"Red Vests" Protests Expected to Flare Up in Tunisia Early 2019

By: Nawal Sayed

CAIRO, Dec. 10 (SEE) - Members of the newly-formed "Red Vests" movement in Tunisia are preparing to organize social protests in January, 2019, following arrest of one of the movement's leaders by security forces. 

A group of youth announced their willingness to carry out peaceful "Red Vests" protests to rescue Tunisia, according to their statement.

The campaigners created many coordination committees domestically and asserted they are preparing for peaceful protests against the Tunisian government to express their absolute rejection of the "prevalent Tunisian current reality".

They introduce themselves as"independents" who seek to let their voice reach the current Tunisian government, using the slogan of "Tunisia is angry".

The movement issued its first statement on Dec.2nd in which it criticized the ruling regime for the past eight years.

The statement added that people suffered from"failure, corruption, difficult living conditions, unemployment,maladministration, dominance over all state institutions, continuity of methodical policies, along with accompanying terrorism, elimination of opponents and prevention of freedom of expression."

For fear of emulating the experience of the destructive protests that swept France under the name of "Yellow Vests",Tunisian authorities arrested Burhan al-Ajlani, who is one of the leaders supervising the preparation for the anticipated protests in Tunisia.

Protesters wearing yellow vests stand behind a barricade as they face off with police during clashes as part of a national day of protest by the "yellow vests" movement in Paris, France, December 8, 2018. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

A group of Tunisian human rights organizations ruled out copying the "Yellow Vests" protests from France to Tunisia despite the sharp social tension and unprecedented crisis on the level of the government's relationship with the rest of components of society.

However, other political parties disclosed there is a plot to start sharp social protests in next January.

"Yellow Vests" experience in France persuaded a lot of politicians opposing the ruling coalition to disturb government action and take over power," political parties stressed.

Masoud al-Ramadani, president of the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights, stated to the media that the French "Yellow Vests" experience is a spontaneous unexpected protest movement, and it cannot be repeated in Tunisia.

People carry flags as they protest against the government's refusal to raise wages in Tunis, Tunisia November 22, 2018. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi

He added that despite its expression of the difficult social conditions, it cannot lead to the same result if the experience is repeated on Tunisian soil despite the repeated rise of fuel prices throughout the year.

Moreover, Tunisian political analyst Jamalal-Arfawi said to Arab-Pan newspaper "Asharq Al Awsat" that anger continues against the government, but the exact copying of the French"Yellow Vests" in Tunisia is impossible, and will result in grave domestic damage due to the big difference between the political and social realities in both countries.

Arfawi expected that the Tunisian government will use all its power to prevent all manifestations of violence and sabotage while allowing peaceful protest, but it will not ignore possible disruptions.