You are in the 219th Witness Revolution diary, bearing witness to pro-democracy movements in North Africa, the Middle East and beyond. We aim here to simply report, from as many reliable worldwide resources as possible, on the successes, challenges or failures of the brave people striving against oppression for representative democracy with civil and human rights. One small bit of assurance that they do not strive in obscurity. Please see the 200th edition where participants shared what this series means to them.
TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
FROM LIBYA TO SYRIA
BAHRAIN
Bahrain Revolution
#Bahrain: video of regime mercenaries fires grenade on a photographer in Sitra 25-7-2011
Bahrain Revolution
#Bahrain: youth of Sanabis village fixed a pearl status in Aldana roundabout near pearl area and in-front of Army
(I think they mean "statue")
SYRIA
Child victims of Syria
12-year-old Talha Dalal who died of a head wound. Activists say that more than 85 children have been killed in the Syrian uprising
The Syrian Days Of Rage - English
July 26, 2011 | #Hama: Protesters sing the "YAllah leave oh #Bashar" song that has gone viral. I can taste their freedom already! #Syria #SY11
YEMEN
Sanaa: Walk for Children
google translation:
Organized a group of children in Yemen afternoon Tuesday square change in Sanaa marched around the arena and they have Ramadan lanterns to welcome the month of goodness and good deeds, and call for resolving the revolutionary in it, was echoed by children's logos and slogans and revolutionary, including: "Hello, Welcome the month of goodness will not forget the yard change," "In August and September revolution revolution against tyranny" , "month of Ramadan, O light revolt against injustice and against injustice", many other slogans.
July 26th- Security Forces Join Revolution
Republican Guard and Central Security forces joined the revolution from Change Square of Sana'a today. #yemen #yf
LIBYA
Young Libya war casualty travels to US tomorrow
Five-year-old Malak will be leaving Malta tomorrow for the US where she will be fitted with a prosthetic leg after she lost her limb when a rocket was fired into her Misurata home in Libya.
country by country news updates below the fold
ABOUT OUR GROUP
Eyes on Egypt and the Region produces a different series of diaries which provide background and analysis on the region in general and on individual countries. We hope those provide context for you as you read about current events. The published diaries in that series are:
Eyes on Egypt and the Region Background Resources
See the group stream for even more diaries.
DO YOU KNOW OF GOOD READING MATERIAL?
We collect suggested readings for background reference materials in support of the Eyes on Egypt and the Region group. These may be non-fiction or fiction, general to the region or specific to a country or issue. If there are resources which you believe could aid our understanding of the events and processes we are witnessing, please either a) post a comment in the Liveblog with the title "Suggested reading:" and a brief description of the reading in the body of the comment, or b) send your suggestions via the dKos internal message to angry marmot.
Libyan Doctors for Hospitals in Libya is an impressive new aide organization launched by one of our own: StepLeftStepForward.
NEWS UPDATES
(country names in bold are updated from the previous diary.)
GENERAL ANALYSIS
(h/t Dibsa 7/25)-Abigail Adams' Arab sisters
In 1776, the first lady of the United States, Abigail Adams, wrote a letter to her husband John and to Congress, imploring her countrymen not to overlook women's interests. "Remember the ladies," she urged, adding with considerable defiance: "If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies we are determined to foment a rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation."
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16)-The fight to rescue the Arab spring
The historic revolutions that have rippled through the Arab world this year were in danger of eclipse on Friday night as protesters returned to the streets to profess their disgust at how the movement is being stymied by regimes old and new.
ALGERIA
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - ALGERIA: Postponing economic therapy is playing with fire
In recent weeks, Algeria’s government has taken a series of steps to improve the economy and reduce public anger over its poor political and economic performance. The government amended the 2011 budget law, approving a 25% increase in public spending
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16)-Algeria airline strike leaves passengers fuming
Cabin crew with Algeria's state-run airline were on strike for a fourth day on Thursday, forcing the cancellation of flights and leaving thousands of passengers stranded on both sides of the Mediterranean.
