I want the Tunisian people to know that, my heart smiles for you. I am speechless and at the same time moved by your courageous act. I have always believed in the people and I have never yielded from my believe that: when the people get together for a common purpose, no repressive regime can withstand the power of the people. Starting from December 17th, 2010, you demonstrated to the world that the will of the people cannot be overturned. You made sacrifices, lost lives and many people are hospitalized. But you persist and on January 14th, 2011, you toppled an authoritarian government, without help from outside. You did it yourselves.
Notably WikiLeaks cable recently brought international attention to your wretched condition, calling your country a police state and the first family “quasi mafia”. But none of what we witnessed would have occurred if it wasn’t for 26-year-old Mohamed Bouazizi, a computer science graduate who couldn’t find a job and turned street seller. Imagine having a computer science degree in your pocket and have to sell vegetables and fruits on the roadside to support your family. That alone can make a man insane. But it did not stop there. He was harassed by the police to give up his sole source of income and was insulted as he was worthless. Desperate and infuriate he sets himself on fire outside the governor’s office to protest unemployment, food inflation, corruption and many other things. He died in a nearby hospital several weeks later and became a martyr.
With his death the fear installed in your hearts disappeared and you chanted justice will be done. You did so because you recognized yourself in his desolation, because so many of you are going through the same condition as Mohammed Bouazizi. So you said how long are we going to wait before we do something about this torment? I am glad you didn’t wait too long. In the absent of international media in your country, you reported to the world your path to freedom through social networks and video sharing sites. Although many did not believe you could pull it off, the most important is you believed and that is what matters. My sympathy and admiration goes to you. You are brave people. You are an inspiration for all oppressed people world wide. We will heed your message and spread it to our brothers and sisters who are yet to free themselves.
Let us keep the victims in our hearts forever and pray for their families as they deal with their loss. The Soul Rebel Movement salutes them and all other unsung heroes that contributed to what will be known as the Tunisian Revolution.