It started with a young man who set himself on fire, acting out of desperation after police confiscated the fruits and vegetables he sold without a permit. Mohamed Bouazizi was a 26-year-old university graduate without a steady job, trying to support his family. His self-immolation – which left him in intensive care, wrapped head to toe in white bandages – shocked the North African nation and sparked protests over unemployment that have led to at least three deaths. The self-immolation touched off demonstrations in neighboring towns, and later, in other regions. For decades, Tunisia has promoted itself as an Arab world success story, a place where the economy is stronger than in neighboring countries, women’s rights are respected, unrest is rare and European tourists can take stress-free vacations at beach resorts. But the recent protests have exposed a side of Tunisia that the country has long tried to hide: the poverty of the countryside, poor job prospects for youths and seething resentment at the government.
SELF-IMMOLATION BID LEADS TO UNREST IN TUNISIA
It started with a young man who set himself on fire, acting out of desperation after police confiscated the fruits and vegetables he sold without a permit. Mohamed Bouazizi was a 26-year-old university graduate without a steady job, trying to support his family.
