„The Revolution Gave me the Freedom to Challenge the Border“
A presentation of Boats4People on the second anniversary of the Tunisian Revolution
With Wael Garnaoui (Psychoclub, Tunis), Sinda Garziz and Syrine Boukadida (Network for the Struggle for Freedom of Movement, Tunisia)
On the 17th Dec in 2010, Mohammed Bou´azizi burnt himself alive. This was the last spark to set off the Tunisian Revolution. The then president Ben Ali had to leave the country shortly after. In the meantime elections have been held (for the constitutional assembly), but the revolutionary process and the struggles for influence, respect and change are going on.
Besides many other turnovers the revolution opened for many, mostly young Tunisians the possibility to cross the Mediterranean towards Europe. The EU might have greeted warmly the democratic changes in the North African countries, but it fortified it´s borders even stronger than before against the people that came from there. For this reason more than 2000 persons died at the attempt to reach Europe by boat – under the eyes of Frontex and of the NATO, which had it´s mission directly off the Libyan coast.
Since then there are controversial debates about migration in Tunisia. The relatives of disappeared boat people claim clarification from the Italian and Tunisian Government about the whereabouts of their family members and friends. The death of more than 40 Tunisians just off the coast of Lampedusa ignited heavy protests against the Tunisian Gouvernment this year in September.
Less adhered to, but not less dramatical is the situation of refugees – mostly from, but not only, countries of Subsahara Africa - in Camp Choucha in the south of Tunisia. It is planned to close this camp step by step until June of 2013, without any solutions for the 2000 refugees still living there.
Three tunisian activists of boats4people will give a report about the psychological and political changes that took place through the revolution. With short films they will offer insight in the radical changes in their country, and in the migration dynamics connected to those.
17.12. 7:30 p.m., Protest Camp at Oranienplatz, Berlin
20.12. 7:00 p.m., W3, Nernstweg 32, Hamburg