Conditions in Tunisia have deteriorated since the Wuhan Coronavirus crisis began, with increasing social unrest and high unemployment among young people. Despite being forbidden under COVID restrictions, people are on the streets demonstrating, and in some cases rioting.
Below are two French-language news reports about what’s happening in Tunisia. Many thanks to MissPiggy for the translations, and to Vlad Tepes and RAIR Foundation for the subtitling.
Video #1:
Video #2:
Video transcript #1:
| 00:04 | The 4pm curfew was the last straw for hundreds of young Tunisians. | |
| 00:08 | Tensions were already high due to the deep social and economic crisis the country is going through, | |
| 00:13 | exacerbated by the pandemic, but in the last four days they have risen a notch. | |
| 00:17 | The deployment of the police to enforce the new curfew schedule has led to demonstrations, | |
| 00:21 | which are forbidden due to Covid-19, and riots in several cities including Kasserine, | |
| 00:26 | Siliana, Sfax and in the suburbs of Tunis, particularly in the Ettadhamen district. | |
| 00:33 | “There is the coronavirus, people are dying, and there is a confinement from 4pm; | |
| 00:37 | we, the people, are the only ones to suffer. | |
| 00:41 | The coronavirus is not our main concern: feed us and find us work.” | |
| 00:46 | Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed visited Ariana on Monday, a city near the capital, | |
| 00:50 | which also experienced demonstrations. | |
| 00:53 | He called on people not to let others exploit their poverty and misery, | |
| 00:57 | and not to attack public or private property, | |
| 01:00 | as demonstrators demanded the dissolution of parliament. | |
| 01:04 | The Ministry of the Interior reported 632 arrests after the demonstration. |
Video transcript #2:
| 00:00 | Ettadhamen, Tunisia | |
| 00:03 | Another night of clashes between young people and the forces of law and order. | |
| 00:13 | Rioting broke out in several cities across the country due to the lockdown because of the pandemic. | |
| 00:23 | The unrest began a few days after the 10th anniversary of the Tunisian revolution. | |
| 00:31 | The grievances remain unclear, | |
| 00:35 | but these clashes are taking place in a context of political instability | |
| 00:40 | and deteriorating social conditions. | |
| 00:50 | More than a third of young people are unemployed. | |
| 00:54 | The government was reshuffled on Saturday and must be approved by parliament. | |
| 01:02 | More than 600 people were arrested during the clashes, | |
| 01:05 | and the army was called in as reinforcements. |