11/01/2011 / TUNISIA
Video of the January 9 in Tunis.
High school student protest in the town of Ksar Hlal (centre-west Tunisia) on January 2.
High school student protest in the south-eastern town of Gabès on January 2.
Schools ordered shut as students join Tunisia protests
Tunisian authorities suspended classes in all of the country’s schools and universities on January 10, until further notice, after students began joining the mass anti-government protests that have rocked the country for the past month.
The government has reported at least 20 deaths in clashes between security forces and rioters in several Tunisian cities, but the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights says at least 35 civilians were killed. Both the United States and the European Union have condemned the violence, calling on President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali's regime to show restraint.
Students were initially absent from the protests, but began organising rallies early January following calls published on Facebook and Twitter to show solidarity with the popular uprising. On January 9, university students in the capital, Tunis, hit the streets for the first time since the start of the unrest.
The ministries of education and research issued a joint statement announcing that all schools and universities would remain closed “pending an investigation to determine who are the troublemakers who have pushed innocent students to breach public order”.
This latest crisis began last month after a 26-year-old graduate set himself on fire in front of the regional government headquarters in the western town of Sidi Bouzid. He was protesting the fact that police repeatedly seized the farm produce he sold in the street, depriving him of his only source of income. His desperate gesture unleashed pent-up anger about the country’s high level of youth unemployment, slow economic development and rampant corruption.
“Even the least politically active students were out in the streets”
Najib Abidi is a communications student in Tunis. He was part of the march organised by the capital’s largest university campus on January 10.
The call to protest was issued on Sunday, January 9, on Facebook, and the following morning at 9 a.m. there was a large crowd of students gathered in the university’s central courtyard to protest. First we went around to each of the university’s five campuses to rally as many students as possible, then we went out into the streets.
“Riot police were waiting. They had been ordered not to let us leave campus.”
There, riot police were waiting. They had been ordered not to let us leave campus. They pushed us back by firing tear gas and started randomly beating people with their truncheons. We responded by throwing stones, but we couldn’t go any further. We refuse to let things stop here, though. We’ll try to organise another protest soon.
The reason students only belatedly joined the protests was because the unrest began during our winter break and mid-term exam period. But after the bloodshed that took place this weekend, there was no way we could continue doing nothing. Even the least political students were out in the street. Everyone is shocked by the government’s brutal crackdown. It’s inhuman and unacceptable.”
“The police made me sign papers in which I pledged not to participate in any kind of protest”
Rami Tn is 18. He and fellow classmates participated in protests in the southern city of Jbeniana early January.
When classes resumed after a two-week break on January 2, my classmates and I decided it was our duty to join the popular protests that were taking place across the country. We gathered in the courtyard of our school, brandishing banners getting other students who came in to join the movement not to go to class. Supervisors tried in vain to make us go to our classrooms.
We left for lunch at noon and returned at 3:30pm to stage a sit-in. Upon our return, we were surprised to find a considerable number of riot police deployed around the school. They didn’t stop us from entering. I guess they thought their mere presence would intimidate us. They were wrong.
When I went home in the evening, I saw that police had circled my entire neighbourhood. I was walking home when a police car pulled up next to me and an officer forced me to get in. I was kept at the station for three and a half hours. The police made me sign papers in which I committed not to participate in any kind of protest again, and warned me of the consequences I would face if I did.”
Post written with France 24 journalist Sarra Grira.
Comments
Shun the protests with care
Submitted by Latwell Nyangu (not verified) on Wed, 12/01/2011 - 14:23.Its upsetting and disturbing to here that students have joined the protests even the unactive ones have also joined.
it is against the background that students should be involved in such uncalled for activities but allow me to air my concerns that you can let the lying dog lie but if it does the misconducts there is no need only to do action.
in this case i will blame the Government first since there is no smoke without fire and students have found it necessary to fight against the unwanted regime.
Killing people is an uncalled for activity which is insurgency torwards humanity.
When diplomacy fails people do apply autocracy likewise i think students have been patient enough and they are afraid to become patience in their areas of study and in the education sector.
Deal with this frightening action diplomatically not with the sword!