LIKE his fellow Tunisian, Muhammad Bouazizi, who set himself ablaze to protest against harassment by local officials in 2010, Ridha Yahyaoui was acting impulsively when he died on January 16th. Having just been refused a government job, the unemployed 28-year-old scaled a utility pole in Kasserine, an impoverished town in western Tunisia. He reportedly threatened suicide. Perched in the air, consumed by his grievances, Mr Yahyaoui touched the wires and was electrocuted.
Bouazizi’s death ignited protests that ended the dictatorship of Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali and inspired the Arab spring. Mr Yahyaoui’s is a reminder that democracy has yet to solve many of Tunisia’s problems. The government has struggled to kick-start an economy that still suffers from past abuse and persistent corruption. Islamist rebels in the west and several big terrorist attacks have added to its woes in the past year. Nidaa Tounes, the dominant political party, has recently fractured.
But a lack of jobs is the main reason that thousands of Tunisians have returned to the streets. The unemployment rate is over 15%, worse...Continue reading
Source: Middle East and Africa http://ift.tt/1Kd4gGB
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