President and parliamentary speaker attacked at event commemorating two years since start of country's revolution.
Protesters say they are unhappy with the pace of change since the revolution in the north African country [AFP]
Angry protesters have hurled rocks at the Tunisian
president and parliamentary speaker in Sidi Bouzid, the cradle of the
revolution that erupted in the north African country two years ago. The incident began after a speech by President Moncef Marzouki in the
central Tunisian town, where celebrations are taking place on Monday to
mark the anniversary of the revolution. Mustapha Ben Jaafar, the parliamentary speaker, was about to address the crowd when the violence began. Security forces swiftly evacuated the two men to the regional government headquarters, the AFP news agency reported. The protesters invaded the square where the head of state had been
addressing the crowd, shouting "the people want the fall of the
government".
Growing anger
The police held back, after violent clashes over the past few months,
which have often followed attempts to disperse protesters angry over
the government's failure to improve living conditions in the poor
region. Clashes and strikes have multiplied across Tunisia in the run-up to the second anniversary of the start of Tunisia's revolution. When the president took to the podium on Monday, many in the crowd of
around 5,000 started shouting "Get out! Get out!" - one of the rallying
cries of the revolution that toppled the regime of former dictator Zine
El Abedine Ben Ali. Marzouki promised economic progress within six months to the people
of Sidi Bouzid, where poverty and unemployment were key factors behind
the uprising that began there on December 17, 2010, after Muhammad
Bouazizi a street vendor set himself on fire in protest at police
harassment. "I understand this legitimate anger. But the government has diagnosed
the problem. In six months, a stable government will be in place and
will provide the remedy to heal the country's problems," said the
president, who was jeered by the crowd. "For the first time, we have a government which is not stealing from the people," he said. Marzouki had been heckled earlier in the morning, when he visited the grave of Bouazizi.
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