Stampede kills seven at Star Academy concert in Tunis

02/05/2007

A stampede that left seven dead and 20 injured at a concert featuring artists from Star Academy Lebanon leaves Tunisians wondering who is at fault.

By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 02/05/2007

[Getty Images] People carry the coffin of Nawres Karoui, 38, who died in the stampede.

Seven people died and at least 20 others were injured in Sfax, Tunisia following a stampede Monday (April 30th) at an open-air concert featuring former competitors from Star Academy Lebanon. Six women and a 12-year-old boy were trampled when fans rushed to their seats. As local television broadcast scenes from inside the theatre showing scattered shoes and traces of blood, Tunisians are now asking themselves who is responsible for this loss.

The group from Star Academy Lebanon arrived in Tunisia last week to perform a series of concerts featuring Iraq's Shada, last season’s first place winner, accompanied by Egypt's Sally and Mohammad, Ahmad from Kuwait, Carlo and Tina, both from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia's Ali and Sfax locals Marwa and Imed.

Tunisian daily Assabah reported on Tuesday that more than 8,000 people were in attendance, although the Sidi Mansour outdoor amphitheatre had only 7,000 designated seats. Eyewitnesses told Magharebia that the stampede occurred shortly after the concert began. "I was shocked and afraid when I saw a group of fans being trampled as they were rushing to their seats," said Fayruz Achour. The crowd apparently became frenzied when Sfax's own Marwa took the stage.

The authorities' response was swift. Ambulances quickly took victims to the hospital in Jiha and President Ben Ali immediately dispatched Interior Minister Rafik Belhaj Kacem and Health Minister Ridha Kechride to the scene to transmit condolences to the families of those killed and injured. The attorney general’s office also announced the opening of an investigation to determine the causes and circumstances of the incident.

"If ambulances hadn’t been on the scene, the disaster would’ve been bigger," said Miriam Sha’bouni, who was preparing to attend the heavily promoted concert. "I saw children screaming and asking for help. I would only expect to see the things I saw in horror films," she added.

Tunisians are divided on the incident and who bears responsibility. Karim Bin Abdallah said, "Upon hearing that a 12-year-old child was trampled underfoot, I placed responsibility on this family first and then on those responsible for the concert. How could they allow a child this age to enter?" Hadia Lousif placed responsibility on the local media, which she said had "[emotionally] charged adolescents and pushed them towards concerts devoid of taste."

"I believe fate and divine decree are behind this disaster," said Miriam El Taroudi, a student in her twenties. "Fans that went to the Michael Jackson or Mariah Carey concert came in numbers double that of the Sfax concert, and everyone came away without a scratch. But what can one do in the face of what’s predestined?" she said.

Journalist Mokhtar Telili agreed that fate played a role, but insisted that "the organisers must bear their full responsibilities. How was the concert allowed to start before fans had reached their seats?"

The first show, held in Tunis, went smoothly. The third concert, which was planned for later this week in Bizerte, north of the capital, is expected to be cancelled or postponed. The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, the Lebanese network that airs Star Academy, has not pulled commercials for its upcoming concerts in Jordan.