Jasmin Revolution

Jasmine Revolution

Jasmine Revolution relates to the pro-democratic protests for change in government in several countries including Tunisia, Egypt, China, Libya, Bahrain, Morocco, Gabon, Algeria, Iran and several other countries in year 2010-2011.

Origin

In Tunisia these protests are called the Sidi Bouzid Revolt, derived from Sidi Bouzid, the city where the initial protests began. The events have been dubbed in the media as the Jasmine Revolution in keeping with the geopolitical nomenclature of "color revolutions", although the comparison is disputed, notably by many Tunisians themselves.

 

Countries Affected

Similar protests took place in many Arab countries^[9] from Morocco to Iraq, as well as in other states, ranging from Gabon to Albania, Iran and Kazakhstan, to China. China has censored most media coverage of the Arab world’s popular revolt of the last few weeks^[10] leading to difficulty in organizing Jasmine protests in China.^[11]

China

China's Jasmine revolution^[12] has also brought the Chinese government into action. Chinese security officials questioned or detained^[13] scores of activists and warned others against staging protests after an online call was made for demonstrations in 13 cities.^[14] Protesters are calling for weekly events. ^[15]

The largely onlookers crowd gathered in front of a McDonalds restaurant near Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

PRC Government officials arrested activists, added to the normal police presence, disabled some cell phone text messaging services and deleted Internet postings about protests planned for 14:00 on 20 February in Beijing, Shanghai and 11 other cities.^[16] On the day of the protests, the police turned out en masse to all of the potential protest locations.^[17] Small crowds, including quite a few curious onlookers, gathered at the planned site in Beijing and Shanghai but did not chant slogans or hold signs.^{[18][19][20][21]}
China also blocked coverage of the protests in the Arab world that continued after Mubarak's fall.^[22]
President Hu Jintao responded by calling top leaders into a "study session" to root out and tackle social issues before they "become threats to stability".^[17] In a speech at the Central Party School, Hu called out for tighter restrictions to the internet.^[23] On February 18, an architect of the country's Internet monitoring software told a state newspaper that the program, already regarded as among the most stringent in the world, should be strengthened.^[24]
Political activists there have supported China's Jasmine revolution for the democracy movements in the Middle East and Mainland China.^[25]
It must be noted that the calls for the Jasmine Revolution originated from US based Chinese news sites like Boxun. The appeals for protests mostly fell flat with few silent protesters in the first protest and no protesters showing up in the second protest at Beijing and only a few supposedly protesters in Shanghai (most of the people at the protest sites were onlookers waiting to see what will happen). US Ambassador, Jon Huntsman, was identified by a Chinese onlooker at the Beijing protest venue, and when asked if he was the American Ambassador, he said 'yes'. The Chinese man then asked the US Ambassador if he wanted to see China in chaos, and the US Ambassador replied in Mandarin saying that was not the case. The Chinese man turned to the crowd and yelled to them about the presence of the the US Ambassador. At this point, Ambassador Huntsman left the scene abruptly with his entourage. Given the fact that the underlying problems in China are very different from the Arab World, the possibility of protests mimicking the Arab World is very low.

Iran

Supporters of the Green Movement gathered in scattered groups for the second time within a week to denounce the death of Saane Zhaleh, 26, and Mohammadi Mokhtari, 22, who were killed in Tehran on Monday. An opposition website affiliated to Mehdi Karroubi, a former presidential candidate, said that one person had been killed in Haft-e-Tir square in central Tehran when security forces opened fire at protesters. Dozens were arrested.

Algeria

Police thwarted a rally by thousands of pro-democracy supporters, breaking up the crowd into isolated groups to keep them from marching. Algerian opposition leader Tahar Besbes was badly injured during a pro-democracy rally when riot police clashed with protesters. ^[2]

Yemen

The leader of Yemen's secessionist Southern Movement, Hasan Baoum, was arrested by an "armed military group" in an Aden hospital, according to his son, and shots were fired at a demonstration in the capital Sana'a, as unrest continued for a ninth consecutive day.

Morocco

Thousands took to the streets of Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier and Marrakech in peaceful protests demanding a new constitution, a change in government and an end to corruption. During a march on Hassan II Avenue in the capital, Rabat, demonstrators demanded a new constitution to bring more democracy to the country. They shouted slogans calling for economic opportunity, education reform, better health services, and help in coping with the rising cost of living.
The Associated Press estimated the turnout in Rabat at 4,000. Organizers put the crowd outside Parliament at 20,000.^[26] The people were calling for a reduction in King Mohammed VI’s powers, better health services and reduced living costs.^[27][28]

Libya

The Jasime Revolution also erupted in the country of Libya where enraged dissidents and the government are currently embroiled in titanic violence which has led to the freezing of the assets of Libya’s leaders including Qaddafi and the withdrawal of oil companies from the country. Angry Demonstrators Call for Libya's Gadaffi to Step Down.^[29] Libya's security forces may yet manage to put down the demonstrations, as they did with a smaller upsurge in 2006, although that is looking increasingly unlikely as the violence spreads and escalates. Eyewitnesses speak of how the Libyan people appear to have lost their fear - and this is a regime more brutal and absolute than the one that was toppled in Egypt earlier this month.^[30][31]

Oman

Oman protesters called for democracy, about 300 people protested and demanded political reforms and better pay in a peaceful way. ^[32]

 

Impact of the internet

The use of communication technologies, and the Internet in particular, has been widely credited as contributor to the mobilisation of protests.^[33] A blog associated with Wired described the intricate efforts of the Tunisian authorities to control such online media as^[34] Twitter and Facebook. Other regional regimes were also on higher alert to contain spillover effects that may ensue.