Barcha!!! Sunday, 16 January 2011 01:32

Barcha is a Tunisian word that means “too much". Too much has already happened in the New Year, as we scan various areas in the Middle East that are under pressure.

What happened in Tunisia on Friday, with the president fleeing the country after 23 years in power, and other major events occurring in the region such as the referendum for the separation of South Sudan, the collapse of the Lebanese national unity government, and the protests against the administrations in Algeria and Jordan, as well as the problems facing Iraq, Egypt and Yemen, delivers the message that 2011 will be a year of change for the region.

The ouster of Tunisian president shows how the youth can bring about change in the country if pushed to the wall.

The people in the Middle East always look for three things from their governments: development, employment and security. Therefore, the uprising in Tunisia is not about politics but about the rage of a people whose basic needs were not met.

Mohammad Bu Azizi, the 26 year-old Tunisian who set himself on fire because his only source of livelihood was snatched from him, is a symbol of public disenchantment with corrupt, indifferent regimes.

We can only hope that the crisis in Tunisia will not have a domino effect and undermine security which is vital for this region.

However, despite the gravity of the situation in Tunisia, it’s surprising that the Arab League did not take any serious action, except releasing a press statement, and didn’t even call a meeting to discuss the issue. Arab civil societies too failed Tunisians in their hour of need.

The Tunisian uprising sends a strong message to other governments in the region to be more open and transparent in governance and avert a similar crisis by taking timely measures to solve the serious problems of unemployment and lack of development which have the potential to bring down governments.

We hope that Tunisians will overcome this crisis as they restore democracy. We also hope that the international community will respect and accept their choice, regardless of who is chosen to govern them, be it an Islamic or Liberal party.

Let me quote the Tunisian romantic poet, Abu El Gassim Al Shabi, who said, “People who desire to live free, Must be ready for the destiny.”

The Peninsula