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9/23/13 Arab Spring - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring

ArabSpring

Clockwise from top left: Protesters in Tahrir

Square in Cairo; Demonstrators marching through

Habib Bourguiba Avenue in Tunis; Political dissident

in Sana'a; Protesters gathering in Pearl Roundabout

in Manama; Mass Demonstration in Douma;

Demonstrators in Bayda.

Date 18 December 2010 present

(2 years, 9 monthsand 4 days)

Location Arab world

CausesAuthoritarianism

Demographic structural factors

Political corruption

Human rights violations

InflationKleptocracy

Sectarianism

Unemployment

Self-immolation of Mohamed

Bouazizi

GoalsDemocracy

Free elections

rab Springrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Arab Spring (Arabic: , ar-rab al-arab) is aerm for the revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests

(both non-violent and violent), riots, and civil wars in the Araborld that began on 18 December 2010.

To date, rulers have been forcedfrom power in Tunisia, [1]Egypt(twice),[2]Libya, [3]and Yemen; [4]civil upr isings have erupted in

ahrain[5]and Syria; [6]major protests have broken out inlgeria,[7]Iraq, [8]Jordan, [9]Kuwait, [10]Morocco, [11]and

Sudan;[12]and minor pro tests have occurred in Mauritania,[13]

Oman,[14]Saudi Arabia, [15]Djibouti, [16]Western Sahara, [17]

and the Palestinian Authority.

elated events outside of the Arab World includedprotests in

ranian Khuzestan by the Arab minority in April 2011[18]an dorder clashes in Israel in May 2011.[19]Weapons and T uareg

fighters returning from the Libyan civil war stoked a simmeringconflict in Mali which has been described as "fallout" from the

rabSpring in North Africa.[20]The sectarian clashes inebanon were described as a spillover violence of theSyr ianprising and hence the regional Arab Spring.[21]

The protests have shared some techniques of civil resistance insustained campaigns involving strikes, demonstrations, marches,

and rallies, as well as the effective use of social media[22][23]

toorganize, communicate, andraise aw arenessin the face ofstateattempts at repression and Internet censorship.[24][25]

any Arab Spring demonstrations have been metwith vio lentesponses from authorities,[26][27][28] as well as from pro-

government militias and counter-demonstrators. These attacksave been answered withviolence from protestors in some

cases.[29][30][31] A major slogan of the demonstrators in the Araborld has beenAsh-sha`b yurid isqat an-nizam("the people

ant to bring down the regime").[32]

Some observers have drawn comparisons between the ArabSpring movements and the Revolutions of 1989 (also known ashe "Autumn of Nations") that swept through Eastern Europe andhe Second World, in terms of their scale and

significance.[33][34][35] Others, however, have pointed out thathere are several key differences between the movements, such

as the desired outcomes and the organizational role of internetechnology in the Arab revolutions.[36][37][38]
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring 2

Human rights

Employment

Regime change

Islamism

MethodsCivil disobedience

Civil resistanceDefection

Demonstrations

Internet activism

Protest camps

Revolution

Riots

Self-immolation

Sit-ins

Strike actions

Urban warfare

Uprising

Status Ongoing

Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben

Ali ousted, and government overthrown.

Egyptian Presidents Hosni Mubarak and

Mohammed Morsi ousted, and

governments overthrown. Ongoing post-coup political violence.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi killed

after a civil war with foreign military

intervention, and government

overthrown.

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh

ousted, power handed to a national unity

government.

Syria experiences a full-scale civil war

between the government and op position

forces.

Civil uprising against the government of

Bahrain despite unsatisfy ing governmen

changes.

Kuwait, Lebanon and Oman

implementing government changes in

response to protests.

Morocco, Jordan implementing

Contents

1 Etymology2 Background

2.1 Causes2.2 Recent history

3 Overview3.1 Summary of conflicts by country4 Major events

4.1 Tunisia4.2 Egypt4.3 Libya4.4 Yemen4.5 Syria4.6 Bahrain

5 Concurrent incidents

6 Analysis6.1 Ethnic scope6.2 Impact of the Arab Spring6.3 International reactions6.4 Social media and the Arab Spring

7 See also8 References9 Further reading10 External links

tymology

The term "Arab Spring" is an allusion to the Revolutions of 1848,hich is sometimes referred to as "Springtime of the People", and

he Prague Spring in 1968. In the aftermath of the Iraq War itas used by various commentators who anticipated a majorrab movement towards democratization.[39]The first specific

se of the termArab Springas used to denote these events mayave started with the American political journalForeign

Policy.[40]Marc Lynch, referring to his article in ForeignPolicy,[41]writes "Arab Springa term I may have

nintentionally coined in a January 6, 2011 article".[42]Josephassad onAl Jazeerasaid the term was "part of a US strategy

of controlling [the movement's] aims and goals" and directing itowards American-style liberal democracy.[40]Due to the

electoral success of Islamist parties following the protests in manyrab countries, the events have also come to be known as

"Islamist Spring" or "Islamist Winter".[43][44]
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constitutional reforms in response to

protests.

Ongoing protests in Saudi Arabia, Sudan

Mauritania and some other countries.

Casualties

Death(s) 122,418127,431+

(International estimate,

ongoing;see table below)

ackground

Causes

The Arab spring is widely believed to have been instigated bydissatisfaction with the rule of local governments, though someave speculated that wide gaps in income levels may have had a

and as well.[45]

Numerous factors have led to the protests,ncluding issues such as dictatorship or absolute monarchy,uman rights violations, political corruption (demonstrated by

ikileaks diplomatic cables),[46]economic decline,nemployment, extreme poverty, and a number of demographic structural factors,[47]such as a large percentage of

educated but dissatisfied youth within the population.[48]Also, some - like Slovenian philosopher Slavoj iek - namehe 20092010 Iranian election protests as an additional reason behind the Arab Spring.[49]The Kyrgyz Revolution of010 might also have been a factor influencing its beginning. [50]Catalysts for the revolts in all Northern African andersian Gulf countries have included the concentration of wealth in the hands of autocrats in power for decades,

nsufficient transparency of its redistribution, corruption, and especially the refusal of the youth to accept the status

quo.[51]Increasing food prices and global famine rates have also been a significant factor, [52][53] as they involve threatso food security worldwide and prices that approach levels of the 20072008 world food price crisis. [54]

n recent decades rising living standards and literacy rates, as well as the increased availability of higher education, havesulted in an improved Human Development Index in the affected countries.[citation needed]The tension between risin

aspirations and a lack of government reform may have been a contributing factor in all of the protests.[51][55][56] Manyof the Internet-savvy youth of these countries have, increasingly over the years, [citation needed]been viewing autocratsand absolute monarchies as anachronisms. An Oman university professor, Al-Najma Zidjaly, referred to this upheavalas youthquake.[51]

