And finally we discovered that even the dictators can fall down. They just take a flight and after long years they escape abroad. And this time nobody brought democracy, people just came down in the streets and said "enough!". What kind of lesson on democracy we Europeans have to give the arab countries, I can't see. This time the lesson we have to accept. And we Italians especially must say sorry, since Italy supported Ben Ali since the beginning. So, if I am not wrong, Italy supported for 23 years a man who was finally forced to escape by his people after more than 100 dead people killed by his police. So Italy supported a bloody dictator.
Am I wrong? Am I wrong mr Frattini? Am I wrong all you Craxi's sons? Am I wrong mr Berlusconi? You don't care. But I do. And today, let me say, because today you can't deny, you supported a dictator. Nothing to say? What kind of democracy are you exporting in Afghanistan? Are you sure you have something to teach on democracy? You were allies of a dictator. Today we can say it. Tomorrow we will say you were friends with many more dictators. And then we will say you are dictators too. Unfortunately I can't hear the voice of Italians saying this today. But I am saying this and you can't deny, because History today spoke clearly.
So, now let me express all my joy. In these weeks we have organized a kind of branch office of the tunisian resistance, together with tunisian comrades living in Naples. Thanks to our friend Nasser, among many things, we uploaded the subtitled version of "Rais le bled", the song of El Gènèral, tunisian rapper and activist, ended in prison and finally released.
WATCH HERE THE ENGLISH VERSION OF "RAIS LE BLED".
GUARDA QUI LA VERSIONE ITALIANA DI "RAIS LE BLED".
The international solidarity is still working and gives its fruits. And this is the first dictator whose fall was told live on the social networks. And it was like being in Tunis hour by hour. And I had a special informer on the ground, my brother. He is there for working, for living. And after a few months since his arrival, the dictatorship in Tunisia already falls down under his eyes. I travelled a lot in many countries to see some dictator falling, but no way. I missed even Slobodan Milošević's fall, the only dictator fallen in the countries I have worked in (at those times I was banned from coming back in Yugoslavia..).
He was lucky, he watched the History passing under his window and finally bravely joined the people in the streets.
So, now let me express all my joy. In these weeks we have organized a kind of branch office of the tunisian resistance, together with tunisian comrades living in Naples. Thanks to our friend Nasser, among many things, we uploaded the subtitled version of "Rais le bled", the song of El Gènèral, tunisian rapper and activist, ended in prison and finally released.
WATCH HERE THE ENGLISH VERSION OF "RAIS LE BLED".
GUARDA QUI LA VERSIONE ITALIANA DI "RAIS LE BLED".
The international solidarity is still working and gives its fruits. And this is the first dictator whose fall was told live on the social networks. And it was like being in Tunis hour by hour. And I had a special informer on the ground, my brother. He is there for working, for living. And after a few months since his arrival, the dictatorship in Tunisia already falls down under his eyes. I travelled a lot in many countries to see some dictator falling, but no way. I missed even Slobodan Milošević's fall, the only dictator fallen in the countries I have worked in (at those times I was banned from coming back in Yugoslavia..).
He was lucky, he watched the History passing under his window and finally bravely joined the people in the streets.
But I was lucky too. Since it was an unspeakable pleasure to hear the History told live by my brother on the phone, something that I will always be thankful for, forever in my life.
Now, for instance, the last message I received it's a portrait of the day after the fall of the dictator, after the revolt has won:
Now, for instance, the last message I received it's a portrait of the day after the fall of the dictator, after the revolt has won:
<<I am fine. The hobby of the day seems to be the
hunting of officials of the regime trying to escape with their
weapons. Extemporary checkpoints set by the people in the neighborhoods.
Crowds to patrol the streets. Shootings all the time and columns of
smoke in the distance. Military trucks passing to give instructions with
megaphones>>.
hunting of officials of the regime trying to escape with their
weapons. Extemporary checkpoints set by the people in the neighborhoods.
Crowds to patrol the streets. Shootings all the time and columns of
smoke in the distance. Military trucks passing to give instructions with
megaphones>>.
I don't know if was revolution what he saw. Revolution is not a color. It's not written on the wall. Or in the sky. You can smell it sometimes, but to smell and to see are two different things. You can smell a flower and not be able to see it. And if this is the revolution of jasmines, we can smell jasmines now and this makes us happy. But we can't see them yet. People have not the power yet in Tunisia. Things must really change. Revolution can come close and suddenly for some mistake can change road and go elsewhere.
What is happening now in this moment in Tunisia is hard to say. Probably nobody was expecting this. Because, at the moment, I can't see the second card, the second choice, the second option. This makes me think that this situation was not planned nor expected. Italian, French and US governments are weak at the same time and with confused ideas on the arab North African countries, this is the favorable condition that made this changing possible. But it's possible that I am wrong, the wolves can still hide in the bush and wait for the good moment to come out.
Anyway, today is a happy day. For my tunisian friends first of all, and in this moment I can recall all the Tunisians I met in my life and lost and I imagine their happiness today. It's happiness what we are living today because today there is one less dictator in the world, the army didn't take the power, the islamists are on the edge of the protests and the world powers seem far and confused. Today we can hear only the screams of happiness of tunisian people. And that's good.
But something else must happen. A new president? A new government? New elections? Let's see. And if this were just the beginning? And if Tunisia will contaminate also Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Morocco? Dictators are trembling today and this is positive. But I look also at the northern countries of the Mediterranean Sea. Game must be over for Berlusconi and Sarkozy, too. They should admit their responsibilities in the dictatorships in these countries and give up. People today opened their eyes and found the courage. Hovering over the abyss we found our roots.
Pictures of the protest under the Tunisian consulate in Naples. Here above it says: "to end clandestinity (illegal presence of immigrants in Italy): help people not totalitarian governments".
"We want democracy".
"Finally we are no more clandestines, but free citizens, free Tunisians".
