Tunisia is under attack . The terrorists know that its success as a democratic state is pivotal and its role initiating and uniquely benefitting from the Arab Spring makes its failure vital to their world domination project. They also know its economic vulnerability and over dependency on tourism for economic and therefore democratic survival.
—–
Following the revolution the vast majority of suspected terrorists were released and these individuals, many of whom are with so called ISIS in Syria, constitute a major threat to the country’s stability. However as always with terrorists they do not represent the population at large.
—–
Tunisia moved slowly and with considerable difficulty to a potentially stable democratic system over the last three years. The system is secular but the largest party is Muslim and rules in coalition with other parties. Such balance is unique as is this extraordinary but small and vulnerable country.
—–
Following the March atrocity we experienced the return of normality very rapidly and this is expressed in the poem below written in Marhaba Palace Hotel at Port El kantaoui not far from Sousse.
In the heat
Of a sun reappearing
Life is recreated
======
In the aftermath of destruction
The men still ask
If we are okay
And still insist we buy
The things we do not need or want
======
The sparrows still dance
Across the stones
By the blue pool
And the sleek young
Blackbirds continue
To chirrup
Above the stuccoed palms.
======
The noises of the games
Still play out
With the voices
Tunisian and British
The children of Tunis
Still shout out
Still excited
About
Their holiday from school.
======
The groups
Of youth
Still walk in coulumns
Around the marina
Young girls still laugh
With their friends
Next to them
And the toy camels
Still stand
Waiting for
A purchser from a far off land.
======
Our outings
Are rearranged again
I will still go to the desert
And we will again
Hear the story
Of this country
Blazened in a multi-media feast
Across the recreated
Fortress
======
And what
Have the gunmen done
Apart from
The destruction
Of so many lives
Of the innocent?
======
Have they simply
Increased our desire
To enjoy
The beautiful and educated
Land of Tunisia
And applaud
The bravery
And intelligence
Of its people?
======
And who
Can stop the song of the blackbird
Or tell the sparrows not to dance?
And who can prevent
The insistent young men
From attempting to sell their wares?
=====
And who can stop
The museums
From opening their doors again
Further protected
From the brutality
Of those incapable
of using their own minds
To understand
The difference
Between right
And wrong?
======
Tunisia
Will continue
To sing
Its unique song,
Blending
The direction
Of its Northern
And Eastern shorelines
Combining
The styles of
All points
Of the compass
For Africa was born here
And from here
The world turns onwards
And its future is bright.
John DW Macdonald 19 MARCH 2015
SEE PREVIOUS POST The Sky is Black Today #Poem written immediately after the last atrocity in #Tunisia http://wp.me/p2120g-2tc via @johndwm
Tagged: Abuse, Attitude, Beauty, birds, change, children, death, education, Tunisia
