Weeks of mass protests and violent clashes with the Tunisian police have resulted in President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali's very recent flight from power. Acquiring control through a coup in 1987, Mr. Ben Ali ran Tunisia as a police state suppressing criticism and dissent. There was also public dissatisfaction in Tunisia with Ben Ali's support of Washington's policies in the region. However the oppression was more than just political; it was also economic - with rampant state corruption, in tandem with the high unemployment rate, and increasing food prices undermining the standard of living of the populace.
Mr. Ben Ali's flight from Tunisia is being hailed as a success by those protesting and other observers. It has also been heralded as "the first time that widespread street demonstrations had overthrown an Arab leader." However, Tunisia's prime minister, Mohamed Ghannouchi, has now stepped in and assumed control over the government in Ben Ali's absence. He stated, “as the president of the republic is unable to exercise his functions for the time being, I have assumed, starting now, the powers of the president.” Time will tell how Mr. Ghannouchi handles the protesters, their call call for reforms or whether he shall soon be departing as Mr. Ben Ali has if he is rejected or fails to deliver.
There is significant hope and fear amidst this moment of resistance. Hope by many in north African and Middle Eastern states that these events will trigger similar moments or waves of resistance to other authoritarian regimes in the region. Fear amongst those in the aforementioned jurisdictions and/or those who benefit from the continued oppression, that this will inspire others to do the same and that the inclination to engage in resistance will spread across the region.
This moment, amongst others that have come before it elsewhere, demonstrate what some scholars have observed - that resistance should not be seen as the mere antithesis to power held by dominant or hegemonic forces. Rather, resistance is a source of power on its own confronting the dominant or hegemonic power held by other social, economic and/or political forces. Events are still unfolding of course and it is important to continue observing developments as they transpire. The power of resistance movement exists but may at times be ephemeral and not as sustainable.
Nevertheless, the protests in Tunisia and Ben Ali's flight are gaining some legitimacy from observers in the Global North as well as in the region. Just yesterday, the White House issued a statement deploring "the use of violence against citizens peacefully voicing their opinion in Tunisia" while applauding the "courage and dignity of the Tunisian people." The statement stressed that the "United States stands with the entire international community in bearing witness to this brave and determined struggle for the universal rights that we must all uphold, and we will long remember the images of the Tunisian people seeking to make their voices heard."
However, it should not be forgotten that United States allied itself with the Ben Ali regime as a partner in the "fight against terrorism", even while this partner inflicted its own brand of terror on its people. The White House's statement in conjunction with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent scathing critique of Arab leadership is seen as an attempt by the United States to reposition itself in relationship with the Tunisian people and their discredited government as well as perhaps other governments that may find themselves at the receiving ends of similar movements.
Time will tell if this is a mere blip or the beginning of something more significant. We shall all be paying close attention.
Sources:
"Statement by the President on Events in Tunisia" Office of the Press Secretary, The White House, 14 January 2011, online: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/01/14/statement-president-events-tunisia.
"What Next for Tunisia?" Al-Ahram Weekly (13-19 January 2011), online: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2011/1031/fr2.htm.
Patrick Cockburn, "Troubles Like These Are Brewing All Over The Middle East" The Independent (15 January, 2011), online: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/patrick-cockburn-troubles-like-these-are-brewing-all-over-the-middle-east-2185147.html.
Adrian Hamilton, "How Do You Deal With An Autocrat? That's Our Dilemma" The Independent (15 January 2011), online: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/adrian-hamilton/adrian-hamilton-how-do-you-deal-with-an-autocrat-thats-our-dilemma-2185190.html.
David K. Kirkpatrick, "Tunisia Leader Flees and Prime Minister Claims Power" N.Y. Times (14 January, 2011), online: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/15/world/africa/15tunis.html.
"Tunisie : retour sur un mois de révolte" Le Monde (14 January 2011), online: http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/infographie/2011/01/14/tunisie-retour-sur-un-mois-de-revolte_1465901_3212.html.
Anthony Shadid, "Joy as Tunisian President Flees Offers Lessons to Arab Leaders" N.Y. Times (14 January 2011), online: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/15/world/africa/15region.html.
