The BBC is reporting that Thomas Cook is bringing its customers home early:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12189535
My friend has just sent me this -
Here is a Rough translation of speech from Ben Ali
He says : The change is required and he's gotten the message from the people, loud and clear.
He's sad to see the destruction and everything that is happening to his people.
He has told forces to stop using real bullets. Only use force if absolutely required. Stop the violence, stop the blood.
We must stop those who use these circumstances to destroy our country. We are going to lower the prices on basic good and services. He says he will stop Ammar 404 and bring freedom. He will no longer oppress his opposition.
He vows that his government will investigate the violence fair and honestly with no bias and bring to justice those who have committed murder. He promises to be independent. He wants to talk more with the Tunisian people.
He is admitting he's made mistakes, (first time ever for him) and vows to correct them.
He says ruling Tunisia for a lifetime is not allowed. He said he will NOT run in 2014. He will NOT.
He said he is too old to continue and he will not seek reelection in 2014, but let us continue until then and restore peace and rebuild what's been destroyed and bring peace .
He vowed a free society, free speech, free internet, free everything. He said long live Tunisia and God bless.
This is the Travel Update from Thomas Cook.
Figures are very vague but over 100 have actually been killed, not only young rioters. Videos show disturbing scenes of beatings. I only hope the president's words are not pie-crust promises - easily made and easily broken. One of his sons has already fled to Canada with his family and a son-in-law has denounced the corruption.
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The Foreign and Commonwealth office (FCO) have changed their travel advise for Tunisia due to the ongoing civil unrest in the country.
More information
All of our services continue to operate as normal, however the following options are available to you if you are due to travel to or from Tunisia in the next 72 hours.
"¢Change the date of travel to a later date (up to 5 days from the original departure date)
OR
"¢Use the value of your ticket towards the purchase of a new ticket to any other destination
Please note that you will need to contact one of our contact centres to make these changes
"Just managed to get through to them half an hour ago and was told they don't contact flight only pax.
2 rescue planes leaving 16.40 and 17.15 and to go to airport if I want to try to get on one to Manchester or Gatwick.
Thomsons however are telling people to check in every 24 hrs"
1,000s currently massing outside goverment buildings in Tunis to test police/ army reaction and so far positive - national strike called for Monday.
I saw that on the BBC news Graham and it did seem the police were holding back. They are still sticking to the 'official' figure for deaths which is far below the actual number. Haven't checked FB yet today but will update later and am also trying to get through on the phone to a Tunisian friend in Sousse. I have had no reply from another Tunisian friend in Tunis who I tried to contact a couple of days ago. BA is saying anyone due to fly out now can contact them and change their dates, or put the cost of their ticket towards a flight elsewhere.
Just seen a distressing video taken at a hospital out there where they are trying to find a bullet in a young man. He was about 23 and someone decided to film it. A friend's husband translated what they were saying.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/9361546.stm
link to BBC News Live.
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link to BBC News Live.
Content removed due to Copyright© infringement - please only post link to item
Channel 4 -
Not good news coming in now, reports of more shootings and there will be a COUNTRY wide curfew from tonight
A source at Tunis Carthage airport tells the AFP news agency that the army has taken control there and that the country's airspace has been shut down.
Well, this is all very interesting. I have been following this news since my return from Tunisia on 29th Jan. I did indeed try to start a topic on this issue. That post was removed without any explanation.
Hi Dorra, This is probably the best place on HT for discussions regarding the situation as it is probably mainly of interest to regulars such as ourselves. If you have Facebook you can join the group Support for Tunisia, which has almost 2000 members and has been invaluable in posting reports and videos as to what is actually going on. If you do join make sure you change your settings so as not to receive e-mails regarding messages from the group or your in-box will be inundated.
Had an e-mail a couple of hours ago from my friend who was at Monastir waiting for the flight which Thomsons had put on to take off for Glasgow. Flight should have left but was waiting for 32 passengers who were having trouble getting through. Apparently Magasin General in Sousse was in flames as they went past. God save Tunisia.
There are virtually no tourists left in Hammamet and the few that are left are due to leave today. Although as per Aslemma's last post this is clearly not all plain sailing.
Events in Hammamet itself appear to have calmed down and apparently many shops and cafés are open for business as usual. The story is obviously very different elsewhere. At the time of speaking to them, the death toll due to the prison fire in Monastir had reached 57 and it seems likely this will increase.
Despite the many tragic events, the overall mood seems positive that Ben Ali has been removed. As with many on this forum I love Tunisia, and will continue to hope and pray that peace and order are soon restored, and that the result of the election that will follow will be a positive one, with a government that truly governs for the Tunisian people.
May I urge any of you who are on Facebook to join the group Support for Tunisia, which already has over 1800 members. It is a great source of information with regular posts and videos, many of which are extremely disturbing. On a more positive note, some of the corrupt police who were doing much of the looting and destruction were arrested earlier and there is a video of them being made to crawl into the police station!
Just felt I needed to comment on this thread. I couldn't believe it when I heard about the rioting in Tunisia. Aslemma, I thought of you straight away and hoped that you ween't caught up in it. It seems to have come out of nowhere. I hope that all holidaymakers get back from there safely.
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