20102011 Middle East and North Africa protests From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (May 2011) 201011 Middle East and North Africa protests

Clockwise from top left: Protesters gathering in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt; Demonstrators marching through Habib Bourguib Avenue in Tunis, Tunisia; Political dissidents in Sana'a, Yemen, demanding the resignation of the president; Protests in Damascus, Syria. Date Location 18 December 2010present Middle East and North Africa (see list of countries) Ongoing (as of 13 May 2011)

Status

Tunisian President Ben Ali ousted, and government overthrown. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak ousted, and government overthrown. Libya divided by civil war and experiencing foreign intervention in the form of a no-fly zone. Civil uprisings against the governments of

Syria, Yemen, and Bahrain, despite government changes. Jordan, Kuwait and Oman implementing government changes in response to protests. Ongoing protests in Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, and other countries.

Causes

Characteristics

Dictatorship, sectarianism, human rights violations, government corruption, inflation, unemployment, extreme poverty, demographic structural factors[1](see section Motivations) Civil disobedience, civil resistance, demonstrations, online activism, protest camps, rebellion, uprising, revolution, self-immolations, strike actions, urban warfare Casualties

Death(s)

12,321+ (International estimate; see table below)

The 201011 Middle East and North Africa protests, also known as the Arab Spring,[2] are a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests that have been taking place in the Middle East and North Africa since 18 December 2010. Prior to this period, Sudan was the only Arab country to have successfully toppled directorial regimes, in 1964 and again in 1985. To date, there have been revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt; a civil war in Libya; civil uprisings in Bahrain, Syria, and Yemen; major protests in Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, and Oman; and minor protests in Djibouti, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Western Sahara.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] The protests have shared techniques of civil resistance in sustained campaigns involving strikes, demonstrations, marches and rallies, as well as the use of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, to organize, communicate, and raise awareness in the face of state attempts at repression and internet censorship.[14] The slogan of the demonstrators in the Arab world has been "The people want to bring down the regime" (Arabic: ).[15] Contents [hide]

1 Overview o 1.1 Summary of protests by country 2 Background

2.1 Motivations 2.2 Recent history 2.3 Ethnic scope 3 Tunisian Revolution 4 Egyptian Revolution 5 Libyan Civil War yri n prising 7 Concurrent incidents o 7.1 Algeria o 7.2 Bahrain o 7.3 Iran o 7.4 Iraq o 7.5 Jordan o 7.6 Morocco o 7.7 Oman o 7.8 Yemen 8 Other countries affected 9 International impact o 9.1 World economy o 9.2 Media coverage 10 See also 11 References 12 Further reading 13 External links

o o o

[edit] Overview The series of protests and demonstrations across the Middle east and North Africa has become known as the "Arab Spring",[16][17][18][19][20][21] and sometimes as the "Arab Spring and Winter,"[22] even though several affected countries are not strictly part of the Arab world. It was sparked by the first protests that occurred in Tunisia on 18 December 2010 following Mohamed Bouazizi's self-immolation in protest of police corruption and ill treatment.[23][24] With the success of the protests in Tunisia, a wave of unrest struck Algeria, Jordan, Egypt, and Yemen,[25] then spread to other countries, with the largest, most organised demonstrations often occurring on a "day of rage", usually Friday after noon prayers.[26][27][28] The protests have also triggered similar unrest outside the region. As of May 2011, demonstrations have resulted in the overthrow of two heads of state: Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia on 14 January following the Jasmine Revolution protests, and in Egypt, President Hosni Mubarak resigned on 11 February 2011, after 18 days of massive protests, ending his 30-year presidency. During this period of regional unrest, several leaders announced their intentions to step down at the end of their current terms. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir announced that he would not seek re-election in 2015,[29] as did Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, whose term ends in 2014,[30] although there have been increasingly violent demonstrations demanding his immediate resignation.[31] Protests in Jordan have also caused the resignation of the government[32] resulting in former Prime Minister and Ambassador to Israel Marouf Bakhit being appointed prime minister by King Abdullah and tasked with forming a new government.[33] Another leader, President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen, announced on 23 April that he would step down within 30 days in exchange for immunity,[34] a deal the Yemeni opposition informally accepted on 26 April;[35] Saleh then reneged on the deal,

prolonging the Yemeni uprising.[36] Libyan strongman Muammar al-Gaddafi has refused to step down, causing a civil war between his loyalists and rebels based in Benghazi.[37] The volatility of the protests[38] and their geopolitical implications have drawn global attention,[39] including suggestion that some protesters may be nominated for the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.[40]

Revolution Civil war Sustained civil disorder and governmental changes governmental changes Major protests Minor protests

Protests and

[edit]

Summary of protests by country Country Date started Type(s) of protests Outcome Ouster of President Ben Ali [41] and Prime Minister Ghannouchi Dissolution of the political police[42] Dissolution of the RCD, the former ruling 223+[45][46] party of Tunisia and liquidation of its assets[43] Rele se of politic l prisoners Elections to Constitutional Assembly on 24 July 2011[44] Lifting of the 19-yearold state of 8[49] [47][48] emergency 0[50] King Abdullah II dismisses Prime Minister Rifai and his cabinet.[51] Death toll Result

Tunisia

Mohamed Bouazizi's self-immolation, 18 December Nationwide protest, 2010 occupation of public places

Revolution

Algeria

Lebanon

Self-immolations, 28 December major protests, riots, 2010 road blocks Protests, clashes 12 January between riot police and 2011 pro-Saad Hariri supporters Major protests and demonstrations,Self immolation. Self-immolation, protests[53] Minor protests

Major protests

Protests

14 January Jordan 2011 17 January Mauritania 2011 17 January Sudan 2011

1[52]

Protests and governmental changes Protests

1[54] President Bashir announces he will not 1[56] seek another term in 2015.[55] Economic concessions by Sultan Qaboos;[57][58][59][60] Dismiss l of ministers;[61][62] Gr nting of lawmaking powers to Oman's elected legislature[63] Resign tion of MPs

Protests

Oman

17 January 2011

Major protests

Protests and 26[64][65][66] governmental changes

18 January

Nationwide protest,

290+[69]

Sustained

Yemen

2011

riots[67]

from the ruling party;[68]

Saudi 21 January 2011 Arabia

Agreement by President Saleh to step down by 23 May in exchange for immunity Self-immolation, minor Economic concessions by King Abdullah;[73][74] demonstrations, frequent medium-scale 2[citation needed] (1001000 people) Men-only municipal protests in Eastern elections to be held 22 Province[70][71][72] September 2011[75][76] Ouster of President Mubarak and Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik;[77] Self-immolations, nationwide protests, occupation of public spaces, attacks and burning of official buildings and police stations, storming prisons Assumption of power by the Armed Forces;[78] uspension of the [82] Constitution, dissolution 846 [79] of the Parliament; Disb nding of State Security Investigations Service;[80] Dissolution of the NDP former ruling party of Egypt and transfer of its assets to the state[81] Rele se of politic l prisoners;[83][84] End of Emergency Law; Dismiss l of Provincial Governors;[85][86] 783[91] Milit ry ction [92] directed against Deraa 850 [87] and other areas; Resign tions from Parliament;[88] Resign tion of the Government[89] Defections within Syrian army and clashes among soldiers;[90] Arrest of opposition 2[94] leaders

civil disorder and governmental changes

Protests

Egypt

25 January 2011

Revolution

Syria

26 January 2011

Self-immolation, nationwide protests, attacks on official buildings

Sustained civil disorder and governmental changes

Djibouti

28 January 2011

Minor protests, occupation of main

Protests

public spaces Expulsion of international observers[93] Politic l concessions by King Mohammed VI;[98] Morocco 30 January 2011 Self-immolation,[95] protests,[96] attacks on properties[97] 7[100][101] Referendum on constitutional reforms; Respect to civil rights and an end to corruption[95][99] Prime Minister Maliki announces that he will not run for a 3rd Self-immolation; major term;[103] protests; riots; attacks 29+[105] [102] on official buildings Resign tion of provincial governors and local authorities[104] Economic concessions by King Hamad;[106] of Major demonstrations, Rele se[107]politic l prisoners; occupation of public 36 [109] Dismiss l of spaces ministers;[108] GCC intervention at the request of the Government of Bahrain Major Protests Opposition forces seize control of numerous Libyan cities[113][114][115] 17 February Libya 2011 Nationwide protests, armed revolt, Form tion of the 10,000[119] defections, occupation National Transitional of cities, civil war Council[116][117] UN-mandated NATO, Jordanian, Qatari, Swedish, and Emirati military intervention[118] Protests, clashes Resign tion of between riot police and 0[121] Cabinet [120] 'bidoons (bedouns)' Ongoing civil war 18[110][111][112] Major protests

