A life Before and After the revolutions: I was one of many Arabs from the diaspora, born and grow up in France, well-educated and having a pretty succesful life in Europe when the revolutions started in the Middle East. I have to say while deeply feeling part of French society and sharing its values of Liberte, Egalite, Fraternité (brotherhood), I have always kept a strong tie with my South Mediterranean roots. Tunisia is as much as France part of me. It is the country of my sunny skin, beloved parents and family. Going back to the motherland was a ritual for my parents and us, my 7 siblings! We used to save all year for the big coming back during the summer two-months-school-holidays. That was the season when we would link back with our family, enjoy the beautiful beaches and attend the countless wedding ceremonies. When kid, I used to like to go to Tunisia and was always excited by the idea to take the plane, having new nice clothes and see my adorable family that was always spreading with every year new born cousins. But growing-up, I started more and more questioning the strangely authoritarian system surrounding my so sweet Jasmine country. I could not understand why my parents had to discreetly slip a banknote to the fatty man at the counter to get our paper sorted, why the photos of Ben Ali, former Tunisian President, was posted everywhere more than the Tunisian flag, why in the newspaper Ben Ali was always at the FrontPage, why the internet was censored, why we could not talk politics, why everyone wanted to marry me for the passport just to run away from the country where the only hope was to go abroad, why my relatives while graduated could not find jobs because they don’t have contacts in the RCD (single running party)... The more I grow up the more I had question marks and was asking myself WHY. Why in France we have a system protecting citizens from arbitrary and not in Tunisia. Why, when just crossing the Mediterranean, things were so different. Why my people in Tunisia could not enjoy the same freedom, justice I took for granted in France. Why what was call the Soft dictatorship was greeted and welcomed by Western democratic capitals. Going in Tunisia became slowly more and more frustrating. I could not stand the widespread corruption, endemic injustice, censorship... The dictatorship untold rules were so much against all what I learned in school and made me what I am today. The Enlightenment or les Lumières with its values of reason, justice, freedom... emphasizing humanisme and rule of law were for me holy. To see a whole population being denied such basic Human rights was heart-rending. How can the Descartes I think so I am could be applied in a country when it is forbidden to think. I start having a dream, like the one of Martin Luther King. I dreamed of a Free Middle East where people could express freely without fearing persecution, I dreamed that rule of law would replace corruption, I dreamed that ballot box not the tanks would bring leader to power, I dreamed that our youngster would fulfil their dreams in the country rather than by risking their lives in crossing the Mediterranean...When the revolutions broke out in Tunisia then in Egypt, Yemen, Libya... it was like a dream coming true. I remember being glue to my small TV screen in London watching with big eyes the demonstrations in the Arab streets. Finally we made it, we overthrow the despots one by one. Ive never been so proud to be Tunisian. I thought that finally people from the region, for the first time ever in history, would be able to take destiny into their own hands and build their future. I knew it would not be easy and that the road to democracy would be probably paved with blood. But at least we are on the right direction. After all, it cant be worst that the hell we were, it cant be worst than living in a country you are not allow to think. I wanted to be part of the change I have always dreamed of in the Middle East. I decided to leave my comfortable life and my London little heaven to come to the field. I have been in the region for more than 2 years witnessing the ups and downs of the revolutions, the euphoria followed by the disillusion, the tears and blood... I dont regret it and I love more than ever the region. What keeps me here is the kindness of people who despite having sometimes losing it all are still smiling to you and willing to help. Lets stop here now. I have just notice how long my post is. For those who have kept reading to the end, thanks for reading and more is coming... :-)
Posted on: Sat, 21 Jun 2014 23:26:19 +0000
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