Protests at funeral of slain politician
Source: Agencies |
July 28, 2013, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THOUSANDS of protesters chanting anti-government slogans joined a funeral march to lay to rest an assassinated Tunisian opposition politician, a display of the anger threatening the survival of a government once seen as a model in the region for the transition to democracy.
Adding to the tension, a bomb exploded in the early morning under a car at the port in Tunis outside a police station.
Though there were no injuries, the rare attack helped deepen the sense of unease in the North African country, where two opposition politicians have been gunned down in the last six months, apparently with the same gun.
Mohammed Brahmi's coffin was carried by soldiers to Jellaz cemetery and buried next to Chokri Belaid, a fellow politician who was killed in February. Brahmi's widow, five children and the army chief of staff accompanied the coffin through the capital.
"Down with the party of the Brotherhood," chanted mourners, referring to the ruling Ennahda Party's affiliation with the regional Muslim Brotherhood group.
The latest assassination Thursday has exacerbated the distrust between the ruling coalition led by moderate Islamists and the opposition, which has demanded the dissolution of the government because of its failure to rein in Islamist extremists.
At the graveside, activist lawyer Nacer Laouini called on army chief of staff General Mohamed Salah Hamdi to protect the people from the Islamists.
Adding to the tension, a bomb exploded in the early morning under a car at the port in Tunis outside a police station.
Though there were no injuries, the rare attack helped deepen the sense of unease in the North African country, where two opposition politicians have been gunned down in the last six months, apparently with the same gun.
Mohammed Brahmi's coffin was carried by soldiers to Jellaz cemetery and buried next to Chokri Belaid, a fellow politician who was killed in February. Brahmi's widow, five children and the army chief of staff accompanied the coffin through the capital.
"Down with the party of the Brotherhood," chanted mourners, referring to the ruling Ennahda Party's affiliation with the regional Muslim Brotherhood group.
The latest assassination Thursday has exacerbated the distrust between the ruling coalition led by moderate Islamists and the opposition, which has demanded the dissolution of the government because of its failure to rein in Islamist extremists.
At the graveside, activist lawyer Nacer Laouini called on army chief of staff General Mohamed Salah Hamdi to protect the people from the Islamists.
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