Tensions Rise in The City of Sidi Bouzid

Governorate of Sidi Bouzid, the Cradle of Tunisian Revolution

For the third consecutive day, Sidi Bouzid residents are protesting over acute water shortages, but today rising emotions have been further incensed by recent comments made by the Minister of Higher Education.

Demonstrators in the region of Saiida are blocking the road linking the city of Sfax to the region of Regueb.

“People in the region do not have any clean water because the local water company did not pay its electricity bill. Therefore, the electric company cut electricity for the water company making it difficult for water to be delivered to the people. Residents are calling for the government to intervene and solve this problem,” explained Ali Felhi, a journalist with Radio Gafsa living in the city of Sidi Bouzid.

According to Felhi, tension in the city of Sidi Bouzid has been mounting during the past months. “Many strikes and protests have been taking place in the city of Sidi Bouzid, people are asking for different things and they are generally not satisfied with the government’s performance so far,” he added.

Felhi further added that the city as a whole is running low on patience, and many are calling for a general strike. “Citizens of Sidi Bouzid are so angry, especially after the last remarks made by the Minister of Higher Education Moncef Ben Salem, which the citizens in Sidi Bouzid found offensive and inconsiderate of the people’s demands,” he asserted.

According to Felhi, during an interview in Canada Ben Salem spoke sarcastically about the demands of Sidi Bouzid locals. “The minister was talking as if he was making fun of the people’s request to build a college in Sidi Bouzid… He spoke of an incident involving a group of people who demanded the construction of a university camps in Sidi Bouzid, otherwise they would set themselves on fire… They were infuriated by this. In fact, people protested about this very incident,” he said.

According to a communiqué released yesterday by the Ministry of Higher Education, the minister did not mean to disregard or exclude, “the valid concerns and demands of Sidi Bouzid’s people.”

Updated March 23, 2012