Ana Geradze

Arab Spring

Throughout the history, Arab Spring, or the awaking, revolution, that occurred in

Tunisia, December, 2011 has affected the civilians as well as several other countries

tremendously. This event began with a series of protests and revolutions in the Middle

East.

It was a time when the Arab Spring brought down and rebelled against the

government, caused chaos and sparked violence. It all started with a regular innocent

civilian who was known as a fruit vendor who set himself on fire in protest in front of a

government building. His name was Mohamed Bouazizi, who was a college graduate

and was struggling to find a decent job to support his family. He then was accused by a

police officer for not having a proper permit. And lastly, the information that is most

accurate that that he put himself on fire without any further details provided to the

public.

After this incident, many years from that event, the Arab Spring had a harmful

effect in some countries. As it is stated, other than Tunisia, none of the uprisings came

to a happy end. Libya and Yemen have imploded, their central states replaced in whole

or part by warring militias, some backed by foreign powers, some flying the flags of al-

Qaeda or Islamic State.

In Egypt, people from Tunisians gave them the idea or an example, to protest

and rebel if their government is corrupting their nation. But after the protest, the security

fought back, and didnt let the protest succeed. After this occurrence, people wanted
their freedom to last, and they began to vote.

As it is stated, but the euphoria faded as Egypt was whiplashed from one

political extreme to another, from the oppressive government of the Muslim Brotherhood

to the military regime that now rules. Five years after Egypt's Arab Spring, the country is

on shaky ground financially, unemployment is rampant and the people are angry. In

other words, there was no benefits to the protest. It was not a success because few

years later, events were not any better, it was getting worse. People fought, killed

themselves, and argued for no reason, but at least they were fighting for their country

and wanted to change it for the better and that gave them hope.

Five years after, it has gotten to the point where people are running away from

their own nations because they are tired of getting hurt physically and mentally. Five

years into the uprisings, however, counterrevolutionary forces composed of the old

regimes and Islamic fundamentalist forces have regained the political initiative, and are

now violently vying for control. Egypt is under a worse dictatorship than before its

uprising, and civil wars have broken out in Syria, Libya, and Yemen. Hundreds of

thousands have died, and many millions have been displaced.

In Libya, after the Arab Spring, did not a change for the better. In the aftermath

of Libyas Arab Spring, the countrys future is looking bleak, especially with regard to its

oil industry. Before the civil war erupted in 2011, Libya was producing more than 1.65

million barrels of oil per day. As of January 1, 2014, production is at 210,000 barrels, the

lowest level since the civil war began. With a difference like this, its obvious the toll the

civil war took on Libyas economy.

Even still today, the countries are facing a civil war, not feeling safe even after all
these years that has passed. There is no proper security, not proper government that

will govern them for the better, and keep them from violence but its the other way

around, instead the government is corrupting the nation tremendously. Even Tunisia,

championed as a model for democracy in the Arab world, remains on shaky, uncertain

ground.

In Libya, they didn't have institutions to build off of, meaning everything had to be built

from scratch. Also, rebels united in their fight to get rid of Gadhafi didn't necessarily see

eye-to-eye about what to do next. On top of all this, a power struggle ensued as multiple

groups -- from tribes to terrorist organizations -- wrestled for the upper hand. New

changes have to be made. There has to be a change in government.

There will not be peace if people dont stop killing each other and going against

each other. Several commentators argue that a lack of economic reform may threaten

the radical political changes that have swept the region, particularly in Egypt where

there is already talk of the need for a second revolution to address economic issues.

New governments in Egypt and Tunisia will need to pursue a delicate balance between

tackling vested interests and corruption on the one hand, and the need to avoid capital

flight and the to ensure some degree of political stability on the other.

In conclusion, as you can see, Arab Spring was not avoidable. It was meant to

happen. Somebody had to start but it didnt not end. The dictatorship, violence and

opposition is still occurring and that is not what the innocent civilians wished to happen

or wished to live in. It is extremely devastating to see an ongoing war and chaos

throughout all these years in several countries. It is depressing to see innocent children

dying and not living the life that they deserve.

 Resources

1.Tunisian Revolution

The Tunisian Revolution of 2011 marked the start of the Arab Spring.
2.Whats Happened Since Egypts Revolution?/SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 by SARAH

CHILDRESS

3.Arab Spring Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, 2015 From Opposing

Viewpoints in Context

4. December 17, 2010 Introduction: The Egyptian Revolution

5. 27 APRIL 2016 Libya: The story of the conflict explained

Guma El-Gamaty |