Tunisia and Egypt, the first to witness major uprisings, differ from other North African and Middle Eastern nations suchas Algeria and Libya in that they lack significant oil revenue, and were thus unable to make concessions to calm theasses.[51]

The relative success of the democratic Republic of Turkey, with its substantially free and vigorously contested buteaceful elections, fast-growing but liberal economy, secular constitution but Islamist government, created a model (the

Turkish model) if not a motivation for protestors in neighbouring states.[57]This view, however, has been contested andut into perspective by recent waves of anti-government protests in Turkey.

ecent history

The current wave of protests is not an entirely new phenomenon, resulting in part from the activities of dissident activisas well as members of a variety of social and union organizations that have been active for years in Tunisia, Algeria,

gypt, and other countries in the area, as well as in the territory of Western Sahara.[58]

evolts have been occurring in the Arab area since the 1800s, but only recently have these revolts been redirected froforeign rulers to the Arab states themselves. The revolution in the summer of 2011 marked the end of the old phaseational liberation from colonial rule; now revolutions are inwardly directed at the problems of Arab society.[59]
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Tunisia experienced a series of conflicts over the past three years, the most notable occurring in the mining area of Gafsn 2008, where protests continued for many months. These protests included rallies, sit-ins, and strikes, during whichhere were two fatalities, an unspecified number of wounded, and dozens of arrests.[58][60] The Egyptian laborovement had been strong for years, with more than 3,000 labor actions since 2004. [61]One important demonstrationas an attempted workers' strike on 6 April 2008 at the state-run textile factories of al-Mahalla al-Kubra, just outside

Cairo. The idea for this type of demonstration spread throughout the country, promoted by computer-literate workingclass youths and their supporters among middle-class college students.[61]A Facebook page, set up to promote thestrike, attracted tens of thousands of followers. The government mobilized to break the strike through infiltration and ri

olice, and while the regime was somewhat successful in forestalling a strike, dissidents formed the "6 April Committeeof youths and labor activists, which became one of the major forces calling for the anti-Mubarak demonstration on 25anuary in Tahrir Square.[61]

n Algeria, discontent had been building for years over a number of issues. In February 2008, United Statesmbassador Robert Ford wrote in a leaked diplomatic cable that Algeria is 'unhappy' with long-standing political

alienation; that social discontent persisted throughout the country, with food strikes occurring almost every week; thathere were demonstrations every day somewhere in the country; and that the Algerian government was corrupt and

fragile.[62]Some have claimed that during 2010 there were as many as '9,700 riots and unrests' throughout thecountry.[63]Many protests focused on issues such as education and health care, while others cited rampant

corruption.[64]

n Western Sahara, the Gdeim Izik protest camp was erected 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) south-east of El Aain by a groupof young Sahrawis on 9 October 2010. Their intention was to demonstrate against labor discrimination, unemploymentooting of resources, and human rights abuses.[65]The camp contained between 12,000 and 20,000 inhabitants, but onNovember 2010 it was destroyed and its inhabitants evicted by Moroccan security forces. The security forces faced

strong opposition from some young Sahrawi civilians, and rioting soon spread to El Aain and other towns within theerritory, resulting in an unknown number of injuries and deaths. Violence against Sahrawis in the aftermath of therotests was cited as a reason for renewed protests months later, after the start of the Arab Spring. [66]

The catalyst for the current escalation of protests was the self-immolation of Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi. Unable to finork and selling fruit at a roadside stand, on 17 December 2010, a municipal inspector confiscated his wares. An hourater he doused himself with gasoline and set himself afire. His death on 4 January 2011[67]brought together variousgroups dissatisfied with the existing system, including many unemployed, political and human rights activists, labor, tradnionists, students, professors, lawyers, and others to begin the Tunisian revolution.[58]

Overview

Main article: Timeline of the Arab Spring

The series of protests and demonstrations across the Middle East and North Africa that commenced in 2010 hasecome known as the "Arab Spring",[68][69][70] and sometimes as the "Arab Spring and Winter", [71]"Arabwakening"[72][73][74] or "Arab Uprisings" [75][76]even though not all the participants in the protests are Arab. It was

sparked by the first protests that occurred in Tunisia on 18 December 2010 in Sidi Bouzid, following Mohamedouazizi's self-immolation in protest of police corruption and ill treatment.[77][78] With the success of the protests in

Tunisia, a wave of unrest sparked by the Tunisian "Burning Man" struck Algeria, Jordan, Egypt, and Yemen,[79]thenspread to other countries. The largest, most organised demonstrations have often occurred on a "day of rage", usually

riday afternoon prayers.[80][81][82] The protests have also triggered similar unrest outside the region.
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s of September 2012, governments have been overthrown in four countries. Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Benli fled to Saudi Arabia on 14 January 2011 following the Tunisian revolution protests. In Egypt, President Hosniubarak resigned on 11 February 2011 after 18 days of massive protests, ending his 30-year presidency. The Libyan

eader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown on 23 August 2011, after the National Transitional Council (NTC) tookcontrol of Bab al-Azizia. He was killed on 20 October 2011, in his hometown of Sirte after the NTC took control ofhe city. Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh signed the GCC power-transfer deal in which a presidential election waseld, resulting in his successor Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi formally replacing him as the president of Yemen on 27ebruary 2012, in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

uring this period of regional unrest, several leaders announced their intentions to step down at the end of their currenterms. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir announced that he would not seek re-election in 2015,[83]as did Iraqi Prim

inister Nouri al-Maliki, whose term ends in 2014,[84]although there have been increasingly violent demonstrationsdemanding his immediate resignation.[85]Protests in Jordan have also caused the sacking of four successivegovernments[86][87]by King Abdullah. [88]The popular unrest in Kuwait has also resulted in resignation of Prime

inister Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah cabinet.[89]

