Bouazizi
The revolts in North Africa appeared to begin on 17 December 2010.
That was when, in the Tunisian town of Sidi Bouzid, a municipal official, Fedia Hamdi, allegedly slapped 26-year-old fruit vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi.
Mohamed Bouazizi then apparently set himself alight, and the Arab world was set on fire.
On 19 April 2011, we learn that a Tunisian court has dropped the case at the heart of the protests
The case against Fedia Hamdi was closed after the vendor's family withdrew its original complaint.
Faouzi Hamdi, the brother of the accused municipal officer, claims his sister never slapped Bouazizi.
Faouzi Hamdi said the decision to throw out the case showed that in the new Tunisia the judicial system "is now independent."
Mohamed Bouazizi? Website for this image thestar.com
On the morning of 17 December 2010, Mohamed Bouazizi reportedly had an argument with a municipal inspector Ms. Faida Hamdy.
Some reports erroneously call Faida Hamdy a policewoman.
Bouazizi allegedly wrestled with Faida Hamdy.
Faida Hamdy allegedly slapped Mohamed in the face, spat at him, and made a slur against Bouazizi's deceased father. ("Peddler's martyrdom launched Tunisia's revolution".)
According to the new York Times ("Slap to a Man’s Pride Set Off Tumult in Tunisia"):
"Ms. Hamdy, arrested on orders from the now-deposed president himself, is in jail in another town.
"Her colleagues maintain that she is honest and did not take bribes.
"Her supervisor, who requested anonymity for fear of being beaten in the streets, said an investigation found that Ms. Hamdy had never slapped Mr. Bouazizi.
"'Do you really believe a woman can slap a man in front of 40 other people and no one would react?' he said."
Mohamed Bouazizi
Reportedly, Bouazizi went to the local Governor to complain, but the Governor would not see him.
Mohamed then "left a message for his mother on his Facebook page."
The message read: "I'm travelling, mother... I'm travelling and I ask who leads the travel to forget." (Mohamed Bouazizi - Wikipedia)
Around noon, Mohamed reportedly set himself alight with 'paint thinner' or 'petrol', depending on which source you read.
Reportedly, he was taken to a hospital specialising in burns.
On 31 December it was reported that doctors at the hospital where Mohammad was being treated said 'there were positive prognostic factors and that his condition was improving'.
(Man at the centre of Tunisia unrest recuperating, doctors say)
Mannoubia, Mohamed's mother is reported as saying: "The doctors told me that he should be fine."
Reportedly, Mohamed died on January 2011.
According to one report, Mohamed Bouazizi "set himself on fire outside the governor's office". ( Mohamed Bouazizi.)
According to another report, he "set fire to himself at the bus station." (Tunisian riot town stands firm in its fury)
According to this account Mohamed had decided to go to Tunis by bus.
Mohamed's facebook page read: "I'm travelling, mother... I am now going and I will not be coming back... I'm travelling and I ask who leads the travel to forget."
Reportedly, when he arrived at the bus station he found that he had no money.
He then set himself on fire.
Did he have money to buy paint thinner or petrol? (Tunisian riot town stands firm in its fury)
There have been reports that Mohamed Bouazizi still alive? s
Former president Ben Ali visits 'Mohamed' in hospital.
Mohamed 'sold fruits and vegetables on the streets in Sidi Bouzid' in Tunisia.
The media has reported that Mohamed had a university degree in computer science.
His sister, Samia Bouazizi, has stated that Mohamed never graduated from high school.
(Man at the centre of Tunisia unrest recuperating, doctors say)
In his late teens, Mohamed quit school.
(http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/01/201111684242518839.html)
"It was reported that Bouazizi had recently broken up with his girlfriend."
(Slap to a Man’s Pride Set Off Tumult in Tunisia)
After Mohamed's argument with the official, the protests grew.
"Mr. Zaydi, a high school student, slept during the day, and then he and his friends would take on the police at night."
At the same time, news of the unrest was spread on the Internet by people like Shamseddine Abidi, a 29-year old interior designer who posted videos and updates to his Facebook page.
A journalist from Al Jazeera was one of Mr. Abidi’s Facebook friends, and quickly the Arabic channel ... carried the news abroad. ("Slap to a Man’s Pride Set Off Tumult in Tunisia".)
Mansion - family pleads
This home was allegedly purchased in 2008 by Mohamed Sakher El Materi, the son-in-law of former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The Toronto Star reports that the current owners have nothing to do with Tunisia. "They're Hungarian Jews".
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On 21 January 2011, Tunisia’s central bank again denied that ousted president Ben Ali and his wife fled with 1.5 tons of gold.
"There are 5.3 tons of gold in the coffers of the Tunisia Central Bank in Tunis and 1.5 tons at the Bank of England in London," a bank official told AFP. (Tunisia's central bank insists gold stocks unchanged)
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On 11 November 2010, the spooky Guardian was preparing us for change in Tunisia.
Tunisia, our supposedly stable 'friend'.
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