The article written by Fareed Zakaria, to the Time Magazine (February), ‘Why it is different this time’ has thrown more light on the wave of protests in the middle east.
These protests have begun from a small country of little importance to the region’s largest and most important state challenging the rules of aristocrats and monarchs who are ruling oppressively. It is said that popular uprisings that had taken place 162 years ago in Sicily and France are similar to what is happening in the Middle East today.
From 1970 to 2007, according to researchers, 80% of all outbreaks of conflicts occurred in these countries where 60% or more of the population were youths under 30. In spite of the fact that youth are the dynamic social force, their demands have been suppressed by the Islamic fundamentalists according to one writer. The main demand of the youth protesters was that the priority be given to treating them as ‘citizens’ and not as ‘subjects’. Compared to the youth in the other Asian countries, it is accepted that youth in China and India are employed so that their contribution can be made to the economic growth of those countries.
Read moreAmidst suppression and tension that began to ignite the conflicts, youth and technology have become the most powerful forces behind the tension that has let loose in this region. Technology, satellite, TV,
computer, mobile phones and internet have played a powerful role in informing, educating and connecting people i the region. These conflicts that have emerged in the form of protests began to empower individuals and disempower the states.
One Egyptian boy explaining his agony had added that he who fell from a train on to the platform by accident was further punished by the police adding insult to the injury, on the ‘charge’ that he had
blocked the platform. The youth were of the opinion that they are not treated as human beings under undemocratic rulers.
Hassan Nafaas who is a well-known political scientist, professor of Cairo University has accepted the fact that the young people have done more in a few weeks than their parents in 30 years.They are said to be
"internet generation or the face book generation or just call them miracle generation"
According to the British historian, A. J. P. Taylor, "History reached its turning point and failed to turn". The question being asked by scholars is: "Will history fail to turn in the Middle East?"
Courtesy - The Island - R. Somasiri Pannipitiya
