asharq Alawsat newspaper that leaders of his party had not been invited to participate in the negotiations in forming the new unity government. He expressed anger at the exclusion, but said his party would consider joining the government if asked to do so. Ghannouchi also announced on Monday that the Tunisian government will investigate anyone suspected of corruption or of having amassed huge wealth under the country's deposed leader. "Anyone who accumulated enormous wealth or is suspected of corruption will be put before a committee of investigators," said Ghannouchi. He also said that there will be "total freedom" for the media in the country, which experienced especially tough crackdowns during the recent weeks of unrest. Additionally, the prime minister said that a ban on the activities of human rights groups in Tunisia will be lifted and that all political prisoners would be freed. "We have decided to free all the people imprisoned for their ideas, their beliefs or for having expressed dissenting opinions," said Ghannouchi.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Family of ex-Tunisian president escapes with 1.5 TON Gold Bars

The family of ousted Zionist Tunisian President Zine El Abidin Ben Ali has reportedly fled the country with 1.5 tons of Gold worth more than 45 million euros. Citing information received form the French secret services, the French newspaper, Le Monde, disclosed on Monday that Leila Trabelsi, the wife of the ousted president, took the gold bars out of the country before the collapse of Ben Ali's regime. Ben Ali's 23-year rule ended on Friday after weeks of street protests all over the North African country. "According to information gathered in Tunis, Leila Trabelsi, the president's wife allegedly went to the Bank of Tunisia for gold bars. The director of the bank refused. Mrs. Ben Ali called her husband, who had also initially refused, but then agreed," the newspaper said.

Ousted Tunisian President the Zionist Zine El Abidin Ben Ali and his wife Leila Trabelsi

After receiving the gold bars, Treabelsi flew to Dubai before leaving for Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, the paper said. "It seems that the wife of Ben Ali is the party who left with 1.5 tons of gold worth 45 million euros," a senior French official told the daily. Reports also confirmed that Trabelsi had been in Dubai for several days. In the past weeks, there have been massive street protests across Tunisia against what has been described as the theft of Tunisian wealth and lack of opportunities for the average citizen. Many of Ben Ali's family members have left the African country for fear of personal safety.

On Saturday, a day after Ben Ali fled to Jeddah, luxury cars were smashed and shops and homes were looted and burned in the Tunisian capital, Tunis. Ben Ali ruled Tunisia for more than two decades. His era was marred by repeated human rights violations and torture. On Sunday, acting leaders in Tunisia discussed the composition of a unity government as post-revolution unrest continues to grip the North African country.

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Saturday, January 15, 2011

Tunisia puppet president flees as Army takes control

The mason Zine El Abidin Ben Ali

doing a classic masonic gesture

The Tunisian army has taken control of the North African nation after President Zine El Abidin Ben Ali reportedly left the country over increasing public discontent. Ben Ali left the country for Malta on Friday shortly after sacking his cabinet members and commissioning Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi to form a new government. Sources close to the government say members of the Ben Ali family have been arrested. Prime Minister Ghannouchi announced, in a televised address, that he was taking over the immediate responsibility to run the country.

"Since the president is temporarily unable to exercise his duties, it has been decided that the prime minister will exercise temporarily the (presidential) duties," Ghannouchi said on state television.

Tunisian military units have surrounded the international airport on the outskirts of the capital city. Earlier on Friday, Ben Ali declared a national state of emergency as anti-government protests across Tunisia reached a breaking point. Public gatherings have been banned in Tunis and security forces have been authorized to fire on anyone refusing to obey orders. A dusk-till-dawn curfew has also been imposed. Tunisians, who have been demanding Ben Ali to resign for being a no good zionist puppet that he is, are furious about the police killing 13 more people last night -- especially after the president promised to end the use of live rounds on protesters.