Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Rising Prices Fuel Anti-Government Sentiments Across Middle East Henry Ridgwell | London 20 January 2011 A Syrian gas station attendant fills up a car in Damascus (file photo) Photo: Reuters A Syrian gas station attendant fills up a car in Damascus (file photo) The uprising in Tunisia against government corruption has forced other countries in the region to take notice. Record high prices for food and oil are also fuelling anti-government feeling in many developing countries. Analysts predict the protests will spread far beyond Tunisiaâs borders. Few people in or outside Tunisia could have predicted the tumultuous start to 2011 that greeted this country - least of all the thousands of tourists visiting for some winter sun. Where it started [1]Key players in Tunisia Zine El Abidine Ben Ali Ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali ruled Tunisia for more than two decades. He fled to Saudi Arabia on January 14. Mohamed Ghannouchi Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi is a close ally of the ousted president. He announced a new unity government this week. Fouad Mebazaa Fouad Mebazaa was sworn in as Tunisia's interim president last week. H previously served as the speaker of parliament. Najib Chebbi Najib Chebbi is the founder of the largest and most credible opposition group, the Progressive Democratic Party. Moncek Marzouki Moncek Marzouki is the head of the small Congress for the Republic party. The formerly exiled political activist and opposition leader returned to the country Tuesday. Rachid Ghannouchi Rachid Ghannouchi is the exiled leader of the outlawed Ennahdha Islamic fundamentalist movement. In 1992, a Tunisian military court sentenced him to life in prison on a conviction of plotting to overthrow the government. He has been living in Britain but has indicated he may now return to Tunisia. He is no relation to the prime minister by the same last name But many analysts say the causes can be traced back to a cocktail of economic inflation and political corruption that finally spilled into street protests. "Obviously the economic situation was a very important driver in the protests in Tunisia," explained analyst Maha Azzam, a north Africa expert at the London-based Chatham House. "But I think the key was the political situation and the reality of a dictatorial regime having survived for so long without allowing participation or accountability." Azzam says such conditions are replicated in countries across the Middle East and north Africa - giving the potential for further unrest. Cost of living The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization says the prices of basic foodstuffs like grains, sugar and meat are reaching new highs - even exceeding the peaks seen in 2008, which triggered social unrest in several developing countries. "In low-income countries, people spend a very high percentage of their disposable income on food," noted Professor Tim Lang teaches Food Policy at Londonâs City University, "and when, as now, you have got oil prices and world commodity prices going up, they are squeezed, it turns into hunger, turns into empty shops, sometimes turns into empty mealtimes." Anger at government Professor Lang says that while rising food prices may fuel resentment, it is rarely the primary cause of unrest. In Algeria there have been a series of anti-government protests in recent days. Residents here, like Muhammed, say their anger is directed at the government. "Our problem is not to do with cooking oil, sugar or semolina - our problem is with the injustice, the plundering of wealth and oppression," he said. Domino effect? Protests have also erupted in Egypt. A man set himself on fire outside the parliament building in an apparent echo of the self-immolation in Tunisia, which many analysts pinpoint as the trigger of the unrest there. "Over the next few months leading up to the presidential elections, if we see protests on the streets in Egypt then we are underway to some very serious change in a key country in the region," warned north Africa expert Maham Azzam. Azzam says governments across north Africa and the Middle East will be having intense discussions with their security and military chiefs about how to prevent a repeat of the so-called jasmine revolution.  NEW: Follow our Middle East reports on [2]Twitter and discuss them on our [3]Facebook page. References 1. http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Key-People-in-Tunisia-Political-Unrest-114153509.html 2. http://twitter.com/VOAMidEast 3. http://www.facebook.com/pages/VOAMiddleEastVoices/124360240958667? v=wall .