Tens of thousands protest in Tunisia, demanding resignation of president

TUNIS, Tunisia, and BEIRUT — Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the capital of Tunisia
on Friday to demand the resignation of President Zine el-Abidine ben
Ali even after he gave a major speech the night before promising
concessions to a protest movement driven by anger over economic
troubles and a lack of political freedoms.

“We’ll only leave if Ben Ali leaves,” they chanted. “Resign, Ben Ali!”

Faced with unrelenting protests, Ben Ali declared a state of emergency, dismissed his government and called for
early legislative elections within six months, state television and
local news agencies reported. However, there was no indication that he
would offer his own resignation.

The Tunisians gathered near the headquarters of the
Interior Ministry, which had taken part in a weeks-long crackdown
against demonstrators, rioters and activists. Al-Arabiya, a pan-Arab
television network, reported that protesters were trying to storm the
ministerial building as well as the Central Bank. Tunisian police fired
tear gas on protesters when they started to climb atop the roof of the
Interior Ministry, the Associated Press reported.

Human rights groups say at least 66 people have been
killed since the protests began, including eight Thursday night and
Friday morning.

There were reports of continuing violence, including word that police were attacking demonstrators in Tunisia’s
second-largest city, Sfax, and that a math teacher had been shot by
security forces. Witnesses also said protesters attacked a police
station in the Tunis suburb of Marsa.

Some travel agencies began evacuating foreign tourists stranded in Tunisia. Thomas Cook
said it was taking about 1,800 British and Irish tourists and 2,000
Germans out of the country, according to Reuters news agency.

In a speech delivered Thursday in the local Tunisian dialect instead of classical Arabic, Ben Ali promised to stand down before 2014 elections, lower food prices and
lift restrictions on civil and political liberties that have gained his
country a reputation as one of the most repressive in North Africa.

Foreign Minister Kamel Morjane said in a television interview that Ben Ali would be willing to allow new legislative elections before 2014.

Despite the cautious praise of some opposition
figures, Tunisian activists and protesters inside and outside the
country appeared unmoved by the concessions.

On social media websites including Facebook and
Twitter, they have dubbed themselves the “Jasmine Revolution,” in
reference to the fragrant flower that grows ubiquitously in the
Mediterranean nation, and vowed to continue to hold protests until Ben Ali leaves office. The country’s main union announced a general strike for Friday in the capital and other regions.

Ben Ali for weeks had labeled the protesters vandals and common criminals, but the crowd in downtown Tunis on Friday included doctors, lawyers and businessmen who said they were fed up with the festering corruption under Ben Ali’s 23-year rule.

“Bread and water! No Ben Ali,” they chanted before a force of uniformed security officials.

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