The geopolitical implications of the protests have drawn global attention,[90]including the suggestion that somerotesters may be nominated for the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.[91]Tawakel Karman from Yemen was one of the three

aureates of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize as a prominent leader in the Arab Spring. In December 2011, Timemagazineamed "The Protester" its "Person of the Year".[92]Another award was noted when the Spanish photographer Samuelranda won the 2011 World Press Photo award for his image of a Yemeni woman holding an injured family member,

aken during the civil uprising in Yemen on 15 October 2011.[93]

Government overthrown Civil war Protests and governmental changes

Sustained civil disorder and governmental changes (Bahrain)

Major protests Minor protests Related crises outside the Arab world

Algeria

Libya Egypt

Sudan

Mauritania

TunisiaMorocco

WesternSahara

Saudi Arabia

Jordan

LebanonIsraeli border

Palestine

SyriaIraq

KuwaitBahrain

Oman

Yemen

Djibouti

Mali

Iran
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Khuzestan_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Mali_conflicthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Djiboutian_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Yemeni_revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Omani_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahraini_uprising_(2011%E2%80%93present)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuwaiti_protests_(2011%E2%80%93present)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Iraqi_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_civil_warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Palestinian_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Israeli_border_demonstrationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Lebanese_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordanian_protests_(2011%E2%80%93present)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%9313_Saudi_Arabian_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Western_Saharan_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%9312_Moroccan_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisian_revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%9313_Mauritanian_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudanese_protests_(2011%E2%80%93present)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_revolution_of_2011http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libyan_civil_warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010%E2%80%9312_Algerian_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Arab_Spring_map_07_2013.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_worldhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Press_Photohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Arandahttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Person_of_the_Yearhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_(magazine)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Nobel_Peace_Prizehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tawakel_Karmanhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Peace_Prizehttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasser_Mohammed_Al-Ahmed_Al-Sabahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuwaithttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_II_of_Jordanhttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordanhttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nouri_al-Malikihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraqhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omar_al-Bashirhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abd_al-Rab_Mansur_al-Hadihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Abdullah_Salehhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirtehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bab_al-Aziziahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Transitional_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muammar_Gaddafihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosni_Mubarakhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Egypthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisian_revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zine_El_Abidine_Ben_Ali


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Summary of conflicts by country

Country Date s tarte dStatus of

protestsOutcome Death toll Situation

Tunisia 18 December 2010

Governmentoverthrownon 14January 2011

Overthrow of Zine El Abidine

Ben Ali; Ben Ali flees into

exile in Saudi Arabia

Resignation of Prime

Minister Ghannouchi[94]

Dissolution of the political

police[95]

Dissolution of the RCD,the former ruling party ofTunisia and liquidation of

its assets[96]Release of political

prisoners[97]

Elections to a ConstituentAssembly on 23 October

2011[98]

338[99]Government

overthrown

Algeria29 December 2010

Ended inJanuary 2012

Lifting of the 19-year-oldstate of

emergency[100][101]8[102] Major protests

Jordan 14 January 2011

On February 2011, KingAbdullah II dismissesPrime Minister Rifai and

his cabinet[103]

On October 2011, Abdullahdismisses Prime MinisterBakhit and his cabinet aftercomplaints of slow

progress on promisedreforms[104]

On April 2012, as theprotests continues, Al-Khasawneh resigned, andthe King appoints Fayez al-Tarawneh as the newPrime Minister of

Jordan[105]

On October 2012, KingAbdullah dissolves the

3[107]Protes ts and

governmental

changes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%932013_Jordanian_protestshttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fayez_al-Tarawnehhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awn_Shawkat_Al-Khasawnehhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marouf_al-Bakhithttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samir_Rifaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_II_of_Jordanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010%E2%80%932012_Algerian_protestshttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algeriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisian_revolutionhttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisian_Constituent_Assembly_election,_2011http://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_Democratic_Rallyhttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Ghannouchihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zine_El_Abidine_Ben_Alihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisia


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parliament for new earlyelections, and appointsAbdullah Ensour as thenew Prime Minister of

Jordan[106]

Oman 17 January 2011Ended inMay 2011

Economic concessions bySultan Qaboos[108][109]

Dismissal of

ministers[110][111]

Granting of lawmakingpowers to Oman's elected

legislature[112]

2

6[113][114][115]

Protes ts and

governmental

changes

Egypt 25 January 2011

Governmentoverthrownon 11February2011. ThereplacementIslamistgovernmentwas oustedby military.Ongoingviolence inresponse tothe coup.

Overthrow of Hosni Mubarak;

Mubarak s entenced to life in

prison for ordering the killing

of protesters. Protests over

the imposition of an Islamist-

backed constitution by the

Muslim Brotherhood and

Mohamed Morsi precipitate a

coup d'tat by the military.

Timeline of events

Resignation of PrimeMinister(s) Nazif andShafik[116]

Assumption of power by

the Armed Forces[117]

Suspension of theConstitution, dissolution of

the Parliament[118]

Disbanding of StateSecurity Investigations

Service[119]

Dissolution of the NDP,the former ruling party ofEgypt and transfer of its

assets to the state[120]

Prosecution of Mubarak,his family and his former

ministers[121][122][123]

Lifting of the 31-year-old

state of emergency[124]

Democratic election held to

1,700[61]

Government

overthrown;

Replacement

government

overthrown
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Egyptian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Egyptian_revolutionhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_presidential_election,_2012http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Democratic_Party_(Egypt)http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Security_Investigations_Servicehttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_Egypthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Egypthttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Council_of_the_Armed_Forceshttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Shafikhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Nazifhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Egyptian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Morsihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_Brotherhood_in_Egypthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosni_Mubarakhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Omani_protestshttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qabooshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omanhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_Ensourhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordanian_parliamentary_election,_2013


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replace Mubarak as thenew president of Egypt;Mohamed Morsi elected

and inaugurated[125]

Morsi removed by militaryin a coup d'tat followingmonths of major protests.Ongoing political

violence in response tothe military coup.

