Riot police fired tear gas at angry protesters today as Tunisia’s prime minister defended including some of the deeply unpopular old regime in a new unity government.

The capital Tunis awoke to bustling, everyday life for the first time since its president fled the country last week, but the peace quickly ended as police lobbed tear gas to scatter about 200 protesters marching toward the Interior Ministry.

Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi claimed that his announcement yesterday to include ministers from iron-fisted president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali’s old guard in a new unity government was a necessary step “because we need them in this phase.”

Tunisia has entered “an era of liberty,” Mr Ghannouchi said. “Give us a chance so that we can put in place this ambitious programme of reform.”

He insisted the ministers chosen “have clean hands, in addition to great competence,” suggesting that experienced officials are needed along with opposition leaders in a caretaker government to guide the country before free elections are held in coming months.

Mr Ghannouchi pledged to free political prisoners and lift restrictions on a leading human rights group, the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights. He said the government would create three state commissions to study political reform, investigate corruption and bribery, and examine abuses during the recent upheaval.

The country has suffered riots, looting and an apparent settling-of-scores after Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia on Friday, as public protests spread over years of state repression, corruption, and a shortage of jobs for many educated young adults. Around 80 civilians have died in the month of unrest.

The protests that forced out Ben Ali began last month after an educated but unemployed 26-year-old man set himself on fire when police confiscated the fruit and vegetables he was selling without a permit. The desperate act hit a nerve, sparking copycat suicides and focused anger against the regime into a widespread revolt.

Reports of self-immolations surfaced in Egypt, Mauritania and Algeria, in apparent imitation of the Tunisian events.

The downfall of the 74-year-old Ben Ali, who had taken power in a bloodless coup in 1987, served as a warning to other autocratic leaders in the Arab world. His country, an ally in the Western fight against terrorism and a popular tourist destination, had seemed more stable than many in the region.

Meanwhile the day-old government was shaken by the resignation of four ministers.

All were opponents of Ben Ali.

Junior Minister for Transportation and Equipment Anouar Ben Gueddour said that he had resigned along with Houssine Dimassi, the labour minister, and minister without portfolio Abdeljelil Bedoui.

The three are all members of a top labour union, the UGTT, which is not a party but is a movement that acts like a lobby and has a big nationwide base to mobilise people around the country.

The group’s supporters staged the protest in central Tunis yesterday, calling for a general strike, constitutional changes and the release of all imprisoned union leaders.

Health Minister Mustapha Ben Jaafar of the FDLT opposition party also resigned.

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