Over the last few days we have seen some of the bravest people facing down some of the worst.
Armed with nothing more than a revolutionary heart and hopes of a better future they gathered and protested as government forces aimed their weapons and fired live rounds in to the crowds.
But the ammunition and the underlying threats of arrest and torture meant absolutely nothing to the masses – for they had simply lost their fear.
It was the final testament to the brutality of a dictator who has had the support of European leaders and various presidents of the United States.
And that the Tunisian President Zine El-Abedine Ben Ali fled from his country like a rat up a drainpipe after 23 brutal years spoke volumes about the character of the man himself.
If he had one ounce of the courage his own people displayed, he too would have stayed but most of these tyrants are gutless with the moral fiber of a dung beetle.
The demise of Ben Ali came when police prevented an unemployed 26-year-old graduate from selling fruit without a license. Mohammad Bouazizi turned himself in to a human torch on December 17 and died of the horrific burns in Sidi Bouzid, in central Tunisia.
It was the final straw, a defining moment which ignited rallies, marches and demonstrations across Tunisia.
And revelations from Wikileaks cables exposing the corrupt and extravagant lifestyle of Ben Ali and his grasping wife fanned the flames of unbridled anger from a people who were also in the grip of poverty.
I knew it was coming. I saw the burning desire for freedom in the eyes of the courageous people of Ghafsa when the Viva Palestina Convoy entered the country in February 2009 on its way to Gaza.
Our convoy witnessed the menacing secret police intimidate the crowds to stop them from gathering to cheer us on.
This vast army of spies, thugs and enforcers even tried to stop us from praying in a local mosque
That they stood their ground to cheer us on prompted me to leave my vehicle and hug all the women who had turned out. We exchanged cards and small gifts and then, to my horror, I discovered 24 hours later that every woman I had embraced in the streets of Gafsa had been taken away and questioned.
Human rights organizations have constantly condemned and exposed the brutality of the Ben Ali regime but that has not led America and European leaders to intervene or put pressure on the regime to stop the brutality.
Sadly, it serves western interests to have a people brutalized and subjugated.
Now Tunisia is minus one dictator but it is still in a state of emergency. The next few days and weeks are going to be crucial for the Tunisian people who deserve freedom and liberty. My God, they’ve paid for it with their own blood and we must always remember their martyrs.
None of the politicians, secret police or other odious government forces will emerge from this period with any honor and quite a few are already cowering in the shadows.
But perhaps the biggest show of cowardice in this whole sorry episode has come from The White House.
Not one word of condemnation, not one word of criticism, not one word urging restraint came from Barak Obama or Hillary Clinton as live ammunition was fired into crowds of unarmed men, women and children in recent weeks.
And news of the corrupt, mafia-like regime would not have come as a surprise to either of them. We know this thanks to the Wikileaks cables written by US Ambassador Robert Godec who revealed in one memo: “Corruption in the inner circle is growing.”
But, as the injustices and atrocities continued there was not one squeak from the most powerful nation on earth … until America’s dear friend, Ben Ali had scuttled from the country.
The reality is the US Administration likes dealing with tyrants and even encourages despotic behavior. Egypt is one of the biggest testaments to this with its prisons full of political opposition leaders. Hosni Mubarak is Uncle Sam’s enforcer and biggest recipient of aid next to the Zionist State.
Pakistan’s treatment of its own people is little better. Remember when US Ambassador Anne Patterson in Islamabad wrote in one Wikileaks cable about the human rights abuses carried out by the Pakistan military? Patterson then went on to advise Washington to avoid comment on these incidents.
But now the US has made a comment on the situation in Tunisia … but only when Ben Ali was 30,000 feet in the air did White House spokesman Mike Hammer issue a statement which read: “We condemn the ongoing violence against civilians in Tunisia, and call on the Tunisian authorities to fulfill the important commitments … including respect for basic human rights and a process of much-needed political reform.”
Unbelievable. Too little, too late, Mr President. Actually that statement could have been uttered any time during the last US presidencies since Ronald Reagan.
