Tunisia mark ninth anniversary of revolution

Tunisians gather in front of Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) building for the 9th Anniversary of ousting of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunis, Tunisia on January 14, 2020. [Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency]

Tunisians gather in front of Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) building for the 9th Anniversary of ousting of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunis, Tunisia on January 14, 2020. [Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency]

Tunisians gather in front of Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) building for the 9th Anniversary of ousting of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunis, Tunisia on January 14, 2020. [Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency]

Tunisians gather in front of Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) building for the 9th Anniversary of ousting of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunis, Tunisia on January 14, 2020. [Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency]

Thousands of Tunisians gathered yesterday in the heart of the capital, Tunis, to mark the 9th anniversary of the Tunisian revolution, known as the Jasmine Revolution, that toppled former dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Politicians, activists and citizens gathered in the Habib Bourguiba Avenue holding Tunisian flags as well as banners with slogans demanding “employment, freedom and national dignity”.

The participants also raised the Palestinian and Libyan flags in solidarity with the people of the two countries.

Leader of the Democratic Patriots’ Unified Party, Ziad Lakhdhar, said in remarks to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the revolution continues despite all doubts, adding that the people will not surrender despite the difficult economic and social situation.

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Lakhdhar added that many things have not changed, and there are many outstanding issues, but the course will change and the revolution will win.

A leader of the Democratic Patriots’ Unified Party, Mohamed Jamour, said the revolution has achieved some gains such as public freedoms, but there the social and economic situations are poor, and the people are still looking for national dignity and independence of the national decision.

According to Jamour, the successive governments have unfortunately deepened the crisis because they had no clear visions, except for serving narrow and partisan interests.

Tunisians gather in front of Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) building for the 9th Anniversary of ousting of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunis, Tunisia on January 14, 2020. [Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency]

Tunisians gather in front of Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) building for the 9th Anniversary of ousting of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunis, Tunisia on January 14, 2020. [Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency]

Tunisian General Secretary of Labour Union (UGTT) Noureddine Taboubi makes a speech asTunisian gather in front of Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) building within 9th Anniversary of ousting of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunis, Tunisia on January 14, 2020. [Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency]

Tunisians gather in front of Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) building for the 9th Anniversary of ousting of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunis, Tunisia on January 14, 2020. [Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency]

Tunisian General Secretary of Labour Union (UGTT) Noureddine Taboubi in Tunis, Tunisia on 14 January 2020 [Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency]

Tunisians gather in front of Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) building for the 9th Anniversary of ousting of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunis, Tunisia on January 14, 2020. [Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency]

Tunisians for anniversary of the ousting of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunis, Tunisia on 14 January 2020 [Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency]

READ: Berbers in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia celebrate 2970 of their calendar