Tunisian government takes immediate measures to contain rising unrest

The Tunisian government decided late on Wednesday to take a series of measures to contain unrest that has been running high in Kasserine and other parts of the North African country following the death of a local man whose name was removed from a list of hires for public sector jobs.

The new measures, announced after a meeting between some members of the government and eight lawmakers representing the impoverished town of Kasserine at the cabinet headquarters, include the creation of 5,000 new jobs and allocation of 135 million dinars (60 million euros) to build 1,000 social homes, according to a statement by the government.

Unemployment now stands at more than 15 percent and 32 percent among holders of university degrees, and Kasserine is one of the poorest regions of the North African country.

The government also renewed commitment to protecting peaceful protests, urging security forces to exercise self-restraint in face of job-seeking protesters, the statement said.

Reda Yahyaoui, a young Kasserine resident, was electrocuted on Saturday after climbing a utility pole and threatening suicide in protest at his exclusion from a list of applicants for government jobs — reminiscent of the events in 2011 that set off the revolution.

In 2011, Mohamed Bouazizi, a young fruit seller, set himself on fire after being humiliated by a policewoman, leading to furious protests that quickly spread and developed into the revolution that overthrew Zein al Abidine Ben Ali and set off a chain reaction of Arab uprisings.

The demonstrators in Kasserine, who rallied through the night despite the curfew, were reported to have burnt the local office of the ruling Nidaa Tunis party.

During Wednesday’s protest they chanted the slogan “work, freedom, dignity” to highlight their demands.

Source: MENA