Yemen27 January 2011

Governmentoverthrownon 27February2012

Overthrow of Ali Abdullah

Saleh; Saleh granted immunity

from prosecution

Resignation of PrimeMinister MujawarResignation of MPs from

the ruling party[126]Occupation of severalareas of Yemeni territoryby al-Qaeda and HouthirebelsRestructure of the militaryforces by sacking several

of its leaders[127]

Approval of Saleh'simmunity from prosecution

by Yemeni legislators[128]

Presidential election held toreplace Saleh as the newpresident of Yemen; AbdRabbuh Mansur Al-Hadielected and inaugurated

2,000[129]Government

overthrown

Djibouti28 January 2011

Ended inMarch 2011 2

[130] Minor protests

Somalia28 January 2011

Ended inJune 2012 2

[130] Minor protests

Sudan 30 January 2011 OngoingPresident Bashirannounces he will not seek

another term in 2015[131]14[132][133][134] Minor protests

Iraq 23 December 2012 Ongoing

Prime Minister Malikiannounces that he will not

run for a 3rd term;[135]

Resignation of provincial11[137] Major protests
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%932013_Iraqi_protestshttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nouri_al-Malikihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraqhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%932013_Sudanese_protestshttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omar_al-Bashirhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudanhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somaliahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Djiboutian_protestshttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djiboutihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Yemeni_revolutionhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abd_Rabbuh_Mansur_Al-Hadihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yemeni_presidential_election,_2012http://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Yemenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houthihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaeda_in_the_Arabian_Peninsulahttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_People%27s_Congress_(Yemen)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Muhammad_Mujawarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Abdullah_Salehhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yemenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_violence_in_Egypt,_2013http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012%E2%80%9313_Egyptian_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Egyptian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tathttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Morsi


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governors and local

authorities[136]

Bahrain14 February 2011 Ongoing

Economic concessions by

King Hamad[138]

Release of political

prisoners[139]

Negotiations with Shiarepresentatives[140]

GCC intervention at therequest of the Governmentof BahrainHead of the NationalSecurity Apparatus

removed from post[141]

Formation of a committeeto implement BICI report

recommendations

[142]

120[143]

Sustained civil

disorder and

government

changes

Libya 17 February 2011

Government

overthrownon 23 August2011

Overthrow of Muammar

Gaddafi; Gaddafi killed by

rebel forces

Government defeated byarmed revolt with UN-mandated military

intervention[144]

Assumption of interimcontrol by the NationalTransitional CouncilBeginning of sporadic low-level fighting and

clashes[145]

Elections to a GeneralNational Congress on 7July 2012

25,000-30,000+[146] Governmentoverthrown

Kuwait19 February 2011

Resignation of PrimeMinister NasserMohammed Al-Ahmed Al-

Sabah[147]

Dissolution of the

Parliament[148]

0[149]Protes ts and

governmental

changes

Political concessions by

King Mohammed VI;[150]
http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed_VI_of_Moroccohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuwaiti_protests_(2011%E2%80%93present)http://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_Kuwaithttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasser_Mohammed_Al-Ahmed_Al-Sabahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuwaithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libyan_civil_warhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_National_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libyan_General_National_Congress_election,_2012http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%93present_Libyan_factional_fightinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Transitional_Councilhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_military_intervention_in_Libyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_1973http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muammar_Gaddafihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahraini_uprising_(2011%E2%80%93present)http://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahrain_Independent_Commission_of_Inquiryhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_Bahrainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperation_Council_for_the_Arab_States_of_the_Gulfhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiahttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamad_ibn_Isa_Al_Khalifahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahrainhttp://-/?-


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Morocco20 February 2011 Ended in

MarchApril2012

Referendum onconstitutional reforms;Respect to civil rights and

an end to corruption[151]

6[152] Protes ts andgovernmental

changes

Mauritania25 February 2011 Ongoing 3[153] Minor protests

Lebanon27 February 2011 Ended inDecember

20110

Protes ts andgovernmental

changes

SaudiArabia

11 March 2011 Ongoing

Economic concessions by

King Abdullah[154][155]

Male-only municipalelections held 29

September 2011[156][157]

King Abdullah announceswomen's approval to voteand be elected in 2015municipal elections and tobe nominated to the Shura

Council[158]

24[159] Minor protests

Syria 15 March 2011 Ongoing

Release of some political

prisoners[160][161]

Dismissal of Provincial

Governors[162][163]

Resignation of theGovernment[164]

End of Emergency LawResignations from

Parliament[165]

Large defections from theSyrian army and clashesbetween soldiers and

defectors[166]

Formation of the FreeSyrian ArmyThe Free Syrian Armytakes controls of largeswathes of land acrossSyria.Battles between the Syriangovernment's army and theFree Syrian Army in manygovernorates.Formation of the Syrian

National Council[167]

110,000+[168] Ongoing civil wa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_civil_warhttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_National_Councilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Syrian_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Syrian_Armyhttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%932013_Saudi_Arabian_protestshttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consultative_Assembly_of_Saudi_Arabiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabian_municipal_elections,_2015http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_of_Saudi_Arabiahttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabian_municipal_elections,_2011http://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_of_Saudi_Arabiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_civil_war_spillover_in_Lebanonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%932013_Mauritanian_protestshttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauritaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%932012_Moroccan_protestshttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moroccan_constitutional_referendum,_2011http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morocco


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Syria suspended from theArab LeagueSeveral countries recognizeSyrian government in exileKurdish fighters enter thewar by mid-2013

Iran 15 April 2011Ended on 18

April 2011

12 Major protests

Israel-Syria

15 May 2011Ended on 5June 2011 1240

[169][170] Major protests

Stateof Palestine

4 September 2012 finished

Salam Fayyad states that

he is "'willing to resign"[171]

Fayyad ultimately resigns

on 13 April 2013.[172]

0Protes ts and

governmental

changes

Total death toll and other consequences:

129,106

134,239+

(Internationalestimate,ongoing, ~ 3/4in Syria)

5Governmentoverthrown(Egypttwice)6 Protests &governmentchanges5 Minorprotests4 Major

protests1 Civildisorder andgovernmentchanges2 Civil wars

ajor events

Tunisia

Main article: Tunisian revolution

ollowing the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi in Sidi Bouzid, a series of increasingly violent street demonstrationhrough December 2010 ultimately led to the ousting of longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on 14 January 201

