Around 18 pm 30, Friday, January 14, Tunisia taught the fall of Ben Ali after twenty-three years of a reign without a tie, the President left the country in an emergency. Internet World. en tell the first three days post-Ben Ali, three days during which the pride and hope have gradually given way to uncertainty, fear of looting and atrocities committed by militias loyal at the deposed president, supply difficulties.And new hope. This morning I went out to all around Tunis walk from downtown to the city of Ariana, Tunisia in a sunny and free. There were more photos of the huge killer dictator who filled the streets and avenues for more than 23 years. Ordinary people in the street, until yesterday, did not even dare talk politics, all spoke today of leftists that they dare not even utter the name before.
They discussed policy normally, calmly, as if they were talking about football which they judged the performance. It was really my first day of freedom, which I was only four years when Ben Ali made his coup in 1987 ... These are historic times we live in now in Tunisia. Tunisians got rid of the dictatorship in a month.
We are proud to be Tunisian, we needed one. Neither Mr. Sarkozy or Mr. Obama! The situation this morning in downtown Tunis is quiet, people rushed into the food for fear of shortages. But it does not matter even if we die of hunger, it is free free free ... Some bands of thugs who belong to the former regime sow confusion in some quarters, but everyone is aware and we will do everything to stop them and to rebuild our country.
This morning we went to northern suburbs of Tunis to see the houses of the family hated the Trabelsi, were burned, looted and devastated. Rich and poor were on hand to take pictures and gloat over the houses still burning. Western media speak of social crisis, I tell you what has united the Tunisians yesterday was a deep hatred for a family of gangsters who for over 20 years, expropriated, extorted, exiled, imprisoned and humiliated population.
Some are already calling the fall of the regime of Ben Ali's first example of "e-Revolution" and attempt to baptize the name "jasmine revolution". Believing he would think just a computer and an Internet connection to bring down a dictator. To believe so would be to forget quite indecent deaths fell in Sidi Bouzid, Kasserine Regueb, Douz and elsewhere.
To believe is to ignore the long struggle led by a handful of worthy men and women who brave and courageous for years that dictatorship whose tentacles are rooted largely in Tunisian society. To believe is to forget the political prisoners languishing in jails of Ben Ali. To believe is to forget the uprising of the mining area of Gafsa, in late 2008, where trade unionists already called for a fairer distribution of wealth some of Tunisia.
To believe is to forget the work of trade unionists and true opposition political parties which despite their paltry resources, have never faltered. No, the "revolution" was not built on Twitter, or Facebook. Not the "revolution" was not built in a month. No, all Tunisians have not experienced the sweetness of life in the "land of the jasmine." Tunisians are so proud and happy this morning.
Despite the desolation of destruction everywhere and the terrors of the night, there's such a feeling of brotherhood and national dignity restored. Tunisians are unwrapped and ashamed of themselves. This morning, the faces are marked by the lack of sleep, between self-monitoring of his neighborhood, his house, and calls to friends and family to get news.
The night was marked, in Tunis, by the sound of military patrols, along with helicopters, which were directly drawn on some bands of looters. Nobody doubts that these are the special forces of Ben Ali, who enjoy themselves, obeying the orders given before last to leave. Here in my neighborhood, all the shops that had no solid iron curtains have their windows smashed and, more often, were robbed and ransacked.
The "dogs of Ben Ali" have wide-open prisons, releasing the most dangerous prisoners. This is good news, it made room for them to go there. What really made me happy is that our courage and honesty have spoken first by the fall of Ben Ali. Then, when the most corrupt manifest themselves began yesterday and again today with their plunder and their flight, they are still the same value to the streets to defend their homes and their country.
Around 8 o'clock last night, the gunfire began to break, my husband came down to join the men of the city to counter the onslaught of looters. Everyone knew that the old militia from power, who terrorized us so ago, would react. With the shooting started crying for my two children (2 and 5 years).
Terrible time for a mom of 30 years, torn between fear of losing her husband and the need to pretend that all is well before these children by explaining that they were fireworks. It is true that these days are difficult, but they are less than 23 years for me to be afraid of those same militias who once complained because they refused to vote, who hacked my Facebook account ...
Less difficult than the 5 years in a state enterprise to work as a crazy as an engineer and eventually quit, and my husband, as a result of harassment from our CEO (who has not even had the tray but close to the government). I get up and I'll forward it us the strength to Tunisia. Yes, my son is going to win against evil.
