Tunisia's President Just Fled The Country

[joe_momma]

http://www.businessinsider.com/tunisia-president-2011-1


Seems food prices are a problem.

[palani]

More mind control. The Tunisian president IS the country. How can you fled yourself?


MUNICIPALITY. The body of officers, taken collectively, belonging to a city, who are appointed to manage its affairs and defend its interests.

[Apparition]

What sparked the unrest?

A desperate act by a young unemployed graduate on 17 December triggered a much wider series of protests and clashes with the police.

Mohamed Bouazizi set fire to himself when officials in his town prevented him from selling vegetables on the streets of Sidi Bouzid without permission.

This set off protests about jobs in the town, which has an agriculture-based economy in one of the poorest regions of the country.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12157599


Well, I'm quite sympathetic to that.

More power to the Tunisian people.

[osoab]

Cell phone vid sneaked out from Tunisia. Torrent file. Caught this over @ TickerForum.

http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/6099510

I haven't watched it yet. Still downloading.

[keehah]

Bump of sorts. I missed Apparition's earlier post on this.

CNN: How a fruit seller caused revolution in Tunisia (http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/01/16/tunisia.fruit.seller.bouazizi/index.html)

(CNN) -- One figure has played a pivotal role in the tumultuous events that have swept through Tunisia during the past few weeks, resulting in the fall this weekend of President Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali and his regime after 24 years.

But Muhammad Al Bouazizi did not live to see the historic outcome of which he was a key part.

Al Bouazizi was a poor 26-year old Tunisian who could not find a job after finishing college. He refused to join the "army of unemployed youth," as it has become known in Tunisia, and instead started a small business as a street vendor, selling vegetables to support his family.

His attempt to overcome his poverty in the streets of Sidi Bouzid, central Tunisia, was halted by a police officer who seized his goods, claiming that Al Bouazizi was working without the necessary legal permit.

The exact reasons behind Al Bouazizi's subsequent outrage are not clear. Some observers allege that the police officer slapped him across his face; others that Al Bouazizi tried to complain at a center for unemployed graduates -- but that no one listened to him and he heard only laughter and insults.

Whatever his intentions, Muhammad Al Bouazizi's actions changed Tunisian history.

[keehah]

BBC: 'Of course I am inspired by Tunisia' - Egypt activist (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12275730)

25 January 2011
Egyptian anti-government protesters took heart after the uprising in Tunisia, one activist told the BBC World Service.

"Of course I am inspired by what happened in Tunisia, it was very significant," said the man, who did not want to give his name.

Thousands of protesters have been marching through Cairo chanting anti-government slogans, after activists called for a "day of revolt" in a web message.

Organisers said the protests would focus on torture, poverty, corruption and unemployment.

Tunisia had shown that a successful movement for change did not need a strong opposition leader [or political party], the activist told the BBC.

Full 2 minute interview at link. He also talked about how Tunisia broke several Muslim 'tabboos' about what was needed before the people can over through a government. And that "it does not make sense for us to need to get permission before expressing our rights". "Change will happen wherever people want it to do so."

[Neuro]

"Change will happen wherever people want it to do so."

YES!!!!