tunisia

Falling Arab dictatorships and Israeli government panic

The walls are crumbling. The walls behind which dictators indulge in decadent opulence while "their" people are mired in wretched circumstance. The walls behind which "leaders" secretly sell -- for personal gain -- the rights of the people they claim to represent.

Across North Africa and the Middle East, across the Arab world, for decades dictatorship and deepening corruption, firmly supported by imperial powers, seemed beyond challenge. Today, once "stable" regimes are now facing a popular reckoning.

From the vantage point of Palestine, there are three new dynamics.

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Not Rex: Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution

Flowers for the people.

Related rabble.ca story:

Not Rex: Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution

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press release

We support the Tunisian struggle

Friday, January 14th 2011

The associations and organizations signing the present declaration strongly condemn the violent repression by the Tunisian government of the current demonstrations by citizens that the country is now witnessing. We stand with the far-ranging expressions of dismay and international solidarity to demand an immediate cease-fire by the government in Tunis. We support the legitimate demands of Tunisians for respect of their rights to dignity and their democratic freedoms as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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politics

A participant's account of the World Social Forum in Tunisia

"This was like a dream come true," said a radiant Sossi Mohamed Sadek, a Tunisian second year engineering student who was one of the hundreds of local volunteers at the World Social Forum in Tunis. "To see our university overflowing with over 50,000 people from Africa, Europe, Latin America, the United States, the Middle East -- it was extraordinary. I came away with new ideas and new friends that will surely have a great impact on my life."

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Right to water roundtable takes place at the World Social Forum

Brent Patterson

| March 28, 2013

About 85 people from at least 23 different countries came together for a 'Roundtable on water as a human right and a commons' at the World Social Forum in Tunisia.

The 3-hour session began with three presentations.

A community leader from Peru highlighted the impact of mining in his country on the right to water. He noted that all mines in Peru are located near water sources and that they will pollute downstream. He also noted that there had been the large 'March for Life' in Peru a year ago, a march that demanded a stop to mining in the basin headwaters and a declaration recognizing water as a basic human right. He said the very last thing they can do is lose their water, because its water or death. He called on everyone to unite to defend land and water.

Major march to launch the World Social Forum

Brent Patterson

| March 26, 2013

It's now 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning here in Tunisia (5:30 a.m. in Ottawa) and we're getting ready for the major march this afternoon that will officially launch the World Social Forum.

Aljazeera reports, "Romdhane Ben Amor, a spokesperson for the WSF organising team, …estimated as many as 50,000 visitors from 128 countries would be gathering to discuss shared economic and social problems. The forum will begin with all these participants marching down the streets of Tunis, the capital, on Tuesday afternoon."

70,000 people are expected to take part in this three-hour march that will start at the January 14 Square, cross the main streets and squares of this city, and conclude with an official ceremony and a concert at the El Menzah sports complex.

Water Justice Day in Tunis

Brent Patterson

| March 26, 2013

More than 80 people from around the world -- representing at least 25 different organizations -- gathered for a 'Water Justice Day' forum at the Université de Tunis in advance of the World Social Forum.

Presentations were heard from water movement activists from Turtle Island/ North America, India, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Asia, Chile, Europe, France, Greece, Italy, and Palestine.

Numerous threats to the right to water were highlighted by the 12 speakers, including resource extraction (notably the tar sands in Canada), austerity measures, privatization, water meters, river linking, dams, the financialization of nature, pollution, and occupation.

The Blue Planet Project lands in Tunisia for the World Social Forum

Brent Patterson

| March 25, 2013

We've just arrived in Tunis along with many others from around the world who are gathering here for the World Social Forum.

'Dignity' is the theme of this WSF. The revolution that took place in this north African country -- just two years ago -- was spurred by Mohamd Bouaziz who demanded dignity. The 26-year-old man set himself on fire in protest of the humiliation he had suffered by a municipal official. Protests grew from there and by January 14, 2011 President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who had ruled Tunisia for 23 years, had been forced to step down. This helped to spark the Arab Spring which quickly spread throughout the region, including to neighbouring Libya.

And it is that spirit of revolution and the fundamental right to dignity that brings the WSF to Tunisia.

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Tunisia confirmed as host for World Social Forum 2013

The following declaration was issued in Hammamet, Tunisia, during the second international preparatory meeting of the World Social Forum (WSF) 2013.

The World Social Forum Dignity-Karama will take place as foreseen in Tunis, from the 26th to the 30th of March 2013. The active involvment of movements, organizations, trade unions, platforms and networks from Tunisia, Maghreb, Machrek, Sub-saharan African, Americas, Europe and from all over the world is allowing us to hope a successful, popular and dynamic Forum.