World Regional Geography: Tunisia

Arab Uprising
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Introduction
In early December 2010, pro-democracy uprisings plunged Tunisia. By early January 2011, the anti-government protests, uprisings, and unrest quickly spread into Arabic-speaking states in North Africa and the Middle East including, Libya, Bahrain, Syria, Egypt, and Yemen. Triggered by the rampant corruption, aging dictatorships, cronyism, national appeal, social media, leaderless revolts, rising standards of living, bungled state response, and rallying call from the mosque saw the people to the streets in to fight for democracy and better standards of living (Shehata, 2014). Although many Arabs lost their lives and possession fighting for a better living and democracy, their quest has remained a mere dream with –nothing much to celebrate following the ninth anniversary of the Arab uprisings. In reality, there is little sign of political freedom as called for by the protestors.
Background
The first demonstrations in Tunisia was sparked by the self-immolation of Mohammed Bouazizi, a street vendor who set himself ablaze in front of a government building to demonstrate the irrational destruction of his vegetable stand by police due to lack of a business permit. Subsequently, a protest movement sprung, and with the help of social media, protests spread across the country. In response, the regime launched violence and financial and political incentives to counter the ever-growing street demonstrations (Puddington, 2012). Unluckily, the protests overwhelmed the nation’s security forces and forced president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to step down and leave the country early following year (Schwedler, 2013). After nine months, Tunisians participated in election to choose a council tasked in drafting a new constitution. Two months later, December 2011, a constitutionally selected prime minister and president assumed office.
In late January 2011, only days after the Tunisian president had freed the country, substantial unrest and protests broke out in Egypt. Like the Tunisian government, the administration tried to control the protests by offering concessions as well as the use of violence against the demonstrators. However, after days of firm protests and unrest between demonstrators and security forces in the capital Cairo and other regions, the armed forces declared that it would not use force against protestors but rather called the president Hosni Mubarak to step down (Schwedler, 2013).
Consequently, the president ceded power to the council of senior military officers on February 11 having served the country for almost thirty years. The new military administration enjoyed public support due to the essential role they played in the president Mubarak ouster. However, the confidence diminished when the military administration was reluctant to transfer power to the elected officials and rather hurled violence against the citizens and protestors (Niakooee, 2013). In late November 2011, parliamentary elections were conducted amidst the multiday violence and elected people assembly started their first session in January the following year.
Inspired by the successful demonstrations in Egypt and Tunisia, citizens in Libya, Syria, Yemen, and Bahrain started demonstrating on the streets in late January, February, and March 2011. Fierce and bloody skirmishes between protestant groups and ruling governments were evident across the country more especially in the capital cities (Hatoum, 2015). In Yemen, demonstrations began in January 2011 when the country’s most powerful tribal, military leaders, and pro-democracy protestors destroyed President Ali Abd Allah Salih base of support (Meijer, 2016). The protest continued until later in November 2011 when the president transferred power to then vice president Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who officially assumed the office of the president after going unopposed in the presidential election in February 2012.
In Bahrain, massive demonstrations led by human rights activists and marginalized Shi’ite majority began in mid-February in 2011. The groups unfailingly called for economic and political reforms. Like other countries, the federal violently inhibited the protests through the use of security forces and an aided army force of over 1500 militaries from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. However, the protests were not as successful as other countries as they were subdued by the end of the month (Alagha, 2014). This led to mass conviction and imprisonment of protestors including political leaders, demolition of mosques, and loss of employment to the majority of the Shiite workers particularly those suspected of supporting the demonstrations (Hatoum, 2015). Although an independent commission to investigate the uprising was formed in November 2011, little was done to improve the economic and political reforms.
Protests against Libya's long-serving president, Muammar al-Qaddafi started in mid-February 2011 – and swiftly intensified into armed revolutions. On March rebel forces were on the brink of defeat until NATO launched airstrikes against the president forces (Alagha, 2014). However, Muammar al-Qaddafi reserved power in Tripoli for numerous more months despite –until August 2011, when rebel forces took control of the Tripoli and forced the president out of power. Muammar was later killed in October in Surt by the rebel forces with the help of international forces.
By mid-march 2011, demonstrations demanding the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad broke out in southern Syria. The Syria government responded with brutal violence against protestors drawing the attention of the human rights groups and international leaders (Alagha, 2014). Eventually, opposition leadership and militia groups launched attacks on government security forces. Despite the unwavering attacks by the protestors, Assad's hold of power stood unmoved as he was able to retain vital military unit support as well as the country minority ‘Alawite group. Besides, the Russia and China resolution to disallow United Security Council to interfere with Assad regime helped the president remain in power (Hatoum, 2015).
Reasons that led to Arab uprisings
The Arab uprisings were triggered by numerous factors. First, the rising growth of the population in the Arab countries was a major catalyst to the unrest. The population between 1975 and 2005 almost doubled up to 314 million. For example, two-thirds of the Egyptian population was under 30. In this respect, the economic and political development in most Arab nations could not support the rising population. As such, the high population led to high levels of unemployment in these countries as well as low standards of living (Hatoum, 2015). In reality, most university graduates were forced to take menial jobs such as taxi drivers to earn a living. Similarly, the families struggled to provide for the basic needs including food, clothes, and shelter.
On the other hand, people believed the economic situation could stabilize with credible and competent leaders. Unfortunately, during this period most of these countries were under dictators who were utterly bankrupt morally and ideologically (Niakooee, 2013). For example, Muammar al-Qaddafi ruled for 42 years, Egyptian Hosni Mubarak for 31 years, and Ben Ali of Tunisia 24 years. Most of the population were skeptical of the legitimacy of these aging regimes and only remained lifeless due to fear of security and better alternatives (Hatoum, 2015).
Besides, the rampant corruption in these countries fuelled the anger in citizens. Typically, people can tolerate economic hardships if there is hope for a better future or financial pain is somewhat distributed. However, the gap between the rich and the poor kept wi...