What is the Jasmine Revolution?
It refers to the December-January mass uprising in Tunisia that overthrew president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on January 15. It was sparked off by the self-immolation of vegetable vendor Mohamed Bouazizi, when he was humiliated by a woman constable on December 17. It was christened the Jasmine Revolution by the media in keeping with the geopolitical nomenclature of ‘colour revolutions’. The movement grew over the issues of unemployment, food inflation, corruption, lack of freedom of speech and poor living conditions and overflowed into Egypt where it has been raging.
Date: 18 December 2010 – present
Location: Tunisia
Status: Ongoing
Causes:
- Government corruption
- Inflation
- Self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi
- Unemployment
Characteristics:
- Civil resistance
- Demonstrations
- General strikes
- Self-immolations
- Spontaneous uprisings
Concessions given:
- Ousting of President Ben Ali and Prime Minister Ghannouchi
- Dissolution of the political police
- Dissolution of the RCD, the former ruling party of Tunisia and liquidation of its assets
- Release of political prisoners
- Elections to a Constituent Assembly on 23 October 2011
