Lesson from Tunisia

Statement
January 22 2011

From Al Jazeera to CNN and from the New York Times to the Herald Sun, Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution was the most captivating international news in the first two weeks of 2011. Tunisia is a rich, modern, and liberal Arab state, and until the revolution took place last week; there was no hint that the people of Tunisia would rise up and oust the longtime dictator, Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali. However, the Jasmine revolution has once more proved that, no matter how strong they may look and no matter who stands with them, the fall of dictators is inevitable; and when they fall, they have no place to land. Today, after being denied entry by many countries including former colonial master France; Ben Ali; the one time important American ally in the War on Terror has started his solitary exile life in Saudi Arabia following the footsteps of the late Idi Amin of Uganda.

In as few as twenty five years, the rapid and radical changes of the Velvet Revolution, Rose Revolution, Orange Revolution, the Tulip Revolution and now the Jasmine Revolution have given hope to millions of people in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Tyranny is the central cause of revolutions everywhere, but every revolution has its own immediate cause. When compared to poor countries like Ethiopia, Tunisia is a rich country that boasts a per capita income of $9500. However, the revolution that ousted the longtime dictator erupted when unemployment and high cost of living led to a public suicide attempt of Mohamed Bouazizi [who later died]. Bouazizi was a young college graduate whose only choice was selling fruits and vegetables on the streets of Sidi Bouzid, a regional capital in central Tunisia.

The people of Tunisia enjoy a much better standard of living than the people of Ethiopia, and most importantly, Tunisians are not internally colonized like Ethiopians. There is no acute poverty in Tunisia, and unlike millions of poor starving Ethiopians, Tunisians eat three meals a day and famine is not a something to worry about in Tunisia. However, dignity was more important than bread to the people of Tunisia, hence; they took care of the dictator who assaulted their dignity.

There is a striking political and economic difference between Ethiopia and Tunisia, but there are some similarities too. Ethiopia and Tunisia are repressive states, but both enjoy the blessings of western democracies because they are allies in the War on Terror. Both Ethiopia and Tunisia are classified as enemies of free press and censor newspapers and block internet sites. Today, the difference between Ethiopia and Tunisia is that the people of Tunisia said “enough is enough” and dismantled the regime that tormented them for 23 years. Ginbot 7 strongly believes that the victory of the Jasmine Revolution is a timely wake-up call for the people of Ethiopia. Obviously, crashing dictatorship may look like such a daunting task at the onset, but it is a matter of sticking together and standing firm like the people of Tunisia.

The political strategies and economic policies of the TPLF regime are designed to dehumanize and discourage Ethiopians from fighting for their freedom. Over the past several years, Zenawi’s regime has systematically damaged and hammered away our dignity and our humanity. On the other hand, this same regime has preached a lot about economic development and has called itself a “Developmental State”. But, what good is development if the people of Ethiopia have to live without some of the most basic tenets of humanity which are freedom, honor, dignity and common decency?

Ginbot 7 believes that the good days of Ethiopia are ahead of us, but those good days do not come or happen by themselves. We as a nation are suffering and Meles Zenawi is still assaulting our national honor and dignity. One's dignity may be assaulted and vandalized but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered, and surrender has never been part of our past and it will never be part of our future. Therefore, Ginbot 7 encourages the Ethiopian people to learn from the experience of Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution and pay the sacrifice that freedom demands. As a movement that fights for freedom, justice, and democracy; Ginbot 7 makes a call to all Ethiopians - let’s stand together and die on our feet than live on our knees.