Tunisian revolution
The Tunisian revolution (Arabic: الثورة التونسية), also called the Jasmine Revolution and Tunisian Revolution of Dignity,[8][9][10] was an intensive 28-day campaign of civil resistance. It included a series of street demonstrations which took place in Tunisia, and led to the ousting of longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011.[11] It eventually led to a thorough democratization of the country and to free and democratic elections, which had led to people believing it was the only successful movement in the Arab Spring.[12]
"December Revolution" redirects here. For the Russian uprising of 1825, see Decembrist revolt. For the 1828 coup in Argentina, see Decembrist revolution (Argentina).Tunisian revolution
17 December 2010 – 14 January 2011
(4 weeks)
- Overthrow of the Ben Ali government
- Resignation of Prime Minister Ghannouchi[1]
- Dissolution of the political police[2]
- Dissolution of the ruling party[3]
- Release of political prisoners[4]
- Elections of a Constituent Assembly[5]
- Start of the Arab Spring
- Subsequent protests against the interim Islamist-led constituent assembly[6]
338[7]
2,147[7]
The demonstrations were caused by high unemployment, food inflation, corruption,[13][14] a lack of political freedoms (such as freedom of speech),[15] and poor living conditions. The protests constituted the most dramatic wave of social and political unrest in Tunisia in three decades[16][17] and resulted in scores of deaths and injuries, most of which were the result of action by police and security forces.
The protests were sparked by the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi on 17 December 2010.[18][19][20] They led to the ousting of Ben Ali on 14 January 2011, when he officially resigned after fleeing to Saudi Arabia, ending his 23 years in power.[21][22] Labor unions were an integral part of the protests.[23] The Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet was awarded the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize for "its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Tunisian Revolution of 2011".[24] The protests inspired similar actions throughout the Arab world, in a chain reaction which became known as the Arab Spring movement.
Naming[edit]
In Tunisia, and the wider Arab world, the protests and change in government are called the revolution or sometimes called the Sidi Bouzid revolt, the name being derived from Sidi Bouzid, the city where the initial protests began.[25] In the Western media, these events have been dubbed the Jasmine Revolution or Jasmine Spring,[26] after Tunisia's national flower and in keeping with the geopolitical nomenclature of "color revolutions". The name "Jasmine Revolution" originated from American journalist Andy Carvin, but it was not widely adopted in Tunisia itself.[27]
The protests and resultant political crises have generally been called the Jasmine revolution only in the foreign media.[28][29] Tunisian philosopher Youssef Seddik deemed the term inappropriate because the violence that accompanied the event was "perhaps as deep as Bastille Day",[30] and although the term was coined by the Tunisian journalist Zied El Hani, who first used it on his blog on 13 January and initially spread via social media such as Facebook (hence "Revolution Facebook" among the youth of Tunisia),[31] it is not in widespread use in Tunisia itself.[32]
The debate surrounding the name and the poetic influences behind the Tunisian revolution was a popular question among Tunisian intellectuals.[33] The name adopted in Tunisia was the Dignity Revolution, which is a translation of the Tunisian Arabic name for the revolution, ثورة الكرامة (Thawrat al-Karāmah).[34] Within Tunisia, Ben Ali's rise to power in 1987 was also known as the Jasmine Revolution.[35][36]
Some analysts have referred to this revolt as the WikiLeaks revolution and the Facebook revolution, as social media was used as a main source of protest during the revolution and WikiLeaks articles contributed to anti-government protests.
Background[edit]
President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali had ruled Tunisia since 1987, mostly as a one-party state with the Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD), following the overthrowing of his predecessor Habib Bourguiba. His government was characterised by the development of Tunisia's private sector in favor of foreign investment, and the repression of political opposition. Foreign media and NGOs criticised his government, which was supported by the United States and France. As a result, the initial reactions to Ben Ali's abuses by the U.S. and France were muted, and most instances of socio-political protest in the country, when they occurred at all, rarely made major news headlines.[37]
Riots in Tunisia were rare[38] and noteworthy, especially since the country is generally considered to be wealthy and stable as compared to other countries in the region.[39] Protests had been repressed and kept silent by the regime, and protesters would be jailed for such actions, as with hundreds of unemployed demonstrators in Redeyef in 2008.[40] As noted by Mohamed Bacha in his book, The Revolutionary Chants of Club Africain Ultras,[41][42] Tunisian youth had found an outlet to express their anger and dissatisfaction, through the fan chants of sports association Club Africain Ultras, such as: The capital is very angry, We are solidary when we make war to the sons of — Who oppress us, and Hey Regime, The Revolution is Imminent.
