Chaos Reigns in Libya, Bahrain Protests Continue, Iraqis Take to the Streets, and Presidential Dispute Turns Violent in Ivory Coast
Libya, Bahrain, Iraq and Ivory Coast were wracked by violence this week, as the fight for democracy in those countries continues. The movements in Bahrain and Libya come on the heels of the overthrow of dictators in nearby Egypt and Tunisia. The Ivory Coast has been in a political deadlock ever since President Laurent Ggabo refused to hand over power to his elected successor, Alassane Ouattara. Iraqis meanwhile, are calling for reform, demanding greater transparency from their government.
In Libya, rebels moved this week to seize the country’s second biggest city, Benghazi, and as Arthur went to press, were making inroads towards seizing Tripoli. Up to 2,000 people have already been killed. Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gadhaffi remains defiant, and had been seen speaking to a crowd on state television. He has ordered protestors to be shot, and claimed in a different broadcast that they were motivated by Al Qaeda and being plied with narcotics.
Much of Libya’s security forces have deserted Gadhaffi. Two Libyan air force planes landed in Malta on February 24, with their pilots claiming asylum after refusing to carry out an order to bomb protestors. Police and army personnel have helped protestors secure cities and villages, and are joining them in mobilizing against pro-Gadhaffi supporters.
Reports of foreign mercenaries being used by the government are widespread, many believed to be from Kenya, Chad, and Ghana. Witnessed reports of snipers gunning down civilians from the rooftops of buildings have been surfacing from all parts of the country where protests are occurring, and dozens of planes carrying hired foreign soldiers have landed in the last week.
Libya supplies about 2% of the world’s oil, and many of Libya’s oil rigs and refining depots have been shut down, sending the price of oil skyrocketing worldwide. It is unclear what the political situation will be like if and when Gadhaffi is replaced. Many fear that Libya’s historically antagonistic tribes, subdued by Gadhaffi throughout his rule, could make power grabs and send the country into civil war.
In Bahrain, tens of thousands of protestors took to the streets on Friday . Al Jazeera reported that anger was initially directed at the the government, with citizens demanding more jobs and transparency. However, the tension has escalated in the last few days, with many calling for the end of the monarchy and total reform.
The government and the king have done their best to placate the protestors, who are largely made up of educated youth. Several political prisoners were released under royal pardon. The government apologized for the deaths of seven people in the protests, and declared February 25 to be a day of mourning for the dead. Protestors have said this is not enough.
Bahrain’s king has been in power since 1999. Despite massive oil wealth and world-class infrastructure, jobs are scarce and youth unemployment is almost 20%. Bahrain is also home to the United States Navy’s Fifth Fleet, and is a regional commerce and tourist centre.
The situation has gotten so bad that the Bahrain Grand Prix, the globally televised first round of the Formula One racing championship scheduled for March 13 has been called off.
In Iraq, dozens of people have been killed in protests against corruption, the laggard economy, and inefficient government. Interviews conducted by the BBC revealed that most protestors have been clear in their support for the government, but are calling for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to increase his efforts at reform.
The Iraqi government has been in power less than a year, and in the aftermath of the Iraq war, the country is struggling to rebuild itself. Infrastructure destroyed in the war has not been rebuilt, and roads and bridges continue to be in disrepair. Citizens are also furious at hydro and electric utilities, which have not been able to function consistently.
At press time, Baghdad had been shut down, with traffic prevented from moving into the city centre. Thousands of soldiers have been deployed throughout the country. In Mosul, in the northern part of the country, clashes have also turned deadly, with 3 dead and more than 20 injured. In Basra, the second biggest city, 4,000 civilians protested outside the governor’s office, demanding his resignation.
Income inequality is another issue that citizens are protesting against. Despite being relatively well-paid, soldiers and police personnel are largely distrusted. Crime is high and security forces are notorious for corruption. Members of Parliament and civil servants also have high salaries, but have so far failed to meet the expectations of the people.
In Ivory Coast, violence has escalated across the country as rebels fight back against President Laurent Ggabo’s forces. Thousands of people continue to leave the country, fleeing the fighting that has so far claimed close to 200 lives.
Reuters and the BBC reported on Friday that rebels had won the western city of Zouan-Hounien, and as unrest spreads towards the capital city of Yamoussoukro, the United Nations has warned that civil war appears to be imminent. Most of the fighting in recent days has been concentrated in Abidjan, the economic hub of the country.
5,000 people have been crossing the western border into Liberia daily since fighting began, and the total number of official refugees is now 22,000. Along the eastern border with Ghana, refugees have been streaming through for months, although no official estimates have been made available.
Ivory Coast is the world’s largest cocoa producer, and the political situation there has sent the price of cocoa and chocolate up in recent months. Most banks and commercial buildings shut down last week as violence spilled into the streets. The amount of money circulating in the economy is so low that Ggabo’s supporters in government have begun formulating plans to issue an alternate currency, in order to keep paying the army’s wages.
