Environmental and health fears have reignited calls to close a factory long accused of poisoning Tunisia’s south....Click to Read More >>➤
Workers in the southern Tunisian city of Gabes launched a general strike on Tuesday. This action follows weeks of protest against a state-run phosphate processing plant. Residents blame the facility for a recent spike in serious health issues, including gas poisonings.
Thousands have rallied in the city of 400,000 people. They demand the closure of the factory after it increased production. The protests highlight a deepening environmental crisis in the marginalized region.
Decades of Toxic Emissions
The plant began operations in 1972. It processes phosphate to manufacture fertilizers. For decades, it has discharged gases and solid waste into the open air and the Mediterranean Sea.
Researchers have found that some of these emissions are radioactive. They have also been linked to causing cancer and other severe illnesses. The long-term environmental damage has profoundly affected the local community.
“Everything is closed in Gabes,” said Saoussen Nouisser, a local representative of Tunisia’s main labour union, UGTT. The union called for the general strike that has shuttered the city.
“We’re all angry at the catastrophic environmental situation in our marginalised city,” she told AFP.
Recent Health Crisis and Public Anger
Authorities and NGOs report that over 200 people have been hospitalized in recent weeks. They suffered from respiratory distress and gas poisoning. This health emergency has galvanized public outrage.
Videos circulated online showing children struggling to breathe. The distressing footage pushed thousands of citizens into the streets last week. The protests have sometimes turned confrontational after dark.
Police have used tear gas to disperse crowds. Clashes have erupted between residents and security forces. The situation remains tense across the coastal city.
National Guard spokesman Houcem Eddine Jebabli spoke to local media about the unrest. He stated that protesters have used “over 800 Molotov cocktails” targeting security forces. He also reported incidents of “robbery and looting.” Dozens of individuals were arrested over the preceding weekend.
Broken Promises and Political Pressure
In 2017, the Tunisian government pledged to gradually shut down the controversial factory. That promise now appears broken. Earlier this year, authorities announced plans to ramp up production at the plant instead.
President Kais Saied has consistently vowed to revive the phosphate sector. He has described the mineral as a “pillar of the national economy.” The industry has been hindered by years of social unrest and chronic underinvestment.
Facing mounting pressure, authorities say “urgent measures” are now underway. The government is seeking international help to address the pollution in Gabes. It has called on Chinese companies to assist in managing the plant’s dangerous waste.
Equipment Minister Salah Zouari outlined the planned cooperation. He said it would help “control gas emissions.” A key goal is to “prevent the discharge of phosphogypsum into the sea.”
Phosphogypsum is the solid waste produced by the factory. It contains radioactive elements that contaminate soil quality and pollute groundwater. The ongoing crisis in Gabes underscores the severe cost of industrial pollution on public health and the environment. ...Click to Read More >>➤
