It is quite hard to know where to start in
blogging about the last week here in Tunis. Last Friday we closed the school
early due to information that there was to be some sort of protest activity
outside the American Embassy, which is right across the road from the school.
As we said our good-byes to each other around 1.00 p.m. no one had any idea
what would eventuate.
We were to find out later that around 2
p.m. the protest turned ugly and crowds of people lead by the salafist group
smashed their way in to the outer areas of the embassy and then unbelievably
moved in to our school, destroying first all of the surveillance equipment and
then setting on fire our lower elementary classrooms. What followed next were
crowds of young men from the local neighborhood, who seized upon the
opportunity and also entered the school looting everything they could lay their
hands on.
Calls of help were made by our own school
guards who were obviously outnumbered to police, the fire department and the
Tunisian army. What was most disturbing was their reaction—it was three to four
hours later that they arrived on the scene, way too late to do anything.
On Saturday morning, the leadership team
arrived at school to assess the damage—5 classes and one library completely
burned out, 7 more smoke-damaged and every other space in the school a mess
with upturned tables and gear thrown about. It has been unbelievable! So much
destruction.
The week has seen everyone trying their
hardest to pitch in and clean, sort and redistribute everything. Makeshift
classes are being put together and we will prepare to re-open soon. Emotionally
people are all over the place, with many tears being spilt.
It certainly will go down as one of my most
challenging weeks in education.