BAHRAIN
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Proposal to expand powers of Bahrain parliament 'lies': Shiite group
Participants in a Bahraini national dialogue, set up to address grievances after protests earlier this year, have proposed expanding the powers of the Persian Gulf kingdom's elected Parliament, the state news agency said
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Thousands Rally in Bahrain for Reform
Thousands of Bahrainis have rallied for reform in Bahrain as an international panel set up by the king began to investigate Shi'ite-led protests and a government response that left more than 30 people dead
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Violence Against Writers in Bahrain 'as Bad as Ever'
The poet Ali Al Jalawi has been imprisoned twice in his home country Bahrain. He has now fled to Germany where he spoke to SPIEGEL about the dangers facing writers and activists -- and why, despite everything, he wants to return home
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - Panel probes Bahrain protest crackdown
blockquote>A legal panel appointed by the king of Bahrain is starting its inquiry into a crackdown on protests that left more than 30 people dead earlier this year
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - Washington’s Allies Run Amok: Saudi and Emirati Forces Open Fire on Unarmed Protesters in Bahrain
A shocking new video shows Saudi and Emirati forces firing indiscriminately at a crowd of unarmed youth protesting against the autocratic US-backed Bahraini government [1]
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - Bahrain: Systematic Attacks on Medical Providers
(Beirut) - The Bahraini government should immediately end its campaign of arrests of medical professionals and attacks on injured patients linked to recent anti-government protests, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - Canadian Citizen Tortured in Bahrain… But Harper Government Keeps Silent
A young Canadian man suffering from a serious heart condition has been abducted and tortured by the Bahraini regime -– yet the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper has maintained a steadfast silence over his plight
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - Poet jailed in protests claims she was beaten by Bahraini royal
A female member of the al-Khalifa royal family in Bahrain has been accused of repeatedly beating the 20-year-old student poet Ayat al-Gormezi when she was in prison accused of reciting a poem at a pro-democracy protest rally criticising the monarchy
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - Document - Arms Trade Treaty proposal to drop weapons of repression from agenda
The recent repression in the Middle East and North Africa demonstrates that a wide range of arms used by military, security and police forces, must be covered under the scope of an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), Amnesty International said today
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - President Obama: Push for a Real National Dialogue in Bahrain!
Despite an ongoing national dialogue between the Bahraini government and some parts of civil society, the government continues to intimidate, torture, and detain human rights defenders, and shoot at civilians
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16)-Thousands rally for political reform in Bahrain
Tens of thousands of Bahrainis shouting "one man, one vote" attended a rally for political reform held by a leading opposition party Friday, days before the group decide whether to pull out of national reform talks.
(h/t Dibsa 7/14) - Bahrain: Revoke Summary Firings Linked to Protests
(Manama) - The Bahrain government should investigate and remedy the summary dismissals of more than 2,000 workers since late March, apparently as punishment for having participated in or otherwise supported pro-democracy demonstrations, Human Rights Watch said today
BURKINA FASO
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16)-President Blaise Compaore sacks 566 soldiers over mutiny in Burkina Faso
On the orders of the president, the Burkina Faso’s military has discharged 566 soldiers following a wave of mutinees that swept across the country earlier this year, army chief of staff Nabere Honore Traore said Thursday.
COTE D'IVOIRE
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Proposal to expand powers of Bahrain parliament 'lies': Shiite group
Participants in a Bahraini national dialogue, set up to address grievances after protests earlier this year, have proposed expanding the powers of the Persian Gulf kingdom's elected Parliament, the state news agency said
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Thousands Rally in Bahrain for Reform
Thousands of Bahrainis have rallied for reform in Bahrain as an international panel set up by the king began to investigate Shi'ite-led protests and a government response that left more than 30 people dead
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Violence Against Writers in Bahrain 'as Bad as Ever'
The poet Ali Al Jalawi has been imprisoned twice in his home country Bahrain. He has now fled to Germany where he spoke to SPIEGEL about the dangers facing writers and activists -- and why, despite everything, he wants to return home
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - Panel probes Bahrain protest crackdown
blockquote>A legal panel appointed by the king of Bahrain is starting its inquiry into a crackdown on protests that left more than 30 people dead earlier this year
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - Washington’s Allies Run Amok: Saudi and Emirati Forces Open Fire on Unarmed Protesters in Bahrain
A shocking new video shows Saudi and Emirati forces firing indiscriminately at a crowd of unarmed youth protesting against the autocratic US-backed Bahraini government [1]
(h/t Dibsa 7/18 ) - Gbagbo loyalists 'no longer a threat' in Ivory Coast
UNITED NATIONS — Elements loyal to former Ivory Coast strongman Laurent Gbagbo are no longer a threat to peace and order in the West African nation, the UN mission chief said on Monday
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16)-Pro-Gbagbo fugitive Ble Goude vows to be 'unarmed' opponent
The firebrand youth leader of ousted president Laurent Gbago in Ivory Coast, Charles Ble Goude, promised to be an "unarmed opponent" of the new regime, in a video shown in Paris Saturday.
