English
ItalianoCampaigning for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights, Democracy, the Rule of Law and International Justice
30 Jan 2012 - NPWJ News Digest on Middle East and North Africa Democracy
Articles
Egypt's military considering early power transfer
Jerusalem Post, Reuters, 30 Jan 2012
Egypt's military rulers in the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) are considering handing control of the country to civilian authorities earlier than planned, Egypt's Al Ahramreported Sunday.
According to the report, the SCAF convened a Saturday meeting with its advisory council to discuss a wave of protests that erupted on January 25, the first anniversary of the revolution that ousted longtime President Hosni Mubarak.
Originally scheduled to turn control to the newly-elected president after elections in June, the military has come under tremendous popular pressure to relinquish power sooner.
Arab League suspends Syria mission
Al Jazeera and Agencies, 29 Jan 2012
The Arab League has suspended its monitoring mission due to "critical" deteriorating conditions and rising violence in Syria, which is grappling with a 10-month revolt against President Bashar al-Assad's rule.
Nabil Elaraby, the secretary-general of the Arab League, announced the decision in a statement on Saturday.
"It has been decided to immediately stop the work of the Arab League's mission to Syria pending presentation of the issue to the league's council," he said.
4 killed in protests in Bahrain, opposition group says
CNN Wire Staff, 27 Jan 2012
Bahrain police on Friday denied opposition claims that security forces were responsible for the death of an anti-government protester, saying the man died from natural causes.
The death of 19-year-old Mohammed Ibrahim Yacoub was one of four reported Thursday by the Bahrain Center for Human Rights.
Many killed in Yemen clashes
Al Jazeera and Agencies, 26 Jan 2012
At least 22 people are reported to have been killed in clashes in a province under rebel control in rugged northern Yemen.
A source close to rebel group known as Houthis said on Thursday fighters from a Sunni group known as the Salafi attacked the rebels overnight in Hajja and in the Kataf area of Saada province, an area that has seen intense sectarian fighting in recent months.
One year after Egypt's uprising
Al Jazeera, 25 Jan 2012
January 25 marks one year since Egyptians took to Tahrir Square demanding President Hosni Mubarak step down after nearly 30 years in power. Although he was ousted 18 days later, many question whether the uprising has been successful.
Following Mubarak’s departure, the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) took power, leading to severe clampdowns on street demonstrations and political dissent. Under the SCAF’s governance and martial law, there have been 11,879 cases of civilians tried in military courts, six times more than during Mubarak’s rule.
Bahrain Analysis: Navigating a Rising Tide of Violence
By Marc Owen Jones, EA World View, 24 Jan 2012
In his Friday sermon three days ago, Bahrain’s most senior Shi’a cleric Isa Qassim sent a strong message out to the state security services, saying, "Whoever you see abusing women, you must crush them." Unsurprisingly, such words caused considerable anxiety in Bahrain, where tensions and violence seem to have escalated sharply since the beginning of the year. On Sunday, in what is one of the more powerful videos to emerge from Bahrain in the past year, residents of al-Eker videoed themselves chasing away riot police with Molotov cocktails, sticks and stones. Protesters have claimed that this was in retaliation to this incident, in which women appear to be struck and manhandled by riot officers after becoming involved over a man’s arrest.
With Qassim’s endorsement of violence in the defense of women comes the anxiety that Bahrain’s largest political opposition society al-Wefaq are taking on an increasingly hardline stance. It would, however, be inaccurate to suggest Qassim’s words reflect the will of the party itself. On the contrary, several months ago the opposition coalition (which includes al-Wefaq) used the post-BICI [Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry] period of relative goodwill to affect some sort of rapprochement, and denounced the use of roadblocks and pouring oil on the road.
Saudi Arabia: the Middle East's most under-reported conflict
Toby Matthiesen, The Guardian, 23 Jan 2012
As the British prime minister, David Cameron, visited Riyadh in mid-January, wooing Saudi business and strengthening bilateral relations, a young Shia man in the eastern province was shot dead.
Following the kingdom's huge arms deal with the United States, Cameron apparently wanted to persuade the Saudis to buy Typhoon Eurofighters. His visit was a slap in the face for protesters, who are demanding human rights and more of a say in their country's affairs.
In the week beginning 16 January thousands of people – activists say tens of thousands – took to the streets of Awwamiya in the eastern province to commemorate the death of Issam Muhammad Abu Abdallah, aged 22. He had been shot by Saudi security forces on the night of 12 January.
