Glimpses of the Revolts
Tunisia: the Spark
The wave of revolts and revolutions in MENA started with the self-immolation of Mohammed Bouzizi in Sidi Bouzid in Tunisia. The young man, 26, lighted himself in protest against frustrating repression by police, which destroyed his petty trade and humiliated him (and his family) on the market street of Tunis. This action was only a spark for the already latent anger of the masses, especially the youth and the working class, who took the Bouzizi’s suicide approach to the level of massive protests in the country. Despite widespread brutality by the hated but chronically corrupt police force, the protests got stronger and wider with youths from communities, schools, and working class elements, organizing from the grassroots to the national levels.
The strength of the protests compelled the pro-regime trade union leadership, UGTT, to declare a strike after much delay, which finally collapsed the regime. Before this time, workers from