SOME 219 people were killed and more than 500 injured during the uprising that led to the removal of Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, according to the latest estimate from the United Nations.
Bacre Ndiaye, head of a UN human rights mission in Tunis, said 147 people had keen killed since the revolt began in mid-December while another 72 died in the country’s jails. He stressed that the figure, which is double the Tunisian government’s official estimate of the death toll, was provisional and that his delegation was continuing its investigations.
With small-scale violent incidents continuing in parts of Tunisia in recent days, the UN mission said an overhaul of the country’s security services should be a priority. During his 23 years in power, Ben Ali oversaw one of the most extensive police states in the Arab world, and unlike the army, the police responded to the wave of protests by opening fire on civilians. The vast network of regular police, interior security forces and spies remains in place.
“The Tunisian state was a police state. There were abuses by the security apparatus and it has to be profoundly reformed. The security system must work for the people, not against them,” said Mr Ndiaye.
Major street protests have abated in recent days after a reshuffle purged the interim government of most ministers from Ben Ali’s RCD party. The cabinet, led by Ben Ali’s prime minister Mohamed Ghannouchi but composed largely of opposition figures, is tasked with preparing for free elections in six months. “We’re convinced that many things have changed in Tunisia, notably with respect to freedom of expression,” Mr Ndiaye said, adding that the interim government would be “judged on its actions”.
Reports have circulated in recent days of small gangs with knives and clubs, apparently loyal to Ben Ali, roaming some Tunisian cities. In Kasserine, a central city where about 50 people were killed in the worst violence seen during the revolt, groups of men burnt a youth centre and attacked other buildings on Monday, the official news agency said.
Similar gangs of youths were reportedly seen in central Tunis at the weekend, but there were no reports of deaths or injuries.