2 in Egypt torch themselves; 1 dead

Source: CNN International

One man died and another was injured after they set themselves on fire Tuesday in Egypt, the latest in a string of self-immolations in restive North Africa, officials told CNN.

Ahmed Hashem Sayed set himself on fire in Alexandria and died from his burns, said Dr. Salama Abdel-Menem, Alexandria's health director. Local media reports that Sayed was unemployed.

Mohammed Farouq Mohammed, a lawyer, set himself ablaze in Cairo, but is now in stable condition with 5% of his body burned. Dr. Mohameed Yousuf, head of Cairo's Mouneiriya hospital, said the victim will be leaving the hospital within days. Mohammed burned himself in front of the parliament building because his ex-wife refused to allow him to see his daughters, a security source and a medical source at the hospital told CNN.

The popular protests in Tunisia that have caused upheaval in the government were sparked by Mohamed Bouazizi, a 26-year-old unemployed college graduate, setting himself on fire in protest. He later died. Now, reports are coming in from other countries in the region -- including Algeria and Mauritania -- that other people are turning to self-immolation, even though it is too soon to know how many of the incidents were sparked by political and social grievances.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/01/18/egypt.self.immolation/index.html

that is triggering all these self torching?

So many issues, so few brain cells. :(

Mohamed Bouazizi, the unemployed 26-year-old Tunisian whose self-immolation sparked the riots in that country and ultimately toppled the president, has apparently inspired a series of copycat across North Africa, according to media reports.

Demonstrators in Egypt, Algeria and Mauritania, have set themselves on fire, in a likely imitation of Bouazizi’s act to protest similar economic conditions in those nations.

In Cairo, Egypt, Abdo Abelmonem Gafr, a baker, set himself on fire outside the parliament building, stated an official of the Interior Ministry. Gafr survived his stunt and is not badly hurt, ministry spokesman Alla Mahmood noted.

In Algeria, security officers stated that three people alighted themselves in protest. As in Tunisia, a deteriorating economy, rising food prices and an unresponsive government have prompted similar riots and protests.

More: http://uk.ibtimes.com/articles/101761/20110117/bouazizi-self-immolation-tunisia-algeria.htm

Mohamed Bouazizi’s Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Bouazizi

The article in the OP discusses it, too.

self-immolation was used as a protest tool by Buddhist monks in Vietnam during the days of Ngo Dinh Diem.

It made a powerful impact on the West, and many who hadn't questioned whether we should be there at least began
to discuss the issues.

It takes enormous courage, and only the most desperate or committed could carry it out.

ttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3552/3677232313_c2b0f78922.jpg





Enormous courage and love.

what was happening this time.

He was only trying to find a job. He died and that started events in Tunesia. Why there are copycats.

And I posted some details here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4701636&mesg_id=4701708

And an OP about it here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x131780