Iraq

10 February 2011

Major protests

Bahrain

14 February 2011

Sustained civil disorder and governmental changes

Iran

14 February 2011

Major protests

Kuwait

18 February 2011

Protests and governmental changes

Western Sahara

20 February Minor 2011 protests[122][123][124] 12,321+ Total (International death toll: estimate, ongoing)

1[125]

Protests

[edit] Background [edit] Motivations Numerous factors have led to the protests, including the 2009 Iranian protests,[126] dictatorship or absolute monarchy, human rights violations, government corruption (demonstrated by Wikileaks diplomatic cables),[127] economic decline, unemployment, extreme poverty, and a number of demographic structural factors,[128] such as a large percentage of educated but dissatisfied youth within the population.[129] The catalysts for the revolts in all Northern African and Persian Gulf countries have been the concentration of wealth in the hands of autocrats in power for decades, insufficient transparency of its redistribution, corruption, and especially the refusal of the youth to accept the status quo.[130] Increasing food prices and global famine rates have also been a significant factor, as they involve threats to food security worldwide and prices that approach levels of the 20072008 world food price crisis.[131] In recent decades rising living standards and literacy rates, as well as the increased availability of higher education, have resulted in an improved human development index in the affected countries. The tension between rising aspirations and a lack of government reform may have been a contributing factor in all of the protests.[130][132][133] Many of the internet-savvy youth of these countries have studied in the West, where autocrats and absolute monarchies are considered anachronisms. A university professor of Oman, Al-Najma Zidjaly referred to this upheaval as youthquake.[130] Tunisia and Egypt, the first to witness major uprisings, differ from other North African and Middle Eastern nations such as Algeria and Libya in that they lack significant oil revenue, and were thus unable to make concessions to calm the masses.[130] [edit] Recent history The current wave of protests is not an entirely new phenomenon, resulting in part from the activities of dissident activists as well as members of a variety of social and union organizations who have been active for years in Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, and other countries in the area, as well as in the territory of Western Sahara.[134] Tunisia experienced a series of conflicts over the past three years, the most notable occurring in the mining area of Gafsa in 2008, where protests continued for many months. These protest included rallies, sit-ins, and strikes, during which there were two fatalities, an unspecified number of wounded, and dozens of arrests.[134][135][136] The Egyptian labor movement had been strong for years, with more than 3,000 labor actions since 2004.[137] One important demonstration was an attempted workers' strike on 6 April 2008 at the state-run textile factories of al-Mahalla al-Kabra, just outside Cairo. The idea for this type of demonstration spread throughout the country, promoted by computer-literate working class youths and their supporters among middle-class college students.[137] A Facebook page, set up to promote the strike, attracted tens of

thousands of followers. The government mobilized to break the strike through infiltration and riot police, and while the regime was somewhat successful in forestalling a strike, dissidents formed the "April 6 Committee" of youths and labor activists, which became one of the major forces calling for the antiMubarak demonstration on 25 January in Tahrir Square.[137] In Algeria, discontent had been building for years over a number of issues. In February 2008, United States Ambassador Robert Ford wrote in a leaked diplomatic cable that Algeria is 'unhappy' with longstanding political alienation; that social discontent persisted throughout the country, with food strikes occurring almost every week; that there were demonstrations every day somewhere in the country; and that the Algerian government was corrupt and fragile.[138] Some have claimed that during 2010 there were as many as '9,700 riots and unrests' throughout the country.[139] Many protests focused on issues such as education and health care, while others cited rampant corruption.[140] In Western Sahara, the Gdeim Izik protest camp was erected 12 km south-east of El Aain by a group of young Sahrawis, on 9 October 2010. Their intention was to demonstrate against labor discrimination, unemployment, looting of resources, and human rights abuses.[141] The camp contained between 12,000 and 20,000 inhabitants, but on 8 November 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 the territory, resulting in an unknown number of injuries and deaths. The catalyst for the current escalation of protests was the self-immolation of individuals such as Mohamed Bouazizi, which brought together various groups dissatisfied with the existing system, including many unemployed, political and human rights activists, labor, trade unionists, students, professors, lawyers, and others.[134] These groups have become an unprecedented movement that has built sufficient momentum to engender the current scope of events. [edit] Ethnic scope Many 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 majorityArab countries, giving rise to the popular moniker of Arab Springa play on the so-called 1968 Prague Spring, a democratic awakening in what was then communist Czechoslovakiato refer to protests, uprisings, and revolutions in those states.[142][143][144] However, the international media has also noted the role of minority groups in many of these majority-Arab countries in the revolts. In Tunisia, the country's small Jewish minority was initially divided by protests against Ben Ali and the government, but eventually came to identify with the protesters in opposition to the regime, according to the group's president, who described Jewish Tunisians as "part of the revolution".[145][146] The Coptic minority in Egypt was similarly divided by the protests, with Pope Shenouda III of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria calling for them to end but a number of Coptic Christians choosing to join in demonstrations against the regime with their Arab Muslim compatriots, a fact that did not go unnoticed by reporters and commentators.[147][148][149] During the civil war in Libya, one major theater of combat has been the western Nafusa Mountains, where the indigenous Berbers have taken up arms against the regime while supporting an interim government based in the majority-Arab eastern half of the country.[150][151] Hundreds of non-Arab Darfuris have joined anti-government protests in northern Sudan.[152] In Iraq and Syria, the ethnic Kurdish minority has been involved in protests against the government,[153][154] including the Kurdistan Regional Government in the former's Kurdish-majority north, where at least one attempted self-immolation was reported.[155][156][157]

The regional unrest has not been limited to countries of the "Arab world". The early success of uprisings in North Africa inspired disenchanted people in Djibouti and Iran to take to the streets and agitate for reforms and even regime change in their own countries. These protests are considered by many commentators to be part of the same wave that began in Tunisia and has gripped the broader Middle Eastern and North African regions, even though those countries are not Arab-majority states and most of the protesters therein are not Arab.[158][159][160][161][162][163] [edit] Tunisian Revolution

Demonstrators in downtown Tunis on 14 January 2011 Main article: Tunisian revolution Following the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi in Sidi Bouzid, a series of increasingly violent street demonstrations through December 2010 ultimately led to the ouster of longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on 14 January 2011. The demonstrations were precipitated by high unemployment, food inflation, corruption,[164] lack of freedom of speech and other forms of political freedom,[165] and poor living conditions. The protests constituted the most dramatic wave of social and political unrest in Tunisia in three decades,[166][167] and have resulted in scores of deaths and injuries, most of which were the result of action by police and security forces against demonstrators. Ben Ali fled into exile in Saudi Arabia, ending his 23 years in power.[168][169] Following Ben Ali's departure, a state of emergency was declared and a caretaker coalition government was created, which 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.[170][171] As a result of continued daily protests, on 27 January Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi reshuffled the government, removing all former RCD members other than himself, and on 6 February the former ruling party was suspended;[172] later, on 9 March, it was dissolved.[173] Following further public protests, Ghannouchi himself resigned on 27 February, and Beji Caid el Sebsi became Prime Minister. [edit] Egyptian Revolution Main article: 2011 Egyptian revolution See also: Supreme Council of the Armed Forces#Actions

Celebrations in Tahrir Square after Omar Suleiman's statement concerning Hosni Mubarak's resignation Following the uprising in Tunisia and prior to his entry as a central figure in Egyptian politics, potential presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei warned of a 'Tunisia-style explosion' in Egypt.[174] Protests in Egypt began on 25 January and ran for 18 days. Beginning around midnight on 28 January, the Egyptian government attempted, somewhat successfully, to eliminate the nation's internet access, in order to inhibit the protesters' ability to organize through social media.[175] Later that day, as tens of thousands protested on the streets of Egypt's major cities, President Mubarak dismissed his government, later appointing a new cabinet. Mubarak also appointed the first Vice President in almost 30 years. [citation needed] On 2 February, pro-Mubarak activists led a counter-protest that turned violent.[citation needed] Many international journalists complained of harassment and one local journalist was killed in the protests. [citationneeded]

