ARAB SPRING

REVOLUTIONS

2010-2014

24/01/2024
Introduction

 The Arab Spring was a series of protests and uprisings in the Middle East that began
with unrest in Tunisia in late 2010. The Arab Spring has brought down regimes in
some Arab countries, sparked mass violence in others, while some governments
managed to delay the trouble with a mix of repression, promise of reform and state
largesse.
 The Arab Spring is known by many names here are some of them:
 The Arab Spring and Winter
 Arab Awakening
 Arab Uprising
Background

December 2010
Mohamed Bouazizi, a 26-year-old fruit vendor in small town of Tunisia.
He was fed up with abuse by local officials – police confiscated his produce stand
without a permit.
He set himself on fire as protest, later died of injuries.
 His actions touched off demonstrations across country, public outrage.
Tunisia
Tunisia: The Start of the uprising
Cont.…

Tunisia is the birthplace of the Arab Spring.

The self-immolation of Mohammed Bouazizi sparked countrywide protests in
December 2010
The main target was the corruption and repressive policies of President Zine El Abidine
Ben Ali.
He was forced to flee the country on January 14, 2011 after the armed forces refused
to crack down on the protests.
Following Ben Ali’s downfall, Tunisia entered a protracted period of political transition.
 Parliamentary elections in October 2011 were won by Islamists.

24/01/2024
.

24/01/2024
Tahrir Square

24/01/2024
Egypt

The Arab Spring began in Tunisia, but the decisive moment that changed the region
forever was the downfall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The West’s key Arab
ally, in power since 1980.
Mass protests started on January 25 2011 and Mubarak was forced to resign on
February 11.
Army refused to Intervene against the masses occupying the Tahrir Square Cairo.
Tens of thousands protests in streets for 18 days 846 people killed, 6000 injured.
 Protesting police brutality, limits on freedom of speech, lack of free elections, govt
corruption, food prices, high unemployment, low min. wage.

24/01/2024
24/01/2024
Benghazi the 1.5 million Anti-Qadafi protest

24/01/2024
Libya

By the time the Egyptian leader resigned, large parts of the Middle East were already
in turmoil.
Started out as peaceful protests in Benghazi on Feb. 15th, 2011 More protests and
demonstrations followed
The protests against Col. Muammar al-Qaddafi’s regime in Libya started on February
15 2011, escalating into the first civil war caused by the Arab Spring.
March 2011 the NATO forces intervened against the Qaddafi’s army, helping the
opposition rebel movement to capture most of the country by August 2011. Qaddafi
was killed on October 20.
 Most of the oil production has returned on stream, but political violence remains
endemic, and religious extremism has been on the rise.
Protest Against Bashar al Assad
Syria

Ben Ali and Mubarak were down, but everyone was holding their breath for Syria: a
multi-religious country allied to Iran ruled by a repressive republican regime and a
pivotal geo-political position.
First major protests began in March 2011 in provincial towns, gradually spreading to
all major urban areas.
By the end of 2011, Syria slid into an intractable civil war, with most of the Alawite
religious minority siding with President Bashar al-Assad, and most of the Sunni
majority supporting the rebels
 Nearly 4,000 civilians killed thus far…
Cont.….

Massive repression and death in the thousands as Bashir Al-Assad attempts to hold
onto power.
Cities of Homs, Damascus, and Hama saw the most intense fighting and deaths in the
early days. The Syrian opposition received recognition by many in the world in 2013.
 Russia supports the regime, while Saudi Arabia supports the rebels with neither side
able to break the deadlock.
Yemen

Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh was the fourth victim of the Arab Spring.
Emboldened by events in Tunisia, anti- government protesters of all political colors
started pouring onto the streets in mid January 2011.
Hundreds of people died in clashes as pro- government forces organized rival rallies,
and the army began to disintegrate into two political camps.
Meanwhile, Al Qaeda in Yemen began to seize territory in the south of the country.
A political settlement facilitated by Saudi Arabia saved Yemen from an all-out civil
war.
 President Saleh signed the transition deal on 23 November 2011, agreeing to step
aside for a transitional government led by Vice- President Abd al-Rab Mansur al-
Hadi
Unrest Was About

Poverty
Corruption
Unemployment
Censorship
State Sponsored Violence against Civilians
Economic turmoil
Human rights violations Democratic deficit
 dictatorship & authoritarian regimes
Cont. ….

 Causes include human rights violations, economic decline, as well as extreme

poverty caused by unemployment; a new generation of majority and educated youth
with the drive and determination to force a change
 Globalization brings Western Culture to oppressed Middle Eastern countries
 Women are becoming educated and fighting for equality for the first time ever in
some countries.
 Huge concentrations of wealth are in the hands of a select few.
 Social media takes the movements worldwide.
 Amnesty International pointed to Wikileaks’ as a catalyst for the revolts by exposing
government corruption to the people.
Conclusion

 The events of the Arab Spring have given hope to millions of people across the
Middle East and beyond that meaningful political change for the better is a distinct
possibility. That said, of all the Arab countries effected by this wave of political
protest, only two, Egypt and Tunisia, is now in what looks like political transitions to
a more representative form of government. Two more, Syria and Libya, were driven
into civil war with Yemen also showing some signs of following them. The rest of the
countries of the Middle East retain the ruling elites they had before the Arab Spring
started. Successful revolutions are very rare indeed.
PRESENTED BY

Seerat Gul (006)

Shanza (014)