The demonstrations were preceded by high unemployment, food inflation, corruption,[173]lack of freedom of speechand other forms of political freedom,[174]and poor living conditions. The protests constituted the most dramatic wave osocial and political unrest in Tunisia in three decades,[175][176] and have resulted in scores of deaths and injuries, most o

hich were the result of action by police and security forces against demonstrators. Ben Ali fled into exile in Saudi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabiahttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_conditionshttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_freedomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speechhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_inflationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zine_El_Abidine_Ben_Alihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Tunisiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidi_Bouzidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Bouazizihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisian_revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Palestinian_protestshttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Palestinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Israeli_border_demonstrationshttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Khuzestan_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_in_exilehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Coalition_for_Syrian_Revolutionary_and_Opposition_Forceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_League


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Protesters in downtown Tunis on 14January 2011

Celebrations in Tahrir Square afterOmar Suleiman's statementconcerning Hosni Mubarak'sresignation

rabia, ending his 23 years in power.[177][178]

state of emergency was declared and a caretaker coalition government was created following Ben Ali's departure,hich included members of Ben Ali's party, the Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD), as well as opposition figures

from other ministries. However, the five newly appointed non-RCD ministers resigned almost immediately.[179][180] Asa result of continued daily protests, on 27 January Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi reshuffled the government,emoving all former RCD members other than himself, and on 6 February the former ruling party was suspended;[181]

ater, on 9 March, it was dissolved.[182]Following further public protests,Ghannouchi himself resigned on 27 February, and Beji Caid el Sebsi became

rime Minister.

On 23 October, citizens voted in the first post-revolution election to electepresentatives to a 217-member constituent assembly that would beesponsible for the new constitution.[183]The leading Islamist party, Ennahda,on 37% of the vote, and managed to elect 42 women to the Constituentssembly.[184]

Egypt

Main article: 2011 Egyptian revolution

nspired by the uprising in Tunisia and prior to his entry as a central figure ingyptian politics, potential presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradeiarned of a "Tunisia-style explosion" in Egypt.[185]

rotests in Egypt began on 25 January 2011 and ran for 18 days. Beginningaround midnight on 28 January, the Egyptian government attempted,somewhat successfully, to eliminate the nation's Internet access,[25]in order

o inhibit the protesters' ability use media activism to organize through socialedia.[186]Later that day, as tens of thousands protested on the streets ofgypt's major cities, President Hosni Mubarak dismissed his government,

ater appointing a new cabinet. Mubarak also appointed the first Viceresident in almost 30 years.

The U.S. embassy and international students began a voluntary evacuation near the end of January, as violence andumors of violence escalated.[187] [188]

On 10 February, Mubarak ceded all presidential power to Vice President Omar Suleiman, but soon thereafterannounced that he would remain as President until the end of his term. [189]However, protests continued the next day,

and Suleiman quickly announced that Mubarak had resigned from the presidency and transferred power to the Armedorces of Egypt.[190]The military immediately dissolved the Egyptian Parliament, suspended the Constitution of Egypt,

and promised to lift the nation's thirty-year "emergency laws". A civilian, Essam Sharaf, was appointed as Primeinister of Egypt on 4 March to widespread approval among Egyptians in Tahrir Square. [191]Violent protests

owever, continued through the end of 2011 as many Egyptians expressed concern about the Supreme Council of thermed Forces' perceived sluggishness in instituting reforms and their grip on power. [192]

osni Mubarak and his former interior minister Habib al-Adli were convicted to life in prison on the basis of their failuro stop the killings during the first six days of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution. [193]His successor, Mohamed Mursi, was

sworn in as Egypt's first democratically elected president before judges at the Supreme Constitutional Court. [194]Fresh
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Thousands of demonstrators gather iBayda

rotests erupted in Egypt on 22 November 2012. On 3 July 2013, the military overthrew the replacement governmentand President Morsi was removed from power.[195]

Libya

Main article: Libyan civil war

nti-government protests began in Libya on 15 February 2011. By 18

ebruary the opposition controlled most of Benghazi, the country's second-argest city. The government dispatched elite troops and militia in an attempto recapture it, but they were repelled. By 20 February, protests had spreado the capital Tripoli, leading to a television address by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi,ho warned the protestors that their country could descend into civil war.

The rising death toll, numbering in the thousands, drew internationalcondemnation and resulted in the resignation of several Libyan diplomats,along with calls for the government's dismantlement.[196]

midst ongoing efforts by demonstrators and rebel forces to wrest control of

Tripoli from the Jamahiriya, the opposition set up an interim government inenghazi to oppose Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's rule.[197][198] However, despite initial opposition success, governmenforces subsequently took back much of the Mediterranean coast.

On 17 March, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 was adopted, authorising a no-fly zone over Libya,and "all necessary measures" to protect civilians. Two days later, France, the United States and the United Kingdomntervened in Libya with a bombing campaign against pro-Gaddafi forces. A coalition of 27 states from Europe and the

iddle East soon joined the intervention. The forces were driven back from the outskirts of Benghazi, and the rebelsounted an offensive, capturing scores of towns across the coast of Libya. The offensive stalled however, and a

counter-offensive by the government retook most of the towns, until a stalemate was formed between Brega andjdabiya, the former being held by the government and the latter in the hands of the rebels. Focus then shifted to the

est of the country, where bitter fighting continued. After a three-month-long battle, a loyalist siege of rebel-heldisrata, the third largest city in Libya, was broken in large part due to coalition air strikes. The four major fronts of

combat were generally considered to be the Nafusa Mountains, the Tripolitanian coast, the Gulf of Sidra,[199]and thesouthern Libyan Desert.[200]

n late August, anti-Gaddafi fighters captured Tripoli, scattering Gaddafi's government and marking the end of his 42ears of power. Many institutions of the government, including Gaddafi and several top government officials, regrouped

n Sirte, which Gaddafi declared to be Libya's new capital.[201]Others fled to Sabha, Bani Walid, and remote reachesof the Libyan Desert, or to surrounding countries.[202][203] However, Sabha fell in late September, [204]Bani Walid wascaptured after a grueling siege weeks later,[205]and on 20 October, fighters under the aegis of the National Transitiona