On 10 February, Mubarak ceded all Presidential power to Vice President Omar Suleiman, but soon thereafter announced that he would remain as President until the end of his term.[176] However, protests continued the next day, and Suleiman quickly announced that Mubarak had resigned from the presidency and transferred power to the Armed Forces of Egypt.[177] The military immediately dissolved the Egyptian Parliament, suspended the Constitution of Egypt, and promised to lift the nation's thirty-year 'emergency laws'. It further promised to hold free, open elections within the next six months, or by the end of the year at the latest.[citation needed] Various states, along with Egyptian citizens scattered throughout the world, expressed either caution or solidarity with the protests. A few states in the region continued to support Mubarak.[citation needed] On 21 February, David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, became the first world leader to visit Egypt since Mubarak's ouster 10 days prior. A media blackout was lifted as the prime minister landed in Cairo for a brief five-hour stopover, hastily added at the start of a planned tour of the Middle East.[178] [edit] Libyan Civil War

Egyptian youth at a Benghazi rally supporting the Libyan protests in February 2011 Main article: 2011 Libyan civil war Anti-government protests began in Libya on 15 February 2011. By 18 February, the opposition controlled most of Benghazi, the country's second-largest city. The government dispatched elite troops and mercenaries in an attempt to recapture it, but they were repelled. It was estimated that at least 6,000 had been killed to that point. By 20 February, protests had spread to the capital Tripoli, leading to a television address by Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, who warned the protestors that their country could descend into civil war. The rising death toll, which currently numbers in the thousands, was drawing international condemnation, resulting in the resignation of several Libyan diplomats and their call for the regime's dismantlement. On 26 February 2011, amidst ongoing efforts by demonstrators and rebel forces to wrest control of Tripoli from the jamahiriya, the opposition set up an interim government in Benghazi to oppose Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi's rule.[179][180] However, despite initial opposition success, government forces subsequently took back much of the Mediterranean coast. On 19 March, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 established a no-fly zone over Libya. Once it was in place and international forces had commenced bombing pro-Gadaffi assets, rebel forces quickly moved along the northern seaboard, capturing recently lost Ajdabiya, Brega, and Ra's Lanouf, as well as cities that they had not yet held, such as those along the road to Sirte. However, pro-government forces have since retaken many of the cities, forcing the rebels to withdraw back toward Ajdabiya in the east, though they have reportedly made gains in the Nafusa Mountains in the west. [edit Main article: 11 yri n uprising

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Douma, suburb of Damascus.

Protests in Syria started on 26 January, when one case of self-immolation was reported. Protesters have been calling for political reforms and the reinstatement of civil rights, as well as an end to the state of emergency which has been in place since 1963.[181] A "day of rage" was set for 45 February, but it was uneventful.[182][183] Thousands of protestors gathered in Damascus, Aleppo, al-Hasakah, Daraa, Deir ez-Zor, and Hama on March 15.[184][185][186][187], with recently released politician Suhair Atassi becoming an unofficial spokesperson for the 'Syrian revolution.'[188][189][190][191] The next day there were reports of approximately 3000 arrests and a few 'martyrs', but there are no official figures on the number of deaths.[192] On 16 March, a mix of activists and jurists, writers, journalists, young academics and detainee family members[193][194][195] held a demonstration in front of the Syrian Interior Ministry. Syrian authorities forcibly dispersed them and reportedly arrested 25[196] or 32[197] people, including recently released activists Suhair Atassi and Kamal Cheikho.[198][199][200] A spokesman for the Syrian Interior authority said that the demonstrations either did not exist,[201] or were actually in support of President Bashar alAssad.[202] On 18 March, thousands of protesters in several Syrian cities set to streets after the Friday prayers and chanted 'God, Syria, Freedom, that's enough', challenging the classical pro-regime slogan 'God, Syria, Bashar that is enough'. In Damascus, security forces broke into the Omayyad Mosque and attacked protesters violently, injuring several and arresting others. In Daraa, people chanted against Rami Makhlouf, the cousin of the Syrian president. The regime replied by sending helicopters and water cannons. At least three people were killed by security forces.[203] The Governor of Daraa was fired on 22 March,[204] but this did not mollify the protesters. Demonstrations increased, and on 24 March, it was reported that hundreds had been killed[205] in marches at Daraa that exceeded 20,000. On 29 March, the entire Syrian cabinet resigned as a concession to protesters.[206] On 1 April, thousands of protesters took to the streets in the "Friday of Martyrs." The government responded by appointing a new Prime Minister and offering concessions.[207][208] On 8 April, the largest protests took place in the "Friday of Resistance," with thousands of protesters marching in the streets of many cities, including major ones like Homs and Damascus.[209][210] Security forces fired on protesters, reportedly killing 37 people on that day.[211] On 15 April, tens of thousands of protesters turned up, with reportedly 50,000 trying to get into Damascus alone.[212] Al-Assad responded by saying that emergency law will be lifted, an action that was officially completed on 21 April.[213][214] Lifting the emergency law failed to quell the protesters, as on 22 April, Syria experienced its biggest and bloodiest uprising, with tens of thousands taking to the streets, and reportedly 100 people killed.[215][216] On 23 April, funerals for the fallen protesters were held throughout Syria, but snipers were reported killing people at the funeral processions.[217][218] Later that night, security forces raided homes and arrested activists, with more than 200 people reportedly arrested over the following two days.[219] On 25 April, tanks, soldiers and snipers were deployed to Daraa, reportedly killing 25 people.[220] Water, power and phone lines were cut, and the border with Jordan was closed.[221]

On 6 May, protestors launched a "day of defiance," with demonstrations across six Syrian cities. Government forces cracked down, firing on protestors and reportedly killing 26 demonstrators in total, with the worst violence occurring in Homs. [222] The government continued its crackdown on May 8, arrested hundreds of protest organizers and activists. The raids mostly took place in Homs, Daraa, Banias, and suburbs of Damascus and included such figures as Firas Khaddam, nephew of the former vice president Abdul-Halim Khaddam. The state-run media claimed that the crackdown in Banias was against armed terrorists, not demonstrators.[223] [edit] Concurrent incidents Concurrent with the events in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Syria, but not necessarily influenced by them, violent protests flared up in other parts of the region, resulting in various political changes. [edit] Algeria Main article: 20102011 Algerian protests On 29 December, protests began in Algiers over the lack of housing, quickly escalating to violent confrontations with the police. At least 53 people were reported injured and another 29 arrested.[224] Over the course of the Algerian protests, three demonstrators were killed, over 800 were injured, and at least 1,100 were arrested.[citation needed]

7 January protests in Algeria. From 1219 January, a wave of self-immolation attempts swept the country, beginning with Mohamed Aouichia, who set himself on fire in Bordj Menaiel in protest at his family's housing. On 13 January, Mohsen Bouterfif set himself on fire after a meeting with the mayor of Boukhadra in Tebessa, who had been unable to offer Bouterfif a job and a house. Bouterfif reportedly died a few days later, and about 100 youths protested his death, resulting in the mayor's dismissal by the provincial governor. At least ten other self-immolation attempts were reported that week.[citation needed] On 22 January the RCD party organised a demonstration for democracy in Algiers, and though illegal under the State of Emergency enacted in 1992, it was attended by about 300 people. The demonstration was suppressed by police, with 42 reported injuries. On 29 January, at least ten thousand people marched in the northeastern city of Bjaa.[225]

In an apparent bid to stave off unrest, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika announced on 3 February that the 19-year state of emergency would be lifted,[226] a promise fulfilled on 22 February when Algeria's cabinet adopted an order to lift the state of emergency.[227][228] On 5 February, protesters scheduled a major 'illegal' march for the 12th of the month.[229] On 11 February, nearly 2000 pro-democracy protesters clashed with police forces at the central May 1 square. The government had imposed a ban on all opposition rallies, but protesters were nonetheless determined to take to the streets. Reports claimed that the police blocked all entry points into the capital and were arresting activists. Some feel that Algeria could be the next country after Egypt to see change, but analysts believe the government will silence the protests with its oil and gas wealth.[230][231] Algeria's President said on April 15 that he would seek revisions to the country's constitution as part of a broad push for democratic reforms, the leader's latest bid to soothe lingering tensions and demonstrations in the North African nation.[232] [edit] Bahrain Main article: 2011 Bahraini uprising The 2011 protests in Bahrain were initially aimed at achieving greater political freedom and respect for human rights, and were not intended to threaten the monarchy.[233] Lingering frustration among the Shiite majority with being ruled by the Sunni government was a major root cause, but the protests in Tunisia and Egypt are cited as the inspiration for the demonstrations.[234][235] The protests began in Bahrain on 14 February[233] and were largely peaceful, until a raid by police on the night of 17 February against protestors sleeping at the Pearl Roundabout in Manama, in which police killed three protestors.[236][237] Following the deadly raid, the protestors' aims expanded to a call for the end of the monarchy.[238] As of 18 February 2011, six people have been killed and hundreds injured.[237] The death toll rose as Bahraini police and military attempted to disperse protesting crowds using tear gas, and rubber bullets. Bahraini army tanks moved in to block the Pearl roundabout (apart from entries and exits into Manama), which protesters had planned to convert into Bahrain's Tahrir Square. The hospital where the dead protesters and mourners were gathering, was still untouched (as of 18 February 2011).[239][240] After the violent crackdown, protesters began calling for the overthrow of the Bahraini King as well as the Prime Minister.[241] On 18 February, government forces opened fire on protesters, mourners, and news journalists.[242] On 19 February, protesters occupied Pearl Square after the government ordered troops and police to withdraw.[243][244][245] On 22 February, an estimated one hundred thousand people, one fifth of the nation's population, marched. On 14 March, at the request of the Crown Prince, GCC Saudi Arabian troops entered the country,[246] and opened fire on the protesters, several of whom were killed.[247][248] Later thousands of Shia protesters arose in Iraq and Qatif in opposition to the Saudi-led intervention in Bahrain.[249][250][251] [edit] Iran Main article: 2011 Iranian protests

