By December 2010, the Tunisian people were ready for change. High unemployment rates, lack of political freedoms, food inflation, and corruption were all prevalent within Tunisia. All that was needed was a small straw to break the camel’s back. The self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi provided the catalyst that led to the Tunisian revolution, a paved the way for democratic movements throughout the Middle East.
Mohamed Bouazizi was born in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia on March 29th, 1984. His father died of a heart attack when he was three. Bouazizi had been working since he was ten years old to support his mother, uncle, and younger siblings. Although he applied for numerous jobs, unemployment in Tunisia is extremely high, and Bouazizi was forced to work as a street vendor selling fruits and vegetables in Sidi Bouzid. Corruption is rampant in Sidi Bouzid, especially amongst police officials, and Mohamed Bouazizi was constantly mistreated.
On December 17th, 2010, police began harassing Bouazizi, falsely claiming that he needed a vendor’s permit to sell his wares. Faida Hamdi, a municipal official, confiscated his electronic scales and produce, and allegedly insulted Bouazizi’s father. After the confrontation, Bouazizi went to the governor’s office to complain. When he was refused an audience, he purchased a can of gasoline and threatened to burn himself. While standing in the middle of traffic, Bouazizi doused himself and set himself alight at 11:30 a.m.
Bouazizi was rushed to a medical facility in Sidi Bouzid, with severe burns covering 90% of his body. The news of Bouazizi’s self-immolation spread quickly through the community, and riots began the next day in the city. The Tunisian Revolution had begun.
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