Council seized Sirte, killing Gaddafi in the process.[206]

emen

Main article: 2011 Yemeni revolution

rotests occurred in many towns in both the north and south of Yemen starting in mid-January 2011. demonstratorsnitially protested against governmental proposals to modify the constitution of Yemen, unemployment and economicconditions,[207]and corruption, [208]but their demands soon included a call for the resignation of President Ali AbdullahSaleh,[208][209][210] who had been facing internal opposition from his closest advisors since 2009. [211]
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Protests in Sana'a

major demonstration of over 16,000 protesters took place in Sana'a on 27 January 2011, [212]and soon thereafteruman rights activist and politician Tawakel Karman called for a "Day of Rage" on 3 February.[213]According toinhua News, organizers were calling for a million protesters.[214]In response to the planned protest, Ali Abdullah

Saleh stated that he would not seek another presidential term in 2013.[215]On 3 February, 20,000 protestersdemonstrated against the government in Sana'a,[216][217] others participatedn a "Day of Rage" in Aden[218]that was called for by Tawakel Karman, [213]

hile soldiers, armed members of the General People's Congress, and many

rotestors held a pro-government rally in Sana'a.[219]

Concurrent with theesignation of Egyptian president Mubarak, Yemenis again took to the streetsrotesting President Saleh on 11 February, in what has been dubbed a

"Friday of Rage".[220]The protests continued in the days following despiteclashes with government advocates.[221]In a "Friday of Anger" held on 18

ebruary, tens of thousands of Yemenis took part in anti-governmentdemonstrations in the major cities of Sana'a, Taiz, and Aden. Protestscontinued over the following months, especially in the three major cities, and

riefly intensified in late May into urban warfare between Hashid tribesmenand army defectors allied with the opposition on one side and security forces and militias loyal to Saleh on the

other.[222]

fter Saleh pretended to accept a Gulf Cooperation Council-brokered plan allowing him to cede power in exchange fmmunity only to back away before signing three separate times,[223][224] an assassination attempt on 3 June left him anseveral other high-ranking Yemeni officials injured by a blast in the presidential compound's mosque.[225]Saleh wasevacuated to Saudi Arabia for treatment, but he handed over power to Vice President Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi,

ho has largely continued his policies[226]and ordered the arrest of several Yemenis in connection with the attack onhe presidential compound.[225]While in Saudi Arabia, Saleh kept hinting that he could return any time and continued toe present in the political sphere through television appearances from Riyadh starting with an address to the Yemenieople on 7 July.[227]On Friday 13 August, a demonstration was announced in Yemen as "Mansouron Friday" in whic

undreds of thousands of Yemenis called for Ali Abdullah Saleh to go. The protesters joining the "Mansouron Friday"ere calling for establishment of "a new Yemen".[228]On 12 September, Saleh issued a presidential decree while stilleceiving treatment in Riyadh authorizing Vice President Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi to negotiate a deal with the

opposition and sign the GCC initiative.[229]

On 23 September, three months since the assassination attempt, Saleh returned to Yemen abruptly, defying all earlierexpectations.[230]Pressure on Saleh to sign the GCC initiative eventually led to his signing of it in Riyadh on 23

ovember, in which Saleh agreed to step down and set the stage for the transfer of power to his vice-president. [231]Aresidential election was then held on 21 February 2012, in which Hadi (the only candidate) won 99.8 percent of theote.[232]Hadi then took the oath of office in Yemen's parliament on 25 February. [233]By 27 February, Saleh had

esigned from the presidency and transferred power to his successor, however he is still wielding political clout as theead of the General People's Congress party.[234]

Syria

Main article: Syrian civil war

rotests in Syria started on 26 January 2011, when a police officer assaulted a man in public at "Al-Hareeka Street" inold Damascus. The man was arrested right after the assault. As a result, protesters called for the freedom of thearrested man. Soon a "day of rage" was set for 45 February, but it was uneventful.[235][236] On 6 March, the Syrian
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Anti-government demonstrations inBaniyas

security forces arrested about 15 children in Daraa, in southern Syria, for writing slogans against the government. Soonrotests erupted over the arrest and abuse of the children. Daraa was to be the first city to protest against the Baathistegime, which has been ruling Syria since 1963.[237]

Thousands of protestors gathered in Damascus, Aleppo, al-Hasakah, Daraa,eir ez-Zor, and Hama on 15 March,[238][239][240] with recently releasedolitician Suhair Atassi becoming an unofficial spokesperson for the "Syrianevolution".[241]The next day there were reports of approximately 3000

arrests and a few martyrs, but there are no official figures on the number ofdeaths.[242]On 18 April 2011, approximately 100,000 protesters sat in thecentral Square of Homs calling for the resignation of President Bashar al-

ssad. Protests continued through July 2011, the government respondingith harsh security clampdowns and military operations in several districts,

especially in the north.[243]

On 31 July, Syrian army tanks stormed several cities, including Hama, Deirz-Zour, Abu Kamal, and Herak near Daraa. At least 136 people wereilled in the most violent and bloody day since the uprising started.[244]

On 5 August 2011, an anti-government demonstration took place in Syria called "God is with us", during which theSyrian security forces shot the protesters from inside the ambulances, killing 11 people consequently.[245]

y late November early December, the Baba Amr district of Homs fell under armed Syrian opposition control. Byate December, the battles between the government's security forces and the rebel Free Syrian Army intensified in IdlibGovernorate. Cities in Idlib and neighborhoods in Homs and Hama began falling into the control of the opposition,during this time military operations in Homs and Hama ceased and stopped.

y mid-January the FSA gained control over Zabadani and Madaya. By late January, the Free Syrian Army launched full-scale attack against the government in Rif Dimashq, where they took over Saqba, Hamoreya, Harasta and other

cities in Damascus's Eastern suburbs. On 29 January, the fourth regiment of the Syrian Army led by the president'srother Maher al-Assad and the Syrian Army dug in at Damascus, and the fighting continued where the FSA was 8 km

away from the Republican palace in Damascus. Fighting broke out near Damascus international airport, but by the nexday the Syrian government deployed the Republican Guards. The military gained the upper hand and regained all landhe opposition gained in Rif Dimashq by early February. On 4 February, the Syrian Army launched a massiveombardment on Homs and committed a huge massacre, killing 500 civilians in one night in Homs. By mid-February,

he Syrian army regained control over Zabadani and Madaya. In late February, Army forces entered Baba Amr after aig military operation and heavy fighting. Following this, the opposition forces began losing neighborhoods in Homs to

he Syrian Army including al-Inshaat, Jobr, Karm el-Zaytoon and only Homs's old neighborhood's, including Al-halidiya, Homs|al-Khalidiya, remained in opposition hands.