Joanne P. Sharp et al., "Entanglements of Power: Geographies of Domination/Resistance" in Sharp et al. eds., Entanglements of Power: Geographies of Domination/Resistance (London: Routledge, 2000), at 1-42, online:
"Zine el-Abadine Ben Ali" N.Y. Times (updated 14 January, 2011), online: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/zine_elabidine_ben_ali/index.html?inline=nyt-per.
Mr. Ben Ali's flight from Tunisia is being hailed as a success by those protesting and other observers. It has also been heralded as "the first time that widespread street demonstrations had overthrown an Arab leader." However, Tunisia's prime minister, Mohamed Ghannouchi, has now stepped in and assumed control over the government in Ben Ali's absence. He stated, “as the president of the republic is unable to exercise his functions for the time being, I have assumed, starting now, the powers of the president.” Time will tell how Mr. Ghannouchi handles the protesters, their call call for reforms or whether he shall soon be departing as Mr. Ben Ali has if he is rejected or fails to deliver.
There is significant hope and fear amidst this moment of resistance. Hope by many in north African and Middle Eastern states that these events will trigger similar moments or waves of resistance to other authoritarian regimes in the region. Fear amongst those in the aforementioned jurisdictions and/or those who benefit from the continued oppression, that this will inspire others to do the same and that the inclination to engage in resistance will spread across the region.
This moment, amongst others that have come before it elsewhere, demonstrate what some scholars have observed - that resistance should not be seen as the mere antithesis to power held by dominant or hegemonic forces. Rather, resistance is a source of power on its own confronting the dominant or hegemonic power held by other social, economic and/or political forces. Events are still unfolding of course and it is important to continue observing developments as they transpire. The power of resistance movement exists but may at times be ephemeral and not as sustainable.
Nevertheless, the protests in Tunisia and Ben Ali's flight are gaining some legitimacy from observers in the Global North as well as in the region. Just yesterday, the White House issued a statement deploring "the use of violence against citizens peacefully voicing their opinion in Tunisia" while applauding the "courage and dignity of the Tunisian people." The statement stressed that the "United States stands with the entire international community in bearing witness to this brave and determined struggle for the universal rights that we must all uphold, and we will long remember the images of the Tunisian people seeking to make their voices heard."
However, it should not be forgotten that United States allied itself with the Ben Ali regime as a partner in the "fight against terrorism", even while this partner inflicted its own brand of terror on its people. The White House's statement in conjunction with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent scathing critique of Arab leadership is seen as an attempt by the United States to reposition itself in relationship with the Tunisian people and their discredited government as well as perhaps other governments that may find themselves at the receiving ends of similar movements.
Time will tell if this is a mere blip or the beginning of something more significant. We shall all be paying close attention.
Sources:
"Statement by the President on Events in Tunisia" Office of the Press Secretary, The White House, 14 January 2011, online: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/01/14/statement-president-events-tunisia.
"What Next for Tunisia?" Al-Ahram Weekly (13-19 January 2011), online: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2011/1031/fr2.htm.
Patrick Cockburn, "Troubles Like These Are Brewing All Over The Middle East" The Independent (15 January, 2011), online: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/patrick-cockburn-troubles-like-these-are-brewing-all-over-the-middle-east-2185147.html.
Adrian Hamilton, "How Do You Deal With An Autocrat? That's Our Dilemma" The Independent (15 January 2011), online: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/adrian-hamilton/adrian-hamilton-how-do-you-deal-with-an-autocrat-thats-our-dilemma-2185190.html.
David K. Kirkpatrick, "Tunisia Leader Flees and Prime Minister Claims Power" N.Y. Times (14 January, 2011), online: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/15/world/africa/15tunis.html.
"Tunisie : retour sur un mois de révolte" Le Monde (14 January 2011), online: http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/infographie/2011/01/14/tunisie-retour-sur-un-mois-de-revolte_1465901_3212.html.
Anthony Shadid, "Joy as Tunisian President Flees Offers Lessons to Arab Leaders" N.Y. Times (14 January 2011), online: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/15/world/africa/15region.html.
Joanne P. Sharp et al., "Entanglements of Power: Geographies of Domination/Resistance" in Sharp et al. eds., Entanglements of Power: Geographies of Domination/Resistance (London: Routledge, 2000), at 1-42, online:
"Zine el-Abadine Ben Ali" N.Y. Times (updated 14 January, 2011), online: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/zine_elabidine_ben_ali/index.html?inline=nyt-per.
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