DJIBOUTI
(h/t Dibsa 6/22 ) - Djibouti Will Intensify Fight Against Poverty, Prime Minister Dileita Says
Djibouti’s government will intensify its fight against poverty, improve governance and implement renewable-energy projects to help spur economic growth, Prime Minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita said
EGYPT
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Egypt women demand equal rights in new charter
Fifteen Egyptian groups called on Tuesday for women's rights to be guaranteed in the new constitution, after a popular uprising that toppled the regime paved the way for a new charter
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Chart of the Day: Muslim Brotherhood Is Deeply Unpopular in Egypt
Is the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's conservative religious political party, poised to sweep the country's first-ever free elections and establish an Islamist caliphate in the Arab world's most populous country? It's not just Fox News warning us that the group is set to take over Egypt -- columnists and journalists from across the English-speaking world seem to take the Muslim Brotherhood's coming dominance as inevitable
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - What next for Egypt revolution and transition to democracy?
CAIRO - The protestors are back in Tahrir Square, and as this city swelters in an Egyptian summer, tempers are short.
For three days running that we have gone into the cradle of this country's democracy movement, and we have witnessed fights. On one occasion our cameraman came briefly under attack
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - Key Egyptian Trial Postponed, Tensions Raised
An Egyptian court has postponed the murder trial of the former interior minister, and ordered that the man be tried together with former President Hosni Mubarak. The move is likely to further inflame protesters in Tahrir Square, who are already dissatisfied with the pace of the trials, and other aspects of the ruling military council's policies
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - Cairo Clashes Show Backlash
CAIRO—Weekend clashes between protesters and residents of a lower-class Cairo neighborhood that injured nearly 300 people illustrate the growing isolation of demonstrators whose continued activism is antagonizing both Egypt's military leaders and the public they claim to represent
(h/t Dibsa 7/18 ) - Egypt's iconic antiquities chief fired
CAIRO — Egypt's antiquities minister, whose trademark Indiana Jones hat made him one the country's best known figures around the world, was fired Sunday after months of pressure from critics who attacked his credibility and accused him of having been too close to the regime of ousted President Hosni Mubarak
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16)-Egypt's Foreign Minister Orabi resigns before reshuffle
Egypt's Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Orabi has resigned ahead of an expected major cabinet reshuffle..
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16)-Egypt's military representative visits Tahrir, amidst protesters' fury
A military representative was made to leave Tahrir Square on Saturday after being jeered during an unannounced visit.
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16)-In Egypt, fighting for a $50-a-month factory job
The sun was already searing the pavement on the early June morning when Mariam Hawas and her co-workers from the garment factory descended on the bank.
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16)-Despite the heat, tens of thousands of Egyptians make their voices heard in Tahrir
At around 2pm on Friday afternoon, temperatures were approaching 40 degrees Celsius and humidity was unbearable in Tahrir Square, the home of Egypt’s January 25 Revolution..
IRAN
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - German radio station says Iranian blogger arrested
BERLIN (AP) -- German public radio says a dissident Iranian actress was arrested as she prepared to leave for Germany to write a blog for the station about the women's football World Cup
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16 ) - Iran says it can block ‘Internet in a suitcase’ program aimed at dissidents
Iran’s intelligence minister said Friday that his country has found a way to block the so-called “Internet in a suitcase,” a program reportedly developed by the U.S. to bring online access to dissidents around the world.
