I watched in disbelief as the
oncoming vehicles slowed to a halt in the middle of a road that had no traffic
lights/signals anywhere. The scene appeared fairly suspect, and instinct
suggested something might be wrong, until we turned to face the other
direction, and saw the policeman -- the same one we had met at the ticket
office -- in the middle of the road, his palms pressing out to both sides. Then
he turned to us, tilted his head, and gave us the signal to cross the road without
fear to the Roman archaeological site at Sbeitla.
I'm not sure about Matej, but I felt a mix of guilt and
self-importance. I had never been given such treatment before. I am not from a
well-heeled or well-connected family, just a regular tourist (I believe Matej
is too). But this was Tunisia, and we were but a handful of tourists who still
dared to venture to this North African country, despite travel warnings from
countries such as the United Kingdom.
If you’re from Singapore or somewhere in East Asia, chances are
you had probably not heard of Tunisia until December 2010, when a fruit-seller
immolated himself out of frustration and desperation at the country’s state of
unemployment and corruption. The incident in itself would have passed unnoticed,
except it mobilized a country simmering for some time for the same reasons, and
then some. In just over a month, Tunisia’s autocratic leader Zine El Abidine
Ben Ali resigned and fled the country, sparking the so-called Arab Spring,
which later spread like wildfire across the Middle East and North Africa, most
notably in Syria where a civil war continues to this day.
After its rebirth as a democratic country, Tunisia was hailed as
the most stable country to come out of the Arab Spring. Unemployment is still a
major issue, but there was a semblance of greater control among Tunisians of
their future.
That is, until March 2015, when the capital Tunis was rocked by a
terror attack at the famous Bardo Museum, home to one of the finest and largest
collections of Roman-era mosaics in the world. Twenty-four people were killed
in the attack, most of them tourists. Barely three months later, the resort
city of Sousse fell victim to a similar attack in which scores were gunned
down.
Since then though, visitors have steadily returned to the Bardo
Museum, passing through security checkpoints and the main foyer, where there
now stands a mosaic plague listing the names and nationalities of those who
died in the March 2015 attack. At the time of my visit, some areas of the
museum were also off-limits, no thanks to the attack. But walk through its
halls, and treat yourself to the visual spectacle, and you just might forget,
even if for a moment, the grim episode which took place at the site.
It is the same story in Sousse: people have moved on, some
European tourists have come back to enjoy what this city is known for – its
beaches and warm Mediterranean waters. I remember seeing several Russian tour
groups in Tunis, and El Jem, a city close to Sousse and famous for its Roman
amphitheatre which some claim is in better condition than Rome’s Colosseum. I
was told that some guides have even learned Russian to be able to give their
guests a better experience and understanding of their country. Not surprising,
especially since Tunisia relies heavily on tourism as a source of revenue.
Of course, not everyone is convinced. Even now, when I recount my
experiences in Tunisia, people still ask if it is safe. To be fair, there's
added security, in the main thoroughfare in Tunis for example. Ironically
though, it's become a bit of a catch-22 situation: while it's a measure to
assure the public that security forces are on top of things, it scared a
Russian couple I stayed with at a B&B.
I suppose they had reason to be fearful. They stood out. My tan
and physical features let me blend in seamlessly. I had no problems hopping
into louages (inter- and intra-city minivans) for the northern port city of
Bizerte for a day trip, or taxis to and from the UNESCO-listed Roman site of
Dougga, said to be the largest and most dramatic in all of Africa.
Yet, I can't deny my own apprehensions. What if something happens,
I asked myself. The closest Singapore embassy is located in Cairo, Egypt. But
stronger than the fear was my conviction that if something is meant to happen,
it can happen anywhere: Tunis, Ankara, Paris, Brussels, London. Truly, what's
in a name?
Alas, while we have confidence in the security arrangements of
some cities, like Paris, others are viewed with suspicion, never mind if the
last time a terror attack took place there occurred several years ago. Tunisia
unfortunately falls into this category, and it may take time for opinions to
change. But until then, those who dare, will find a people raring to ensure you
feel safe and well taken care of, and have entire museums and breathtaking
archaeological sites to themselves, especially for those quintessential
Instagram posts.