Iranian protests, 14 February 2011 On 9 February, various Iranian opposition groups requested permission from the Ministry of Interior to protest under the supervision of the Iranian police. Permission was refused.[252] Despite this setback, along with crackdowns on activists and members of opposition parties, opposition leaders such as Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi called for nationwide protest marches to begin on 14 February.[253][254] Rumours suggested that the protesters would include university students, lorry drivers, and gold merchants from across the country, who were protesting under the umbrella opposition known as the Green movement, the emergence of which had been inspired by the recent events in Egypt and Tunisia. The Revolutionary Guard promised to forcefully confront protesters,[255] and opposition activists and aides to Mousavi and Karroubi were arrested in the days leading up to the demonstrations. As they had in the 2009 protests, opposition protesters chanted 'Allahu Akbar' and 'Death to the dictator' into the early morning hours. However, rather than using slogans from 2009 praising Mousavi, protestors chanted 'Mubarak, Ben Ali, now its time for Seyed Ali [Khamenei]'. Estimates of the number of protesters ranged from 'thousands' to 'hundreds of thousands', depending on the source.[256][257] Reports from the demonstrations described clashes between protesters and security forces in Tehran. As part of the government strategy, security forces of approximately 10,000 personnel were deployed to prevent protesters from gathering at Azadi Square, where the marches that had originated in Enghelab, Azadi, and Vali-Asr streets were expected to converge. Police reportedly fired tear gas and used pepper spray and batons to disperse protesters.[258][259] Protesters responded by setting fires in garbage bins.[260] Clashes were also reported in Isfahan.[261] [edit] Iraq Main article: 2011 Iraqi protests In an effort to prevent unrest, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced that he would not run for a third term in 2014.[262] Nevertheless, hundreds of protesters gathered in several major urban areas (notably Baghdad and Karbala) on 12 February, demanding a more effective approach to national security, to the investigation of federal corruption cases, as well as increased government involvement in making public services fair and accessible.[263][264][265] In response, the government promised to subsidize electricity costs.[266]

Israel's Haaretz reported that a 31-year-old man in Mosul died from self-immolation, while protesting high unemployment. Haaretz also reported a planned 'Revolution of Iraqi Rage' to be held on 25 February near the Green Zone.[267] On 16 February, up to 2,000 protesters took over a provincial council building in the city of Kut. The protesters demanded that the provincial governor resign because of the lack of basic services such as electricity and water. As many as three people were killed and 30 injured.[citation needed] On 24 February, Hawijah, Mosul, and Baghdad featured violent protests.[268] [edit] Jordan Main article: 2011 Jordanian protests On 14 January, protests commenced in the capital Amman, as well as at Ma'an, Al Karak, Salt and Irbid, and others. The protests, led by trade unionists and leftist parties, occurred after Friday prayers, and called for the government of Prime Minister Samir Rifai to step down. Protesters chanted anti-government slogans and called Rifai a coward. One banner in the protest read 'Jordan is not only for the rich. Bread is a red line. Beware of our starvation and fury.' Protesters chanted 'Down with Rifai's government. Unify yourselves because the government wants to eat your flesh. Raise fuel prices to fill your pocket with millions.' Tawfiq al-Batoush, a former head of the Karak municipality, said: 'We are protesting the policies of the government, high prices and repeated taxation that made the Jordanian people revolt.'[269] The Muslim Brotherhood and 14 trade unions said that they would hold a sit-down protest outside parliament the next day to 'denounce government economic policies'. In some ways the demonstration was parallel to the Tunisian protests.[270] Following the protest, the government reversed a rise in fuel prices.[271] According to Al Jazeera the protests are expected to continue for several weeks due to increasing food prices.[271] On 21 January, 5,000 people in Amman took part in the largest protest to date.[272] On 1 February, the Royal Palace announced that King Abdullah had dismissed the government on account of the street protests, and had asked Marouf al-Bakhit, a former army general, to form a new Cabinet.[273] King Abdullah charged Bakhit to 'take quick, concrete and practical steps to launch a genuine political reform process'. The monarch added that the reforms should put Jordan on the path 'to strengthen democracy', and provide Jordanians with the 'dignified life they deserve'.[274] On 25 February, between 6,000 and 10,000 protestors took to the streets of Amman to demand greater participation in the political process as well as more economic change. Protesters also requested lower prices, new elections, and changes to the constitution, which currently gives King Abdullah absolute power.[275] In the first week of March anti-government protesters continued where opposition groups demanded such greater political freedoms as a constitutional monarchy. On 24 March, Al-Jazeera English reported that around 500 protesters, mainly university students and politically unaffiliated unemployed graduates have set up a protest camp in a main square in the capital to press demands for the ouster of the prime minister, seen as insufficiently reformist, as well as wider public freedoms. Other demands include dissolving the parliament, which is seen as too docile,

dismantling the intelligence department and giving greater powers to the people, including a new, more proportional, election law. Jordan's opposition also want to strip the king of some of his powers, specifically in appointing the prime minister, as they want the premier to be elected by a popular vote. On 25 March, clashes occurred between supporters of the king and more than 2000 protesters camped in Gamal Abdel Nasser Circle. Some witnesses said the police stood by as government supporters moved in to the square and began throwing stones.[10] As many as 100 people were reported injured, most with head wounds, while two people are said to have been killed. However, the next day in a press conference, the commandant of public security, Lieutenant General Hussein Al-Majali confirmed that there was one death only, with 62 injured civilians, and 58 injured policemen (including a Brigadier General and a Lieutenant Colonel). Forensic medicine report confirmed that there were no signs of any injury, and that the patient actually died of circulatory collapse secondary to chronic ischemic heart disease.In the same press conference, Al-Majali also confirmed that 8 civilians and 17 policemen were still receiving hospital treatment at the time of the conference, and also stressed that policemen were completely unarmed and they interfered just to save the lives of people whatever their political view is. On the same day of clashes, thousands gathered in Al-Hussein Gardens west of Amman to express loyalty and allegiance to the king, dancing to national songs and waving large Jordanian flags and pictures of the monarch. On 1 April, nearly 400 policemen were deployed to separated hundreds of government supporters and pro-reform activists holding rival rallies outside municipal offices in Amman. On 15 April, more than 2,000 Jordanians took to the streets throughout the country demanding greater political representation, with half of them demonstrating in Amman, immediately after prayers. Also, a crowd of a few hundred Islamists clashed with a somewhat smaller group of monarchy loyalists in Zarqa. Eight civilians and 83 policemen were wounded, including 4 in critical condition. [edit] Morocco Main article: 2011 Moroccan protests Inspired by events in Tunisia and Egypt, at least four Moroccans set themselves on fire on 30 January 2011 at a protest gathering in Tangier.[276] According to a media report, Moroccan authorities approved the anti-government protest that was planned through the popular social networking site Facebook. The same report said that the government had welcomed the plan by several Moroccan youth movements to organize an Egypt-style anti-government protest on 20 February.[277][278] On 20 February, at least 37,000 of Moroccans rallied in the capital, Rabat, to demand that King Mohammed relinquish some of his power.[279] The protests were not aimed at overthrowing the king, however, as he remains revered by Moroccans[280] Everything calmed down for about a week following the demonstration, but on 26 February about 1000 demonstrators gathered in Casablanca to demand political reform.[281] On 9 March, in a live televised address, King Mohammed VI announced that he would begin a comprehensive constitutional reform aimed at improving democracy and the rule of law. He promised to form a commission to work on constitutional revisions, which would make proposals to him by June, after which a referendum would be held on the draft constitution.[282] On 20 March, at least 20,000 of people,[283] including many Islamists, participated in peaceful protests in more than 60 cities across the nation. Some of the demonstrators demanded greater political change than what King Mohammed had promised in his 9 March address, while others continued pressuring the

government to make the promised reforms.[284] The police did not intervene and no violent acts were reported. [edit] Oman Main article: 2011 Omani protests

