How one young Tunisian is emerging as a symbol of disenfranchised and impoverished Arab youth. Mohammed Bouazizi’s attempted self-immolation set off protests by Tunisians [AFP]…Mohamed Bou’aziz, the young Tunisian who set fire to himself on December 17, is emerging as a symbol of the wider plight of the millions of young Arabs who are struggling to improve their living conditions.
Like many across the Arab world, Bou’aziz, who is now being treated for severe burns, discovered that a university degree was insufficient to secure decent employment. He turned to selling fruit for a living, but when the security forces confiscated his vending cart he torched himself – igniting a series of protests across Tunisia. Read the rest of this entry »
