A revolution had sparked in Tunisia in the December of 2010 against their then President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali who is currently on the run. This revolution was the initialization to the falling monarchies of the Arab World which resembles the falling of dominoes.
Tunisia is a country in the northern part of Africa, smaller than the state of Karnataka. It first gained popularity during World War II when it was under the French rule. A major battle victory was accounted here for the Allied Forces led by USA. Tunisia achieved independence from France in 1957 and Habib Bourguiba was declared its first President. In 1987, he was declared unfit to rule and it was then that Ben Ali stepped in as President of Tunisia.
Ben Ali’s regime saw a decent increase in the GDP of the nation, strengthening of its economy and an increase in foreign investment. With rank 34 Tunisia ranks above India (rank 41) in the list of World Tourism Rankings. But behind this fake façade of Tunisia lies what led to the revolution. Ben Ali and his family were accused of great corruption, which was a major contribution to recent events all across Tunisia protesting the theft of Tunisian wealth, and lack of opportunities for average Tunisians. Whatever the country earned used to go into the luxuries of the president’s own family. Ben Ali’s wife Leila Trabelsi, supposedly Tunisia’s First Lady, is accused of travelling to Europe’s many fashion destination travelling in Business Class all of which were not part of her itinerary.
Tunisia continued to suffer from a high unemployment, especially among youth. In spite of a rising economy, left out of the prosperity were many rural and urban poor, including small businesses facing the world market. Tunisia under Ben Ali saw problems of human rights violations, such as freedom of the press, highlighted by the official treatment of the journalist Taoufik Ben Brik who is a prominent critic Ben Ali. In 2000, he was accused of publishing false information and other spurious charges, and went on a hunger strike in protest. He has been periodically detained in Tunisia, and his family has also been harassed as a way to intimidate him and prevent him from speaking out against the regime. Concerns were raised during the 2009 presidential elections about the fairness of the elections. Tunisia did not allow international monitoring of elections. There also were reports of mistreatment of an opposition candidate. Candidates standing opposite Ben Ali were given few luxuries of speaking in public and of advertising their party, as a result they never became much popular.
The 2010–2011 Tunisian revolution was sparked when an unlicensed vegetable cart vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi burnt himself. On December 17, 2010 a policewoman confiscated his cart. In return Bouazizi tried to bribe her as he used to do since the last 7 years but the day was not his. He was greeted with a slap in return. The policewoman even spat in his face, and insulted his deceased father. When the local municipality officials also refused to hear of him, not able to withstand the humiliation casted on him, he set himself on fire which led to public outrage. This immolation and the brutal response by the police to peaceful marchers caused riots in Sidi Bouzid, the place where Bouazizi used to live and had burnt himself. He died 18 days later.
Gravity was eager to cast its spell on Tunisia, all was needed was a push. The protests saw an exponential growth in the number of people getting involved in the days to come. Marchers brewing with indignity went up to the country’s capital, Tunis expressing their anger against Ben Ali and his government.
Ben Ali declared a state of emergency in the country, dissolved the government on 14 January 2011 and promised new legislative elections within six months. However, events moved quickly and the armed forces and key members of the legislature had lost trust in the president and had decided to take steps on their own. With the army surrounding the Presidential Palace in Tunis and perhaps in fear of retribution, Ben Ali and close members of his family hastily fled in four helicopters bound for Malta, a small island North of Tunisia
On January 26, 2011, the Tunisian government issued an international arrest warrant for Ex-President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali accusing him of taking money out of the nation illegally. He was also charged with illegally acquiring real estate and other assets abroad. On January 28, 2011, Interpol issued an arrest warrant for Ben Ali and his six family members, including his wife Leila Trabelsi.
The people of Tunisia wanted a brand new government, so the cunning Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi resigned his membership of the Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD - the political party of which Ben Ali and Mohamed Ghannouchi himself were members) on 18 January. His resignation was followed by similar action by other RCD members within the government; but on 27 January Ghannouchi carried out a major reshuffle of the government to remove all former RCD members other than himself.
Mohammed Ghannouchi said he would remain in his position as head of the unity government until a general election was held within six months. He also pledged to allow all political parties and to lift a ban on the country's main human rights group. In addition, anyone suspected of corruption or of having amassed huge wealth under the previous government would be investigated.
On 17 February 2011 it was reported that Ben Ali had suffered a stroke, and had been hospitalized for an indefinite period in Saudi Arabia.
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