Communique
Tunis, January 9, 2011
The Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights condemns in the strongest terms the murder of citizens and calls for an immediate cease-fire.
The Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights is following with concern and dismay the killing of a number of citizens in the cities of Tala
by security forces who besieged the two cities and fired on civilian demonstrators. The League was informed by concordant sources that by noon on Sunday 09 January there was 14 dead. Union sources and associations of the region say the number killed by firearms was far
higher and others were seriously injured. The same sources say that the army have surrounded the two cities since Saturday but the protests have not ceased and were transformed overnight into violent confrontations when the police conducted raids and arrested citizens.
The League has also learned that today Sunday in the town of Rgueb of the Governorate of Sidi Bouzid, violent clashes between security forces, which used live ammunition, and the population have cost five lives and injured several others.
peaceful street demonstrations. Against this right, the authorities have chosen to use their security solution and violence since the outbreak of
events. The League had called on the authorities to favor the path of negotiation with representatives of the protesters and all other
parties.
Warning the authorities that the use of live ammunition against civilians demonstrating peacefully is sanctioned by both Tunisian law and the internationally law, the Steering Committee of the LTDH calls
with emphasis on the authorities to:
1. Immediately end the police
presence send the army back to its barracks and renounce the use
live ammunition against civilians unconditionally.
2. Respect the right of assembly and peaceful protest and lift the blockade that overwhelms the components of the Civil Society so they will be able to supervise the protests and prevent any further slide towards violence.
3. Conduct a serious dialogue with representatives of protest and all parties concerned to discuss all political and social issues without taboos in order to achieve urgent solutions guaranteeing the right to work and equal
regional development and the citizens participation in the design and implementation of solutions to the country’s problems.
4. quickly carry out an independent investigation to determine the responsibility for the killing of civilians by live ammunition at both levels: those who gave the orders and those who carried them out.
5. Release all those arrested during the events.
Mokhtar Trifi
tunisia solidarity campaign 