But as I say, America couldn’t give a stuff about the human rights of the people of the Maghreb, Pakistan, Egypt and Palestine to name but a few.
When US condemnation finally came through the tyrant had fled leaving behind more than 60 civilian martyrs and countless more injured.
Tomorrow I will go to the Tunisian Embassy in London as I have done previously and stand shoulder to shoulder with my Tunisian brothers and sisters and their supporters. We will remember the dead, we will pay tribute to the brave and courageous many who are still in the process of seizing back their country and we will pray that no tyrant will sleep easy in his bed from this moment on.
Tonight we are all Tunisians.
To get cables related to Tunisia, see
http://dazzlepod.com/cable/cable_direct/?keyword=tunisia
You can also search cables, e.g.
http://dazzlepod.com/cable/cable_direct/?keyword=“Leila+Ben+Ali”
Congrats to Tunisia!
Obama and Biden couldn’t remove this dictator. Wikileaks, though, DID play a role!
Celebrate!
Thank YOU!
Obama said: yes we can
The Tunisians answer: yes we do
proud to be tunisian
thank god for the truth and thanks to Mr Assange and WikiLeaks for getting the info into the public domain,, good luck Tunisia and good luck all you Tunisians
Yes, Wikeleaks gave further determination to the Tunisians to overthrow tyrants and stand strong against foreign infiltrators. Bravo.
Wow a democracy emerges all without foreign military intervention, without a single bribe nor a single weapon being sold.
The industrial/military complex cannot be happy with this.
Good Luck Tunisia.
Americans read/hear little of what is happening in Tunisia. This article clearly tells what it takes to overthrow dictators. Wonderful. The citizens of Tunisia did it. Grand. May you have strength to keep your new-found freedom and peace.
This kind of revolution will be the chosen model for every country ruled by a dictator.
Wow, the world might still become better for all the good ppl!
Over 90 have lost their lives in the Tunisian revolution, scores more wounded[many in critical stage] and the coward has left his security people behind rampaging the country and still shooting at civilians at night.
http://24sur24.posterous.com/photo-of-police-in-uniforms-pillaging-looting
A fine article, marred only by gratuitous defamation of the dung beetle, a noble beast that serves a useful role in the biosphere.
My prayers are with all these people who are fighting for their right to live a just life. One without fear and the hope of a brighter future. It is a shame that our president is so cold as to not offer condolences but then this is a man who refuses to place his hand across his heart in honor of the flag,this from a man who would allow and even encourage a mosque to be built next to Ground Zero and a man that has refused to validate his citizenship. Please accept my prayers on behalf of those Americans who do care and wish we could be there to wrap you in our arms and hug you till the pain and anguish subside. I firmly believe that if a govt can not reason with its people on a fair basis and blatantly ignores the cries of its people then an uprising is necessary. The loss of lives will always be sad but hopefully not in vain. Peace and prayers to all who are fighting and my middle fingers up to the govts who try to enslave, including my own. Love….Cherity
First of all let me tell you that I do not endorse the doings of your fled dictator, but I do have a different point of view.
This article is really funny. Now it is my countries (it’s part of EU) fault that you people can’t solve your own problems? You expect from the whole world to solve your problems? Where were you like 30 or more years ago? Did you really need Wikileaks to open your eyes? People, you don’t deserve freedom, the article cleary shows that.
ill say this to your comment it sounds incredibly ignorant 30 years ago where was the internet, they might of had press but as seen any where it is mostly controlled by those in power , it might be the fact that its a new generation of its population that cause its revolt unlike its older generation which might of been turned obedient. all I’ll say is atleast they stood up against corruption while most western citizens do not .
good for you tunisia hopefully while you convert your country into a democracy you will keep in mind to carefully control your future leaders once in office so that they cannot become corrupted .the measures i can think of would include transparency to your population about the dealings of your government , a say in every decision your goverment makes(like a veto right held by the population) and an actual press which is not a government lapdog (in the us and many western countrys our media is much to controlled by the politicians ). good luck in restructuring your country from the ground up. hopefully we can see this situation as proof that the people have more power than the govermnent and it may remind us all that we are in control of our government not the other way around . i hope all tyrants and politicians have seen and are all affraid of what citisens can do if you cross us and deceive us. goodluck from canada
To those who have died; thank you for your courage, your deaths will not be in vain. My sincere condolence to the families of those people who have died. Don’t give up; keep fighting for peace and liberty. I hope the world is watching and learning from this event. From Canada.
