Between pride and disappointment, Tunisians value their revolution with its ninth anniversary

Muhammad Ali Latifi - Tunisia

With a mixture of pride and disappointment, Tunisians today mark the ninth anniversary of the events of the revolution that toppled January 14, 2011, with the regime of the late President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who ruled the 23-year rule.

The Tunisian Revolution, whose spark started from the governorate of Sidi Bouzid (the western center) on December 17, 2010, when Mohamed Bouazizi set fire to his body in protest against the confiscation of his vehicle that he was consuming, which sparked popular protests, and its flames quickly reached other provinces, and ended in Habib Bourguiba Street in the capital.

This street, which has gained wide fame, has become a symbol of revolution and freedom, and a kiss for marches and protests. Tunisians have flocked to it since the early morning hours today in large numbers. The tents of parties and organizations were erected, while cafes were crowded on its fronts, and the vitality of its commercial paths rose, and its corners adorned the banner of Tunisia.

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Usually, this event is accompanied by a debate about what the revolution has achieved, and what it has failed to achieve through successive governments, which has assumed power over the past years, as a wide spectrum of Tunisians believes that the revolution contributed to the establishment of a political climate based on a developed constitution, and the multiparty partisanship that was cut off with the presidential system .

Speaking to Al-Jazeera Net, the young Wadih Al-Jalasi - the owner of the famous image of a cage holder from whom a bird flies, on January 11, 2011, which appeared today again on Habib Bourguiba Street, says in the same way - that Tunisia has achieved important gains, the most important of which is freedom of expression, and the new constitution makes it A model for Arab and international role models.

For her part, Najwa Sumeri, affiliated with Al-Nahda Movement, believes that freedom and pluralism are considered the most important two achievements in the revolution after nine years, stressing - speaking to Al-Jazeera Net - the need to fortify it to preserve its gains, in order not to return to the square of injustice and tyranny.

For his part, Mohamed Ali Dridi believes that the Tunisian revolution is considered the most successful in the Arab region, despite the fact that its transitional path has not been completed, in light of the high prices, the deterioration of purchasing power and the decline in the value of the Tunisian dinar, expressing optimism for a better future.

After the revolution is better
A wide spectrum of Tunisians chose to re-share the “# Tunisia_After_ Revolution- good” mark (Tunisia after the revolution is better), in which they enumerated the bright aspects of their country after the revolution at all levels, especially at the security and political levels, and with regard to freedom of opinion, expression, and the peaceful transfer of power democratically.

Activist Ahmed Mohie - in a blog post posted on his Facebook account on the morning of the anniversary of the revolution - pointed to the presence of many successes and failures, and also many negatives, but "my country remains better after the revolution", accompanied by the tag # Tunisia_ after the revolution - good, and pictures of his participation in the celebrations in the center of the capital.

Journalist Bassam Bunni posted a post on his Facebook account, criticizing the media dealings with the revolution, praising Tunisia for the high ceiling of freedom, and that Tunisia after the revolution is better despite those who insult it.

For his part, activist Ramzi Khadrawi stressed that Tunisia is better today despite the economic and social suffering of the people.

Tunisians participate in this marking, in response to what is being promoted by followers of the previous regime about the deterioration of the country's situation because of the revolution. Most Tunisians consider that the revolution has achieved a democratic success that should be proud of, thanks to the changed laws and the areas opened to freedom of the media, expression and demonstration, and the acquisition of more political rights.

Imperfect revolution
On the other hand, another part of the Tunisians believes that the country is groaning - during the nine years that followed the revolution - under a faltering economic reality, which has failed in its treatment by successive governments that have succeeded in ruling, with escalating social movements, high unemployment and poverty rates, and declining development indicators.

Protesters raised in front of the Ministry of the Interior on Habib Bourguiba Street, slogans calling for social benefits, such as employment and regional development, and recalling the rights of the martyrs and the wounded, and the need to complete the goals of the revolution.

Among these protesters, Yassine Ben Belkacem, who has a PhD in physics, who told Al Jazeera Net that the solutions lie in the unemployed youth.

Ben Belkacem adds that more than seven thousand PhD holders are unemployed, which justifies the phenomenon of brain drain from the country, condemning the failure to use the wasted youth energies that exploded the revolution to find solutions to the deteriorating economic and social situation.

In turn, the expert and economic analyst Sadiq Jebnoun says to Al-Jazeera Net that Tunisia has experienced an economic setback, and has not witnessed any qualitative change at the economic level, but the country has experienced the largest economic crisis, which is confirmed by figures and indicators.

For her part, Dr. Amal Al-Salmi, a specialist in chemistry, pointed out, in her talk to Al-Jazeera Net, the need to raise the budget for scientific research and establish strong research centers in public institutions, and to develop a strategy in the long term, stressing that the revolution needs an intellectual and scientific revolution to be completed.