This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.
His uncle, Mehdi Horchani, said he "gave his life to draw attention to his condition and that of his brothers." Then and now, Tunisia and most other Arab states have high unemployment, severe poverty, few social benefits, deep-seated corruption, and extreme repression enforcing state policy on non-believers.
At his January 4, 2011 funeral, marchers chanted, "Farewell, Mohammed, we will avenge you. We weep for you today. We will make those who caused your death weep."
He inspired mass activism for change. Islamist Ennahda party officials replaced President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and close associates. Everything changed but stayed the same. New leaders are hostile to social justice and democratic values.
Whether Silman's sacrifice proves more successful remains to be seen. His statement was powerful. His wrath matched Bouazizi's. His death highlights a corrupt, decaying, socially unjust state.
He left a letter saying:
"The state of Israel stole from me and robbed me. It left me helpless.""Two Housing and Construction Ministry committees rejected me, even though I had a stroke."
Disabled and disheartened, he couldn't survive on his monthly $582 allowance. "I can't even live month to month," he said. "I won't be homeless, and so I am protesting."
He blamed "the state of Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, for the humiliation that the weakened citizens go through every day, taking from the poor and giving to the rich."
Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
