By Randa Darwish
It has been eight years on the day when Tunisia witnessed one of the biggest incidents that changed the political and social map of the nation in the 21st century and was a prelude to the Arab Spring which took the Middle East by Storm.
On December 17, 2010, Tunisians woke up on the news of a street vendor that set himself in alight in the tourist town of Sidi Bouzid after his vegetable cart, and his only source of income, was confiscated by a policeman. The young man was identified shortly after as Mohammed Bouazizi.
Bouazizi, who died after less than one month of the incident, had his name remembered every year as being the reason that lead Tunisians to take to the streets to oust their long-time ruling dictator of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and result in ssparking a series of revolutions in the Middle East dubbed as the Arab Spring.
Bouazizi was not one of the few suffering in Tunisia. All Tunisians were fed up with the economic and political situation of their country which led them to the streets to acquire Bouazizi’s revenge and search for better future for Tunisia.
A series of Arab revolutions were prompted after the Tunisian revolution lead by Egyptians, Libyans, Yemenis and Syrians across the Arab world. However, Tunisia was the harbinger for wanting to achieve democracy, freedom and equality for its people.
Translation: “Today is the remembering of Tunisia’s revolution. Egypt is not Tunisia. Egypt is tyranny, oppression and military rule while Tunisia is free. It fights for freedom and seek democracy.”
Tunisians themselves remember the revolution with mixed blessings.
Some remembered Bouazizi thankful for the hero who led a massive change in their country.
Many also are saying they wished that Bouazizi was still alive to see the changes his act caused. Bouazizi probably had never thought that his self-immolation would oust the Tunisian dictator and give the rise to a series of revolutions in the Middle East.
This is while others had a different opinion, expressing their disappointment in the current situation that Tunisians are currently living under.
This year Tunisians remember Bouazizi’s self-immolation with organizing protests in several parts of the country. Inspired by the Yellow Vests waves in Paris, Tunisian activists have launched their “Red Vests” movement.
Their aim is to address the economic and political problems faced by the poor and marginalized in Tunisia.