IRAQ
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Iraqi Kurdistan bans female genital mutilation
Human Rights Watch on Tuesday welcomed a draft law banning female genital mutilation by the regional government in Iraqi Kurdistan
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16 ) - Iraq: Revise Draft Law That Curbs Protests, Speech
Iraq should revise its draft law on freedom of expression and assembly to remove provisions that restrict those freedoms, Human Rights Watch said today. The draft law would allow authorities to curtail rights to protect the "public interest" or for the "general order or public morals," without limiting or defining what those terms encompass..
ISRAEL
(h/t Dibsa 7/26 ) - ISRAEL: Is the Arab Spring spreading to the Jewish state?
When the protest for affordable housing began, some dismissed the campaign as a "Woodstock" of college kids on vacation. By the time Saturday night rolled around, tens of thousands demonstrated in Tel-Aviv and what started as a students' summer protest became a nationwide push for change and a political headache for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(h/t Dibsa 7/26 ) - Israel PM in hot seat over housing crisis
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday unveiled a series of reforms to address a massive housing crisis which has sparked the biggest social protests seen in the Jewish state since the 1970s
(h/t Dibsa 7/18 ) - Btselem raps Israel for jailing Palestinian children
An Israeli rights group has criticised the government for jailing Palestinian children, some as young as 12. Israel's civilian courts forbid jailing any child under 14. But Palestinian children arrested in the West Bank are usually tried in military courts
(h/t Dibsa 7/18 ) - ISRAEL: Students protest soaring rent prices
As the peoples of the region wage protests over rights and distribution of resources and power, young adults in Israel have also been taking to the streets in recent days. And they're staying there, they say, until somebody does something about the cost of rental housing
(h/t Dibsa 7/18 ) - Do not speak, do not resist - Israel rules out non-violence
It was an Arab legislator who made the most telling comment to the Israeli parliament last week as it passed the boycott law, which outlaws calls to boycott Israel or its settlements in the occupied territories. Ahmed Tibi asked: "What is a peace activist or Palestinian allowed to do to oppose the occupation? Is there anything you agree to?"
(h/t Dibsa 7/18 ) - Not Befitting a Democracy
Israel’s reputation as a vibrant democracy has been seriously tarnished by a new law intended to stifle outspoken critics of its occupation of the West Bank
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - ‘Revolt over rent’ launched in Tel Aviv
Fed up with high housing prices around the country, hundreds set up tent city, vow to stay until government presents a solution.
(h/t The Troubadour 7/16) - Thousands of Israelis and Arabs march in Jerusalem to support Palestinian independence
Approximately 2,000 Palestinians and Israelis took part in the "March for Independence" Friday, calling for the recognition of a Palestinian state.
JORDAN
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - Jordan journalists attacked by police
Scores of journalists staged a protest in the Jordanian capital, Amman, yesterday in protest at police attacks on media personnel who were covering a peaceful pro-reform rally two days earlier
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - Police uses batons to disperse Jordan protest
Jordanian police armed with batons clashed with hundreds of protesters shouting "the people want the reform of the regime" as the crowds attempted to march in downtown Amman on Friday, a Reuters witness said.
KUWAIT
(h/t Dibsa 6/27) - Kuwait arrests duo over Twitter comments
Kuwait will put two citizens on trial for criticising Gulf Arab ruling families on social media site Twitter, a security official said
LEBANON
(h/t JustJennifer 7/7)-Lebanon parliament backs cabinet as opposition boycotts
Lebanon's new government has won a parliamentary vote of confidence, after a heated debate over an international tribunal investigating the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
LIBYA
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - UN: Libyan areas under Gadhafi rule face shortages
TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — The part of Libya under Moammar Gadhafi's control is wracked by shortages in fuel, food and cash despite a veneer of normalcy, according to a U.N. fact-finding mission
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - The West, rebels contemplate Gadhafi staying
TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — An international consensus may be emerging over allowing Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to remain in the country if he steps down
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Qaddafi Might Be Allowed to Stay in Libya in Exchange for a Cease-fire Deal
So says Britain, reluctantly, joining France in agreeing to potentially broker such a deal (which, of course, includes the provision that the dictator step down)
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Why Obama Is Right to Recognize Libya's Rebels
National Journal's National Security Insiders strongly support the Obama administration's decision to formally recognize Libya's opposition government as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people. Most said they support funneling some of the billions of dollars in frozen regime funds to the rebels for whatever they need in the fight to overthrow Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi--although some cautioned against arming the rebels directly
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - Residents in western Libya say NATO hit hospital
ZLITAN, Libya -- A hospital worker in western Libya said that NATO forces struck a local hospital on Monday and killed seven people, including three doctors
(h/t Dibsa 7/25 ) - What would post-Gadhafi Libya look like?
