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AFP - Getty Images
A handout picture released by the Tunisian Presidency shows President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, second left, visiting patient Mohamed Bouazizi at the Ben Arous hospital near Tunis on Dec. 28. Bouazizi died in hospital on Jan. 4 and Ben Ali fled the country on Jan. 14.
Fred Dufour / AFP - Getty Images
Mohamed Bouazizi's cousin, Walid Bouazizi, prays on his cousin's grave in Sidi Bouzid on Jan. 20.
Fred Dufour / AFP - Getty Images
Basma Bouazizi, sister of Mohamed Bouazizi, poses in her home in Sidi Bouzid on Jan. 20.
Salah Habibi / AP
Protesters demonstrate beneath a poster of Mohamed Bouazizi near the prime minister's office in Tunis on Jan. 28.
It began with a minor dispute between a street vendor and a municipal inspector in the provincial Tunisian city of Sidi Bouzid. Six weeks on, the repercussions continue to resonate around the Arab world.
The man who inspired the people of Tunisia to rise up against their government was Mohamed Bouazizi, a 26 year old fruit vendor who set himself on fire in protest at his treatment by the local authorities. President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali visited Bouazizi in hospital in a vain attempt to stem the criticism of his regime, as shown in the first photograph above. But within ten days of Bouazizi's death, Ben Ali was forced to flee the country.
Kareem Fahim of the New York Times wrote a detailed account of Bouazizi's life and death, and Kim Sengupta of the Independent interviewed his grieving mother. 'The government drove him to do what he did; they never gave him a chance. We are poor and they thought we had no power,' she said. 'My son is lost, but look what is happening, how many people are now getting involved.'
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How sad to feel that the only way to be heard is to die such a terrible death.
But how many people die at the hands of tyranny without their voices ever being heard? Mr. Bouazizi will never be forgotten - he dies a martyr to justice.
The fires have burned his body, but the spirit was protected. This fire he ignited, took of like a rampant wild fire that changed the daily lives of an entire nation.
Good to see you again, IS! You put this far better than I ever could. Thanks!
Good to see you as well my friend.
Peace be with you and us all.
As in the intro to the movie "Dinasaur" Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest difference
It may be a martyr's act, and it may have made the news, but how much more could this man's passion have actually accomplished had he lived to fight this battle? I sympathise with his admirers, but I do not believe it to be an illusion to think that the daily lives of the people have actually changed now . . . . nor do I believe that the entire Arab world has been effected by this event. These tragedies are engaging, but we are living in an idealism unrealized if we think that deaths of this nature bring about lasting growth, I am sorry. But think about the notion that Mandela had committed suicide? Would the changes in South Africa have come swifter or at all? It is in living that we can make the difference, with respect, Mia
To understand this brave young man's actions, you have to understand the culture, the thinking and way of life. What we might see as good, as senseless, or as any of a myriad of other thoughts and actions could possibly have an entirely different meaning to people of another nation and/or religion.
I sense the desperation of this man, his cry of anger and hopelessness, that drove him to destroy his earthly body but not his fierce spirit that called for justice.
God bless him with eternal peace.
Nelson Mandela's are not born everyday. He had extreme good character: patience and would not leave his family in quandry. His nature is to calm and do his best. Longsuffering is a virtueous gift.
To be quick of temperament has a downside. But it is true, the change of government is not overnight. I pray the people have security: children have food, people have electricity and water through these upheavals.
Sadly, Mohammed had no other option; his act shows us the depth of his desperation. He was not working toward change (like a Mandela) He did not do what he did to spark revolution in the Arab World, nor even just in Tunisia. He was a simple man who endure much shame and hardship for many years at the hand of an incomprehensibly greedy government. We have seen that the corrupt ex-president and his wife, Leila Trabelsi and their clans, stole from every segment of society, even the poorest of the poor.
I live in Tunisia... and have heard countless stories over the last month of ways the regime stole from them and their relatives. It's inconceivable to imagine how voiceless they felt and how oppressed. I had no idea just how much people were NOT saying before. We cannot imagine the mind of an oppressed person. The most amazing thing I see now is that the people of Tunisia finally feel they HAVE a voice. It is as if I am knowing a new Tunisia.
Mohammed would never have imagined himself to be a Nelson Mandela... he could not even imagine feeding his family for another day. We cannot judge his act. We can only honor his memory and pray for the freedom and peace among those who benefit from his sacrifice.
Western culture is told from almost birth that to commit suicide is the one sin that can never be forgiven. Other cultures do not see it this way. What this young man did is no different than what the workers at the Chinese factory did. In some cultures this final act of defiance is seen as a commendable thing. It is like the flip side of the coin where Japanese warriors will kill themselves to restore their family's honor if they fail in battle. These ideas seem uncomprehendable to us because we are taught to stay alive no matter what it takes so we can continue the fight and learn from our mistakes. Who knows which is right? I make no moral judgment about the man's actions. I do, however, see the results. It was a calculated risk on his part, but seems to have effected the changes he wanted.
Correction: I do believe it to be an illusion. . . .
" A house divided against itself will fall." Jesus Christ
Mia, its easy to judge others when you haven't walked in thier shoes. You haven't lived a life in a country where just because of your status, you can be bullied, humiliated, and brutalized. Its easy for people to rush to their judgements when they don't have a clue what they are talking about. Judging others by our own narrow window of experience is something we are all guilty of at times. Apparently this is your time!
So did she slap him or not? Crummy reporting if you ask me. Anyway Sarah Palin and rest of her Republicrat cronies better pay attention to what is going on the rest of the world. The US is rapidly racing toward third world status for the majority of it's citizens, the wealthy with their political parrots will soon be running out of paramilitary countries/places to hide. Look out for unrest in Cuba, it will soon impact our shores!
So, one man CAN make a difference?!
Mia, I'm an atheist but I'm sure many Christians would disagree with you that one man's death and it's manner wouldn't make a difference. Not just that but history is littered with heroic deaths inspiring others. As I write, the direct result of this man's actions is a chain of events which has brought down not only the Tunisian dictator but also the dictator of the largest Arab nation, Egypt and it's spreading. The amazing thing about these revolutions has been the overall peaceful nature of those protesting, despite massive violent provocations from the state. So as Doug says, yes, one man in the right place at the right time can make a difference.
There was another death by setting alight of a 31-year old man in front of the city council in VietNam on 17/2/2011 to protest against the goeverment's land reform ( land grasp by officials), we believe this death is the same as of Mohamed Bouazizi which will detonate the Jasmine revolution in Asia. So Far, the local official has not yet released any detail of the death except accusing him of suffering a mental breakdown. We need You to support us to set our Vietnamese people free from dictatorship as Bouazizi had done for Tunisi. Thank You
We hear you!