Yemen: Celebrating Tawakkol Karman

This post is part of our special coverage Yemen Protests 2011.

Tawakkol Karman, an outspoken journalist and human rights activist, described in the Guardian as a “thorn in [Yemeni President Ali Abdullah] Saleh's back”, was today named as Yemen's first Noble Peace Prize winner. She has been a prime example of courage and bravery in Yemen since 2007.

In the following video, posted by the channel of “Women Journalists Without Chains“, which Karman heads, she is shown leading a peaceful march condemning Saleh and Saudi Arabia's interference in Yemen's revolution and vowing to bring back the days of former president Ibrahim Alhamdi, whom Yemenis choose to honor today (October 7) calling it “Friday of Martyr Ibrahim Alhamdi”. (Video posted: belaquood)

Tawakkol Karman is a leader in Yemen's peaceful revolution against it's brutal and corrupt regime. She encouraged Yemeni to bravely pursue their struggle to topple the dictatorial regime, as she leads the chants in Sanaa's Change square, shown in this video posted also by Women Journalist Without Chains channel. Undoubtedly she has been an inspiration to many men and women, and not only Yemeni.

Reactions to Tawakkol Karman's win were expressed all over Twitter. Here are some of them.

@tota770::

OH MY GOD ! The Yemeni activist Tawakol Karman was awarded the #Nobel peace prize , VIVA #Yemen #YF

@Dory_Eryani:

She is Yemeni and woman and she made it! #yemen #woman #tawakkolkarman #nobel

@mainoman:

Yemeni women have always been proud, and they have every right to be! But today the world recognizes why #Yemen #tawakkolkarman #nobelprize

@brrhom::

#TawakkolKarman trends worldwide on twitter #Yemen

@OmarMash::

Yemeni female activist Tawakol Karman has today won a Nobel Peace Prize, this is win against Saleh, a win for Yemen & Arab women empowerment

@Saphsaf:

Good Friday for #Yemen and #Peace and #Women and #ArabSpring and #TawakkolKarman our very own Aung San Su Kyi for #democracy

@WomanfromYemen:

what should be remember about #TawakkulKarman is her role in speaking out against injustice & oppression since 2007 #supportyemen #yemen

Afrah Nasser a Yemeni journalist and blogger, now based in Sweden after receiving threats from the regime vloggged her reaction to the news in this video:

@YusraAlA:

Proud of being a woman, Proud of being Yemeni, and proud of Tawakul Karman! Congrats #Yemen #yf

Twakkol Karman's own reaction was quoted:

@OmarMash:

Tawakul Karman: “I am very very happy about this prize. I give the prize to the youth of revolution in Yemen and the Yemeni people.”

@yemen_updates:

Tawwakul: “I dedicate this Prize to all Arab revolutionary in #Tunisia, #Egypt, #Syria & #Libya.” Live interview with her on Suhail TV now.

Yemen, unfortunately, has been associated in the media with terrorism and violence, yet Tawakkol Karman's Noble Prize and Yemen's current revolution managed to associate it with Peace, forever.

@yemen_updates tweeted:

Tawwakul's winning of #NobelPeacePrize will keep making headlines worldwide for a while, breaking down the negative image of #Yemen.

This post is part of our special coverage Yemen Protests 2011.

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