Arab World: Copycat Self-Immolation Acts Should Not be Encouraged · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi burnt himself to death in protest against unemployment, sparking an uprising which brought down the rule of Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali's 23-year-old regime in less than one month. Since then, up to 10 cases of self-immolation were reported in Mauritania, Algeria and Egypt, where people are protesting against unemployment, the rising cost of living and corruption, among other grievances.
This video, from YouTube user, mohsmedkhattab2004 shows one incident from Egypt:
Netizens from across the region are calling for an end to this practice, before it takes root.
@tatn  explains:
@weddady Self-immolation shld Not b referred as a “trend” as in fashion! It's a Tragic measure to call 4 socio-poli+eco. changes #sidibouzid
Saudi writer Turki Al Dakhil pleads with Arab young people:
From Qatar, Mohammed Bin Hamad wonders:
And when does the human being consider death to be a relief and living to be intolerable?
He continues:
..does life become so unbearable that you feel the need to set yourself on fire? At what point does “life” become so worthless?
And Sou Hammamet, from Tunisia, adds:
absolutely, suicide is HARAM (Islamically unlawful). it is a shame that it has been politicised.
To such sentiments, mashahed, from Egypt, responds:
Back in Tunisia, Dody G., from nomadlife, blogs about one of the Egyptian copycat self-immolation acts and notes:
Just because it triggered the Tunisian uprising, it doesn't mean this kind of action will trigger similar uprising in Egypt. The tension in Egypt has been steadily rising for the past days and there seems to be a giddy anticipation that something is going to happen. There's already an organizing happening on Facebook to do a demo on January 25 (Police Day) and almost 50,000 people have already confirmed attendance. Over 700,000 people invited still hasn't confirmed yet.
In a follow up post, he remarks:
Dammit. You can't replicate the spark just by replicating the method. Stop burning yourself.
Back on Twitter, Saudi Fouad Alfarhan says he is looking for new friends, after his contacts starting taunting him with a request:
Egyptian ANaje suggests that politicians start setting themselves on fire instead. He tweets:
Fellow Egyptian Mosab Ahmad adds:
Time: A Brief History of Self-Immolation
Foreign Policy: Suicide for a Cause