y March 2012, the government began military operations against the opposition in Idlib Governorate including the cityof Idlib, which fell to the Army by mid-March. Saraqib and Sarmin were also recaptured by the government during the

onth. Still, at this time, the opposition managed to capture al-Qusayr and Rastan. Heavy fighting also continued inseveral neighborhoods in Homs and in the city of Hama. The FSA also started to conduct hit-and-run attacks in the

ro-Assad Aleppo Governorate, which they were not able to do before. Heavy-to-sporadic fighting was alsocontinuing in the Daraa and Deir ez-Zor Governorates.

y late April 2012, despite a cease-fire being declared in the whole country, sporadic fighting continued, with heavyclashes specifically in Al-Qusayr, where rebel forces controlled the northern part of the city, while the military held thesouthern part. FSA forces were holding onto Al-Qusayr, due to it being the last major transit point toward the
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Over 100,000 of Bahrainis taking par

in the "March of Loyalty to Martyrs"honoring political dissidents killed by

security forces

ebanese border. A rebel commander from the Farouq Brigade in the town reported that 2,000 Farouq fighters hadeen killed in Homs province since August 2011. At this point, there were talks among the rebels in Al-Qusayr, whereany of the retreating rebels from Homs city's Baba Amr district had gone, of Homs being abandoned completely. On

12 June 2012, the UN peacekeeping chief in Syria stated that, in his view, Syria has entered a period of civil war. [246]

Bahrain

Main article: Bahraini uprising (2011present)

The protests in Bahrain started on 14 February, and were initially aimed atachieving greater political freedom and respect for human rights; they wereot intended to directly threaten the monarchy.[5][247](pp1623) Lingering

frustration among the Shiite majority with being ruled by the Sunnigovernment was a major root cause, but the protests in Tunisia and Egypt arecited as the inspiration for the demonstrations.[5][247](p65)The protests wereargely peaceful until a pre-dawn raid by police on 17 February to clearrotestors from Pearl Roundabout in Manama, in which police killed fourrotesters.[247](pp734)Following the raid, some protesters began to expand

heir aims to a call for the end of the monarchy.[248]On 18 February, armyforces opened fire on protesters when they tried to reenter the roundabout,fatally wounding one.[247](pp778)The following day protesters reoccupied

earl Roundabout after the government ordered troops and police toithdraw.[247](p81)[249]Subsequent days saw large demonstrations; on 21ebruary a pro-government Gathering of National Unity drew tens of

housands,[247](p86)[250]whilst on 22 February the number of protestors athe Pearl Roundabout peaked at over 150,000 after more than 100,000rotesters marched there and were coming under fire from the Bahrainiilitary which killed around 20 and injured over 100 protestors.[247](p88)On

14 March, Saudi-led GCC forces were requested by the government andentered the country,[247](p132)which the opposition called an"occupation".[251]

ing Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa declared a three-month state of emergency on 15 March and asked the military toeassert its control as clashes spread across the country.[247](p139)[252]On 16 March, armed soldiers and riot police

cleared the protesters' camp in the Pearl Roundabout, in which 3 policemen and 3 protesters were reportedlyilled.[247](pp1334)[253] Later, on 18 March, the government tore down Pearl Roundabout monument. [247](pp150)[254]

fter the lifting of emergency law on 1 June,[255]several large rallies were staged by the opposition parties. [256]

Smaller-scale protests and clashes outside of the capital have continued to occur almost daily. [257][258] On 9 March

012, over 100,000 protested in what the opposition called "the biggest march in our history". [259][260]

The police response has been described as a "brutal" crackdown on peaceful and unarmed protestors, including doctoand bloggers.[261][262][263] The police carried out midnight house raids in Shia neighbourhoods, beatings at checkpointsand denial of medical care in a "campaign of intimidation".[264][265][266][267] More than 2,929 people have beenarrested,[268][269]and at least five people died due to torture while in police custody. [247](p287,288)On 23 November

011, the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry released its report on its investigation of the events, finding thathe government had systematically tortured prisoners and committed other human rights violations.[247](pp415422) It alsejected the government's claims that the protests were instigated by Iran.[270]Although the report found that systemati
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orture had stopped,[247](pp417) the Bahraini government has refused entry to several international human rights groupsand news organizations, and delayed a visit by a UN inspector.[271][272] More than 80 people had died since the startof the uprising.[273]

Concurrent incidents

Main article: Arab Spring concurrent incidents

Concurrent with the Arab Spring, protests flared up in other parts of the region, some becoming violent, some facingstrong suppression efforts, and some resulting in political changes.

nalysis

Ethnic scope

any analysts, journalists, and involved parties have focused on the protests as being a uniquely Arab phenomenon,and indeed, protests and uprisings have been strongest and most wide-reaching in majority-Arabic-speaking countries

giving rise to the popular moniker of Arab Springa play on the so-called 1968 Prague Spring, a democraticawakening in what was then communist Czechoslovakiato refer to protests, uprisings, and revolutions in thosestates.[274][275][276] However, the international media has also noted the role of minority groups in many of these

ajority-Arab countries in the revolts.

n Tunisia, the country's small Jewish minority was initially divided by protests against Ben Ali and the government, buteventually came to identify with the protesters in opposition to the regime, according to the group's president, whodescribed Jewish Tunisians as "part of the revolution".[277][278] While many in the Coptic minority in Egypt had criticizehe Mubarak government for its failure to suppress Islamic extremists who attack the Coptic community, the prospect hese extremist groups taking over after its fall caused most Copts to avoid the protests, with then-Pope Shenouda III

of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria calling for them to end.[279]

