BY
IDARA UKPANYANG
The unfolding drama currently unraveling in some countries in North Africa and the Middle East had its genesis in the regions of Sidi Bouzid and Gafseen, in the western part of Tunisia. A 26 year old unemployed graduate street trader, Mohammed Bouazizi set himself ablaze when the local police authorities tried to prevent him from earning a living by seizing his grocery cart. The action of the young man sparked off an unprecedented protest in that country. And by the end of December, the protest had spread across the country to the capital, Tunis where thousands went to the street in solidarity to demand solutions to high unemployment, rising cost of food and basic services. At first, the government responded with the usual repressive tactics of its security apparatus.
Expectedly, a large number of protesters were arrested and hundreds of people were reported killed. Despite these, the protests continued unabated. Many activists from the labor unions, professionals, young politicians, and journalists took part. Social media such as Facebook and Twitter were effectively employed in spite of the severe restrictions imposed on their usage by the government. The continued protests unsettled the authoritarian government of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Caught off balance, he promised some concessions, including full-fledged democratization.
Rather than abate, the pressure for the resignation of the President mounted. Eventually, President Ben Ali fled the country on January 14th 2011 and a transitional unity government was formed. The people’s power revolution in Tunisia has triggered unrest in other countries like Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Algeria and Sudan. The ongoing demonstrations in Egypt are seen as very fundamental because of its position in the region.
The demonstrations in Egypt have heightened with the populace demanding the immediate resignation of President Hosni Mubarak who has been in power for 30 years. Only a few days ago, the Jordan government quickly changed its cabinet to prevent a spillover of the crises in Tunisia, Egypt and Yemen. The messages from all these protests are clear especially for African leaders. First that the continent is tired of sit tight leadership. The clarion call among the protestors was for the leadership to go. Interestingly, even the army and Riot police who were hitherto used to suppress the people have cast their lot on the side of the people. What the people are now demanding for is a genuine process in which they can determine who their leaders are. Closely linked to this, is the fact that, now more than ever before, Africans are vehemently and fearlessly demanding for qualitative leadership. We should not loose sight of the fact that the protest in these countries are purely driven by domestic demands unlike previous ones which were often mixed with regional and other international matters particularly Israeli and the United States policy in the middle East.
Throughout the streets in major cities across the Arab world, No signpost read “death to Israel, America, or global imperialism.” Rather, it was a demand for change, freedom, social justice, and a stop to corruption. One face is clear that, African leaders, very often do not feel the pulse of the people while carrying out certain economic reforms. The recent upraising in these African countries is therefore a clarion call for our leaders to do well to add a human face to every reform. This can be made possible by putting in place palliative measures to cushion the effects of such reforms on the people. No one could have predicted that Tunisians will fight their government to a standstill the way they have demonstrated. Neither could analyst have predicted same for Egypt where President Mubarak has at least for now promised not to take part in the next election. The power of the people should therefore never be undermined, taken for granted nor underestimated.
Source: recorded live from FRCN daily commentary
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