John Rossomando
http://www.investigativeproject.org/4138/tunisians-renew-protests-against-islamist
Tunisians launched a week of protests
Saturday demanding the resignation of the Islamist-led government. The
birthplace of the Arab Spring has been embroiled in turmoil ever since
opposition politician Mohamed Brahmi was assassinated last month, allegedly by Salafist gunmen.
"We tried you, you failed, now leave," protesters chanted.
Opposition leaders say the Ennadha Party, which won 41 percent of the
seats in Tunisia's Constituent Assembly, is incompetent and has done
little to provide security. A third of the Constituent Assembly has withdrawn and its speaker has suspended the legislature's work since Brahmi's assassination.
Tunisia also faces severe economic difficulties similar to those in
Egypt that led to mass protests prior to the toppling of Islamist
President Mohamed Morsi. Standard & Poor's recently downgraded
Tunisia's credit rating to near junk, citing economic and security
problems.
Jihadists connected with Al-Qaida's North African franchise have targeted
Tunisian soldiers in the Jebel Chaambi mountains of southwestern
Tunisia. The unrest became so bad that Tunisian Gen. Rachid Ammar warned
just before resigning as head of Tunisia's army in June that "Tunisia
could become like Somalia."
"Other countries have the economic resources to fight terrorism but
we have nothing," Ammar said in an Associated Press report. "I see in
Tunisia today signs that make me afraid and keep me from sleeping."
The ruling Ennadha party condemned violence by the al-Qaida linked
jihadists, but Tunisian secularists strain to see a difference between
Ennadha and the jihadists. "Ennadha and the Salafists are on and the
same," said Zied Miled, a leading opposition figure who once was part of Ennadha's coalition government.
The fall of Egyptian President Mohamed has emboldened Tunisia's
opposition, which is calling for an independent group to run the country
before new elections can be held.
"Since Ennadha came to power we have been suffering," protester Nejet Brissi told the BBC,
echoing the concerns of Egyptian protesters who took to the streets
against Morsi in June. "We have been crushed by the rising cost of
living. There is no security anymore. We are living in fear of
terrorists."
Ennadha shows no signs of giving in.
"The coalition government will not resign and will continue its
duties until national dialog reaches a consensus agreement that
guarantees the completion of the democratic transition and the
organization of free and fair elections," party leader Rachid Ghannouchi said last week.
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