I live in Hammam-Lif, a small town in the northern suburbs of Tunis. Me and my brothers have spent a Friday evening so horrible fear we learned that watching the looters took to the streets to rob the houses and destroy the wealth of mankind. Number of emergency calls were placed at our disposal to prevent the army if needed, except that these numbers were busy all night considering the number of calls for help.
To protect our property we had a guard up with men in the neighborhood. Each took whatever came to hand shovels, sticks, kitchen knives ... You could hear screams everywhere, shots that were close to us but we could not see what was really happening, which tended to worry more and left us on edge all night able to eat or sleep.
We live in a pacifist country, we are not ready to live in a situation worse than this, all we ask is to have as soon as possible a president who is at the height of that country and will assign rights worthy of its people. That peace is restored. I am French, I live in Tunis for 16 years and I must say I am very proud of these people who has managed only one.
I do not intend to leave this country, my life is here and I will do my best to help them rebuild. The information we receive with our Tunisian friends via social networks. And finally, if Sarkozy has done something good in life is to prevent the entry to Ben Ali. I live in the early events in the popular village of Hammam Sousse, which is the hometown of President Ben Ali.
The view I had on the events is therefore somewhat unusual. We have long been strangers to the echoes of the uprising, for several reasons: the main one being the fact of having integrated the fear of repression and control of conscience. We are not talking here of politics in the street.
In addition, Ben Ali is a child here in the country, opinion is more nuanced concerning elsewhere. (...) "This would never have seen under President" ... Ma Baker, a girl of 16 or 17 years, is almost in tears: she does not understand how their president has been able to abandon them. I am sad and shocked to see the enjoyment of the world before the fall and humiliation of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali - Chairman and not a dictator, like the whole world is trying to describe it today.
I do not deny the mistakes of a man, but I do not forget what the president has given and built. He is Tunisian, and his humiliation was a humiliation for a nation. I'm sad. I also want to express my love forever to Ben Ali. I lived 26 years in Tunisia, a land of peace and celebration where, as a woman, I have enjoyed freedom of action and speech, to go home at 4 o'clock in the morning alone.
As a citizen of Tunisia, I say today that I am not proud, I am hurt. It's total chaos! What is happening is so surreal that it seems to play in a war movie - a civil war more accurately! We only hear the sound of helicopters and gunfire ... In all cities, houses were attacked and property looted and pillaged, women raped! We live in fear, waiting for our turn at any moment, after hearing the story of neighbors and friends.
Most families have come together in one house, carrying a few precious possessions ... Protection Committees of districts are operated by civilians themselves, since the army is overstretched. The men guarding the outside - despite the curfew - armed with sticks, knives and others, women and children inside can not even sleep anxiety! Prisoners escaped from every prison in the country while others are burned to death during clashes with militias.
Personally, I seriously fear that Islamists such as Rashid al-Ghannouchi benefit from these tragic circumstances, though historical, and try to gain power. A time when I write is total panic in the neighborhoods of Manouba, a suburb of Tunis. There are gunmen shooting randomly in the streets and on people.
The army has passed, she asked people to organize militias to defend by groups of dwellings. There are machine gun fire. Everyone is scared. In addition, there is almost nothing to eat. The small grocery store that held my in-laws had been robbed. Above all, there is no milk for my little nephew a year.
We call every hour, we hear the shots over the phone. Those are the panic are police officers affiliated with Ben Ali. People no longer understand anything. The events begin to resemble a real civil war. Looting by armed bands spreading terror in the country. Nobody is safe despite the state of emergency and the oversight of the military, which is starved of resources.
In addition, militias from the old regime are doing everything to destabilize the country through acts of sabotage and theft and settling of scores. Elections must be held very soon, but is it possible in this climate? All shops are closed and you start to miss everything. I fear that the Tunisians hope to finally be born a democracy is only a dream and that Tunisia is in a dead end.
I hope I am wrong, may God protect our homeland. In this very moment, the army helicopter is flying over our heads and our men are standing on our streets to ensure the safety of their property and their loved ones. All our men, without exception of age, origin or social class. From north to south.
All united to defend and rebuild our new Tunisia. The militias of the former power have sown terror across the country: looting, destruction, fires. Tunisia looks like a battlefield, but proud and free citizens have joined the army and honest members of the national police to prove once again that these mad dogs of Tunisia is determined to write history with his blood.
The Tunisian not drop your arms, we'll still have sleepless nights, young women in front of the TV or computer on the lookout for information or to give warning through local TV channels and social networks and men in the streets to greet as it should be traitors to the motherland. The Tunisians will bow does not, he has stifled his fear of the dictator, it will stifle the fear of looters, to finally build a better future.
