The people of the Oasis of Jemna have been engaged in an inspiring struggle for the right to their ancestral land. Famous for its delicious dates, the oasis was seized by French colonists in 1912, leaving its people as landless peasants; later, the ruling Tunisian elite nationalized the land instead of giving it back to its original and legitimate owners. With the liberalization of the agricultural sector and the generalized corruption and cronyism in the Tunisian economy, the public company that was managing Jemna went bankrupt in 2002. This opened the door to two private investors, who made obscene profits while paying derisory rent to the state.
Emboldened by the Tunisian revolution of 2010-11, the people of Jemna recovered the confiscated land and expelled the two profiteers. What ensued was inspiring: they took control of their livelihoods and began managing their lands and resources collectively, for the benefit of the community.
