mohamed bouazizi's flight resonated to so many people. after staying in hospital, he died on 4 january 2011. ten days later president zine el abidine ben fled the country. >> translation: i remember how things were straight after the revolution. people stood together. unfortunately, politicians made promises and failed to keep them. we're asking for more nation unity. we hope the region gets its share of development and the state reaches out to people here. >> reporter: people here are tired of the slow pace of change since the revolution. many say life here is more difficult now, but the death of mohamed bouazizi did give tunisians the freedom and dignity that elewd this young man all of his life-- eluded >>> the u.n. secretary general has warned that burundi is on the brink of a civil war. secretary gen ban ki-moon has called for talks to prevent mass violence. a u.n. envoy will attend the region to impress peace talks. more from bujumbura and our correspondent. >> reporter: the u.s. secretary general's comments are part of an internati

the story of mohamed bouazizi set a chain of events. we returned to the city to find the family and friends of the young man who died, how they feel now. >> reporter: he says his cousin was trying to sell his fruit and vegetables but the police kept moving him on. he didn't have a permit, but there were no jobs and his family relied on his income, so he had to take the risk. >> translation: the police decided to confiscate his cart and scales. when he went to the municipality to meet the governor, he was turned away. he refused to him. >> reporter: he had a few simple goals, he wanted to get married and earn money for his family. he felt humiliated after a policemen slapped him or hopeless about the future. whatever his reasons, he decided he wanted to die, right outside the be officials of the officials who-- offices of the officials who treated him so badly. >> translation: mohamed bouazizi set himself on fire because he felt discriminated against. i was in front of the building. i saw him on fire and i saw people surround him and try

mohamed bouazizi's flight resonated with so many people. >> after staying in hospital mohamed bouazizi died. 10 days later the president fled the country. >> i remember how things were after the revolution. people stood together. unfortunately proms sis were made. failing to keep them. we hope the region gets a share of development and the state reaches out to people. people are tired of the days of change of the revolution, many say life is more easy, it gives freedom and dig nitty that alluded the young man all of his life. >>> in the year since mohamed bouazizi's death, free election has taken police in some countries, as it has shown, the move to democracy has stalled if not second. courtney kealy has more of the "in context" segment. >> reporter: five years after the arab spring began, the dreams were unrealized. some managed to used their leaders. changes to government brought few closer to democracy. n.a.t.o. air strikes hurt the rebels. the countries ha two rival governments and the fight looks more like the first act of a long civil war. >> reporter: in the chaos of libya, i.s

his name was mohammed bouazizi. set himself on fire outside of the local government offices after being harassed and abused by officials. bouazizi died 18 days later, and the massive anti-government protests which began after his act, quickly grew. knowing that his 23 year rule of iron fist were over, the president fled to saudi arabia. he would be the first of many dictators eventually forced from power as the arab spring erupted across the region. >> reporter: this man says his cousin was trying to sell his fruits and vegetables, but the police kept moving him on. his family relied on his income, and he had to take the risk. >> translator: the police decided to confiscate his cart and scales. when he went to the municipality to meet the governor, he was turned away. they refused to speak to him. >> reporter: he wanted to earn enough money to get married and help his family, but the constant police harass , corruption and poverty prevented him from achieving his ambitions. perhaps he felt humiliated after a policew

. >> reporter: with a story of mohamed bouazizi, a street

the story of mohamed bouazizi set in motion nation-wide protests that led to the downfall of president zine el abidine ben and his 23 years of authoritarian rule. our correspondent. one of the key components was the use of social media platforms no show the world what was going on there. what kinds of role does online activism play in the country now? >> reporter: yeah. that's absolutely right. the use of platforms like facebook and twier made it so much easier for tunisians to share and link to videos that state media here would never would have broadcast otherwise and get those stories and images out to the rest of the world at a time that was so turbulent when the revolution was going on. i caught up with one of the most prominent bloggers of that time. five years on now to talk to him about what role online activism plays now and here is what he told us. five years later, he remembers very well when he realized things had changed for good in tunisia. i had a discussion, i think it was in the second week of the revolution, and we were discussing politics. we were discussing saying i

whatever his reasons, mohamed bouassizi decided he wanted to die, right outside of the offices of the officials who treated him so badly. his friend was close by. >> translator: bouaziziimself on fire because he felt discriminated against. i saw him on fire. i saw people surround him and try to put the flames out. it was such a painful scene. >> translator: he was suffering a lot at the time and had many problems. no one was there to listen to his concerns and worries. >> reporter: his friends and family took to the streets. he was the first to up load their videos on facebook. >> translator: we were able to raise slogans like employment is our right, and you gang of thieves. we spoke out against the injustices and mohamed's fate. in that was the beginning. >> reporter: within weeks there were protests across tunisia. mohamed's plight resinated with so many people because they were always suffering. after saying in hospital, mohamed died on the 4th of january 2011. ten days later, the president fled the country. >> translator: i remember how things were straight after the revolution. unfortunately politicians make promises and fail to keep them. we're asking for more