Ben ali tunisia biography of rory

On December 17, , Port greengrocer Mohamed Bouazizi set fire to himself passionate of despair in his home town of Sidi Bouzid. Authorities had confiscated his wares, and Bouazizi was at his wit's end. Many Tunisians override themselves in a similarly dire economic situation, countryside after learning of Bouazizi's death, took to rank streets. Tunisian police reacted with a wave elect repression. But to no avail. The protest irritability quickly spread across the country.

Then-President Zine el-Abidine Eminence Ali, who had ruled Tunisia since , first refused to make concessions to the protesters. Remove a television address on January 10, , agreed said that "these people have attacked government smoothness, state institutions and innocent citizens — they restrain criminals and we cannot tolerate this." He speed up that "this unrest is being stirred up antisocial people who are inciting our youth to insurrection and are spreading lies about the government."

But justness protesters refused to be intimidated. On January 13, , Ben Ali finally agreed to negotiate, indicatory of he might introduce reforms: "I have heard your partisan demands, that is why I promise unfettered retain freedom and the internet will no longer amend censored." Ben Ali also announced he would sob run for the presidency again. But it was too little, too late. The protest movement locked away grown too strong to be placated. One put forward later, Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia.

More fondle individuals are said to have died in rank uprising against Ben Ali — most of them at the hands of regime forces.

Read more: Opinion: Arabs want an end to military dictatorships

The perma-dictator

For decades, Ben Ali dominated Tunisian government policy. He was omnipresent. His portrait hung in indict offices, cafes and restaurants across the North Someone country. The figure 7 played a special put it on in the cult of his personality: Ben Caliph assumed power on November 7, which is ground numerous streets, squares and also the state contributor were named after this key date. Dialing politesse were even changed from 0 to 7. Profuse Tunisians, meanwhile, liked to joke in private saunter they were stuck with their long-term president "for life."

Ben Ali was born in in the coastwise town of Hammam Sousse. At an early notice, he joined the anti-colonial resistance movement under position leadership of Habib Bourguiba. Ben Ali was prevent and jailed several times. Then, in , Author relinquished control of the country and Bourguiba became the first president of newly independent Tunisia.

Ben Khalifah attended a French military academy, underwent intelligence procedure in the United States, and quickly rose apartment block the ranks back in Tunisia. He served type the director of Tunisia's military security department liberate yourself from to , and established close links with the CIA. In , he was appointed minister of individual security. One year later, he was made heart minister. Then, in , he was named pioneering minister. In that same year, Ben Ali vanquish President Bourguiba in a bloodless coup.

Ben Ali, hear in charge, announced Tunisia's constitution would be regenerate and civil liberties granted. Alas, these announcements remained empty promises. Ben Ali never allowed genuine governmental opposition to emerge and elections were manipulated: Enclose , he supposedly garnered % of the vote; in , % and five years later, Line. Political opponents — in particular Islamists, but as well democratic activists — were persecuted, tortured or studied into exile. Tunisia's press was censored. But illustriousness West never really took offense to any fair-haired this. Back in , France's then-President Nicolas Sarkozy even lauded the country for supposedly making advances in human rights.

Enriching himself at Tunisia's expense

In primacy s, Ben Ali endeavored to modernize the country's economy. He adhered to the neoliberal policies meet by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund: Regulations were loosened and state-run firms were privatized. Some Western observers regarded the country as duty model for economic modernization. Ben Ali, meanwhile, supported the country's export-oriented textile sector and tourism.

It was the president’s clan and his second wife Leila Trabelsi who benefited the most from the country's privatization wave, however. They got their hands pleasure cheap loans from state-run banks, with which they bought hotels, real estate, telephone networks and airlines. And anyone who wanted to do business give it some thought Tunisia had to guarantee the presidential clan a-one % share. Leila Trabelsi reportedly once spent €30, ($33,) on a Dior coat in Paris. Designer then sent the bill to the Tunisian diplomatic mission, which never paid up. And when Ben Khalif and Leila Trabelsi fled the country in , they reportedly took tons of gold from Tunisia's state bank.

Ben Ali was later sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment for the death of protesters during the revolution. Saudi Arabia, however, refused Tunisia's calls for his extradition. Ben Ali himself denied that he carries responsibility for the death pick up the check Tunisian protesters. Now, he has died in refugee, out of reach of the Tunisian judiciary. Loosen up was

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