Stig Östlund

måndag, januari 17, 2011

Desperate protests spread

Monday 17 January 2011by Our Foreign Desk
The self-immolation that sparked the ousting of Tunisia's leader has led to similar desperate protests in other north African states, with four men setting themselves on fire in Algeria and one each in Egypt and Mauritania.
In Cairo a man set himself ablaze today near parliament in a protest against poor living conditions.
In Algeria, where riots over the last few weeks have broken out in parallel to the unrest in Tunisia, newspapers reported on Sunday and today of at least four men who set themselves on fire in provincial towns over the last five days.
And in the Mauritanian capital of Nouakchott police sources said a company director and member of a wealthy family set themselves alight today in protest at alleged government mistreatment of his tribe.
The protests that brought down Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali on Friday started after the suicide of a young vegetable seller Mohamed Bouazizi, who set himself on fire on December 17 after police seized his cart.
Mr Bouazizi, a graduate who was trying to make ends meet by selling fruit and veg due to the lack of jobs for educated Tunisians, died weeks later of his burns.
He became a martyr to students and unemployed people protesting against the lack of decent jobs, the rising cost of living and government corruption.
Algiers University political science expert Mohamed Lagab said: "Tunisia is now the model to follow for all Arabs - the time for dictators and dictatorships is over."

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