Man of the Year 2011

As 2011 draws to a close, it seems appropriate to look back in anger or approval at some of the people who have, individually or as part of groups, made the past l2 months better or worse in various ways and in various parts of the world.

Several commentators of all nationalities have concluded that the Man Of The Year award should, without a shadow of doubt, go to Mohamed Bouazizi, the 26 year-old Tunisian street vendor and fruit seller whose desperation-driven self-immolation sparked off widespread riots and led to the Arab Spring.

*Mohamed Bouazizi

Having said more than once on this page that it is preferable (in my opinion) to die on your feet than to live on your knees, I totally agree with pundits who say that Bouazizi is a hero and major catalyst who deserves maximum recognition.

So, yes, it is tragic that the young man killed himself. And I really wish that he hadn’t, given that his religion regards suicide as a sin and that most clouds have silver linings, even if these silver linings aren’t immediately visible.

It is entirely possible that Bouazizi’s existence would have greatly improved over time if he had gritted his teeth and soldiered on. But there is no use crying over spilled milk, especially since his action has had such a positive impact.

Bouazizi was emotionally disorientated by the trials and tribulations he had endured and could not see any light at the end of the tunnel; and despair is extremely hard to shake off and the bottom line is that his decision to dramatically exit from circumstances he found intolerable has not been in vain.

By dying, he gave life with a capital L to a movement that will go down in history as epoch-changing.  Thanks to Bouazizi, the dormant fury of millions of oppressed North African and Middle Eastern citizens was awakened. Thanks to him, three dictators were unceremoniously thrown out of their presidential palaces. Thanks to him, other klepto psychos – Bashar Al-Assad of Syria, for example – can no longer sit comfortably on their thrones and are battling for survival.

A Tunisian square has been named after Mohamed Bouazizi. A postage stamp has been issued in Mohamed Bouazizi’s honour. Mohamed Bouazizi has been posthumously awarded the Sakharov Prize. We will never forget his name.

May he be forgiven for extinguishing the life God gave him. May he rest in peace and continue to inspire those who need to fight tyrants and thieves.