TUNISIA: And now it begins...

You cannot help but notice that something big is going on in the Arab world.

Tunisia, in Northern Africa, erupted in riots forcing the long term president and dictator to leave the country. Now people Egypt and Yemen are rioting. Algeria, Lebanon and Jordan are having issues also.

Why?

Tunisia, the historical Carthage of ancient history, has not been in our news until now. And it all started with one young man who abandoned all hope of a satisfying life in his country of Tunisia.

It appeared that this highly educated Tunisian could not find a job because of the miserable economic conditions and was reduced to selling fruits from a cart in the town square to support his family of parents and siblings.

A female police officer told him he cannot sell his fruits in the square and as he protested, she slapped him. When he went to complain to the authorities, he was thrown out.

Feeling he had reached the end of his rope, he self-immolated. Self-immolation is setting oneself on fire. As suicides go, this has got to be the scariest since you are alive while you burn.

I can just imagine the young man’s thought process before he set himself on fire, the despondency, the inadequacy, the utter hopelessness.

Obviously, others in Tunisia felt and feel the same way and his martyrdom sparked them to finally act.

This is not a new scenario. Remember Romania and its ruthless dictator who lived lavishly while the nation suffered; and the corruption running rampant where only the few can enjoy life supported by the downtrodden. I will learn more specifics about conditions in Tunisia but suffice it to say, they were not what the people wanted them to be.

This is a very tricky situation because usually in cases like this a religious faction can rise to the top and take control. This is what we saw happen in Iran after the Shah was overthrown and look at the problems we have with Iran today and more importantly, look what the citizens of Iran have got themselves into. They now try to riot to get back a semblance of democracy but the clerics are too strong and they must live, downtrodden in a theocracy.

So far, we have not seen a grab for power by any Islamic party and the rioters are from the broad spectrum of society; not representing just one group.

The world is holding its breath…could this change the face of the Arab world as we know it?

Related articles

• Tunisia Inspires The Arab World To Protest (news.sky.com)
• Bouazizi: The Man Who Set Himself and Tunisia on Fire (time.com)
• Tens of thousands in Yemen demand president quit (sfgate.com)
• The Root: What Tunisia Needs Now Is Outside Support (npr.org)
• Self-Immolation reports spread through north Africa (cnn.com)
• More people setting themselves on fire after Tunisia uprising (thestar.com)