Middle East on Fire

Masked Omani protesters jump in front of burning vehicles during a demonstration in Sohar, more than 200 kms (125 miles) northwest of Muscat. Getty Images/AFP.

Following the fall of Bin Ali in Tunisia and Mubarak in Egypt protests has been spread out through the middle east.



From BBC website



According to data from various sources, the unrest in the middle east can be summarized in the table below. Keep in mind things changes daily in the middle east.

From BBC website

In Bahrain, the police targeted the protesters, nurses and doctors in Salmaniya hospital. According to Aljazeera, "Bahrainis with protest-related injuries are reportedly being kept away from family in a hospital guarded by soldiers."

Aftermath of demonstrations outside Salmaniya hospital after security forces attacked medical staff [Shenaz Kermalli], source: Aljazeera

Protests continue in Yemen. There have been talks by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) over some exit options for Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Yemeni president. He will probably join Bin Ali of Tunisia in the dictator’s safe heaven, Saudi Arabia. I wonder where these dictators will scrape to when the fire reaches their heaven, Saudi! Ali Abdullah Saleh has been on power since 1978. It is really time for his departure! When will Seyed Ali Khameniei, the Supreme Leader of Iran (or more accurate, Supreme Liar of Iran) will join them in exile? Hopefully soon!

 

Protests continue in Syria as well ,despite promises of change from Asad. There are plans for la arge demonstrations on Friday April 8, in Douma.




Anti-Syrian government protesters, stand next to burning tires as they protest in the southern city of Daraa, Syria. ASSOCIATED PRESS

Movements Across the Middle East

I created this blog to express my opinion! Even if we don’t all have democratic countries, we can think freely and in most cases we can write our opinions. I am lucky to live in a country that I can even publish them on web freely! So why not! Please write your comments on the posts.

I don’t even know where to start. My blog will be mostly about Iran’s movement toward democracy and also the politics in the Middle East and human rights around the globe.

The recent democratic movements in the Middle East from the more peaceful Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia to the bloodier uprisings and protests across the middle east are fascinating. The Jasmine Revolution was so sweet! The protests started on December 17 and it was nice to see that Ben Ali had to flee Tunisia only 28 days later on January 14, 2011. It was so encouraging to watch Tahrir square “live” from TV (thanks to Aljazeera!) from January 25 to the removal of Mubarak from power on February 11. Protesters did not leave Tahrir square until they liberated Egypt from Mubarak’s dictatorship. Many of us watched Tahrir square "live" day and night!




Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt



Everyone was wondering which dictator is next to go. Protesters in different cities in Iran were chanting 'Mubarak! Ben Ali! Now it's time for Seyed Ali!' (refering to Seyed Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran).

Iran, Tehran, Navab Street, February 2011

For a more recent protest in Shriraz on March 21, 2011 (on Iranian Nowruz) watch this video. The protesters are chanting "Death to Dictator" and  'Mubarak! Ben Ali! Now it's time for Seyed Ali!'

Whether the next dictatorship to vanish will be the one in Iran or the one in Lybia, Bahrain,  Syria, Jordan, Algeria, Oman or Saudi Arabia, it remains to be seen. Unfortunately, not every democratic movement or revolution will lead to liberation (as we can see from the 1979 Iranian revolution), so it will be very interesting to to follow the events in Tunisia and Egypt as well as the democratic movements in the rest of the middle east. We all hope that these will lead to the liberation of the middle east!