The Arab Spring: one year on – part two

The following is an excerpt from an article published by the Huffington Post.

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A year ago, Tunisians were in the process of bringing down a corrupt leader. It all started on 17 December 2010 when Tunisian fruit-seller Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire outside the building of the local officials who had abused him. With that extraordinary act of protest, the Arab Spring began.

Driven to despair after his unlicensed fruit and vegetable cart — bought on credit — was confiscated by the police, Bouazizi expressed his refusal to submit to those who abuse their power the only way he could, by paying the supreme price. If only there had been another way for him to make the powerful aware of his plight.

One year later, several governments across the Middle East have been toppled by demonstrators decrying rampant corruption but still the question remains: Was his tragic sacrifice in vain? Read more.