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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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 Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 10:06 am Post subject: Revolution in Tunisia, protests in Egypt, unrest in ME |
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They've been going on for over 2 weeks now. Only Al Jazeera seems to be covering it in the English media. Pretty sad reflection of Western journalism, considering this is the most vocal domestic opposition to an Arab government since the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon.
edits: subject title changed.
Last edited by bucheon bum on Mon Jan 31, 2011 9:26 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Junior
Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Location: the eye
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| Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: Protests, Strikes, and Riots in Tunisia |
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| bucheon bum wrote: |
| Pretty sad reflection of Western journalism, considering this is the most vocal domestic opposition to an Arab government since the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon. |
Western media only cares about hammering Israel. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 8:35 pm Post subject: |
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I read this in Thursday's Foreign Policy: "Yesterday I noted the spread of seemingly unrelated protests and clashes through a diverse array of Arab states -- Tunisia, Jordan, Kuwait, Egypt. Last night, protests spread to Algeria, partly in response to rising prices on basic food items but more deeply by the same combination of economic desperation, fury over perceived corruption, and a blocked political order. There's some evidence that Algerians have been carefully watching what is happening in Tunisia, on al-Jazeera and on the internet. Are we seeing the beginnings of the Obama administration equivalent of the 2005 "Arab Spring", when the protests in Beirut captured popular attention and driven in part by newly powerful satellite television images inspired popular mobilization across the region that some hoped might finally break through the stagnation of Arab autocracy? Will social media play the role of al-Jazeera this time? Will the outcome be any different?"
Obama's 'Arab Spring'?
http://lynch.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/01/06/obamas_arab_spring |
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stilicho25
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
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| Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 8:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Not to be a wet blanket, but I see this going the other way, from secular dictatorships to religious dictatorships. Similiar to Iran in the 70's. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 8:53 am Post subject: |
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| stilicho25 wrote: |
| Not to be a wet blanket, but I see this going the other way, from secular dictatorships to religious dictatorships. Similiar to Iran in the 70's. |
No. The sunni sect doesn't have the type of leadership that shiites do. Sudan is a perfect example of what happens when Islamic fundamentalists take over: at first there is a religious leader at the front of it but he gets pushed aside and all that is left is some BS about Shariah. Everything else is just like before basically. Or is that what you meant? If so, that is very different than Iran, which has a much more structured religious organization tied to the government.
Anyway, Activist Crackdown: Tunisia versus Iran
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In the end, Iranians didn't tweet the Mullahs out of power, but the events of summer 2009 turned the world's - and specifically, the West's - attention to Iran, and as a result, to digital activism and what it can accomplish. And while Twitter may not have been used to coordinate protests, it certainly allowed Iranians and their supporters to share news with the rest of the world.
Now, as Tunisians take to the streets (and to the Internet) to protest unemployment and the oppressive and longstanding Ben Ali regime, the world's attention seems to be elsewhere. More specifically (and perhaps more importantly), the US government--which intervened heavily in Iran, approving circumvention technology for export and famously asking Twitter to halt updates during a critical time period�has not made any public overtures toward Tunisia at this time. |
And of course the USA speaking out against Tunisia's government would have a LOT more legitimacy and be much more effective than in Iran. Why? Because the Iranian government bases a lot of its legitimacy on opposition to the USA while Tunisia depends a lot on Western support.
When oh when will USA foreign policy towards the Islamic world actually get a clue? Someday, insha'allah! |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:11 am Post subject: |
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At least 20 protesters have been killed
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At least 20 people have been killed in clashes with police in a two cities in Tunisia.
Six people were killed and another six wounded in the city of Tala, 200km southwest of the capital Tunis, on Saturday, after security forces opened fire on protesters.
Another 14 people were killed in similar clashes in the Kasserine region, union sources told Al Jazeera.
Belgacem Sayhi, a teacher and trade union activist, told the AFP news agency that the victims in Tala were between 17 and 30 years old, and were killed when the police opened fire on the crowd.
The government has put the death toll after the Tala riots at two.
