unrest in the middle east and north africa

8/7/2019 Unrest in the Middle East and North Africa

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/unrest-in-the-middle-east-and-north-africa 1/3

Unrest in the Middle East and NorthAfrica -- country by country

UNREST Tunisia

n fruit vendor struck a match that started a fire that has spread throughout the much of North Africa and the Middle East. Muhammad Bouazizi's self-immolation prompted anti-government protests that toppled regimes in Tunisia .Tunisian president Zain Al abideenwith family fled to Saudia.

Egypt

. Here are the latest developments, including the roots of the unrest, as well as a look atprevious events in affected countries.Tens of thousands of Waving flags and beatingdrums, thousands gathered at Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday for a planned "Day of Victory" rally to celebrate the one-week anniversary of the ouster of former EgyptianPresident Hosni Mubarak. The march at the square -- the epicenter of 18 days of protests that led to Mubarak stepping down -- is also meant to remind the military thatEgyptians were watching the ongoing reform process. Celebrations are expected inother cities across the nation as well. The military has been in charge since February11, when Mubarak's resignation was announced

Roots of unrest:

Complaints about police corruption and abuses were among the top grievances of demonstrators who forced Mubarak from office last week. Demonstrators were alsoangry about Mubarak's 30-year rule, a lack of free elections and many economic issues,including high food prices, low wages and high unemployment.Husni mubarak also left .

Libya

ns took to the streets Friday to air their discontent with four decades of Moammar

Gadhafi, the longest-ruling non-royalty head of state in the world, witnesses said. Atleast 20 people were killed and 200 were injured in the northern Mediterranean city of Benghazi, Libya's second largest, said a medical source in Benghazi, who was notidentified for security reasons. CNN was unable to independently verify the information.U.S. President Barack Obama condemned the outbreak of violence in Libya.

Roots of unrest:



Protests in Libya, ruled by Gadhafi since a 1969 coup, began in January whendemonstrators, fed up with delays, broke into a housing project the government wasbuilding and occupied it. Gadhafi's government responded with a $24 billion fund for housing and development. A month later, more demonstrations were sparked whenpolice detained relatives of those killed in an alleged 1996 massacre at the Abu Salim

prison, according to Human Rights Watch. High unemployment has also fueled theprotests, as have anti-Gadhafi groups

Bahrain

Four people were killed in the center of Bahrain's capital Friday, where shots were firedafter demonstrators gathered, an ambulance worker in Manama told CNN. U.S.President Barack Obama condemned the violence. The new protests came a day after a violent police and military crackdown left four dead and scores wounded. Whatseemed like thousands of people -- some chanting anti-government slogans -- marchedin the town of Sitra to attend the funerals of three of the four people killed Thursday.

Two other people died during disturbances earlier in the week. The tiny island nation isa U.S. ally and houses the headquarters of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.

Roots of unrest:

Protesters initially took to the streets of Manama on Monday to demand reform and theintroduction of a constitutional monarchy. But some are now calling for the removal of the royal family, which has led the Persian Gulf island state since the 18th century.Young members of the country's Shiite Muslim majority have staged violent protests inrecent years to complain about discrimination, unemployment and corruption, issuesthey say the country's Sunni rulers have done little to address. The Bahrain Center for

Human Rights says authorities launched a clampdown on dissent in late 2010. Itaccused the government of torturing some human rights activists.

At least one person was killed when an assailant hurled a grenade Friday into a crowdof anti-government protesters in Taiz,

Yemen

, on Friday, a police official told CNN. Another 43 people were wounded. Pro-government gangs, meanwhile, clashed with anti-government demonstrators in thecapital city of Sanaa, throwing rocks and brandishing sticks. Anti-governmentdemonstrators took to the streets of Sanaa after Friday's midday prayers, ushering in a

second week of unrest to the Middle Eastern nation. It was unclear whether a call for calm by the country's most influential religious cleric, Sheikh Abdulmajeed Al-Zindani,would be heeded. U.S. President Barack Obama issued a statement condemning theoutbreak of violence. The U.S. embassy also issued a statement voicing concern for what it called "a disturbing rise in the number and violence of attacks against Yemenicitizens gathering peacefully to express their views on the current political situation."Meanwhile, the death toll from Thursday's violence grew to four, government andhospital officials said.



Roots of unrest:

Protesters have called for the ouster of longtime President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who hasruled Yemen since 1978. The country has been racked by a Shiite Muslim uprising, aU.S.-aided crackdown on al Qaeda operatives and a looming shortage of water. As in

other countries, high unemployment fuels much of the anger among a growing youngpopulation steeped in poverty. The protesters also cite government corruption and alack of political freedom.

Thousands of people who attended a pro-government rally in Tehran on Fridaycondemned opposition leaders and called for their execution, a witness said. Earlier thisweek, tens of thousands of pro- and anti-government protesters marched in downtownTehran amid a crackdown. Two young men were killed this week. The governmentblamed its opponents in the deaths, but activists have dismissed those claims asgovernment propaganda. An anti-government demonstration Monday was the largestsuch rally since 2009, when a series of anti-government demonstrations convulsed the

country.

Iran

Iran authorities sought to restrict coverage of the protests this week by internationalmedia.

Roots of unrest:

Opposition to the ruling clerics has simmered since the country's 2009 election, whenhundreds of thousands of people filled Tehran streets to denounce the re-election of

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as fraudulent.

jordan

Roots of unrest:

Jordan's economy has been hit hard by the global economic downturn and risingcommodity prices, and youth unemployment is high, as it is in Egypt. Officials close tothe palace have told CNN that Abdullah is trying to turn a regional upheaval into anopportunity for reform. King Abdullah II swore in a new government following anti-government protests in his country. The new government has a mandate for political

reform and is headed by a former general, with several opposition and media figuresamong its ranks. Some protesters have also called for the abolishment of the peacetreaty between Jordan and Israel.Roughly 200

unrest in the middle east and north africa

Documents