Protesters set ablaze Lulu Hypermarket in Sohar, Oman on 28 February 2011 In the Gulf country of Oman, 200 protesters marched on 17 January 2011, demanding salary increases and a lower cost of living. The protest shocked some journalists who generally view Oman as a 'politically stable and sleepy country'.[285] Renewed protests occurred on 18 February, inspired by the unrest in Bahrain. 350 protesters demanded an end to corruption and better distribution of oil revenue.[286] The protesters also carried signs with slogans of support for the Sultan.[287] On 26 February, protesters in Sohar called for more jobs.[288] On the following day, tensions escalated with protesters burning shops and cars.[289] The police responded using tear gas to contain and disperse the crowds of protesters.[290] Demonstrations also spread to the region of Salalah, where protesters had reportedly been camping outside the provincial governor's house since 25 February.[290][291] In Sohar, witnesses claimed that two protesters were killed when police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowds.[64][65][66][292] Witnesses further reported that protesters burnt a police station as well as the Wali's house (where the representative of the Sultan to Sohar stays).[293] The Omani protesters insisted that they were not challenging the rule of Sultan Qaboos, who has been in power since 1970, but were merely calling for jobs and reform.[294] The protesters even apologized to the Sultan for allowing violence rattle the city of Sohar on 28 February 2011.[295] The Sultan continued with his reform campaign by dissolving the Ministry of National Economy, setting up a state audit committee, granting student and unemployment benefits,[296] dismissing scores of ministers, and reshuffling his cabinet three times.[297] In addition, nearly 50,000 jobs are being created in the public sector, including 10,000 new jobs in the Royal Oman Police.[298]) The Omani Ministry of Manpower has furthermore directed various companies (both private and public) to formulate their own employment plans. The Royal Army of Oman has also initiated employment drives by publishing recruitment advertisements in newspapers, etc.[299] [edit] Yemen

Main article: 2011 Yemeni uprising

Protesters in Sana'a on 3 February. Protests occurred in many towns in both the north and south of Yemen starting in mid-January. Demonstrators initially protested against governmental proposals to modify the constitution of Yemen, unemployment and economic conditions,[300] and corruption,[301] but their demands soon included a call for the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh,[67][301][302] who had been facing internal opposition from his closest advisors since 2009.[303] A major demonstration of over 16,000 protestors took place in Sana'a on 27 January,[304] and soon thereafter human rights activist and politician Tawakel Karman called for a 'Day of Rage' on 3 February.[305] According to Xinhua News, organizers were calling for a million protesters.[306] In response to the planned protest, Ali Abdullah Saleh stated that he would not seek another presidential term in 2013.[307] On 3 February, 20,000 protesters demonstrated against the government in Sana'a,[308][309] others participated in a 'Day of Rage in Aden[310] that was called for by Tawakel Karman,[305] while soldiers, armed members of the General People's Congress, and many protestors held a pro-government rally in Sana'a.[311] Concurrent with the resignation of Egyptian president Mubarak, Yemenis again took to the streets protesting President Saleh on 11 February, in what has been dubbed a 'Friday of Rage'.[312] The protests continued in the days following despite clashes with government advocates.[313] In a 'Friday of Anger' held on 18 February, tens of thousands of Yemenis took part in anti-government demonstrations in the cities of Sana'a, Taiz and Aden. In the capital, Sana'a, the crowd marched towards the Presidential Palace, chanting anti-government slogans, despite the attempts of riot police to stop them. Three people were killed in the demonstrations, one of whom was killed by a hand grenade in Taiz. There were also reports of gunfire in Aden during a rally, and as the riots continued overnight protesters set fire to a local government building. Security forces killed one demonstrator. On 19 February, Yemeni riot police shot and killed one protester and injured at least five others, as thousands of protesters gathered in Sana'a for a ninth day of protests.[314] On 8 March, Army troops joined protesters.[315] Approximately one million people staged a protest in southern Yemen, as forces loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh killed one boy and injured several others.[316] On 11 March, on the so-called 'Friday of no return', protestors in Sana'a called for the removal of President Ali Abdullah Saleh; three people were killed during the demonstrations. More protests were held in other cities, including Al Mukalla, where one person was killed.

A number of important figures in the General People's Congress and in the President's Cabinet have resigned in protest against President Ali Abdullah Saleh. In response, on 23 March, the General People's Congress declared a state of emergency and suspended the constitution, foreshadowing continued strife. On 23 April, Saleh agreed to accept a Gulf Cooperation Council-brokered plan that allows him to cede power in exchange for immunity.[317] [edit] Other countries affected In Djibouti, protests began on 3 February when three hundred people protested peacefully against President Ismail Omar Guelleh in Djibouti City, urging him to not run for another term; the protesters further asked for more liberty as well as for political and social reform.[318] Protests soon increased, however, as thousands rallied against the president, many vowing to remain at the site until their demands were met. On 18 February, an estimated 30,000 Dijiboutians protested in central Djibouti City against the president, maintaining that the constitutional change of the previous year, which allowed him a third term, was illegal. The demonstration escalated into clashes with the police, and at least two persons were killed and many injured when police used live ammunition and teargas against the protesters.[319] On 19 and 24 February, protest leaders were arrested and after they failed to turn up on the 24th, opposition leader Bourhan Mohammed Ali stated he feared the protests had lost momentum.[319] The last protest was planned for 11 March, but security forces stopped the protest and detained 4 opposition leaders. No protests or planned protests have occurred since. In Kuwait, the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, gave every citizen [1.12 million people] 'free food rations and a grant of $4,000 [1,000 dinars]'.[320] Officially the grant was in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Kuwait's liberation from occupying Iraqi forces, as well as of the 50th anniversary of the state's independence.[321] Dozens of stateless Arabs demonstrated in Kuwait on 19 February[322] and opposition groups called for protests on 8 March.[323][324] In Lebanon, hundreds rallied in Beirut on 27 February in a march referred to as 'The Laique pride', calling for reform of the nation's political system, known as Confessionalism. At the same time, a peaceful sit-in took place in Saida.[325] On 13 March, tens of thousands of supporters of the March 14 coalition called for the disarmament of Hezbollah in Beirut, rejecting the supremacy of Hezbollah's weapons over political life. They also showed support for the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), in the face of a fierce campaign by the Party of God and its March 8 allies to try to abolish the tribunal.[326] In Mauritania, Yacoub Ould Dahoud, a protester, burned himself near the Presidential Palace on 17 January, in opposition to the policies of Mauritanian president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.[327][328] The following week, hundreds of people took to the streets of the capital Nouakchott. The mayor of the city of Awjeft, Mohamed El Moctar Ould Ehmeyen Amar, resigned from the ruling party to politically support what he called "the just cause of youngsters".[329] In addition to the capital Noukchott, cities such as Atar, Zouerate, and Aleg also organised sporadic protests.[330] Despite minor economic concessions by the authorities, on 25 April protesters again took to the streets to call for the resignation of the prime-minister, Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf.[331] In Saudi Arabia hundreds of people protested against the poor infrastructure in Jeddah following flooding.[332][333] At the same time, an online campaign began calling for major political and economic changes. On 5 February forty women demonstrated for the release of prisoners held without trial.[334]

