Funeral for murdered Tunisian opposition politican takes place amid tensions
(Vatican Radio) A general strike got underway in Tunis on Friday as mourners gathered
for the funeral of opposition politician Chokri Belaid who was shot dead on Wednesday.His
assassination has plunged Tunisia into a deep political crisis. Unions are blaming
the government led by the Islamist Ennahda party for the murder. It denies the
an accusation. In a bid to calm the situation the Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali
has called for a non-partisan technocratic government but this has been rejected by
his own party. Dr Berny Sèbe, a Lecturer in colonial and post-colonial studies
at the University of Birmingham, spoke to Lydia O'Kane about the rising tensions in
the country. "It is definitely becoming increasingly volatile, in particular because
it is exposing also many contradictions with the ruling party Ennahda." However, Dr
Sèbe adds that stability is possible. "We can hope that there will be a peaceful
resolution to the conflict, but in order to do this I believe the Tunisian government
will need to have a much tougher stance against all those who are trying to prevent
the free exercise of human rights and political freedom within the country." Listen