"Gandhi Walk Again"

January 23, 2011

The new interim government makes its first mistake by appointing new mayors the majority of whom are known for their corruption under Ben Ali’s regime, not to mention its continued reluctance to disband the RCD and put in place a Constituent Assembly that is more in synch with the revolutionary spirit of the nation. Because of this clear disconnect between the interim government and the people--a disconnect exacerbated by deplorably biased media practices--, Tunisia seems to be ready for a major uprising against a government whose lamentable ineptness may compromise what the revolution has achieved so far.

 In fact, a "Caravan of Freedom" began its protest walk this morning from Sidi Bouzid, hometown of martyr Bouazizi, and is expected to arrive to its destination, the Capital Tunis, on Tuesday morning. These waves of protesters from Tunisia’s underprivileged southern regions speak volumes about the Tunisian people’s unflagging commitment to freedom, dignity and democracy. As soon as they arrive, they will begin their first open sit-in protest in al-Kasbah, the government headquarters, and this till Ghannouchi’s government and Ben Ali’s lackeys are removed.

 Many political theorists and commentators have argued that Arabs/Muslims are unlikely to carry out revolutions against their rulers, because their religious beliefs and cultural values do not favor such revolutions. Tunisia has just proved them wrong. The revolution in Tunisia has caught the entire world by surprise. Unlike previous revolutions in Iran, Egypt, or Iraq, it is mobilized neither by a religious faith nor by a political ideology; it is perhaps the most secular, apolitical, and non-violent popular revolution ever to take place in recent Arab history. Both unexpected and unprecedented, the Tunisian Revolution has left many a political analyst in the proverbial lurch--to say the least.

 January 28, 2011

The five-day sit-in protest in al-Kasbah forces PM Ghannouchi to reshuffle interim cabinet and remove a few political figures tied to the former regime. In the meantime, some counter-revolutionary groups have infiltrated the sit-in crowds and began throwing stones at the police in order to provoke a reaction from the latter. The reaction was fast coming, and the security police intervened brutally and dispersed the sit-in protesters. The latter had to leave the capital with mixed feelings of happiness and humiliation. Although the sit-in was a success, it is clear to everyone that the newly reshuffled government did not hesitate to begin its temporary mandate with an outrageous display of violence against the very people whose rights it claims to protect.