JASMINE REVOLUTION ANNIVERSARY MARKED BY FURTHER PROTESTS
▶ Gareth Browne finds the demonstrators in Tunis unmoved by economic concessions made by the government
The government called yesterday a day to mark the anniversary of Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution, a day when Tunisians would come together in song, dance and laughter to mark seven years since the ousting of former president Zine Abedine Ben Ali.
But as crowds began to gather in the capital’s Bourguiba Avenue on a chilly Sunday morning, it was not the demonstration of national unity for which the government might have hoped.
There were the breakdancing teenagers and recitals of the national anthem, but down the avenue as the speaker reverberation faded, the bellowed chants could be heard.
“The people want the fall of the budget, ” – an echo of, “The people want the fall of the regime,” the call that came to define the revolution of 2011 and much of the Arab uprisings.
Several groups had announced plans to demonstrate at the festival, not only against the controversial budget, but in rejection of reforms announced by the government to try to appease them.
In response to widespread protests and increasing pressure, president Beji Caid Essebsi went to the impoverished Tunis district of Ettadhamen. He had never set foot in the place before.
On Saturday, the minister of social affairs, Mohamed Trablesi, announced an aid package of 170 million dinars (Dh250.4m) and reforms.
“This will reach about 250,000 families,” Mr Trablesi said. “It will help the poor and the middle class.”
The reforms included medical care for all Tunisians and social housing for the disadvantaged. Without giving further details, he said the reforms had been planned for months.
But in a country where many of the poorest are struggling even to put food on the table, the package, which averages out to about $27 a family, was seen as little more than an empty gesture and few were convinced.
“They are trying to buy us off and not even for a good price,” Lina Al Soussi, 32, said as she marched along the avenue.
Tareq Tookebry, 29, took a similar view.
“Why, only now, is the president pretending to be a saviour?” Mr Tookebry asked. “We have turmoil, and suddenly he shows up to show people he is trying to fix everything.
“The president is no saviour, he is just thinking about the 2019 elections. They are saying nothing. It is not real reform.”
Amira Hamad, 25, a jobless
university graduate, was equally weary of the reforms.
“They will do the minimum they can get away with, so now we will starve just four days a week, instead of five,” Ms Hamad said.
“The change is about more than just a few dinars extra a week. The system is broken.”
The protests erupted last week after the introduction of a drastic new finance law, which cut subsidies for staple foods and raised taxes on other basics, such as mobile phone credit and petrol.
Small but vocal protests grew yesterday afternoon, although rather than one unified call they were a miscellany of groups, all with different demands.
A group of young men stood on the steps outside the Theatre Municipal de Tunis, chanting solidarity with Palestine.
There was a procession by Manich m’samih, a group opposed to amnesty for former Ben Ali regime figures. They chanted, “Where, where, where is the list? We’ve been waiting seven years. We do not forgive” – referring to a list of businessmen and public officials known to have been involved in corruption, which has never been published in full.
Mr Tookebry is suspicious of the country’s leadership.
“The old regime is trying to re-establish itself in the new political climate. Many of the ministers are from Ben Ali’s regime. Too many symbols of the old regime are in government. The old regime has come back through the door as if nothing happened, and now it is stronger.”
But it was not all anti-government chants, Ennahda supporters laughed as a comedian took to the main stage and blasted those who claim to be broke, but had money to buy drugs and cake – a swipe at those involved in the past week’s riots and protests.
Hundreds packed in front of the UGTT union headquarters for a speech in commemoration of 2011 by union head Nouredine Taboubi.
As the crowds thinned a hard core of young men remained, setting off flares and banging drums.
Clapping and screaming “Down with the budget”, at one point they charged towards riot police. But the line stood strong. One man was dragged away, his face turning white.
Yesterday’s protests were far from the mass demonstrations for which many had hoped but the variety of grievances on show runs deep and even as the crowds dispersed, those grievances remain.
Yesterday would not be the last day of protest in Tunisia, Ms Al Soussi promised.
“We don’t have to win today,” she said. “Every day we have a new opportunity to win, we will keep coming back until we get what we deserve.”
Reflecting on the situation, Mr Tookebry said: “We, as Tunisian youth, are not responsible enough. It’s time to start relying on ourselves.
“Many of us are waiting for a saviour but the government gives us nothing. We have to save ourselves.”