The international media pointed to a fewCopts who joined the protests.[280][281]

ecause the uprisings and revolutions erupted first in North Africa before spreading to Asian Arab countries, and theerbers of Libya[282]participated massively in the protests and fighting under Berber identity banners, some Berbers inibya often see the revolutions of North Africa, west of Egypt, as a reincarnated Berber Spring.[283][284][285] Inorocco, through a constitutional reform, passed in a national referendum on 1 July 2011, among other things, Amaziga standardized version of the three Berber languages of Moroccowas made official alongside Arabic.[286]During

he civil war in Libya, one major theater of combat was the western Nafusa Mountains, where the indigenous Berbersook up arms against the regime while supporting the revolutionary National Transitional Council, which was based in

he majority-Arab eastern half of the country.[287][288]

n northern Sudan, hundreds of non-Arab Darfuris joined anti-government protests,[289]while in Iraq and Syria, theethnic Kurdish minority has been involved in protests against the government,[290][291]including the Kurdistan RegionalGovernment in the former's Kurdish-majority north, where at least one attempted self-immolation waseported.[292][293][294]

Impact of the Arab Spring

Main article: Impact of the Arab Spring
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The regional unrest has not been limited to countries of the Arab world. The early uprisings in North Africa werenspired by the 20092010 uprisings in the neighboring state of Iran;[295][296] these are considered by manycommentators to be part of a wave of protest that began in Iran, moved to North Africa, and has since gripped the

roader Middle Eastern and North African regions, including additional protests in Iran in 20112012. [297]

n the countries of the neighboring South Caucasusnamely Armenia,[298]Azerbaijan, [299]and Georgia [300]as wellas some countries in Europe, including Albania,[301]Croatia, [302]and Spain; [303]countries in sub-Saharan Africa,ncluding Burkina Faso,[304]and Uganda; [305][306] and countries in other parts of Asia, including the Maldives [307]andhe People's Republic of China,[308]demonstrators and opposition figures claiming inspiration from the examples of

Tunisia and Egypt have staged their own popular protests. The protests in the Maldives led to the resignation of theresident.

The bid for statehood by Palestine at the UN on 23 September 2011 is also regarded as drawing inspiration from therab Spring after years of failed peace negotiations with Israel. In the West Bank, schools and government offices we

shut to allow demonstrations backing the UN membership bid in Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus and Hebron; echoingsimilar peaceful protests from other Arab countries.[309]

The 15 October 2011 global protests and the Occupy Wall Street movement, which started in the United States and

as since spread to Asia and Europe, drew direct inspiration from the Arab Spring, with organizers asking U.S. citizen"Are you ready for a Tahrir moment?"[310]The protesters have committed to using the "revolutionary Arab Springactic" to achieve their goals of curbing corporate power and control in Western governments.[311]

lso, the Occupy Nigeria protests beginning the day after Goodluck Jonathan announced the scrap of the fuel subsidyn oil-rich Nigeria on 1 January 2012, were motivated by the Arab people. [312]

The Tunisian revolution also brought about important changes to the intersection of art and politics in post-2011 Tunisi

International reactions

Main article: International reactions to the Arab Spring

rotests in many countries affected by the Arab Spring have attracted widespread support from the internationalcommunity, while harsh government responses have generally met condemnation.[313][314][315][316] In the case of the

ahraini, Moroccan, and Syrian protests, the international response has been considerably moreuanced.[317][318][319][320]

Some critics have accused Western governments and media, including those of France, the United Kingdom, and thenited States, of hypocrisy in the way they have reacted to the Arab Spring. [321][322] Noam Chomsky accused the

Obama administration of endeavoring to muffle the revolutionary wave and stifle popular democratization efforts in the

iddle East.[323]

The International Monetary Fund said oil prices were likely to be higher than originally forecast due to unrest in theiddle East and North Africa (MENA), major regions of oil production.[324]Starting in 2010 global investors have

significantly reduced their stakes in MENA region holdings since December 2010 resulting in significant declines inegion-linked stock indexes.[325]

enan Engin, a German-Kurdish political scientist, identified the new uprising in Arab and Islamic countries as the "fifthave of democracy" because of evident features qualitatively similar to the "third wave of democracy" in Latin America

hat took place in the 1970s and 1980s.[326][327]
http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Monetary_Fundhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidency_of_Barack_Obamahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_Chomskyhttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocrisyhttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_civil_warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%9312_Moroccan_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahraini_uprising_(2011%E2%80%93present)http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_reactions_to_the_Arab_Springhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_and_politics_in_post-2011_Tunisiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisian_revolutionhttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodluck_Jonathanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_Nigeriahttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahrir_Squarehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_Wall_Streethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15_October_2011_global_protestshttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maldiveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Maldivian_protestshttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Chinese_pro-democracy_protestshttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Maldivian_protestshttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_of_the_Arab_Spring#Ugandahttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Burkinab%C3%A8_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub-Saharan_Africahttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Spanish_protestshttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Croatian_protestshttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Albanian_opposition_demonstrationshttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Georgian_protestshttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Azerbaijani_protestshttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Armenian_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Caucasushttp://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Iranian_protestshttp://-/?-http://-/?-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009%E2%80%932010_Iranian_election_protestshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_world


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Social media and the Arab Spring

The importance of the role of social media on the Arab uprisings has been largely debated. [22][23][328] Some say thatsocial media was the main instigator of the uprisings, while others claim that it was merely a tool. Either way, the

erception of social media has changed; its role in the uprisings has demonstrated to the world its power.[329]Suchnformation allowed the world to stay updated with the protests and facilitated organizing protests. Nine out of tengyptians and Tunisians responded to a poll that they used Facebook to organize protests and spread awareness. [330]

urthermore, 28% of Egyptians and 29% of Tunisians from the same poll said that blocking Facebook greatly hindereand/or disrupted communication.

n revolutions that were previously started on Facebook alone were rapidly quashed by secret police in those countrieso much so that in Egypt a prominent activist group always had "Do not use Facebook or Twitter" on the front and

acks of their revolutionary material.[331]

urther evidence that suggests an important role of social media on the uprisings is that social media use more thandoubled in Arab countries during the protests. Some research have shown how collective intelligence, dynamics of thecrowd in participatory systems such as social media, have the immense power to support a collective action such asfoment a political change.[332][333]

The graph depicting the data collected by the Dubai S

arab spring - wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.pdf

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