‘Inception: The Visions & Dreams of Revolution’ By Hanane Zahrouni
Democracy. Tyranny. Oppression. Revolution. An idea so simple, yet so difficult to obtain has been planted into the minds of Arabs from the beginning, is beyond containment, yet the government continues to resist. A pattern that has been set in Tunisia and a flag that represents more than an act of protest, but a connection, admiration and inspiration to Egypt in wanting their say has been on the move. Tunisia is now a dream come true. The dictator who was once fearsome and thought to be invincible fell and fled rapidly. Whilst the challenges are awesome, the seeds for planting democratic dreams have begun by the display of people's power in Tunisia. Christopher Nolan’s Inception had a goal, a motive where when ‘once an idea takes hold of the brain, it is almost impossible to eradicate.’ After 23 years of suffocation and dominating the public, Tunisian citizens demolished Tunisian president and Dictator Ben Ali and his controlling family, after ruling a government through threat of punishment and violence not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition. Nolan’s leitmotif has finally released shockwaves and a powerful resonance in the Arab world. There was no democracy nor was freedom of speech and the right of vote impractical. Educated citizens fled their country from fear of his torture, and the ones that remained were either prisoned or manipulated to his command and he was not expecting a new generation of well-educated citizens to refuse his authority. Police conditioned by president’s regime detain us and hold us in captivity without trials and they and not the citizens corrupted the country, by burning down stores and supplies and murdering and raping innocent citizens in front of their families and burned prisoners alive. Conditions such as education and employment in the whole country have been deteriorating for most people leaving more than half the nation in poverty and causing an economic meltdown after stealing the country’s’ resources and history. The government is doing
"reforms" allow monopolists to get richer, regardless of how the rest of Egyptians are doing. They are corrupt, to their bones, forging votes denying us any form of speaking our true voices. ‘From Tunis to Cairo, the "people's power" and our faith represent a watershed, an
Inception in the making and not dictators that are invincible.’ It now serves as a river of democratic streams, with a ‘thirst of self-governance by the oppressed across the Arab geography.’ The incapacity to dream is a slow death. Mohamed Bou'azizi's act of suicide on December 17 related to all those concerned with the human condition. The ensuing engagement through Twitter, Facebook, rap, and fearless protest in Tunisia - and right now in Egypt - represent a united stand for popular independence. For Mubarak's era, the end is approaching. After almost 30 years of ruling a dead-end government, whose army far outweighs that of the ousted Ben Ali in size, strength and loyalty - prevents a repeat of the Tunisian scenario, the son has already decided the impending doom in the streets of Egypt - no to prolonged rule by the father, and no to hereditary rule. The words Ben Ali articulated a little too late were: "I have got the message." In Egypt, after 30 years of power, it is behind in economic development and lack of democracy as well as distributive justice. The country and its people, my people, have suffered incredibly. From tear gas to rubber bullets and crushed alive by army tanks and shot alive by arrogance are the few methods of torture that have killed us yet made us all stronger. Stronger to fight for our freedom. It is the insurrection of both men and women, ‘with their bare hands who want to lift the fearful weight, the weight of the entire world order that bears down on each of us. It is perhaps the first great insurrection against global systems, the form of revolt that is the most modern and the most insane. It is the first of the region's dictatorships to fall at the hands of its own people since 1979 with no Islamist revolution needed; no U.S. invasion; no inspiring leader, just the mass
uprising of a well-educated and disenchanted population. The strength of Tunisia and its people stimulated the protests in several Arab cities. The success of power from Tunisia to Egypt would change the entire region of the Middle East and the world. ‘It would re-write Egypt-Israeli relations as much as reposition the Palestinian question at the centre not only of Arab-Israeli relations, but also of Arab-Western relations.’ The sooner both governments declare that, the better life is for Tunisia, Egypt and the rest of the Middle East. Attempting to follow a peaceful route by signing a freedom statement were exiled and the signers were shadowed. We have been left with no other choice. It is our right to live and to have a better life for our children. A change is due, now. HZ
Thank you for the assistance of Dr Larbi Sadiki - a senior lecturer in Middle East Politics at the University of Exeter.