Blog by Christopher O’Connor, British Ambassador to Tunisia

Pride and determination

January 17, 2012

I was much encouraged by the spirit in which Tunisia marked the passing of a year since the departure of former President Ben Ali.

Many Tunisians face the same economic hardships they faced a year ago. And many are frustrated that overthrowing a repressive regime has not led to more immediate and tangible improvements in their daily lives. But it was heartening to see that in towns across the country, Tunisians came out into the streets predominantly to celebrate the positives. The continuing sense of national pride in having ousted an unrepresentative regime was undeniable. So was the importance Tunisians attach to their hard-won rights to gather freely, to speak freely, to choose their political leadership and to hold that leadership to account.

Perhaps even more important than the recognition of what has been achieved was the sense of gritty determination to overcome the continuing challenges. It was precisely this spirit which enabled the country so impressively to come together to forge a path to free and fair elections for a new political leadership. And it is this spirit which will be needed in the months ahead, to get the economy fully back to work, to agree and take forward a process of transitional justice, and to embed permanently the new freedoms which Tunisians are so rightly proud to have won.

Christopher O’Connor

Source: http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/christopheroconnor/2012/01/17/pride-and-determination/