http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/18/tunisia-protest-world-repercussions
Letters
Why Tunisia holds lessons for us all
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* The Guardian, Tuesday 18 January 2011
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The revolution in Tunisia has given the world the most positive start to the new year since the people of Romania shot their dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, at the end of 1989 (Popular revolt in Tunisia forces president to flee, 15 January).
At enormous risk to themselves, the people of Tunisia have risen up and overthrown the 23-year-old dictatorship of Ben Ali – a monster to his own people but a long-time "friend" of the west.
I hope Tony Blair is watching the events in Tunisia even as he prepares to revisit the Chilcot inquiry this Friday to answer more questions on his role in the bloody invasion and occupation of Iraq. The Tunisian revolution has shown the world that the people of the region don't need the self-interested "help" of the west to overthrow their dictators. In fact, western governments have, all too often, supported and armed the region's tyrants – Saddam Hussein and Ben Ali included.
In chasing Ben Ali out of the country, the people of Tunisia have provided others in the region with a model of how they might deal with their own dictators. Demonstrators in Cairo have been chanting the following refrain aimed at Hosni Mubarak, long-time dictator of Egypt and ally of the US: "Ben Ali, tell Mubarak a plane is waiting for him too!"
I also hope that the TUC is watching the events in Tunisia. It was a general strike that delivered the death blow to the dictatorship of Ben Ali.
Sasha Simic
London
• The unexpected revolt in Tunisia has much to do with the individual political situation in that country: one shackled by a dictator, with a restless population alienated and deprived of much-longed-for freedoms. Although it is popular among tourists, the tension and turmoil in this normally peaceful north African state has slowly built up over time, triggering an uprising of people power. But the rumblings of unease among those young people without opportunity to work, many of whom are well-educated, is not just confined to Tunisia and neighbouring states, but here in Britain and across Europe too.
It is a damning indictment that any government should lose sight of the next generation, fail to believe in their potential and enterprise, and not involve them in becoming political leaders.
Bernie Walsh
Coxhoe, Co Durham
• Your editorial (A flower that could be crushed, 17 January) is correct to claim that Tunisia is the right place to start a democratic revolution. It is a country rich with political heritage – it produced the Arab's world first written constitution. This document followed the 1857 charter of faith, which provided legal protection to the country's non‑Muslims.
While President Ben Ali may have denied democracy to his people, he is the only Arab leader whose views on Islamism were validated by the painful events of 9/11. He foresaw the danger of Islamism long before the west did, and decided to act against it. He encouraged the promotion of Islam consistent with tolerance for religious differences. It is because of his state-sponsored Islamic institutions that the faithful of Tunisia today hear a very different message at Friday prayers than their co-religionists in Egypt, Saudi Arabia or Pakistan.
Randhir Singh Bains
Gants Hill, Essex
• It is shocking to see what is happening in countries like Tunisia. It's heartening to hear commentators say that what they need is democracy like ours. But unfortunately, Tunisia had a government that was thoroughly disliked and distrusted by the majority, led by a fabulously privileged elite, presiding over huge disparities in wealth, with large numbers of educated young people unable to find jobs in a climate of rising unemployment. It's a good job we are nothing like that.
Greg Philo
Glasgow
• Let's hope that the people of Tunisia award Private Bradley Manning their equivalent of the presidential medal of freedom (The first Arab revolution, 17 January).
Yugo Kovach
Winterborne Houghton, Dorset
Letters
Why Tunisia holds lessons for us all
*
o
o Share3
o Reddit
o Buzz up
* The Guardian, Tuesday 18 January 2011
* Article history
The revolution in Tunisia has given the world the most positive start to the new year since the people of Romania shot their dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, at the end of 1989 (Popular revolt in Tunisia forces president to flee, 15 January).
At enormous risk to themselves, the people of Tunisia have risen up and overthrown the 23-year-old dictatorship of Ben Ali – a monster to his own people but a long-time "friend" of the west.
I hope Tony Blair is watching the events in Tunisia even as he prepares to revisit the Chilcot inquiry this Friday to answer more questions on his role in the bloody invasion and occupation of Iraq. The Tunisian revolution has shown the world that the people of the region don't need the self-interested "help" of the west to overthrow their dictators. In fact, western governments have, all too often, supported and armed the region's tyrants – Saddam Hussein and Ben Ali included.
In chasing Ben Ali out of the country, the people of Tunisia have provided others in the region with a model of how they might deal with their own dictators. Demonstrators in Cairo have been chanting the following refrain aimed at Hosni Mubarak, long-time dictator of Egypt and ally of the US: "Ben Ali, tell Mubarak a plane is waiting for him too!"
I also hope that the TUC is watching the events in Tunisia. It was a general strike that delivered the death blow to the dictatorship of Ben Ali.
Sasha Simic
London
• The unexpected revolt in Tunisia has much to do with the individual political situation in that country: one shackled by a dictator, with a restless population alienated and deprived of much-longed-for freedoms. Although it is popular among tourists, the tension and turmoil in this normally peaceful north African state has slowly built up over time, triggering an uprising of people power. But the rumblings of unease among those young people without opportunity to work, many of whom are well-educated, is not just confined to Tunisia and neighbouring states, but here in Britain and across Europe too.
It is a damning indictment that any government should lose sight of the next generation, fail to believe in their potential and enterprise, and not involve them in becoming political leaders.
Bernie Walsh
Coxhoe, Co Durham
• Your editorial (A flower that could be crushed, 17 January) is correct to claim that Tunisia is the right place to start a democratic revolution. It is a country rich with political heritage – it produced the Arab's world first written constitution. This document followed the 1857 charter of faith, which provided legal protection to the country's non‑Muslims.
While President Ben Ali may have denied democracy to his people, he is the only Arab leader whose views on Islamism were validated by the painful events of 9/11. He foresaw the danger of Islamism long before the west did, and decided to act against it. He encouraged the promotion of Islam consistent with tolerance for religious differences. It is because of his state-sponsored Islamic institutions that the faithful of Tunisia today hear a very different message at Friday prayers than their co-religionists in Egypt, Saudi Arabia or Pakistan.
Randhir Singh Bains
Gants Hill, Essex
• It is shocking to see what is happening in countries like Tunisia. It's heartening to hear commentators say that what they need is democracy like ours. But unfortunately, Tunisia had a government that was thoroughly disliked and distrusted by the majority, led by a fabulously privileged elite, presiding over huge disparities in wealth, with large numbers of educated young people unable to find jobs in a climate of rising unemployment. It's a good job we are nothing like that.
Greg Philo
Glasgow
• Let's hope that the people of Tunisia award Private Bradley Manning their equivalent of the presidential medal of freedom (The first Arab revolution, 17 January).
Yugo Kovach
Winterborne Houghton, Dorset
