Tunisia
Soundtrack and caricatures for one year of ‘Arab uprising', 'spring', 'revolution'...
'We are free men who have no fear/ We are the secrets which never die. We are free and our words are free. But those words won’t forget those who cemented our tears and betrayed our faiths.’ In 2011 these lyrics, which were written and sung by Tunisian singer Emel Mathlouthi, became one of the hymns of the revolution which toppled the tyrants of the Maghreb. One year on, these people are effectively free – so why is the battle ongoing? It’s too soon to mark the ‘first anniversary of the Arab spring’ with brooding in-depth analyses of what it has all meant so far, but it’s long enough to be able to ask a few key questions. Who are the ‘moderate’ islamists? Who is this generation which has surfed the democratic wave? Is the revolution a thing of the past? The answers to such questions, as always, depends on different perspectives, be they from a German student in Cairo, an Algerian caricaturist, a Tunisian singer or a Spanish journalist - done the cafebabel way (Image: © Kristof)
- Read the special edition Soundtrack and caricatures for one year of ‘Arab uprising', 'spring', 'revolution'...
- Arab spring in Morocco: royalists recognise indigenous language
- Algerian cartoonist Slim: 'We have to protect human hands, not human rights'
- Studying in Cairo: why young Egyptians vote islamist
- Emel Mathlouthi: Jasmine rebel who sung anthem of Tunisia
- Romance and demons of 'Arab spring' and 'islamist winter'
Activist Ahmed el-Senussi: Libyan prince and human rights hero
Currently a member of Libya's national transitional council, the prince was in solitary confinement during his imprisonment and did not speak to a single person for nine years. We meet in Strasbourg where the former prisoner of conscience was one of five Arabs to win the Sakharov freedom of thought prize for 2011
tunisia, activism, brunch, prison, freedom of expression, libya, arab spring
Peace in 2011: 'solutions to conflicts do exist’
From democratic aspirations to the transformation of the media game, Cathy Van Dorslaer, a Belgian psychologist specialising in the prevention of conflicts, explains why she believes 2011 stood under the sign of peace
tunisia, josé luis rodríguez zapatero, democratisation, psychology, techno-media, europe, internet
Tunisia’s Arab renaissance comes out of London exile
On 23 September the arab spring achieved its most significant achievement yet. It was a rebirth for the modern Arab world without spilt blood nor fiery rhetoric in the dust and the death; instead it used ink and consensus to rebuild a country. Moderate islamist party ennahda, coming out of exile in the UK, won 41% in the country's first democratic elections on 22 October
tunisia, children, tunis, london, religion and democracy, united kingdom, arab spring
Blogger Khelil Ben Osman on Tunisian elections
There's no official result in the Tunisian elections yet. Nonetheless the moderate islamist party ennahda is on the verge of victory. One of the pioneers of the digital awakening during the jasmine revolution gives his view of the first great moment of democracy in Tunisia
tunisia, islamophobia, democratisation, islamic revolution, jasmine revolution, revolution, politics
Fare dodger, stowaway or free rider?
Does the Arab uprising mean more 'stowaways' for Europe? Why does a stowaway in French mean the same thing as a fare dodger? Why is fare dodging in Italy called 'pulling a Portuguese'? Expression of the week
tunisia, tower of babel, clandestine, european institutions, illegal immigrants, libyan arab jamahiriya, egypt
Tiken Jah Fakoly: ‘Africa has to overcome its ethnic and religious issues’
The Ivorian roots-reggae singer is in Paris to promote an upcoming African solidarity week in June, but also to create an echo of the Tunisian people’s fight across the rest of the African continent
tunisia, paris, colonisation, culture, music, culture calendar, tiken jah fakoly
Austrian, Czech and Iberian press after Tunisian dictator’s fall
There's a 'Jasmine Revolution' and plenty of optimism from abroad, but the European media doubts that there will be a 'domino effect' in other Arab countries. The military controls the streets of Tunis after the self-imposed exile of dictator Ben Ali on 14 January
tunisia, youth, tunis, dictature, euweek, hosni mubarak, zine el abidine ben ali
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