Several protests of a few hundred demonstrators each took place in late February, and also in early March in the north-east, mostly in Qatif[335] but also in Hofuf, in al-Awamiyah, as well as in Riyadh.[336][337] Security in the north-east was tightened on 5 March,[338] and a 'significant' police presence in Riyadh[339] and Jeddah[340] prevented protests from occurring on 11 March. A day earlier, three protesters were injured by police gunfire in Qatif.[335] Nonetheless, protests calling for the release of prisoners took place outside the Ministry of the Interior in Riyadh on 12 March.[341][342] Following the crackdown during the 2011 Bahraini uprising, frequent demonstrations of a few hundred to a few thousand[71][72] people occurred in and around Qatif from 15[70] to 25[343][344] March, which demanded the release of prisoners and the withdrawal of the Peninsula Shield Force from Bahrain.[345][346] On 2223 March, men-only municipal elections to elect half the members of local councils were announced for 22 September 2011.[75][76] In Sudan, protests took place on 30 January and 1 February, when hundreds called for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to step down. On 21 February, President Omar al-Bashir announced that he would not seek to run in the next presidential election (in 2015).[347] In the United Arab Emirates, a group of intellectuals petitioned their ruler for comprehensive reform of the Federal National Council, including demands for universal suffrage. About 160 people signed the petition, many of whom were academics and former members of the FNC.[348] On 12 April, Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent blogger and pro-democracy activist, was charged with possession of alcohol. According to his lawyer, two other men, a blogger and a political commentator, were detained a few days earlier, a charge denied by the police.[349] In the Palestinian Territories, Haaretz suggested that an announcement by the Palestinian Authority on 1 February to hold municipal elections in July was a reaction to the anti-government protests in Egypt. On 14 February, amid pan-Arab calls for reform, the Palestinian Authority's Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad, submitted his resignation along with that of his cabinet to President Abbas.[350] After consultations with other factions, institutions, and civil society groups, Abbas asked him to form a new government.[351] The reshuffle had long been demanded by Fayyad as well as members of Abbas's Fatah faction.[351] In Western Sahara, young Sahrawis held a series of minor demonstrations to protest labour discrimination, lack of jobs, looting of resources, and human rights abuses.[141] Although protests through February and March were part of an existing series of Sahrawi demonstrations that originated in October 2010, protesters cited inspiration from the events in other parts of the region. A few academics, notably Noam Chomsky, viewed the October protests as the starting point from which 'the current wave of protests actually began'.[352] [edit] International impact Main article: Impact of 20102011 Middle East and North Africa protests On 12 February, British Foreign Secretary William Hague called for affected governments to refrain from using force against protesters, and also for greater democratic reforms in the region.[353][354][355] On 21 February, UK Prime Minister David Cameron became the first world leader to visit Egypt after Mubarak's ouster 10 days prior. A news blackout was lifted as the prime minister landed in Cairo for a five-hour stopover that was hastily added at the start of his planned tour of the Middle East.[178] [edit] World economy

As many of the world's major oil producing countries are in the Middle East, the unrest has caused a rise in oil prices. The International Monetary Fund accordingly revised its forecast for 2011 oil prices to reflect a higher price, and also reported that food prices could also increase.[356] Additionally, concerns about Egypt's Suez Canal have raised shipping and oil prices.[357] [edit] Media coverage Al Jazeera won praise for its coverage of the protests, angering several governments.[358] Hillary Clinton remarked, 'Al Jazeera has been the leader in that they are literally changing people's minds and attitudes. And like it or hate it, it is really effective'. She also stated that 'viewership of Al Jazeera is going up in the United States because it's real news. You may not agree with it, but you feel like you're getting real news around the clock instead of a million commercials...'[359] The use of social media has been extensive.[360][361] As one Egyptian activist tweeted during the protests, 'We use Facebook to schedule the protests, Twitter to coordinate, and YouTube to tell the world'.[14] Internet censorship has also been a factor, and in entire nation states were taken almost completely offline.[362] In an attempt to quantify the likelihood of regime change in Arab World countries following the protests, The Economist Intelligence Unit created its 'Shoe-Thrower's index'. The name is derived from shoeing: throwing shoes, showing the sole of one's shoe, or using shoes to insult, all of which are forms of protest primarily associated with the Arab world.[363][364] According to their index, Yemen has the highest likelihood of a revolution, whereas Qatar has the lowest. The index factors in the number of years the current ruler has been in power, the percentage of the population consisting of of young people, per capita GDP, democracy index, political corruption, and freedom of the press. BBC News used its own 'Unrest Index' in its analysis of the protests.[365] Alen Mattich of the Wall Street Journal created the 'Revolting Index' to rate the likelihood of revolts by nation based on 'social unfairness, propensity to revolt, and a trigger'. Mattich readily admits, however, that 'the methodology is crude. There's been no econometric work done'.[366] The index listed a number of African nations towards the top of the list as well as some Asian nations.

Who Anna Hazare? What Jan Lokpal Bill?April 7, 2011 by constantmotion Coming to my own blog after a very long time. Must admit have been very busy and when not busy, then lazy. But today I had to leave all work and laziness aside because the cause I wanted to write about and support by writing about, is very close to me. Its bout this m n c lled Ann Hazare and Jan Lokpal bill. I must also admit that I am writing this post from the comfort of my home with stom ch full of food. I m not f sting nor m I sitting in the April un in Delhis Jantar Mantar. That way I am an armchair activist (like so many others) but I wanted to write about this and contribute in whatever way possible. Who is Anna Hazare? Kisan Bapat Baburao Hazare or Anna Hazare, is a social activist and a social worker. He used to work as a driver in the Indian Army and has been greatly influenced by Swami Vivekanada, Ghandiji and Acharya Vinobha Bhave. He is especially recognized for his contribution to the development of Ralegan Siddhi, a village in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra.After voluntary retirement from the army, Hazare came to Ralegan Siddhi village in 1975. Initially, he led a movement to eradicate alcoholism from the village. Next, he motivated the residents of the village intoshramdan (voluntary labour) to build canals, small-scale check-dams and percolation tanks in the nearby hills for watershed development; efforts that solved the problem of scarcity of water in the village that also made irrigation possible. He helped farmers of more than 70 villages in drought-prone region in the state of Maharashtra since 1975. He also motivated the residents of the village to build a secondary school in the village through voluntary labour.

Below is the Wikipedia based information on the entire anti corruption crusade started by Anna.

Lokpal Bill movementIn 2011, Anna Hazare led a movement for passing a stronger anti-corruption Lokpal (ombudsman) bill in the Indian Parliament. As a part of this movement, N. Santosh Hegde, a former justice of the Supreme Court of India and Lokayukta of Karnataka, Prashant Bhushan, a senior lawyer in the Supreme Court along with the members of the India Against Corruption movement drafted an alternate bill, named as the Jan Lokpal Bill (Peoples Ombudsm n Bill) with more stringent provisions and wider power to the Lokpal (Ombudsman). Hazare has started a fast up to death from 5 April 2011 at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, to press for the demand to form a joint committee of the representatives of the Government and the civil society to draft a new bill with more stronger penal actions and more independenceto the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Ombudsmen in the states), after his demand was rejected by the Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh. The movement attracted attention very quickly through various media. It has been reported that thous nds of people joined to support H z res effort. Almost 15 people re reported to join Hazare in his fast. He said that he would not allow any politician to sit with him in this movement. Many social activists including Medha Patkar,Arvind Kejriwal and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi h ve lent their support to H z res hunger strike nd nti-corruption campaign. This movement has also been joined by many people providing their support in Internet social media such as twitter and facebook. In addition to spiritual leaders Swami Ramdev,Swami Agnivesh and former Indian cricketer Kapil Dev, many bollywood celebrities like Shekhar Kapur, Siddharth Narayan, Anupam Kher, Madhur Bhandarkar, Pritish Nandy,

Priyanka Chopra, Prakash Raj,Aamir Khan, Chetan Bhagat showed their public support through twitter. As an outcome of this movement, on 6 April, 2011 Sharad Pawar resigned from the group of ministers formed for reviewing the draft Lokpal bill 2010. Ann H z re st rted his F st until De th t J nt r M nt r, New Delhi, st ting I will f st until J n Lokp l Bill is p ssed The movement g thered quite signific nt mount of support from Indi s youth visible through the local support and on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Background of the movementThe movement started due to the resentment because of the serious differences between the draft Lokpal Bill 2010 prepared by the government and the Jan Lokpal Bill prepared by the members of this movement, which has received significant public support:Draft Lokpal Bill 2010 1. Lokpal will have no power to initiate suo moto action or receive complaints of corruption from the general public. It can only probe complaints forwarded by LS Speaker or RS Chairman. 2. Lokpal will only be an Advisory Body. Its part is only limited to forwarding its report to the Competent Authority 3. Lokpal will not have any police powers. It can not register FIRs or proceed with criminal investigations. 4. CBI and Lokpal will have no connection with each other. 5. Punishment for corruption will be minimum 6 months and maximum up-to 7 years. 6. Lokpal will have powers to initiate suo moto action or receive complaints of corruption from the general public. 7. Lokpal will be much more than an Advisory Body. It should be granted powers to initiate Prosecution against anyone found guilty. 8. Lokpal will have police powers. To say that it will be able to register FIRs. 9. Lokpal and anti corruption wing of CBI will be one Independent body. 10. The punishment should be minimum 5 years and maximum up-to life imprisonment. 11. Lokpal will not be a monopoly for particular area Jan Lokpal Bill 1. Lokpal will have powers to initiate suo moto action or receive complaints of corruption from the general public. 2. Lokpal will be much more than an Advisory Body. It should be granted powers to initiate Prosecution against anyone found guilty. 3. Lokpal will have police powers. To say that it will be able to register FIRs. 4. Lokpal and anti corruption wing of CBI will be one Independent body. 5. The punishment should be minimum 5 years and maximum up-to life imprisonment. 6. Lokpal will not be a monopoly for particular area

Now the question arises, why Jan Lokpal bill is so important.