Despite the people's victory against our former dictator, a climate of insecurity and fear reigns here. Tunisia could not sleep a wink the night, every minute is a minute's won on terror. Although most people are cooped up at home for fear of being killed, the local youth helping the army as best they can against the countless militias and prison escapees charged by Ben Ali to rob and kill civilians in their homes ...
It is a mixture of emotion to see Tunisia's youth to the doors of neighborhoods, but also fear to be shot ... One can enjoy the freedom to spend every moment of the helicopters, cries out for here and there, or the firing of machine guns ring out at every turn. We can even smell the burned wherever one is.
My God is a real ordeal, or rather I should say a nightmare which 12 million Tunisians would wake up. The situation is very tense. Armed gangs who target the supermarkets, banks and houses to create chaos and fear, we have forfeited the joy of having conquered our freedom. Many photos and videos and testimonials from our many friends confirm it as militias of the former regime and police who use and burn everything in their path.
The night was very stressful: cloistered at home by the curfew, which lasts from 17 am to 7 pm, we communicate between us via Facebook or phone to find out what was happening in the neighborhoods of each other or worse, to find info on those who gave no sign of life since the event. Stress was even stronger than it has been a lot of gunfire, sounds of helicopters and we had no idea what was happening.
We finally realized that the army protects citizens and buildings. But the army can not be everywhere and we were getting panicked calls from friends who could not join the military while bands pillaged their neighborhood. Hopefully we will soon celebrate our victory as it should. I am a French expatriate in Marsa, a suburb of Tunis.
The night has been difficult here ... The army fired against police officers who were attacking passers-by mid-afternoon and looters attempted a foray into the neighborhood. I have two young children and feeding becomes difficult. Our luck is that Tunisians are very caring and concerned for their families and homes.
(...) And what about the attitude of the Embassy of France! No information ... Heads of islets meant to warn us if repatriated, were never made known. Expatriate associations are more prevalent than the embassy, while it is not their vocation. A shame ... I live here in Marsa and works in Tunis last ten months with my family of two children.
The situation is tense since last Wednesday and the French consulate and embassy are conspicuous by their silence! It is believed to live a real sci-fi, while I am enrolled and registered at the consulate: no mail, no SMS, no phone call, not a number to know the situation and measures taken for our protection.
I then informed and realize with horror that is the case with the majority of the 20 000 French people living here. So what about Mr. Sarkozy? If the French are killed here? You give them the medal I do not know what with a speech of the most pathetic and pitiful to soften your image? And you will weep over their graves with your minister who proposed to export the know-how of the French police to assist in the establishment of democracy here? Enough of this hypocrisy! I am currently in Nabeul.
I just made a tour of the area by car: it's chaos! Buildings burned, police everywhere, always unpleasant, and also military. Right now, everyone is afraid of looting and theft. Yesterday, we heard shots all night and the sirens of car. We are afraid that someone comes to attack us at night.
And to top it all, prisoners have escaped from prison this morning Monastir, Mahdia and Bizerte. We saw some prisoners already arrived here and warmly welcomed by their families: the killers, robbers, rapists ... We now know all and reliable source that all these robberies and robberies are conducted by police and supporters of RCD.
Police knocking on doors of people (sometimes in uniform), bring them out and beat up before they steal everything and break! The police here are criminals, there is the army to protect us. Nobody talks about but people have not eaten for two days, there is more supply. Those who did not have sufficient reserves to try better to ration the food that is now a big problem, especially in the capital.
If the army is present in the capital and major cities of Tunisia to calm the situation and stop the looters, this is not the case in more rural areas, as the governorate of Beja. A gang of robbers (one hundred men, armed with sticks, iron bars) have tackled the surrounding farms. A farm was completely burned with all his cattle inside (sheep, cows).
In a second farm, forage was burned, and while his keeper tried to defend his flock, he was beaten to death. Over 700 heads were stolen. These looters are composed mostly of men living in the region, often recognized by farmers, who benefit from the complete disorganization (more police, mayor ...) to capture some of the country's wealth.
More than the destruction of a farm, the looting are dangerous because they will lead to a situation of supply crisis in the country. And a country that starves, is a country that is not fit to elect the best person to become president, but the first person who can defend them and feed them.
Hopefully the army will restore security quickly across the country. The assistance of France (sending the army) to help restore the country's security is desired by many Tunisians. And not as suggested by Michèle Alliot-Marie, to control the demonstrators Tunisian. Since the leak of Ben Ali, Tunisian insecure, despite the military that we see here and there, thieves, robbers, from most of them from very poor neighborhoods are on the lookout property of the population.