@Cherity R – You have no concept of what liberty or democracy mean. What if it was a Buddhist Temple or a Synagogue would you still reject it? You must not understand the meaning of freedom or liberty in justice for all. You hide behind your Fox News propaganda to defame your leader. Tunisians are Muslim and you think you stand for them?
Tunisia’s citizens have found courage to rise up against their despotic rulers who perpetuate the economic bifurcation between the rich 1% of their populace and the abject poverty of all the rest.
Let us hope that the people of the United States learn from Tunisia and do likewise.
Well done Tunisians my thoughts are with you all.
But why didn”t anyone shout in 2008 “Today we are all Greeks”?
Time to do the same in USA
Americans need to follow the example the tunisian people are setting. Corruption is a cancer across the globe right now and american politics is the epicenter. Americans need to organize to over throw the federal banking commision, the congress and the white house and most importantly boycott the large corporations behind all the corruption.
Amen to that!
Wow. This is a great article, but I have one complaint….I think the generalization of America didn’t care insinuates that the American people don’t care; that the citizens of America support dictatorship and the such. I don’t beleive this to be the case. I do believe that American citizens support their government to the hilt up untill they get a wake up call, up untill they are shown that their government has duped them; that is the point when all that American Freedom Spirit comes to the for that has been seen since it’s founding.
America’s governing body obviously favors dictatorships which will work with them. After all, not all dictatorships have China to shelter in, and no dictorship is big enough to thumb it’s nose at the “Big Boys” who take an interest in them; I do not think the citizens themselves supports these relationships, and on the whole this why Wikileaks can have such a positive impact globally. Citizens kept in ignorance of these type of relationships can learn of them, and much like Tunisians, can unite against, fight, and call into question their governing bodies.
I wish all of the people of Tunisia Strength in these coming days, Will to see their goals accomplished, and Faith to face what they do not know.
“If he had one ounce of the courage his own people displayed, he too would have stayed but most of these tyrants are gutless with the moral fiber of a dung beetle.”
Hey Yvonne – what do you have against us dung beetle? what makes you think we have little or no moral fiber. we are a very hard working and help in agriculture and medicine. please get your facts straight before you degrade us again.
please read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dung_beetle#Benefits_and_uses
thank you.
Viva Tunisia – your courage is infectious. I hope those holding the weapons realise they can be free if they give up the gun and stop working for shadows that oppress ordinary people. May you reclaim your land and may the world respect your culture and will to govern yourselves in upholding human dignity and human rights to have access to all the necessities we in the West take too much for granted.
Of course the USA are not condemning and criticizing. They know their time will come too and don’t want to be reminded of it.
Wow, Wikileaks as an instrument for Empire’s wish for “regime change” in Lybia?
