Mother of Tunisia Arab Spring martyr appeals to new government

The mother of the Tunisian man whose death inspired the Arab Spring is urging politicians not to forget her son’s sacrifice.

As Tunisia holds its first ever free elections Manoubia Bouazizi wants those who eventually come to power to help poor and desperate people like Mohamed her son, who set himself on fire when police took away his unlicensed fruit and vegetable cart.

“I am very, very proud of him and we thank God he is a man who changed the world, not just Tunisia.

I will vote in the interest of my country. We have worked hard. We don’t want to continue to be oppressed. I want to see Tunisian women being protected and respected,” she said.

It has been nine months since protests started, driving the out country’s former President Zinedine Ben Ali.

More than 100 political parties are hoping to secure enough votes to become part of the new government which will draft a constitution.

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