Three Tunisian Revolution Wounded Persons to Arrive Tomorrow for Treatment in Qatar

Tunisia, April 13 (QNA) - Three Tunisians wounded during the Tunisian revolution, are expected here tomorrow for medical treatment in Qatar as part of a total number of twenty wounded persons for whom Qatar undertook to provide medical treatment. Tunisian Minister of Human Rights and Transitional Justice Samir Dello, who is also the official spokesman of the Tunisian government, said in a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) that Qatar's undertaking to provide medical treatment to the twenty wounded was the most generous offer by a sisterly state to Tunisia and is not surprising, noting that Qatar stood by the Tunisian people since the beginning of the revolution and until now. He added that Qatar's offer came under the directives of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani during his visit to Tunisia on the occasion of celebrations marking the first anniversary of the January 14 revolution. Dello stressed that Qatar and Tunisia are linked by close ties which became deeper and stronger after the collapse of the former regime, adding "this step was part of the good relations between brothers, who share the same civilization and religion.'' He explained that Tunisia reacted positively with Qatar's generous offer, especially after the injuries that occurred during the Revolution resulted in the fall of many martyrs and wounded who are estimated at hundreds and perhaps thousands including injuries unknown previously. The Tunisian official noted that the treatment of some of the wounded in Qatar would contribute to providing moral and political support to the Tunisian government. For his part, Qatar's Ambassador to Tunisia Saad bin Nasser Al-Hemaidi said in a similar statement to Qatar News Agency that HH the Emir issued directives for the treatment of twenty Tunisian wounded during the revolution, adding that an agreement was reached with the Tunisian Presidency of the Republic and the Ministry of Human Rights on their travel arrangements to Qatar for treatment. He explained that the first group of wounded was supposed to include five people, but circumstances of two cases prevented them from traveling. The Qatari Ambassador in Tunis said the embassy recently received the medical files of other cases which are being studied in Qatar for the completion of their travel arrangements. He also noted that most of the twenty cases will be treated in Qatar and "perhaps some will be treated abroad at the expense of the State of Qatar". Al-Hemaidi said the Qatar move came in the context of the distinguished relations between Qatar and Tunisia, especially after the recent visit of HH the Emir to Tunisia during which he attended celebrations marking the first anniversary of the January 14 Revolution. In a related development, QNA learned from an official source in the Tunisian government that Tunisia has a new trend for the treatment of some critical cases abroad at the expense of the Tunisian government. (QNA)