THE ARAB SPRING: SPECIAL REFERNCE TO SYRIA AND EGYPT
Since December 2010 the world has watched demonstrations and protests spread across countries in North Africa and Middle East. The pro-democracy movements rose up against the dictatorial regimes and corrupt leaders who had ruled for decades in some cases. Someone called in for the revolutionary event “THE ARAB SPRING” and the phrase stuck. The specificity of these Arab revolutions is that it has been a popular uprising: leaderless and uncompromising which demands for a complete change. The regions exceptionalism was becoming not just a human disaster but also a moral embarrassment.
Tunisia, being the first among all, declared war against the dictatorial out caster, followed in full force by Egypt, Syria, Libya and many more countries. The revolt gathered the masses through social networking as even the media was controlled by the bureaucrats and power laden people. A silver lining has spread across the dark clouds of these countries, where, apart from black gold (crude oil) there were no strong industries which could mount the economy and pave the way to curb inflation and look into the socio-economic and political disturbances.
What catalyzed Arab Spring was the self immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi. He was a Tunisian vendor who was solely responsible for supporting his family members. He was a good human being who would always give free food to the poor and needy families in his town. He was facing police harassments for years. The turning point came on 10 December 2010 when the police confiscated his merchandise which he had purchased on credit the night before and humiliated him. Bouazizi went to the Governor’s office to complain but the governor refused to meet him. In response to this he threatened to set himself on fire to protest against the oppressors. His last words were, “How do you expect me to make a living?”. In absence of response he set himself on fire but he did not die...