In Tunisia "people are saying they need to arm themselves against the police, who they do not trust"

[Better Believe It]

Tunisia situation remains volatile
Reports of gunshots in the capital as politicians struggle to restore order and form coalition government.
January 16, 2011

There were reports on Sunday of shots being fired near the headquarters of Tunisia's opposition Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) opposition in the centre of the capital, Tunis.

Al Jazeera's James Bays, reporting from Tunis, said there were few details on the shooting near the PDP's headquarters, but that there have been other shootings in the city and that, even though there are army road blocks set up throughout the city, people are saying that they need to arm themselves against the police, who they do not trust.

"In between the road blocks, we were coming across large groups of people who had their own home-made weapons, axes and steel bars, and some of them were not particularly friendly to us when we wanted to film in the area," our correspondent said.

"We were filming the hardships of the ordinary people of the city - a bread queue ... and then members of the crowd turned on us and said 'it was shameful for you to film us in this situation, begging for bread'," he said, adding that the TV crew just managed to escape the large, angry crowd.

Read the full article at:

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/01/2011116141359683604.html

[Catherina]

1. Before Ben Ali fled he ordered the prisons opened and all the criminals released

The police is on the side of the rich and powerful.

Al Jazeera: the head of prisons was ordered by former regime elements to open the doors to all jails to allow prisoners to leave about 11 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone
http://twitter.com/sultanalqassemi

The real news coming out of Tunisia confirms that the police is doing a lot of the looting and the viciousness to turn people off to revolution and make it seem like a dirty, ugly thing.

Tunisia, you give me hope for humanity.


Good article. Rec'd and thank you.

[DCKit]

3. How many were political prisoners? Non-violent offenders?

I can't imagine what would happen here in the U.S. if the 750K pot smokers currently in prison were loosed on the population. Mayhem.

[Catherina]

4. If Ben Ali had them released they were mostly criminals.

You don't get thrown in jail in Tunisia for smoking pot.

[DCKit]

6. Thank you for your expert opinion on Tunisian politics. nt

[DCKit]

2. There's going to be a lot of (violent) jockying for control of the country.

I hope it turns out well.

Last I heard, there was some sort of pre-existing government panel in charge.

[Catherina]

5. They're trying to discredit and then hijack the revolution

@Dima_Khatib Clashes between Tunisian Army & armed men (members of former police force) around Presidential Palace in Tunis #sidibouzid


@karim2k: Artillery echoes on the sweet waters of the lake, the army id taking down the rest of the Republican army of the old regime #Sidibouzid


@nottinhill: French Diplomat via @afp: Police dress up as looters and Terrorists to discredit Tunesian Revolution.

@Dima_Khatib: Tunisian army has apparently caught a few Europeans with weapons in Tunis.. If you got info, pls send me and copy @yasmineey #sidibouzid


@AymanM: Reports: foreign gunmen (german and Swedish) arrested in Tunisia. Possible mercenaries #tunisa #sidibouzid


@TheNewsBlotter: /@Al_Arabiya_Eng: BREAKING: Tunisian Army kills two snipers in central Tunis: #Tunisia #SidiBouzid

http://twitter.com/search?q=%23sidibouzid

[Catherina]

7. Ben Ali's nephew, Kais Ben Ali + 10 others arrested in town of Msaken for "shooting at random" f

#
# Ben Ali's nephew, Kais Ben Ali + 10 others arrested in town of Msaken for "shooting at random" from police cars http://bit.ly/f1Bvt9

http://twitter.com/sultanalqassemi