Friday, February 08, 2013

Video interview in Tunisia with former political prisoner Hamid Obaidia


Tunisia talk with former political prisoner of the dictatator Ben Ali 

The interview starts around 55 seconds.  I interview the author and former political prisoner Hamid Obaidia in Souse on the 13th January 2013 during a commemoration of the second anniversary of the Tunisian Revolution.  During our chat, I ask if the Ennahda Government is a government for all the Tunisian people, the answer was a definite, yes!

Recent events in Tunisia, are very unsetttling for the Tunisian people.  The assassination of Chokri Belaid, an opposition party leader, by extremists, has placed the country in turmoil.

However, it is difficult to gauge, looking in from the outside, if the trouble in Tunis is a problem confined to the metropolitan area, or if it will spread to the outlaying areas.

Ennahda Political Rally
Hamid was imprisoned for ten years. The interview is in French, the shared language of us both.  I'm sorry for my poor French, but I hope you comprehend the gist of our conversation.

I ask Hamid why he was imprisoned, his thoughts on the political situation in Tunisia and if the Ennahda Islamic Government was a governemnt for all the Tunisian people or just its supporters.

Hamid' book is في القلب جمرة a novel "Cinder Heart" or "Heart of Embers" (I couldn't quite work out the translation)  If you are an Arabic speaker please feel free to correct my translation in the comments.

The video interview was recorded just before the start of a Ennahda Movement حركة النهضة  سوسة (a moderate Islamic political party) meeting / rally in Sousse Tunisia 13th January 2013.

This political rally was held to commemorate the second anniversary of the revolution in Tunisia.  The photos on the boards are of some young men from the Souuse Governate  "martyred" during the rebellion against the dictatorship; the first revolution of the Arab Spring.

The Ennahda Mouvement is a moderate Islamic Political Party, currently in government in Tunisia.

Heather and I thank you for watching this video. Take a look at more of our original video content: video diaries, travel videos, video interviews & reportage on our YouTube channel: Life In Another Town

Do you have some community news from around the Ormskirk area to share or a story to tell? Yes!

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