Source: http://indiaagainstcorruption.org/ Jan Lokpal, an independent body that would investigate corruption cases, complete the investigation within a year and envisages trial in the case getting over in the next one year. Drafted by Justice Santosh Hegde (former Supreme Court Judge and present Lokayukta of Karnataka), Prashant Bhushan (Supreme Court Lawyer) and Arvind Kejriwal (RTI activist), the draft Bill envisages a system where a corrupt person found guilty would go to jail within two years of the complaint being made and his ill-gotten wealth being confiscated. It also seeks power to the Jan Lokpal to prosecute politicians and bureaucrats without government permission. Retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi and other known people like Swami Agnivesh, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Anna Hazare and Mallika Sarabhai are also part of the movement, called India Against Corruption. Its website describes the movement s n expression of collective nger of people of India against corruption. We have all come together to force/request/persuade/pressurize the Government to enact the Jan Lokpal Bill. We feel that if this Bill were enacted it would create an effective deterrence against corruption. A look at the salient features of Jan Lokpal Bill: 1. An institution called LOKPAL at the centre and LOKAYUKTA in each state will be set up 2. Like Supreme Court and Election Commission, they will be completely independent of the governments. No minister or bureaucrat will be able to influence their investigations. 3. Cases against corrupt people will not linger on for years anymore: Investigations in any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial should be completed in next one year so that the corrupt politician, officer or judge is sent to jail within two years. 4. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the time of conviction. 5. How will it help a common citizen: If any work of any citizen is not done in prescribed time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on guilty officers, which will be given as compensation to the complainant. 6. So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration card or passport or voter card is not being made or if police is not registering your case or any other work is not being done in prescribed time. Lokp l will h ve to get it done in months time. You could lso report ny c se of corruption to Lokpal like ration being siphoned off, poor quality roads been constructed or panchayat funds being siphoned off. Lokpal will have to complete its investigations in a year, trial will be over in next one year and the guilty will go to jail within two years. 7. But wont the government ppoint corrupt nd we k people s Lokp l members? Th t wont be possible because its members will be selected by judges, citizens and constitutional authorities and not by politicians, through a completely transparent and participatory process.

8. What if some officer in Lokpal becomes corrupt? The entire functioning of Lokpal/ Lokayukta will be completely transparent. Any complaint against any officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two months. 9. What will happen to existing anti-corruption agencies? CVC, departmental vigilance and anticorruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal. Lokpal will have complete powers and machinery to independently investigate and prosecute any officer, judge or politician. 10. It will be the duty of the Lokpal to provide protection to those who are being victimized for raising their voice against corruption. To summarise, we can say, it will give more power to RTI act, corruption will be tackled and dealt with quickly, whistle blowers will (most likely) also get some protection for raising their voice against corruption.________________________________________________________________________________________

There are many sections in the society who belive th t Ann s crus de is politic lly motiv ted or BJP might be behind ll this. To set the record str ight, let me dd th t Ann s crus de is Indi s crusade and is not politically motivated. In fact, Uma Bharti and Chautala were turned away when they wanted to join Anna. According to Anna, the politicians can come, sit amidst the public, listen to Ann s speech nd go w y. Politici ns will not be llowed to sh re the st ge s he does not want any political colour to be given to his crusade and thereby maligning this noble cause. He also went ahead and said that his crusade is completely non-violent like Gandhiji who protested by going on hunger strike against every wrong in the society. Anna being a staunch Gandhian, is following the same path of hunger strike because all other avenues are closed. His crusade is not against the government nor does he want to create any political instability. He trusts no political party and wants to have a dialogue with either Sonia Gandhi or Manmohan Singh. It clearly shows that Anna believes no one other than these two people in the entire government or the political setup of the country. Sonia Gandhi or Manmohan Singh should not waste time in addressing this issue which has mobilised the entire nation. According to Anna, this a 2nd freedom struggle for our country. Struggle to free our country from petty gains and greed. My support to Anna.

The idea of the first Jan Lokpal Bill dates back to as early as 1969, yet this democratic bill was always denied by the pseudo democratic government of India for the last 42 years. None of the Lokpal bills introduced again and again in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2008 passed the approval nod of our great Indian leaders simply because it threatened the supreme powers that the rulers have always enjoyed. The latest Jan Lokpal bill, drafted by Shanti Bhushan, former IPS Kiran Bedi, Justice N. Santosh Hegde, advocate Prashant Bhushan, former chief election commissioner J. M. Lyngdoh in

consultation with the leaders of the India Against Corruption movement and the civil society, proposes to create an effective anti-corruption and grievance handling system by forming an independent body with power to investigate and punish corruption. With 73 years old Gandhian Anna H z re s determin tion to bring this bill into re lity through his f st to de th nd every section of the media supporting him, millions of people are dreaming already to erase corruption and bring down the misuse of power by politicians. But this bill, as we see is not without its own set of risks and failure modes. Some of these risks that need attention, as per the salient features of the Lokpal bill are: 1. Formation of Independent Institutions (Lokpal in the center and Lokayukta in each state) like the Supreme Court and the Election Commission, which will act on its own to investigate and punish corruption and the corrupted. It is being claimed that no politician or minister would be able to influence the decision of the Lokpal or Lokayukta because its members will be selected by judges, citizens and constitutional authorities and not by politicians or ministers, through a completely transparent and democratic process. But it is a similar transparent and democratic process of the country that elects and puts the same corrupted politicians and leaders to power in every election! When people themselves select corrupted leaders to power, the justification that the people again will select their representative to fight those same corrupted leaders is really weak. According to the bill, any complaint against any officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two months. The idea sounds good, but if some official of Lokpal is indeed found guilty and punished, the public trust on the system itself would be damaged. For example, in rural north east, the people still do not trust the Indian army because of the rapes and killings which it had done in the past, though some of those accused have been punished. The world always accuses the Pakistani cricket team to have fixed a match when they lose, just because a few of their players were found guilty of match fixing and punished in the past. The risk of corruption within Lokpal/ Lokayukta itself cannot be ruled out. As per the bill, entire working of Lokpal/ Lokayukta will be transparent to the public, but even working of Government agencies are supposed to be transparent which is not because of corruption within. If the officials of Lokpal or Lokayukta are bribed secretly or bought with huge amount of money, the entire idea of this establishment is destroyed. 2. As per the Jan Lokpal Bill, all current anti corruption agencies like the CVC, departmental vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal. The idea is appealing since the functioning of CBI and vigilance departments has always been secret and never transparent enough of the public. But , If CVC, departmental vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal, who will actually head the Lokpal? If the CBI or the Vigilance officers continue to call the shots nd t ke decisions, this me ns its the Government g in, this time indirectly, who is doing investigations! On current date, even if a CBI or Vigilance finds proof of corruption against the top politicians or ministers, it is nearly impossible to put the accused behind bars because of the diplomatic, political and influence from the Government. With CBI, CVC, etc coming together to form a

Lokpal, their officials would continue to be direct or indirect central government servants. So the same problems would continue as present. With merging of the different independent bodies (CVC, departmental vigilance and anticorruption branch of CBI), there would be extensive differences in questions over authority, utilization of resources and efficiency of the entire new department might be in stake. The biggest risk would be prominent when a people-elected body comprising of good and clean names in the civil society but having no prior experience of administration of such bodies are given the sole power of running, managing, monitoring and implementing actions of this entire function. 3. As per the bill, investigation of any case will have to be completed in one year and trial should be completed in next one year. The idea is that in a maximum of two years, the corrupt officer or politician should go to jail. The idea is correct as Justice delayed is justice denied indeed. But what happens to the tens of thousands of other judicial cases of people which the courts have to deal with every year. The country is already known to have a bad name for delaying justice or giving decisions on judicial cases because of its constraints with different resources. Although it would be a great idea to complete all Lokpal driven corruption cases within two years, it should never be at the cost of delaying other cases of the common people. Setting up the right infrastructure and resources is a must here. 4. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the people or to the government will be recovered at the time of conviction. This looks like a great idea as there is currently no recovery of the corrupt wealth and a person punished for corruption can enjoy this wealth after returning from his conviction. But what is not clear yet and what needs to be taken into account is the nature of the recovery of corrupted wealth invested in assets like private educational institution, private medical college or trade and business that involves large scale employment. For example, corrupted ministers of several states are known to invest in opening private engineering and medical colleges. If investigations reveal that the institution was developed out of black money from corruption, what would be the fate of the college? It cannot be closed down for the reason that it will destroy career of the students, nor would the Government be able to take over it. In another example if a minister is found guilty of corruption, what happens to his private news channel? Would it be sold off to recover the money? What would happen to the employees working for their bread and butter? The list of examples is endless. So although it is must to recover corrupted wealth, it is utmost necessary that the nature of such recovery is defined well. 5. If any work of any citizen is not done within agreed time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on guilty officers, which will be paid as compensation to the complainant. This step will act as a great measure as well as drive efficiency in different Government departments. It would be a welcome move for the people who have to pay bribe to get anything done in a government office. But the same time,