The North African despot is holding on as Libya's civil war drags on, but already, there's concern about how to restore peace after he's gone
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - Police in Libya rebel capital pivot from oppressor to protector
BENGHAZI, Libya -- Officer Sharif Ganasi was working the 4 p.m.-to-midnight shift, cruising the trash-strewn streets of Benghazi, alert for drunks and carjackers
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - Libya rebels claim victory in fight for Brega
Libyan rebels have claimed victory against troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, the country's leader, inside the eastern port town of Brega
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - Libyan rebels win official recognition as their forces close in on Brega
Libyan fighters said on Saturday they were close to surrounding the key government-held oil town of Brega, the day after the US and other nations in the Libya contact group officially recognised the rebel administration.
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - Late night explosions rock Tripoli
Tripoli was rocked by a series of airstrikes by NATO forces in the early hours of the morning Sunday..
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - New blasts rock the Libyan capital
New blasts have rocked the Libyan capital as leader Muammar Gaddafi vowed to remain in the land of his ancestors in the face of new calls for him to go and with rebels pressing their campaign to oust him.
RESOURCES:
A vision of a democratic Libya an 8-point plan from the National Transitional Council
The full text of UN Resolution 1970 on Libya.
The full text of UN Resolution 1973 on Libya.
President Obama's letter to Congress regarding commencement of operations in Libya. (h/t greenbird)
Al Jazeera Libyan live blog. (h/t jnhobbs)
UK Telegraph Libyan live blog. (h/t bee tzu)
BBC Libyan live blog found here. (h/t greenbird)
The New Yorker Dispatches from Libya. (h/t suejazz)
BBC's Libyan crisis mapped. (h/t phil S 33)
revolutionology is a blog from an American in Benghazi
MAURITANIA
(h/t Dibsa 6/16) - Mauritania opposition says October vote not possible
NOUAKCHOTT — A Mauritanian opposition leader said Wednesday elections due in October could not go ahead without reforms, accusing President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz's government of abuse of power
MOROCCO
(h/t Dibsa 7/18 ) - Morocco: 1 000s rally over reform plan
Rabat - Thousands of supporters and opponents of constitutional changes offered by Morocco's king protested on Sunday, indicating debate over the country's future sparked by the "Arab Spring" uprisings has not ended
(h/t Dibsa 7/12 ) - Moroccan rights group says referendum was rigged
RABAT — A human rights group on Tuesday said Moroccan authorities violated their obligation of impartiality by using religion and the media to promote a "yes" vote in the recent constitutional referendum
(h/t Dibsa 7/8 ) -
New riots in Moroccan phosphate region over jobs
RABAT (Reuters) - Moroccan security forces used truncheons, tear gas and water canons on protesters demanding jobs, local residents said on Thursday, in a bid to tame a third day of riots in the country's phosphate-mining central area
(h/t Dibsa 7/8 ) - Poll boost may be short-lived for Morocco king
RABAT (Reuters) - Moroccan voters' endorsement of a new constitution may provide only a short-term boost for King Mohammed if concrete change is not delivered to silence a growing protest movement
OMAN
(h/t Dibsa 7/6) - Oman jails 12 more protesters, bringing total to 80
MUSCAT (Reuters) - An Omani court jailed 12 protesters from the coastal city of Sohar for up to three and a half years, a local paper said Wednesday, bringing the total number of people sentenced for taking part in the unrest to 80
PALESTINE
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - Palestine: the flags are already waving but will a declaration of statehood help?
The Chinese-made parking meter on a street in the West Bank city of Ramallah instructed motorists in Arabic and English to "pay here", warning that surveillance cameras were watching their cars around the clock to catch those flouting the order.
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - Where are the Palestinians?