As a matter of fact it is the USA who set up all dictatorial regimes in the Islamic territories including Arabic ones. Historical experience proved that the only issue for these (slaves) Muslims is the application of Islamic laws; capitalism arrives in its trajectory to a closed wall as communism before. Muslims don’t have their own state; situation will change when they will have it. The USA independent is a good example. The American army was made by American nation from the beginning when they put British out. Just let us take a look on the Middle East; sclerosis regimes are keeping our nation in the middle Ages era by the armed forces. This nation is governed by minorities (families, religious or sects) they occupy the keys posts of armies. They have armies of spies everywhere. These regimes are installed by the patron, USA since more than 50 years. In addition these government groups stole power and bread from people. 99% of these people eat meet once a year p.ex. These little Gods who are blessed by the USA obtain 99% of elections results. Poverty of our nation becomes a tradition and a characteristic. The global situation is made to insult people in the everyday life details (administration, communication, Securities (Of the government bands and gangs; new aristocracies and military barons, les bottes) , so and so……. The level of life of an Egyptian citizen p.ex. during British colonisation is 4 times more and better than now. The individual level of life during the Ottoman state who applied the Islamic laws equals 5000 US$ per capita. During the British colonisation this level descended to 800 US$. Nowadays and during American colonisation it is less than 200 US$ per capita. Money goes to the pockets of the big patron and of militaries, privileged families and religious minorities who have the keys of the state. Since the USA gave the power to militaries in 1952 to Nacer (a sergeant guardian of king Farouk palace who was blessed as colonel by the US) and his gang with armies of spies, Egypt lives in a nightmare. It is clear now that the USA is a bitter colonist and worst than Europeans in the 19th and the 20th century. USA depends in its colonisation on local army’s forces occupation. In addition everybody knows well, even if he cannot translate his feelings in words, that Islamic world is independent colonies of great powers and the UN is the assembly of these colonies. The Security Council is the signor. As the Latin America, the USA appointed families, militaries or collaborators to govern nations. Iraqi image demonstrates the USA foreign policy. US replace the dictator by a sectorial domination. Tunis will not be better. The key of liberty of our nation is the elimination of local armies. Each military is an enemy because he feels as an alien in his head. He received foreign colonial education.
Tunisia
The first arab country refuse slavery en 1848
The first arab country to but togathe a consttitution en 1861
thefirst arab country refusd olygamie en 1956
the first arab country free ivg 1973
the first arab coutry fight for moderne democracy en 2011? stell working on it will be done
tunisia 2011
Its new its strong its smar it us the tunisien peapole
this is not islamic
Thisis not politique
thisis not tv
this is not a game
this is ar life
this is ar freedome
thisis ar childrin
thisis real
Tonight, we are all Tunisians!
Not since a house fell on the Wicked Witch of West has there been so much joyous celebration in the land.
The EU, Hillary Clinton and the apostles of Zionism are beside themselves in panic over this secular revolutionary fervor lest it spread to Palestine and the rest of the Middle East and depose more of their pashas of predation.
Let’s hope that the economic revolution succeeds and spreads and does not get hijacked and go down the dead end road of religious fanaticism.
The truth.
nobody is helping Tunisia today en imp talking about use or the un or Europe y
theirs y do you remember irak to get there freedhome from sadam the bring big arms the big arm its the use an England but that didn’t marked now the looking a the smoler country in the Arab world how the change the Arab world how the inspire there nieghtor in the world sow the decide to stay far from this problem with the fear to mike same mystique the made in medal east but this is what the pea pole of Tunisia do wee will not give up wee will not back up wee will not be a fried of any body or country tell wee get what wee wont what wee wont its are freed home wee can speak free flay free and move free .reedy to fight .
thecontry its smal buthe the peapole r loud
Congrats to all Tunisan’s, I wish that we Americans had the same strength and courage, I cannot be there in body but I am in spirit, Lord please cover them with your blood!
hi peapole of the usa today tunisia needs halp . neads hapl not from the us governement . from you to telalk to your leader and tel them to leave the coutry alone the wil work ther broblem the peapole of tunisia wil gat the sutution on control if no body is involt we wil finish our jasmin revolution wil gat our freedome please talk to them and mike them andersand what the doonig its not right
nader youssef
thank you for you halp
Great.
Now all the Tunisians in London can go home a REBUILD their communities.
I am so looking forward to the progress to be made by ALL Tunisians in Tunisia.
Bye, bye
@RGGreenwich,
Message from Tunisians to you : Thank you for your support :D but you’ve more things to take care of than Tunisia ;) dont look forward!!! dont get excited !!! Tunisia is for Tunisians ONLY
bye bye bye