Post-election violence erupts in Tunisia

[News_Editor]

Post-election violence erupts in Tunisia

2011-10-29 08:07:07 GMT+7 (ICT)

SIDI BOUZID, TUNISIA (BNO NEWS) -- Violent clashes broke out in Tunisia on Thursday and continued on Friday following the country's first elections, local media reported.

The violence broke out in the central city of Sidi Bouzid after the Independent Higher Authority for the Elections (IHAE) cancelled several seats won by the 'Al Aridha' party, which also translates as the 'People's Petition' party, the Tunisian News Agency (TAP) reported.

Angry crowds took to the streets, burning tires in different areas while security forces tried to disperse the protesters by using tear gas. The People's Petition party is led by Hachmi Hamdi, who is a native of the Sidi Bouzid Governate region. After surprisingly winning 19 seats in the Constituent Assembly, eight of them were later revoked because of alleged campaigning during the elections.

The protests caused officials to shut down schools and public offices in fear of the escalating violence. Local shops have also been shut while protesters stormed the local governor's headquarters. Other protests were reported in the provinces of Meknessi, Menzel Bouzayene, Regab, Bir el Hafay and al-Mazouna.

Hamdi has claimed that he created the People's Petition party after being contacted by several Tunisians which later formed a petition signed by thousands of people. Despite remaining in England during the elections, Hamdi was able to lead the party through his TV channel and campaigning in villages, residential areas, and cafes, promising free healthcare and employment.

The elections on Sunday marked the first free election in Tunisia since the country's independence in 1956. The elections were held to determine the Constituent Assembly's 217 members, which will firstly appoint a new government.

IHAE chairman Kamel Jendoubi announced on Thursday evening that the center-right and moderately Islamist Ennahdha Movement won 90 seats, which represents 41.5 percent of the National Constituent Assembly's 217 seats.

The centrist Congress for the Republic party, meanwhile, surprisingly received a large number of votes, earning 30 seats (13.8 percent). Ettakatol won 21 seats (9.68 percent), People's Petition won 19 seats (8.76 percent) and the Progressive Democratic Party won 17 seats (7.83 percent). The rest of the seats were distributed among twenty other parties, of which many only received one seat.

In addition, among the 217 members of the elected National Constituent Assembly, almost 25 percent of the seats - or 49 - were filled by women.

The elections are considered as the point of transition for Tunisia following the Tunisian Revolution which ousted former President Ben Ali after weeks of violent protests nationwide. The United Nations estimated that approximately 219 people were killed during the Tunisian mass unrest which began in mid-December. Most of them died after security forces were ordered to fire at them.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-10-29

[Steely Dan]

IHAE chairman Kamel Jendoubi announced on Thursday evening that the center-right and moderately Islamist ( ) Ennahdha Movement won 90 seats, which represents 41.5 percent of the National Constituent Assembly's 217 seats.

Well that's the official narrative. I would tend to believe the following however.

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2011/10/raymond-ibrahim-tunisian-elections-and-the-road-to-the-caliphate.html

Other reports, perfunctorily prefixing the word “moderate” to “Islamist”—an oxymoron to common sense, an orthodoxy to the MSM—gush and hail “democracy.”

Such sunny depictions are not mere products of Western projection but augmented by conniving Islamists who spoon-feed the world what it wants to hear.

[mccw]

New Islamist regime already squashing decent.

Expect this same ruling party for the next 40 or so years.

Meanwhile; in Lybia, they didn't even wait for elections to announce that sharia would be the basis for all future law.

Hooray for Arab democracy!