Over the last few weeks, media in this region was filled with images of people from all over the Western world holding up Palestinian flags and chanting “Free Palestine.” We’ve heard from the likes of Americans, like prize-winning author Alice Walker and former CIA official Ray McGovern (both passengers on the US boat to Gaza) about the importance of standing up for Palestinians in Gaza; we’ve heard about hunger strikes by Spanish and American citizens stuck in Greece after their boats were not allowed to sail; and we’ve seen videos of activists landing in Ben Gurion airport, declaring their intention to visit the occupied West Bank, being accosted by an Israeli mob and then detained and deported, all while chanting “Free Palestine.”
SAUDI ARABIA
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Women US senators press Saudi king on driving ban
WASHINGTON — Fourteen US women senators pressed Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah in a letter Tuesday to lift his country's unique ban on women drivers, calling it a big step forward on human rights
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - Saudi Arabia blocks Amnesty International Web site after anti-terror law leak
The Saudi Arabian government has long blocked access to thousands of Web sites that cover topics such as religion, women, health, drugs, sex and pop culture
(h/t Dibsa 7/1) - Basu: Saudi women are driving change
Americans may not be driving as much this holiday because of high gas prices. But in Saudi Arabia, where the price of gas is about half what it is here, one group of adults is not supposed to be driving anywhere, ever: Women
(h/t Dibsa 7/1) - Saudi Arabia's clerics challenge King Abdullah's reform agenda
On a Friday at one o'clock, Sheikh Saad Bin Naser al-Shethri is leading prayers in a small mosque in an upmarket neighbourhood of Riyadh, the Saudi capital. The faithful fill two floors, listening to the cleric's sermon on the true sense of the traditional greeting "salaam aleikum" – peace be upon you. This, Shethri says, means love thy neighbour
SYRIA
(h/t Dibsa 7/26 ) - Syria protest leaders 'to meet in Istanbul'
Representatives of Syrian anti-regime protesters are to meet on Wednesday in Turkey to discuss coordination and strategy, a Syrian activist said
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Assad’s Blunders in Dealing with the Arab Spring and Counter Revolution
The fact remains that the protest in Syria is no longer primarily confined to religious groups as it originally occurred in Deraa or ethnic minorities as was the case in the Al- Qamishli and the surrounding areas that took place in March, says Abbas J. Ali
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Escape from Syria
Farid, a 25 year-old Damascene journalist, was sitting with Bashar smoking argileh, Syria's version of the hookah, when his friend told him, "You should seriously consider leaving the country. It's not safe for you anymore."
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Activist: Syria boosts troops in Damascus suburbs
BEIRUT (AP) — A Syrian activist says reinforcements are being sent to two Damascus suburbs amid a security sweep and dozens of arrests in the capital
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - Draft Reform Law in Syria Fails to Mollify Protesters
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Syria’s Cabinet has passed a draft law allowing the formation of political parties to work along the ruling Baath party of President Bashar al-Assad, a step in a series of promised changes that anti-government protesters have dismissed as superficial and useless
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - Syria passes law to allow rival parties
Draft legislation permits opposition groups to Ba'ath party for the first time in decades, but move met with scepticism by activists
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - Sectarian Violence in Syria Kills at Least 30
Syrian rights activists say an outbreak of sectarian fighting between supporters and opponents of President Bashar al-Assad has killed about 30 people in the central city of Homs
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - Syria opposition unity bid thwarted by Assad regime's brutal crackdown
Members of Syria’s opposition in exile met this weekend and elected a council they say will challenge the rule of President Bashar al-Assad. But the group’s plan to hold a video conference with opposition leaders inside Syria, who have been leading an uprising that has now entered its fifth month, fell through after Syrian security forces attacked the neighborhood where the leaders were gathering inDamascus
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - Syrian opposition forms council to counter Assad
Syria's fractured opposition elected a National Salvation Council to present a united challenge to President Bashar al-Assad's rule as he intensified a military campaign to crush an uprising against his rule.
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - Syrian opposition urges civil disobedience
Exiled Syrian dissidents meeting in Turkey have urged their countrymen to launch a campaign of civil disobedience to try to force President Bashar al-Assad from power..”
