Tunisian Actions

Tunisia's government is using conciliation and suppression to quiet the demonstrations:

"Protests over unemployment and other economic demands in Tunisia continued Thursday despite tight security measures the government has implemented in the last two days...

"Other reports on Facebook said that Sidi Bouzid was calm Thursday after local government officials promised to pay electricity and water bills for all residents for the coming three months on the condition that they be filmed by Tunisian TV Channel 7 thanking President Ben Ali.

"The government was successful in banning demonstrations in Kariwan and Qabes. Simultaneously, authorities continued a ban on international media reporting the protests.

"Information circulating on the micro-blogging site Twitter indicated that the government started to take new measures to prevent activists from using social network websites. The measures include cutting mobile internet services during the day, to stop activists from publishing updated information on the demonstrations."

As reported by this article, the government also prevented a demonstration in downtown Tunis.