"The police opened fire in legitimate self-defence and this led to two dead and eight wounded, as well as several wounded among police, three of them seriously," a government statement said. |
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stilicho25
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
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| Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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| I see your point on the organized nature of the shia vs the sunni, but the Sudan is such a basket case its hard to imagine the same thing in Tunisia. I hope your right though, and this has a happy ending. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 9:33 am Post subject: |
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Tunisa Schools Shut Amid Turmoil
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Schools and universities have been shut in Tunisia following weeks of protests over high unemployment and cost of living.
Education ministries gave the order to suspend classes on Tuesday after new clashes broke out in several towns a day earlier.
Fresh clashes broke out on Monday, including on campuses in Tunisia where union officials said one student was wounded and several arrested. Some students called for mass protests on Facebook pages that showed the Tunisian flag stained in blood.
"After the trouble in certain establishments, it has been decided to suspend classes from Tuesday until a new order," education ministries announced. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 8:28 am Post subject: |
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Army Called In as Protests Hit Capital
Congrats NY Times for finally covering the story.
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| TUNIS � Clouds of tear gas floated up this city�s cafe-lined main boulevard on Wednesday as troops swarmed onto downtown streets to tamp down the first major protest to hit the capital since rioting and demonstrations began three weeks ago. |
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Kuros
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
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| Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 1:05 pm Post subject: |
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| More than 30 people had died in the unrest before the day began. |
Sickening.
What is the importance of the interior minister? |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Kuros wrote: |
| Quote: |
| More than 30 people had died in the unrest before the day began. |
Sickening.
What is the importance of the interior minister? |
He's the dude that is in charge of the police and domestic security. In other words, he's the scapegoat for the government's violence. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 12:31 pm Post subject: |
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Tunisia President Not to Run for Re-election
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The Tunisian president has announced in a televised address he will not seek a new term in office.
The announcement by Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who has been in power since 1987, came amid violent protests across the country over unemployement and rising food prices.
He said he will not seek re-election when his presidency comes to an end in 2014.
Ben Ali ordered reduction in the prices of bread, milk and sugar, and also instructed security forces to stop using firearms against protesters in his speech on Thursday evening.
"Today's speech shows definitely a major shift in Tunisia's history," a Tunisian activist told Al Jazeera, speaking from Tunis under condition of anonymity.
"Ben Ali talked for the third time in the past month to the people. Something unprecedented, we barely knew this guy," he said.
It was noteworthy that, for the first time on Thursday, Ben Ali spoke in the Tunisian dialect instead of Arabic. |
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BoholDiver
Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 6:50 pm Post subject: Re: Protests, Strikes, and Riots in Tunisia |
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Hammering Israel? What western media are you talking about? I see a lot of demonizing of Palestine and ignoring what kind of circumstances they are forced to live under.
| Junior wrote: |
| bucheon bum wrote: |
| Pretty sad reflection of Western journalism, considering this is the most vocal domestic opposition to an Arab government since the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon. |
Western media only cares about hammering Israel. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 9:33 pm Post subject: Re: Protests, Strikes, and Riots in Tunisia |
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| BoholDiver wrote: |
Hammering Israel? What western media are you talking about? I see a lot of demonizing of Palestine and ignoring what kind of circumstances they are forced to live under.
| Junior wrote: |
| bucheon bum wrote: |
| Pretty sad reflection of Western journalism, considering this is the most vocal domestic opposition to an Arab government since the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon. |
Western media only cares about hammering Israel. |
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Junior is a little crazy in his affinity for Israel. Pay him no heed on that matter. |
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BoholDiver
Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 10:43 pm Post subject: Re: Protests, Strikes, and Riots in Tunisia |
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Seems that way. What's the opposite of a self-loathing jew?
| bucheon bum wrote: |
| BoholDiver wrote: |
Hammering Israel? What western media are you talking about? I see a lot of demonizing of Palestine and ignoring what kind of circumstances they are forced to live under.
| Junior wrote: |
| bucheon bum wrote: |
| Pretty sad reflection of Western journalism, considering this is the most vocal domestic opposition to an Arab government since the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon. |
Western media only cares about hammering Israel. |
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Junior is a little crazy in his affinity for Israel. Pay him no heed on that matter. |
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