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - 32 killed in Syria protests, Damascus moves-activists
It was the highest death toll in the central neighbourhoods of Damascus since the uprising erupted four months ago in the southern Hauran Plain near Syria's border with Jordan
TUNISIA
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Fears as Tunisia’s old guard regroups
Key figures from the regime of Zein al-Abidine Ben Ali, the ousted president, are positioning themselves for political roles in post-revolutionary Tunisia, raising suspicions that the old guard is regrouping to thwart the country’s march towards democracy
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - Tunisia's new freedoms don't apply to all
TUNIS // Revolution in Tunisia has shattered the regime of Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, offering Tunisians unfettered freedom to debate and criticise. Almost
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - Tunisia heading in the right direction
Compared with the other upheavals across the Arab world this year, Tunisia's is still the runaway winner. Since the country's dictator, Zine Al Abidine Bin Ali, with his wife, Laila Trabelsi, flew off to Saudi Arabia on January 14 after a nationwide uprising that lasted barely a month, there have been political hiccups, sit-ins, strikes and riots, especially in the fly-blown towns of the interior, and several new governments. But under Al Baji Qaed Al Sibsi, an avuncular 84-year-old who first served in a cabinet in the 1960s and took over as prime minister on February 27, Tunisia has calmed down. "People think things are going better than they thought they would the day after the revolution," says a diplomat
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - Tunisia looks to recast ties with West after Ben Ali
Tunisians are debating what kind of relationship they will have with Europe and the United States after an uprising this year unmasked the police state behind what was once touted in the West as an "economic miracle." Islamists, leftists and nationalists from the major political parties agree that Tunisia should push for relations on a more equal footing with the West, for better trade arrangements and avoiding debt.
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - Tunisian police break up demo with tear gas
Tunisian police fired tear gas Friday to break up an anti-government protest in the capital, with demonstrators accusing the authorities of using violence to end their peaceful action.”
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - U.A.E. court hears testimony against 5 reform activists
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates questioned two witnesses Monday in the trial of five political activists who campaigned for democratic reforms in the Gulf nation and are accused of anti-state crimes, a court official said
(h/t Dibsa 7/11 ) - UAE expands electoral colleges
The United Arab Emirates has expanded the number of electoral colleges which elect half of the members of the 40-strong Federal National Council, a local newspaper reported on Monday
(h/t Dibsa 6/15 ) - UAE urged to release five activists on trial
DUBAI — Human Rights Watch on Wednesday urged Emirati authorities to drop charges against five activists, including a blogger and a lecturer, facing trial for "criticising" the government
WESTERN SAHARA
(h/t Dibsa 7/26) - Western Sahara talks end in impasse
The latest round of unofficial, UN-brokered Western Sahara negotiations between Morocco and the Polisario ended without agreement last week
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - Western Sahara: Women Refugees Denounce Dictatorship, Corruption at Camps
MADRID / Association for the development of Saharawi Women, led by Salma Buha Mint Bubacar Lecuara, president of the association and Fatma Ahmed Essbiti, its secretary, held a conference on july 21, 2011 at The Emperor hotel in Madrid. Ana Camacho a senior journalist with El País intervened in support of the two speakers. Also attended the ceremony Mohamed Salem jaddou a member of the association
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - Next Round of UN-Backed Talks Slated for Next Week
United Nations-backed informal talks between the parties to the Western Sahara dispute, Morocco and the Frente Polisario, will be held next week in New York, the world body announced today.
YEMEN
(h/t Dibsa 7/26 ) - U.N. sees internal answer to Yemen
SANAA, Yemen, July 26 (UPI) -- Any solution to the political crisis in Yemen must come from inside the country, the U.N. special envoy to the country said
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - Yemen Opposition Dismisses Government Road Map
SANAA/ADEN, July 25 (Reuters) - Yemen's opposition dismissed on Monday a government plan for talks aimed at easing unrest after months of mass protests demanding President Ali Abdullah Saleh's overthrow, saying it had not even heard of any such "roadmap" for peace
(h/t Dibsa 7/25) - HEADLINE
SANAA, Yemen -- A powerful Yemeni tribal leader warned Monday against attacks on anti-government protesters as hundreds of thousands rallied in the capital Sanaa and several other cities calling for regime change
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - Yemeni journalists protest against censorship
About 100 journalists protested on Monday in the Yemen capital against harassment and censorship by authorities
(h/t Dibsa 7/18) - Yemen's Saleh says dialogue needed to end crisis
SANAA — Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh called for "peaceful dialogue," saying that is the way to end the country's long-running political crisis, in an editorial published on Monday
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - Yemen protesters form council to run country
A coalition of protest groups in Yemen has announced the formation of a transitional presidential council it says will prepare to run the country when President Ali Abdullah Saleh is fully and finally toppled.