At the time of the revolution, Al Jazeera English reported that Tunisian activists are among the most outspoken in its part of the world, with various messages of support being posted on Twitter and Facebook for Bouazizi.[43] An op-ed article in the same network said of the action that it was "suicidal protests of despair by Tunisia's youth." It pointed out that the state-controlled National Solidarity Fund and the National Employment Fund had traditionally subsidised many goods and services in the country but had started to shift the "burden of providence from state to society" to be funded by the bidonvilles, or shanty towns, around the richer towns and suburbs. It also cited the "marginalisation of the agrarian and arid central, northern west and southern areas [that] continue[s] unabated."[44] The protests were also called an "uprising" because of "a lethal combination of poverty, unemployment, and political repression: three characteristics of most Arab societies."[45] It was a revolution, notes a Tunisian geographer, "started not by the middle class or the northern urban centers, but by marginalised social groups."[46]
Caïd Essebsi government[edit]
Béji Caïd Essebsi became prime minister, appointed by Mebazaa on the day Ghannouchi resigned. Although the cabinet was now free of RCD members, demonstrations continued as the protesters criticized the unilateral appointment of Essebsi without consultation.
Ghannouchi's resignation was followed the next day by the resignations of industry minister Afif Chelbi and international co-operation minister Mohamed Nouri Jouini. There were now protests for the entire interim government to resign, with the UGTT calling for an elected constituent assembly to write a new constitution.[156] Further resignations were reported on 1 March: minister for higher education and scientific research Ahmed Brahim,[157] minister of local development Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, and minister of economic reform Elyes Jouini.[158]
Mebazaa announced elections to a Constituent Assembly would be held on 24 July 2011. This would likely postpone general elections to a later date.[159] This fulfilled a central demand of protesters.[160]
In early March, the interim government announced that the secret police would be dissolved.[161] A Tunis court announced the dissolution of the RCD and liquidation of its assets, though the party said it would appeal the decision.[162]
In mid-April, charges were announced against Ben Ali, for whom international arrest warrants were issued in January.[163] There were 18 charges, including voluntary manslaughter and drug trafficking. His family and former ministers faced 26 further charges.[164]
The elections were further postponed and ultimately held on 23 October 2011. The election appointed members to a Constituent Assembly charged with rewriting Tunisia's Constitution.[165] The formerly banned Islamic party Ennahda, which was legalised in March,[166] won with 41% of the total vote.[165]
Effects[edit]
Refugees[edit]
In mid-February 2011, about 4,000 mostly Tunisian refugees landed on the Italian island of Lampedusa, causing the authorities to declare a state of emergency[167] that would allow for federal aid to the island. Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni accused the EU of not doing enough to curb immigration and asked them to do more.[168] He said that the "Tunisian system was collapsing" and that he would "ask the Tunisian Foreign Ministry for permission for our authorities to intervene to stop the flow in Tunisia", suggesting Italian troops would be on Tunisian soil.[169] He called the event a "biblical exodus". The comments started a row between the two countries with the Tunisian Foreign Ministry saying it was ready to work with Italy and others but that it "categorically rejects any interference in its internal affairs or any infringement of its sovereignty." In response, Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that both countries share a "common interest" to halt the immigration, while he also offered "logistical help in terms of police and equipment" and called to re-establish previously successful coastal patrols of Northern Africa. By 14 February, at least 2,000 refugees had been sent to Sicily with the other 2,000 quarantined at a re-opened holding center.[170] On 2 March about 350 more people arrived on the island. In response, Italy declared a humanitarian emergency.[171]
The International Organisation for Migration said that no new boats had been spotted. The EU's Catherine Ashton was on a visit to Tunisia to discuss the issue. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that "not everyone who does not want to be in Tunisia can come to Europe. Rather, we need to talk to each other how we can strengthen the rule of law in Tunisia again and whether Europe can be of help."[170]
Stock market[edit]
The national stock market, the Bourse de Tunis (TUNINDEX), fell on 12 January for a three consecutive day loss of 9.3%.[172] Following the curfew in Tunis, the market index again fell 3.8% as the cost of protecting against a sovereign default in credit default swaps rose to its highest level in almost two years.[173][174]
Following the resignations of Ghanoucchi and two Ben Ali-era ministers, the bourse was again suspended.[175]
Aftermath[edit]
In mid-May 2013, Tunisia banned the Salafist Ansar al-Sharia from carrying out party congresses. The day after the congress was due to be carried out, clashes between security forces and party supporters in Kairouan resulted in one death amid attempts to disperse those who wanted to carry out the events.[196]
The Tunisian president, Beji Caïd Essebsi, renewed the state of emergency in October 2015 for three months due to previous terror attacks.[197] In August 2019, the United States aided Tunisia with $335 million that will be given in five years to support its democratic transition and help in funding projects and initiatives that would develop the country.[198]
