Thousands of Tunisians Demonstrate for Toppling al-Nahda Rule
TUNISIA,(ST)_ Thousands of Tunisians demonstrated in the streets of the capital Tunis, on Saturday marking the passage of 40 days on the assassination of the Tunisian militant Chokri Belaid, head of the opposition leftist Unified National Democratic Party , demanding toppling the rule of al-Nahda movement.
Reuters reported that the demonstrators marched from Aljlaz cemetery where Belaid was buried to Habib Bourguiba Avenue and raised a huge picture for him and chanted slogans such as “The people want to overthrow the regime” , “the people want revolution again,” , “Hey Chokri, O martyr we will not deviate” , “O martyr rest in peace we will continue to fight “and ” al-Nahda .. go “.
At Belaid tomb, his widow Basma said while waving victory signs by her hands: ” They killed Chokri, but they can not kill values of freedom, he had defended “.
She continued amid thousands of Tunisians, “Chokri conquered darkness ..He is not dead and we will continue his journey in the struggle for freedom and democracy.”
The Tunisian Interior Ministry announced that it had identified Belaid ‘s killer , noting that he belongs to the hardline Salafi but Belaid supporters doubt the official version, which refers to the involvement of Salafi and accuse Nahdha movement of being behind the assassination.
According to observers , this demonstration was a real test for the new government’s ability to withstand the pressures of secularists who refused its support and said they put on it popular pressure of the streets.
In an expression of their rejection to the presence of Al-Jazeera in their country, the demonstrators expelled Al-Jazeera crew who tried to cover the demonstration chanting “the people of Tunisia are free . No for the US and Qatar.”
The assassination of Belaid on February 6th , was the biggest political crisis in Tunisia since two years ago .
Following Belaid ‘s assassination , Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali resigned after he failed to form a non- partisan government, and was succeeded by Ali al-Areed who formed a new government comprising independent sovereign ministries in a move to contain tension.
T. Fateh