Tunisian army fires warning shots during protest

[Joanne98]

Source: AP

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — The Tunisian army fired warning shots in the capital Thursday as demonstrators marched toward the headquarters of the longtime ruling party, and government ministers quit the party in a desperate attempt to keep their jobs.

Demonstrators have criticized the country's new unity government announced Monday for being mostly made up of old guard politicians from the ruling party. They are seeking the disbanding of the RCD party, founded by ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who fled to Saudi Arabia on Friday after 23 years in power.

Outside the gates of the party headquarters in Tunis, the army fired about 10 rounds into the air, scattering some protesters in the noisy but peaceful crowd. Others remained, chanting, "Down with the RCD!"

The warning shots came after a period of relative calm in Tunisia, which has been rattled by more than a month of unrest over the lack of jobs and corruption in Ben Ali's regime. Police even let protesters break a curfew Thursday night to hold a sit-in near the Interior Ministry.



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jNORx1KQXq_maKQA_EO6jNbwry5w?docId=0565c22b90be49608a417d7c6973686a

[Robbien]

1. This is dis-information

The army is on the side of the demonstrators.

The security people shooting at demonstrations are the mercenaries paid by the elite and foreign countries.

Of course AP is happy to spread the propaganda.

[Rebubula]

2. Citation please

Where can I find the truth that you speak of?

[Robbien]

3. Some links

Reuters is reporting the people firing the shots are the police.

Then Reuters changed their story identification from police to security forces.

This blog
http://methalif.blogspot.com/

is from an American in Tunisia and he explains how the police and certain elements of the presidential bodyguard and/or high ranking "special police" are shooting at citizens. He explains how the Army is standing up for the citizens

[bemildred]

4. Thanks.

So this is still going on, not over yet.

I keep thinking of Roumania for some reason, except the big shot got away.

[Robbien]

5. There is another good article

over on AlJazeera
http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2011/01/19/viva-la-revolution-lets-not-get-ahead-ourselves

Which goes into why Tunisia's revolution may not stick and why other Arab nations may not follow Tunisia's example.

Basically it says that the people of tyrannic nations are their own worst enemy. The article says "they are literally the stick used to beat themselves with."

from the article:

Its security forces used to repress citizens rather than protect them, and its foreign policies were subject to directives from Western countries. I.E.: more than one million Egyptians work as policemen, soldiers, military police, state-security personnel (amn dawla), secret police (mukhabarat) in those cities. Their short-term livelihood is directly dependent on the government, making the current government the only guarantee that they'll be able to provide a meal for their families at the end of each day.

I remember speaking to an Egyptian policeman just minutes before security services started beating innocent men and women attempting to watch votes being counted during November's elections. Without even asking him if he liked his job, he started telling me how much he despised what he did, how much he hated the regime, and how he would often be disgusted at what he would do to his fellow Egyptians.

And when I asked him so why do you continue serving this repressive regime, "how else will I be able to put food on the table" was his answer.

And I guarantee you'll get the same answer from an Algerian, Jordanian, Syrian or any other Arab, millions of who are in exactly the same position.

This mentality is a manifestation of the success of the repressive Arab governments, they have immaculately conditioned their people to think like slaves.


more at above link

..........................





Which is why it is important to clearly identify the security forces containing the protests in Tunisia. One of the major reasons this uprising is working is that the army is siding with the citizens instead of with the elites.

[bemildred]

8. Al Jazeera is unlikely to help spread revolution through the Arab world.

Just saying.

And true revolutions always take TPTB by surprise. So we will see.

[bemildred]

9. That is a good article, BTW, but you have to read between the lines a bit. nt

[dipsydoodle]

10. Just noticed you'd posted that earlier.

That's 100% correct and definitely a plus on the side of the population.

I think that fact is also acting as a deterrent against unwelcome outside interference from other nations.

[pampango]

6. Tunisian ministers quit ruling RCD party

Source: BBC

All ministers in Tunisia's transitional government who were members of the ousted president's RCD party have quit the party, state television reported.

However, the ministers are to keep their seats in the country's unity cabinet, the report added.

Earlier, it was announced that more than 30 members of the former president's family had been arrested. It was not clear on Thursday which members of Mr Ben Ali's family had been arrested. However, state television showed what it said was gold and jewellery seized during raids on their properties.

Swiss officials estimate Tunisian government officials have put about $620m (£387m) into Swiss banks, the Associated Press news agency reports. On Wednesday, Switzerland said it had frozen any assets of Mr Ben Ali and "his entourage" held in the country.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12238728

[dipsydoodle]

7. Did you change the headline ?

or use the wrong link by accident ?

Headline for your link is : Tunisia's interim government holds first meeting.