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TUNIS.
A Tunisian woman was yesterday in a critical condition in hospital after setting herself on fire after she was unable to obtain medication for her cancer-stricken husband, a report said.
The woman’s body was covered in third degree burns after she set herself alight in front of a local government office at Monastir, 160km southeast of Tunis, the official TAP news agency said.
The woman’s sister said she had ‘difficulty obtaining medicine for her husband suffering from cancer,” the report said.
The self-immolation of a poor young vendor in December triggered a nation-wide revolt that ousted authoritarian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali last month and inspired a similar uprising in Egypt.
His death came to symbolise the grievances of many in the Arab world including poverty, unemployment, surging costs and housing problems as well as corrupt leadership. On Wednesday a young Algerian man torched himself in protest at disdain shown by police after a complaint over a beating was ignored.
Two weeks ago another man tried to set himself on fire after he was refused financial aid for his handicapped daughter. — AFP.