This step ensures that Lokpal has the highest power of authority over all Government departments, which will mean that Lokpal becomes a parallel Government in itself. This in itself is a risk where the Government and the Lokpal, both selected by people, would try to exercise their power of dominance or authority over each other. Lokpal imposing financial penalty on officers for not completing work in time can be challenged in the court by the government departments or by the officers themselves with genuine reasons or excuses. This will increase the queue of judicial cases in the country and eat up substantial time and energy of both parties. We salute Anna Hazare for his tremendous efforts against corruption in the country, but at the same time we fear that simply making the bill pass through the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha are not going to be enough. If the risks are not assessed well and practical measures not put into place, this bill can actually turn out only to be an immature step rather than a practical solution to destroy corruption. Last thing we need is one more democratic Frankenstein, arising out of emotion, in the country.What is Lokpal Bill? Lokpal Bill is a measure to conduct an investigation regarding involvements of people with high profiles (Prime Ministers, Chief Justice of India (CJI) and so on). The bill will provide speedy, cheaper form of justice to people. The Lokpal bill will not wait for any permission from the high commission to begin the inquiry into the alleged irregularities and corruption charges against political leaders, judge's or even the Chief Justice of India (CJI). In the proposed system, politicians will not have any say in selections of chairperson and members of Lokpal. Loss caused to government will be recovered from accused. The punishment, if found guilty will be 5 years to maximum life term in the proposed system. Right now the punishment is 6 months to maximum 7 years. However, Lokpal Bills were introduced in the Parliament several times (1969, 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and in 2008) but failed to be passed all these times. Present scenario: Despite requests from many leaders including the PM Manmohan Singh not to proceed with his decision of indefinite fast, Anna Hazare kicked off his protest. Within 24 hours, more than 300 people took part in a token huger strike to express their solidarity with Hazare. The movement has irked various political parties that had to bear the brunt of Hazare's fiery rhetoric that doesn't seem to spare anyone. Pawar added on the future of the campaign, "The chain hunger strike will continue till April 11 and a 'Jail Bharo' agitation will be launched on April 12, whereby people

and activists will court arrest." Many star campaigners have joined the protest besides 40 or more organizations showing support to the cause. In a statement issued by the All-India Anti-Corruption Committee, "There is a need to get rid of corruption and the Lokpal bill has to be very stringent. Even the prime minister should come under the purview of this bill." Meanwhile, one of the main targets of Hazare's criticism, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar chided, "I will be happy if you relieve me from all GoMs, including that GoM (on corruption)."

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Back Exercises Without WeightsWant to learn some back exercises without weights? This article will help you learn a few exercises that you can do without weights to strengthen your back muscles.

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demands a good exercise regime for your muscles, in order to keep them strong and healthy. This will make sure that you don't feel tired and exhausted at the end of the day. Most of you would be experiencing a backache problem, if your job demands sitting or standing for long hours. Most of the time, you tend to sit in a wrong posture, leading to back pain. Stress is, also, known to aggravate backache. So you would ask, is there a way to have healthy back muscles that too without gym, exercise equipments and weights? Yes, there is, and here are some good back exercises without weights, which you can perform in your home. Best Back Exercises without Weights Back Extension I Take a mat and lie face down over it, place your hands on the mat at the level of your head. Breathe in, contract the abs and lift your chest off the floor. At the same time, you must bring your hands to your sides, but don't touch the mat. Squeeze your shoulders together. Remember to move your shoulders outward and hold yourself in this lifted position for 5 seconds and then relax slowly. Perform 15 -20 reps and 3 sets of this exercise. This is one of the best back exercises at home without weights. More on: back exercises for women. Back Extension II This is, one of the best upper back exercises without weights. This is almost similar to the back extension exercise mentioned above. Lie face down on a mat, keep your arms extended over your head. Breathe in and lift your chest and arms off the floor. Hold this position for 5 seconds and relax. Remember to perform controlled movements and 15-20 repetitions and 3 sets of this exercise. Back Extension III This is also known as superman exercise, due to the final position during exercise and it is one of the effective upper and lower back exercises without weights. Lie face down on a mat, with your hands extended over your head. Breathe-in and lift your chest and arms off the floor. Now, here is the tough part; holding this position, lift your legs off the floor at the same time. Hold this position for 5 seconds and lower your legs and upper body at the same time and relax. Perform 15-20 reps and 3 sets of this exercise. More on: strenghtening lower back muscles. Pull Ups This is known to be one of the best back exercises without weights. To perform pull-ups, place your hands shoulder-width apart on a bar, hold the bar with an underhand grip. The height of this bar must be such that when you hold it, your legs must hang in the air. A thicker bar is the best one to build your fore-arms as well. Start pulling yourself upward, toward the bar until your chin and this bar are at the same level. Now, lower yourself till your arms are straight, and repeat the pull-up again. You have to perform 8 reps and 3 sets of this back strengthening exercise. This exercise will strengthen your arms, shoulder and chest along with your back. More on: back strengthening exercise. Jumping Squats The jumping squats is one of the best back exercises without equipment that will workout your back muscles and strengthen them in a great way. This mainly focuses on your back, abs and

whole lower body. Lower down to come to a squatted position; take one foot in front and jump into the air as high as you can. While landing, you must be in a squatted position with other foot in front. Without any break, jump back into the air and perform 10-15 such reps and 3 sets of this exercise. More on: back exercises for men. Opposite Arm and Leg Extension To start with this exercise, be in a table-top position, facing the floor and palms, toes and knees touching the floor. Keep your back in normal position and palms must be in line under your shoulders. Start by raising your right arm and left leg, to bring them in line with your body and hold this position for 5 seconds. Return to initial position. Alternate the arm and leg, in the next rep. Perform 30 reps and 3 sets of this exercise. Remember to keep your lower back stable and tight throughout the exercise. This is one of the best back exercises without weights. These above-mentioned exercises are the best back exercises without weights. These will help in your back muscles development. After completing one set, rest for 2 minutes and move on to the next exercise. Also, if you feel tightness in the lower back, you can stretch after finishing a set. These back exercises without weights will also help tone and strengthen your shoulder and arms. Performing these exercises on alternate days, is best way to have a strong back. By Mamta Mule Ads by Google weight loss exercises Learn to live with diabetes. Get resources and information now. www.diabetescare.net Tips for Pregnant Woman Free Pregnancy Guide, Weekly Update Due Date Calculators And Much More! www.Babycenter.in/Pregnancy-Advice "Heart Attack Warning" Clean Arteries Before Surgery. Painless, Fast, Safe & Easy www.YourTicker.com/Angioprim Kyungchang Industry Co., Ballistic,Helmet,Vest,Plate,Shield, Magazine,Handcuff,Bodyarmor kyungchang.com/ How To Sing - Really Sing Breakthrough Method Releases Your Unique Voice! Watch Videos www.TheSingingZone.com High Urea Levels? Probiotics to regulate Urea levels and promote healthy kidneys www.kibowbiotech.com Joints Pain Treatment Improves Quality of Life & Health. Resrticts Diseases Naturally! CowUrineTherapy.in Abdomen Fat Loss Service Need Help filling those jeans? Let Evolve tone your body the right way EvolveMedSpa.org/WeightLoss Discuss Email Article

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If you hate to go to the gym, you are not alone. The good news is - you can get results in the comfort of your own home with some simple home exercises. Bodyweight training CAN be effective. It CAN be a substitute for weights, if necessary. Training using your own body weight as a source of resistance is a time tested technique to get results fast. Here are the ten best bodyweight training exercises that give you great workouts and great results - without the gym. 1. Supine Pull-Ups (works major muscles in back, shoulders, and biceps) Use two chairs and a pole - a heavy broom handle works well. WARNING: make sure the chairs are stable and that the broom handle is strong enough to take your weight. You could be SEVERELY injured if the pole were to break or the chairs to slip. Lie on your back underneath a low bar. Grab the bar with a wide overhand grip. Pull up. Lower and repea