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| Africa North |
| Ruling Tunisian Party Calls a Rally |
| 2013-02-09 |
| [VOA News] Supporters of Tunisia's ruling Islamist party have called for a huge rally in the capital Saturday, a day after police clashed with mourners during the funeral of a slain secular opposition leader. The ruling Ennahda party says its demonstration in Tunis is aimed at showing support for the constitutional assembly whose work on a new constitution was disrupted when opposition leader Chokri Belaid was bumped off earlier this week outside his home. Belaid's family has accused the ruling party of being complicit in the murder, an accusation the ruling party denies. On Friday, festivities between police and protesters broke out during Belaid's funeral. Tens of thousands of mourners converged on the main cemetery in Tunis for Belaid's funeral procession. Police used tear gas at the cemetery to make way for the procession. Many mourners chanted anti-Islamist slogans and some held banners denouncing Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of the Ennahda party, as an "assassin." Witnesses say some protesters threw stones at the police. |
| Posted by:Fred |