Lina Ben Mhenni, a 27-year-old active blogger and assistant professor at the University of Tunis, was recently awarded the prestigious BOBs Award (Best of the Blogs Award of Germany’s international broadcaster Deutsche Welle) for her blog A Tunisian Girl. According to her, not much has changed for the youth of the country since the revolution. “These people are risking their lives to escape the stagnant situation in Tunisia”, she told EMAJMagazine.
- What did you do during the uprising?
- I went out and took photos which I published on my Facebook page and on my blog, in order to show what is going on in Tunisia. I did not think much about the danger I was in. The media was not doing a good job in reporting the events in Tunisia and I wanted to do something about it.
- What is the situation in your country like now, after the initial euphoria?
- The situation is not really clear. However, I think this is normal in a country which has just experienced a spontaneous revolution. We had not prepared an alternative government. We have seen the emergence of many political parties, the majority of which we know nothing about. I also see that the old leaders of old political parties are fighting for positions and power, forgetting that youth were behind this revolution. They are changing their rhetoric every day only to persuade people to join them. They are manipulating people with lies.
- What needs to be changed?
- People’s mentalities should change. They need to stop thinking about their personal benefits and start thinking about the country. We have a big problem with media and journalism. Journalists are not used to freedom, so they continue to censor themselves. A large part of media is controlled by the counter-revolutionary forces and this is very dangerous.
- How would you compare the situation of youth before and after the revolution?
- The situation is the same. Nothing changed for them. The illegal migration of youth to Italy is proof of this. They are risking their lives to escape the stagnant situation in Tunisia.
- How much can youth and bloggers affect the current development in your country?
- Well, youth and bloggers are trying to put pressure wherever bad decisions are made. But I think that this is not enough. More experienced politicians are taking advantage of the situation, trying to control the fate of the country, but ignoring to demands and opinions of the young.
- Was the role of social media exaggerated?
Yes, it was. People who sacrificed their lives were behind what happened. People who took to the streets facing tear gas and live ammunition were behind the departure of Ben Ali. Social media only facilitated the task.
- What do you hope for Tunisia?
- I hope to see a peaceful, free and democratic Tunisia where every Tunisian lives in dignity regardless of his beliefs, religion or colour. Every Tunisian should have the right to express himself freely.
- And what are your fears for the country?
- My only fear is to have a dictatorship in power.
1 comment
Franck saint Pierre August 16, 2011 | 04:03pm
Je ne suis ni Tunisien, ni Lybien, ni Egyptien, ni mème Arabe, néammmoins, je suis à la télé et dans les médias, ce combat de tous les jours, de tous ces peuples qui sont préts à donner leur vie pour connaitre et offrir à leurs enfants, une autre image de la vie Cette détermination m'a inspiré un texte qui est un méssage d'espoir, de liberté, et d' amitié. Nous l'avons enregistré avec un ami musicien, sur une musique arabo andalouse.Si tu souhaites la découvrir ou la diffuser, contacte moi.