Renewed clashes shatter Tunisian peace

The capital, Tunis, awoke to bustling normality for the first time since its president fled the country last week but the peace quickly ended as police lobbed tear gas to scatter about 200 protesters marching toward the Interior Ministry.

Prime minister Mohamed Ghannouchi claimed his announcement on Monday to include ministers from iron-fisted president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali's old guard in a new unity government was a necessary step "because we need them in this phase."

Tunisia has entered "an era of liberty," Mr Ghannouchi said. "Give us a chance so that we can put in place this ambitious programme of reform."

He insisted the ministers chosen "have clean hands, in addition to great competence," suggesting that experienced officials were needed along with opposition leaders in a caretaker government to guide the country before free elections are held in coming months.

And he pledged to free political prisoners and lift restrictions on a leading human rights group, the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights. He said the government would create three state commissions to study political reform, investigate corruption and bribery, and examine abuses during the recent upheaval.

The country has suffered riots, looting and an apparent settling-of-scores after Mr Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia on Friday in the wake of spreading public protests over years of state repression, corruption, and a shortage of jobs for educated young adults. Around 80 civilians have died in the month of unrest.

The protests that forced out Mr Ben Ali began last month after an educated but unemployed 26-year-old man set himself on fire when police confiscated the fruit and vegetables he was selling without a permit. The desperate act hit a nerve, sparking copycat suicides and focused anger against the regime into a widespread revolt.

Reports of self-immolations surfaced in Egypt, Mauritania and Algeria on Monday, in apparent imitation.

The downfall of the 74-year-old Mr Ben Ali, who had taken power in a bloodless coup in 1987, served as a warning to other autocratic leaders in the Arab world. His country, an ally in the Western fight against terrorism and a popular tourist destination, had seemed more stable than many in the region.

Meanwhile the day-old government was shaken by the resignation of four ministers, all of whom were opponents of Mr Ben Ali.

Junior Minister for Transportation and Equipment Anouar Ben Gueddour said that he had resigned along with Houssine Dimassi, the labour minister, and minister without portfolio Abdeljelil Bedoui.

The three are all members of a top labour union, the UGTT, which is not a party but is a movement that acts like a lobby and has a big nationwide base to mobilise people around the country.

The group's supporters staged the protest in central Tunis yesterday, calling for a general strike, constitutional changes and the release of all imprisoned union leaders.

Health Minister Mustapha Ben Jaafar of the FDLT opposition party also resigned.

Sudan islamist leader 'arrested'

The family of Sudan's top Islamist opposition leader said yesterday he had been arrested after calling for a Tunisia-style uprising in the country.

Wasaal al-Mahdi, the wife of veteran Islamist Hussein al-Turabi, said security forces arrested him at around midnight and took him to a Khartoum prison along with his bodyguard.

Ms al-Mahdi said the bodyguard was beaten while in detention and released early yesterday while Mr al-Turabi stayed in custody.

Mr al-Turabi has recently spoken out against President Omar al-Bashir's government and called for a popular uprising similar to that in Tunisia.