Tunisia: Sit-In Continues Against Interim Government

This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011.

Following Tunisia's recent revolution the country's political situation remains fragile and critical, as a sit-in of protestors at Kasbah square near the main government building in capital Tunis, enters its fourth successive day. Demonstrators have shown no sign of backing down and are determined to carry on until all of their demands, which are mainly political, have been responded to.

Their main target is the interim government, which the protestors consider to be illegitimate and non-representative of the people, and only an extension of the regime of toppled former President Ben Ali.

The list of the sit-in protestors' 'Popular Demands' written on the Tunisian flag. Photo by Winston Smith.

The list of the sit-in protestors' 'Popular Demands' written on the Tunisian flag. Photo by Winston Smith.

Amongst the sit-in protestors’ list of ‘Popular Demands’ are: the dissolution of both chambers of deputies and advisers, the resignation of interim Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi and his government, the dissolution of former ruling party the RCD (Le Rassemblement constitutionnel démocratique), and the setting up a constituent assembly.

A Tunisian blogger for Kissa Online writes:

رجعنا عشية يوم 20 فيفري 2011 للإ عتصام ببطحاء القصبة بتونس حيث مقر الحكومة…مطالبين برحيل محمد الغنوشي و جماعته…حاولت الشرطة إخراجنا من البطحاء ليلة 20 لكنها لم تفلح…

We came back on the afternoon of February, 20 [2011] for the sit-in at Kasbah square in Tunis, near the government's main building to ask for the departure of Mohammed Ghannoushi and his peers…During the night, the police tried to make us leave the square but they did not succeed…
Protestors at Al-Kasbah square in Tunis during the night. Image taken from blog Kissa Online.

Protestors at Al-Kasbah square in Tunis during the night. Image taken from blog Kissa Online.

Tunisien Libre argues that the sit-in has already started to bring good results:

Depuis le début du sit-in à la Quasba, le gouvernement commence à bouger, hier, une demande d'extradition de l'ex-président Ben Ali, aujourd'hui une demande d'extradition de sa femme, et une demande de dissolution du RCD présentée par le ministre de l'intérieur au Tribunal de première instance de Tunis.

Ever since the beginning of the sit-in at the Kasbah, the government has started to act. The government asked for the extradition of the former president Ben Ali and his wife. The interior minister requested the Court of First Instance to study the case of dissoluting the RCD.

Heny (@dr_heny) tweets:

انفروا الى القصبة يا شباب تونس! الثورة تحتاجنا ! حرروا تونس من بقايا النظام الفاسد.الانجاز لم يكتمل بعد.

To the Kasbah, young Tunisians! The revolution needs us! Free Tunisia from the remainders of the corrupt regime. The acheivement is not complete yet.

Takriz Network, a cyber Tunisian think tank and resistance group tweets:

يا توانسه ثورتكم في خطر موت و القصبه العزه و في نصرتها الآن يكمن القضاء على حكومه العار و الدمار

Tunisians! Your revolution faces a death threat, and the only way to victory is the Kasbah square. Now, we can get rid of the government of shame and destruction!

Liliopatra (@liliopatra) shows her support for the protestors at the Kasbah square:

Manifestants à la Kasba,on est avec vous. Nous sommes unis plus que jamais.Honorables martyrs,vous ne serez pas morts pour rien

Protestors at the Kasbah, we are with you. We are united more than ever. Honorable martyrs, you did not loose your lives for nothing

However, a small portion of young Tunisians are not very enthusiastic about the sit-in and are suspicious of the protestors whom they consider to be anarchists.

Amira Yahyaoui (@Mira404), a Tunisian militant for freedom of speech tweets:

Les manifestants de la Kasbah sont manipulés, s'ils ne le sont pas ce sont des anarchistes. Le lavage de cerveau : ça marche!

The protestors of the Kasbah are manipulated, and if not, they are anarchists. Brainwashing does work!

Aliboulila (@aliboulila) asks this question:

??????? j'y comprend rien moi! C'est quoi l'objectif du sit-in d'El Kasbah cette fois?

I don't understand anything! What's the aim of the sit-in at the Kasbah this time?

Sami Mzoughi (@learningwithsam) tweets:

Sit-in à la Kasbah: le peuple tunisien veut tout et tout de suite… mais c'est pas en une semaine qu'on va rattraper 23ans de connerie…

Sit-in at the Kasbah square: The Tunisian people want everything right now…but we can't restore 23 years of foolishness in one week…

This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011.

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