Tunisians are cloistered in their homes, with a feeling of fear, fear and anxiety. Tunisians in France show their delight at the announcement of Ben Ali's regime crushed, but can not imagine how social and economic situation we face: the food crisis, financial and social is beginning to be felt .
We are very concerned for the safety of all because of abuses continue to occur. It is neither more nor less than terrorism, a policy of scorched earth practiced by men of Ben Ali. However, we are confident they can be ten thousand, we are ten million. People of all ages and all backgrounds come out during the day to clean the streets and even those formed neighborhood committees at night to protect our citizens.
The army did a great job. I have never seen so much solidarity, unity as both patriotism. We are more motivated than ever, they destroy, we rebuild it, in order to focus on the upcoming elections. The economy may suffer a moment of the situation, but it will restart with a bang once the situation calms down, without obstacles, discouragements and countless diversions caused by Trabelsi and their band.
We work hand in hand to preserve our newfound freedom, we no longer fear the worst is behind us necessarily. This morning there were hundreds of people lined up at the local bakery. There was about an hour waiting in a friendly atmosphere. Neighbors in the area have spontaneously organized a service order to deter potential free riders.
To a lady who still wanted to try his luck, my neighbor replied, "Madam, we'll have to get used to queue like everyone else we really did not understand." He then added: "I do not blame you at all, because I myself tried to get bread directly from my friends inside, this morning, but when the type of service order m has arrested, I was ashamed of myself.
" What do you want, it was so banal ... The password-law became the rule. I am firmly convinced that after the political change, there will be social change, and values that I thought lost forever, such as solidarity, responsibility, sense of duty and civic miraculously reappear. We can finally be proud to be Tunisian.
I am Tunisian and proud of it. We live in historic times that we have forever etched in history. I can not describe this feeling which animates me: a new happiness, a different taste, I can now freely talk politics with everyone, I can criticize, go to Internet sites previously closed. Now, as I write these words, gunfire, helicopters crisscross the Marsa.
I tremble, my family, too, is that we have never experienced this! But strangely, our fear is mixed with pride, it seems to have created something unique, enormous freedom. Finally, I wish that peace and stability back so we can enjoy what we have acquired after many years of silence. Long live Tunisia! Tunisia with the calm after the revolt of the jasmine that has managed to eliminate one of the fiercest dictators of our time.
There are still some followers of the outgoing regime who are still trying to disrupt normal life, but the Tunisian people are able to take the green devil. Thank God, who alone has helped us to end this regime. God willing we will return tomorrow at our job to rebuild our country. The watchword today is to return to work.
Going through the streets of Tunis, this morning I saw people resume a semblance of normal life, sanitation workers are cleaning the streets, pharmacies, bakeries reopened. A form of passive resistance is organized to conquer fear. Today we must take a second step after no less crucial than the fall of the old regime, to resume our normal activities and defy those who want to terrorize us.
Undoubtedly, January 14, 2011, the Tunisian people turned one of the most terrible page in history. A page of terror, nepotism, lawlessness. For 48 hours, people are visibly happier, proud of their identity as Tunisia. This nation has regained confidence in him shows more solidarity, more accountable, with a sense of civic unusual, hitherto concealed by a screed of fear and frustration.
Freedom has changed. Yes Ben Ali militias still exist here and there, but this scenario does not seem to have the desired results. Terror and chaos are not at the rendezvous. Ben Ali will not return for trial. (...) The situation should obviously evolve positively, provided that the Chair (man or woman) enough backbone (all forces, all political parties) with a new government excluding any person who participated directly or far with the old.
Such determination, such as cohesion and greater confidence can only reassure the near future. I hope with all my heart. I am happy to see this day finally opens your page and instead of "404 not found" eternal, a small space where we can finally send us the "World" (you and the world) ...
I am proud of my people and yet incredulous of what happened this past month. In December, we never thought imaginable fall of Ben Ali. All hope now from my heart a quick return to calm and installation, finally, democracy. We want to keep and treasure what we have inherited our President Bourguiba in the country remains open, welcoming and pleasant as we have always known.
(...) I trust the intelligence of the Tunisian people to finally build a country where the word fear is replaced by confidence. That Tunisia is free to live up to its expectations. (...) A little sad when even the silence of France while our people got killed. In recent years, the Tunisians have lost their patriotism.
But there has been these days a revolution that is hardly a political revolution but a human revolution. Together they fought against the tyrant of the country, together we're fighting his militia who sow trouble and together we will build a better Tunisia. A month ago, I did not know most of my neighbors, now they are my brothers and sisters because we fought together.
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