Tunisians Flee Violent Protest Aftermath

Tunisian Migrants Flock Italian Island

VoA News: At least 1,000 Tunisian immigrants have flocked to an Italian island in the Mediterranean to escape unrest in that nation.

The UN refugee agency says over the past month, at least 1,600 Tunisians have landed on Lampedusa, an Italian island closer to north Africa than it is to Italy. More than half of the refugees arrived in the last 24 to 48 hours.

Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said Friday he says the fleeing Tunisians have created a real humanitarian emergency and Italy has appealed to the European Union for assistance.

Maroni expressed fear that criminals or terrorists could be among the fleeing Tunisian citizens.

Street protests in Tunisia led to the ouster of then-president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali January 14.

Since then, Tunisia has been struggling to restore order after frustration over unemployment, high food prices and authoritarian rule sparked a series of mass protests.

The coalition government installed after Mr. Ben Ali's ouster has said that people linked to the former authorities are secretly trying to spread chaos and take back power.

Italy's interior minister say Tunisia's government is no longer enforcing its bilateral immigration agreement with Italy.