The news took over this week.
Concerning the Arab Revolution, there
is some good news. Yemen’s dictator Salah finally negotiated with the
opposition parties to leave power and the country. OK, so he’s gone. Problem:
his family and the whole power structure remain in place. Elections have been
promised in two months, however, if the current government runs those elections, then
nothing much will change. The people have not bought it and continue to protest
and civilians continue to die everyday. It’s a rocky road ahead.
Dozens
of Syrian civilians also continue to die everyday while peaceful protests
continue. Unfortunately, the US government may attempt to weigh in on the side
of the revolution in order to maintain influence in the region, giving the
revolution a bad name (messy politics in this part of the world). Hard to
predict the outcome. I salute the courage of the Syrian people. It’s a rocky
road ahead.
Egyptians
protested in Tahrir Square once again to oust the prime minister, viewed as a
Mubarak supporter. So the ruling military council (which basically has a death
grip on the country) named another prime minister who had served in the Mubarak
government—unacceptable in the eyes of protesters, as one might imagine. In the
meantime, Egyptians elected a parliamentary assembly to formulate a new constitution.
However, the military council intends to have the final say on any proposed
constitution. The military council (Mubarak’s cohorts) obviously wants to keep
power, influence, and wealth. It’s a rocky road ahead.
The new transitional Libyan
government is having difficulties bringing armed groups under control and
collecting weapons, while trying to form a new army. Tripoli is under lockdown
and militia groups have been asked to return home. Armed groups have attempted
to cross the border into Tunisia and when refused, have been known to open fire
on authorities. Tunisians living in towns along the Libyan border, the very
people who opened their homes to Libyan refugees, appear to be fed up with the
lawlessness that war has unleashed. Tunisian authorities have closed the border
until the Libyan government can send competent authorities to control the
situation.
Members
of Tunisia’s constitutional assembly seem to have forgotten that their role is
to write a new constitution. A tug of war has developed as certain groups
demand a “piece of the cake” in the new government. In the meantime, the
Central Bank has issued warnings that the country is on the brink of bankruptcy
and protests continue to cripple the economy. Liquid bottled gas, which many
people use to cook and heat, has become scarce as temperatures drop.
As
if there weren’t enough urgent problems, a university in Tunis closed temporarily
because bearded men beseiged it, demanding that women students wear a “niqab”
(black fabric covering the head and face) if they wanted to take their
exams. I would first comment that I have nothing against women who choose to
“veil”, that is, wear a headscarf and modest clothing if that is their choice. One’s
clothing should not get in the way of attending school, voting, working, or
anything else for that matter. However, attacking university women and imposing
a way of dress—which has no foundation in Tunisian tradition, by the way (this
comes from the Gulf)—impinges on women’s rights. History shows that the attack
upon women is not a question of religion (Islam preaches moderation), but
rather a bid for power that makes use of women as pawns. Why don’t they go and
empty the numerous bars of drunken men? It seems these men perceive university women not only as a threat but the “weakest link” as well. Economic and social classes also enter into the question, as new groups struggle to fill the power vacuum and push aside
established upper and middle classes.
And
I would venture to guess that Tunisia is doing better than anybody else.
Indeed, it’s a rocky road ahead.
and more colors,
and then the black thread to get back to the idea of contour drawing.