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - Yemen's Saleh to stay in Saudi for now - official
s
Yemen's wounded President Ali Abdullah Saleh will stay in Saudi Arabia until doctors declare him fit, a Yemeni official said on Friday, denying reports that Saleh could come back in time for this weekend's 33rd anniversary of his ascent to power.
(h/t JustJennifer 7/16) - Thousands Protest in Yemen
Yemen's security forces clashed with opposition tribesmen near the southern city of Taiz overnight and thousands turned out after Friday prayers to protest continuing political paralysis in the country.
It bears repeating - Please Rec this diary.
Our Egyptian brethren articulated what people around the region are fighting for, though variations to the theme may exist from country to country. banner held by protesters and translated to English:
1 The departure of Mubarak
2 An end to the current Parliament
3 An end of the state of emergency
4 The creation of a national united government
5 A parliament elected by the people to modify the constitution and run the presidential elections
6 Put those responsible for the killings on trial
7 Put those responsible for stealing the country's money and other acts of corruption on trial
Will you help us gather updates?
Many hands make light work and we rely on teamwork for timely posting.
Here's how it works:
1. we invite you to join our wiki. (we'll need an email address from you)
2. you choose 1 or more countries you wish to gather citations for
3. go to the page of that country, click EDIT,
4. copy the mini template and fill in what the red text prompts
5. click SAVE
We're working on a publication schedule: Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday. Ideally we would see fresh citations in the wiki by late evening the day before. That is, posts from late Monday evening would be published in Tuesday morning's diary. (If you'd like produce a diary on a different day of the week, we'd love to show you how to update the template and paste it into your diary!)
It's really that simple! Please join us.
Resources:
Note: The old Mothership Diary has good list of resources.
Al Jazeera English - Watch Live (the Youtube link below should work for Mac users unable to load this.)
Al Jazeera live also available on: Dish Network channel 9410 OR DirecTV Channel 375 Link
Al Jazeera on Facebook: - http: www.facebook.com/aljazeera
Al Jazeera Live on YouTube
English Stream http://www.youtube.com/...
Arabic Stream http://www.youtube.com/...
BBC Middle East reporting
BBC Middle East and Arab Unrest
WorldWideTahrir{NEW} : Worldwide protests being organized to coincide with the upcoming ones in Egypt.
bicycle Hussein paladin - Why Iran 1979 Went to the Islamists and This One Won't
People to follow on twitter: - please suggest people for specific countries. Thank you!
@ArabRevolution - Region
@Dima_Khatib - Region
@March15Syria - Syria
@JNovak_Yemen - Yemen
@WomanfromYemen - Yemen
@Gheblawi - Libya
@ShababLibya - Libya
@feb17voices - Libya
@DrsForLibya - Libya
@libyanexpat - Libya
@lissnp - Iran
@prsianbanoo - Iran
@sandmonkey - Egypt
@JRamyRaoof - Egypt
@Elazul - Egypt
@Ssirgany - Egypt
@sharifkouddous
@monasosh
@ioerror
@ElBaradei
@SultanAlQassemi
@evanchill
@glcarlstrom
@nolanjazeera
@3arabawy
@shadihamid
@bencnn
@arabist
@speaktotweet: Egyptian Voice Tweets on Twitter
Previous Child Diaries:
Egypt and the Region Liveblog Archive by unaspenser
NOTE: We renamed the original "Egypt Liveblog" to "Witnessing Revolution". From Egypt the pro-democracy fire spread rapidly. It's not clear that it will be limited by geography or ethnicity. So, we wanted a name which states what is happening yet allows us to grow with the movement, wherever that will be. The number sequence will be continuous. The group name will remain the same. Only this particular diary series within the group changed names.
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We all thank you for your consideration.