SHRUTI.MHATRE-44

CONTENT• Tunisia• Overview of country• Tunisian Revolution• Overview of Tunisian Revolution• President Ben Ali• Reaction by government• Role of media• Overthrowing Ben Ali’s Regime• Post Revolution Effects

TUNISIA • Tunisia is the northernmost country in Africa, covering

165,000 square kilometres.• It is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the

southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east.• Tunisia's population was estimated to be just under 11

million in 2014. • Tunisia presently is a representative democracy and

a republic with a president serving as head of state, prime minister as head of government, and a civil law court system.• The Constitution of Tunisia was adopted on 26 January

2014, guarantees rights for women and states

OVERVIEW OF COUNTRY• Top 20% of population in Tunisia earn 46.3% of country's

income.• Other 40% population just earn 5.9% of the country's

income.• This proves that Tunisia is a quite poor country.• The majority of Tunisia's population (around 98%)

are Muslims while about 2% follow Christianity or other religions.• Ex-President Ben Ali had ruled Tunisia for about 23 years. • Ben Ali had the smallest army in Arab with 50,000 troops.

ZINE EL ABIDINE BEN ALI

• He was the second President of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011, being in the position for 23 years.• Ben Ali was subsequently re-elected with enormous

majorities, each time exceeding 90% of the vote.• Ben Ali had made a regime of oppression.• Basic freedom which are almost enjoyed in every country

were not practiced in Tunisia. For example, Right to speech, Freedom of Press were not enjoyed in Tunisia. • On June 28th 2011 Ben Ali and his wife was sentenced to

imprisonment for 35 years after been found guilty for theft and unlawful possession of land and jewellery and were made to pay a penalty of 61 million dollar.

INTRODUCTION TO TUNISIAN REVOLUTION

• The Tunisian Revolution is popularly known as Jasmine Revolution.• For years President Ben Ali had been violating several

human rights in Tunisia and killed or injured who spoke against his government.• High unemployment, food inflation, corruption created

unrest among citizens.• As a result on 17th December 2010 a 26-year-old street

vendor in Tunisia named Mohammed Bouazizi set himself of fire in a protest against a corrupt government .• His suicidal protest caused people in Tunisia to protest

against the corrupt government for there equal rights.

Why is Tunisian Revolution called Jasmine Revolution?

• A blogger, Zied El Hani, who is also a journalist at the Tunisian newspaper Essahafa, claims he coined name jasmine revolution in a blog post published on Jan 13, the day before President Ben Ali fled the country. • Jasmine is Tunisia's national flower. • In Tunis, the capital, markets and boulevards teem with vendors

selling machmoum, stick-like bouquets of the flower.• Jasmine flower suggests a calm emotional state.• Tunisian revolution used non violent protest rather than an armed assaults

on the excising government.• It was a very civilized revolution.

Overview of Tunisian Revolution

REACTION BY GOVERMENT• Ben Ali’s government banned gathering of more than three

people in public & threatened them with arms• When Tunisian's began to protest the government responded

by further suppressing its citizens by arresting activists and shutting down the internet.• Ben Ali censored Twitter and Facebook which made possible

for the horrible oppression to happen in silence to the outside world.• More than 1000 people were imprisoned and 300 were killed.• Eventually President Ben Ali shuffled the members of his

cabinet and offered to create 300,000 jobs to Tunisians citizens but unfortunately he was too late.• He promised for new legislative election within six months but

Tunisians disagreed.

ROLE OF MEDIA• Tunisia’s having 10 million population only two million

citizens are avid users of technology, however: 85% of the population has cell phones (5% smart phones), and roughly two million of them are on Facebook. • At the time of the Revolution Twitter had a far smaller

footprint, with perhaps 500 active users within the country’s borders, who were tweeting matter about the protest.• When ban was lifted from Facebook it played a major role in

Tunisian Revolution• It became a hub for protestors to Protest against corrupt

government in front of the whole world.• Many photos and videos were uploaded on Facebook.

OVERTHROWING BEN ALI REGIME• Tunisian commission military planned a joint attack and chased

down Ben Ali forces .• Ben Ali ordered army chief to attack protestors but the general

refused. • Later Ben Ali resigned from presidency and fled the country by

plane to Gulf.• Immediately after he left, Tunisian airspace was closed and state of

emergency was declared. • Prime Minister Ghannouch took over briefly as acting President.• On 26th January 2011 the Tunisian government asked

for Interpol to issue an international arrest warrant, charging him for money laundering and drugs trafficking.• After arrest, the money and property was returned to citizens.

ANTI-GHANNOUCHI PROTEST• Tunisian citizens were unhappy with their Prime minister

Mohammad Ghannouchi becoming the new president.• On 28 January 2011,citizens called up a protest by opposing his

decision, hundreds of people camped beside Mohamed Ghannouchi's office by protesting against Ghannouchi government.• Citizens covered the army gates.• A student coordinating food distribution at the protests, stated,

"We are not leaving here until Ghannouchi leaves and we get a brand new government.• This protest became a victory.• All 24 regional governors were replaced on 3 February 2011.• Many officials were arrested who controlled and torched Tunisians

in the past.

POST REVOLUTION EFFECTS• All protestors who were tortured and imprisoned were

realised as soon as protest ended.• Tunisians revolt ended up with positive response from

government.• Democratic country -FOR THE PEOPLE,BY THE PEOPLE.• Multi party system was started by legalising new parties.• Formation of national council. • Ultimately in Arab world Tunisia became the instigator

that started a domino effect.• Various countries started their own protest which led to

high losses and victory in form of Democracy. • Protest were seen in Syria, Algeria, Saudi Arabia,

Lebanon, Kuwait, Jordan and Egypt.

THANK YOU

• Present president BEJI CAID ESS-EB-SI• Term- DECEMBER 31,2014 EXPIRES DEC 31,2019