It all started as a wave of movements in the arab nations in december 2010. The movemnt started as rage against the goverment inactions on various issues including price rise, unemplitment, inequality, autocratic rule and so on.
The countries were the wave shattered includes Egypt Tunisia Libiya Yemen . All these countries saw violent clashes between people and government machineries . The government finally was thrown away in front the huge uprising.The flare of the uprisisng has shifted to other countries including syria bahrain Oman etc where it has been violent in its behaviour so far.
Features of Arab Spring.
Some features includes .
1. Peoples particaipation was quite large. All sections of the people especially youth participated in the demonstartions in full letter and spirit.
2. Role palayed by Social Media in bringing and maintaing the uprising was substantial.
3. Most countries were the uprising took place was either an allay of West or part of soviet Union during the cold war period.
4. All the countries were either autocratic or Monarch in nature.
5. The main demand of protesters were to initiate democracatic reforms in the state.
6. Woman participation.
Reasons for Arab Spring.
There is common similarity in the places where the uprising has erupted and that is all these countries are governed by autocrats of Monarcs.It is true that a ruler who doesnt care for his people cannot rule with his own all the time. Some of the main reasons includes
a. High level of unemployment .
B. Uneven distribution of wealth.
c. No political freedom.
D . Nepotism and kinship.
E. high burden of price rise and inflation.
F. corruption
G.Centralsed decision making with no public participation.
F. Political Powers is on captive few.
But considering all these reasons the underlying cause for such an uprisng is nothing but thae anger and mistrust amoung the people towards the administration. The people were given promises on various matters but were violated in all spheres.
Effects of Arab Spring .
The effects were quite amazing. The rulers of Countries like yemen , Tunisia Egypt Libiya were thrown out of power. The same level of protest were then blown out to other countries including syria bahrain oman etc.Though the demonstrations were not of equal color in all countries . In tunisia Yemen and upto a certain extant Egypt were peaceful but the tone at Libiya was very violent. The oil prices in the international market started shooting up like rockets.
The other west african and west asian countries started initiation of democratic process in their respective nations. Many countries including arab countries started reforms including democratic decentralization, woman participation in elections and started other reforms as well.
Arab Spring- A Failure?
It is highly important to note that despite all these developments upto a certain extant the original spirit of the Arab Spring lost in its due passage of time. In most places the color of the movement got diluted and radical and anti social elements have the infiltrated into the movement there by leading to absolute chaos and violence. In areas like syria and libiya the terrorist outfits like the Al-queda , Al- Nursa has gone upto certain extant of capturing the land mass started sharia law in those area. All the more after the decline of these rulers civil war broke out in all these nations which ultimatly resulted in chaos and fury. People started forming groups for self interest and nations started to divide into pieces.
The role played by international forces like the NATO were like aadiing fuel to the fire.The international community In the pretext of responsibility to protect has actually made the situation more violent and out of control. US stand of War On Terroe was actually mockery and in the pretext of the leter they were adopting the neocolonisation programmes. Most nations ntentions including the americans and russians were purely economic in nature rather than any reforms.
At most times the 1973 resoltions were passed in the UN secutiyu council so that punitive measures may be initiated against the rulers of host countries which became futile in the subsequesnt days. The case we can see in libiya were no fly zone was enforced is still buring. In most days we can hear the reports of suicide bombings and firings from these nations. The role of UN has been limited upto to a greater extant in making peace and tranquility in the regions.
Egypt after the showdown.
Arab spring was its helm in egypt. All the sections from the society participated in the movement right from the youth to woman.Hosni Mubarkh could not with stand the kind of pressure the general public has made upon him. The opposition includes Mohammed El Barday former IAEA chief Muslim Brother hood under the leadership of muslim clergs and radical elements, and other ethnic tribes . Though in the beginning mosr demonstrations were of peaceful in nature , after a certain stage it lost its all its patience and got violent color.
After oveerthrowing Hozni Mubarak egypt went for an election which was participated by all walks of society . Muslim brotherhood under the leadership of Mohhamed Motsey came into power. But the history again repeated the same here also. What Morsy has promised to the egyptian people were forgotten and started to establish more stringent laws in egypt. He declared he want to build an islamic republic of egypt with an islamic constitution. This was not acceptable to most egyptians especially minorities . people agitation again started, an army coup was plotted by the army and the 1st ever democratically elected government of egypt was thrown away.
Libyan scenario.
Not much different was in libiya also. Mohammer Gadaaffi was over thrown by the people in a great fashion. Unlike other state rulers he was forced to flee underground and later on caught and killed by the radical elements. Here the International agencies including the UN and NATO played a crucial role in overthrowing the ruler. UNSC imposed no fly zone in libiya. They provided both technical and logistic support to the opposition parties. After gadaffis fall the nation went into the hand of radical and terrorist elements. The radical groups involved in libiyan revolt started moving to other nations. The effects was seen in mali were a military coup was erupted with the help of libiyan fighters. Al queda do made a strong come back to these nations and parts of the country is under them now. Civilian unrest was the result.
Unending syrian crisis.
The other important uprising was in syria where bashar al assad government was in question. Al assad was in power for more than 3 decades. The free syrian army was the major opposing group where it includes people and ethnic gorups from different parts of the coutry. The sunni shai conflict was another reason for the uprising where the population is of majority sunnis controlled by shia government.
Unlike other coutries syria is buring for the past 2 years where the opposition could not make any substantial move agianst the regime. The main reasons includes divide amoung the opposition, no consensus on international community and agencies and support from neighboring countries like lebonon and iran. . The country is now in the verge of civil war .There is complete break down of law and order, no employment, unrest and anger amoug the citizens.
Considering all these it is evident from the fact that what arab spring has started with a deep anguish against the mis- governance of the regimes has now become a state of civil war and dumped the countries to doldrums. . Even after overthrowing the autocratic rulers like Muammer Gaddaffi , Hozni Mubarak etc the situation has even worsened . Civil unrest and greater war has become ultimate rsult. Peace and tranquility has now become a far more an illusion in these countries .Hence we can very well conclude that wave which started in the for of Arab spring gas lost much relevance.
Name : SANDEEP.A
Ref : The Hindu , Foreign Policy Magazine, Loksabha channel , IDSA website.
