Tunisians call for general strike in Sfax over waste crisis

Tunisia’s civil society organisations yesterday announced that a general strike will be held on 10 December in protest against the waste crisis which erupted over two months ago.

A spokesperson for the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts in Sfax, Salim Marrakchi, said in an interview with a local radio that national organisations and civil society groups in Sfax decided to implement a day of anger in the region, during which a general regional strike would be observed, in protest against the worsening environmental situation in the state.

“During the day of anger, all city outlets will be closed and all activities in the city will be suspended,” he added.

This, organisers have said, is a result of the authorities constantly ignoring Sfax’s environmental file.

“The situation in the region is catastrophic environmentally, healthily and epidemiologically, due to the accumulation of waste for more than 60 days,” he said.

In September, Tunisian authorities shut down a landfill in the town of Agareb near Sfax state following complaints from local residents that it polluted the environment which led to the accumulation of thousands of tonnes of household waste in the streets, markets and even in front of the governorate’s hospitals.

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