Tunisia: General strike continues for fifth consecutive day in Tataouine governorate July 7

Event

A general strike occurring in Tataouine governorate continued for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday, July 7, amid continued demands that the government implements outstanding criteria and projects from the El Kamour Agreement. The strike, ongoing since Friday, July 3, has affected all government institutions in the province, excluding parts of the education and healthcare sectors, in addition to a number of private businesses, including the petroleum industry. A number of sit-in protests are ongoing across the province and associated disruptions have been reported.

Continued unrest linked to the El Kamour movement within the governorate is likely in the near term.

Context

Demonstrations have been taking place since late May over an unfulfilled government promise to implement the 2017 El Kamour Agreement by creating 1,500 jobs in the energy industry. On June 30 the government approved the creation of 500 jobs in the sector; however, protest groups have demanded that the government fully honor the original quota and allocate 80 million dinars (32 million USD) into developing Tataouine governorate. The activist Tariq Haddad, the spokesman for the protesters, was arrested on June 20, which sparked a new wave of unrest in the area. The General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT) has called for a strike by oil sector workers between Sunday, July 12, through Tuesday, July 14.

Advice

Those in Tataouine governorate are advised to monitor the situation, anticipate travel disruption during the strike, and avoid any associated demonstrations and political gatherings.