Spring In The Arab World: Reflections A Decade Later

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The title may be a little bit misleading but I promise you, this post has nothing to do with Spring the season. More than a decade ago, the Republic of Tunisia not only changed her trajectory but that of Egypt, Syria and Yemen as well. To put it simply, the Arab region was impacted by the courageous act of Mohamed Bouazizi, a 26-year-old street vendor who was humiliated and harassed when Municipal officials confiscated his wheelbarrow of produce and as a result, he set himself on fire in protest.  

This act was a reflection of years of brewing frustration and hopelessness amongst the Tunisian people as there seemed to be no hope nor escape out of the poverty, high cost of living, unemployment as well as from the harsh hand of authoritarianism practiced by President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. 

Shortly after the sparking of these protests, President Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia for safety and that, dear reader, made him the first leader in the Arab world to be pushed out of power by mere protests. That is history, right there. Upon witnessing the power that the layman possesses, citizens of Egypt, Syria and Yemen held a number of protests against corruption, poverty and the harsh rule of their governments as these were not unique to Tunisia.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was not exempted from these revolts, unfortunately for the country, it didn't take long before there was a Civil War with American, British and French militaries interfering and killing Gaddafi on the 20th of October 2011. 

Have these acts yielded the intended results? Only the citizens of Libya can answer this as truthfully as possible but it is important that I let you know that more than 11 years later, Eastern-and Western-based administrations are at loggerheads. 

Protesting as a form of expressing dissatisfaction to government is not a new phenomenon nor is it something humanity will move away from anytime soon. It is also the only language the South African government understands.
Princess Fikile Monareng is a BA in International Relations graduate and currently, an LLB student who has an interest in not only the Law but in History and Politics as well. Outside of class, she takes long walks that lead nowhere really with her sweet dog, Rosa and in the process, a few beautiful pictures come out as a result. Naturally, coffee and books are of importance to her.

Comments

  1. Anonymous23 September 2022 at 15:47

    Naturally she would be the most gentle yet vicious being you'll ever meet°♡°

    ReplyDelete
  2. The World Through My Eyes23 September 2022 at 16:28

    You are very kind, I appreciate this.

    ReplyDelete

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