Arab Spring/Addendum

Key
[OE] denotes oil economy
[MOE] denotes mixed oil economy
[DE] denotes diversified economy
[PEE] denotes primary exporting economy
CPI denotes the Corruption Protection Index, which ranges from 0 for highly corrupt to 10 for totally transparent.
DI denotes Democracy Index which ranges from 0 for totalitarian to 10 for fully democratic.
GI denotes Gini index which is a number between 0 and 100 reflecting the degree of inequality of family income.
GDP/head figures are at purchasing power parity exchange rates using CIA World Factbook figures.

Notes are available on the persona mentioned below.

Arab national movements

(Situation on 24 October 2011}

Algeria

([MOE], Population 35m, 99% Sunni Muslim CPI 2010: 2.9, DI 2010: 3.4, unemployment rate: 9.9%, GDP/head: $7,300), OPEC member country profile
The protests and strikes in January 2011 and after were mainly about living standards and corruption. President Bouteflika responded with cuts in food prices, and a promise to review the constitution. On 16 April, he announced that a commission would be created to draw up amendments to the constitution in order to make it more democratic. In September he announced reforms to permit the operation of private radio and television stations.

Bahrain

([OE], Population 1.2 m, 81% Muslim, CPI 2010: 4.9, DI 2010: 3.5, unemployment rate: 3.6%, GDP/head: $40,300) (BBC country profile)
A constitutional monarchy with an elected legislative assembly. Majority Shi'ites are demanding more power from Sunni-led government. Protest movements have been crushed by force, , and the treatment of human rights protestors was the subject of an adverse report by the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights

Egypt

([DE], Population 82m, 90% Muslim, CPI 2010: 3.1, DI 2010: 3.1,unemployment rate: 9.7%, GDP/head: $6,200) (country profile)
In February 2011 mass protests, during which at least 846 people were killed, ended the 30-year presidency of Hosni Mubarak, and he was replaced by the "Supreme Council of the Armed Forces" (SCAF) that has promised a transition to democracy . Protests continued as a result of tension between the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and the youth movements that launched the January 25th Tahrir Square uprising . A referendum was held in March that approved a number of temporary constitutional changes including the commitment to hold an early election. Parliamentary elections are now due to take place in three stages between November 2011 and January 2012, and a presidential election is expected to take place in March or April 2012. The parliamentary elections are expected to be contested by scores of political parties that are grouped into four alliances and there is expected to be a struggle for power between the country's secularists and its islamists. The principal task of the parliament, when elected, will be the drafting of a new constitution. A contribution to their deliberations is the Al-Azhar Document , prepared by a group of academics, which proposes the creation of a "modern democratic state" in which "Islamic jurisprudence is the main source for the legislation" and which adopts "the Islamic precepts of Shura (consultation)".

Jordan

([DE], Population 6.5m, 92% Muslim, CPI 2010:4.7, DI 2010: 3.7, GI: 38, unemployment rate: 13.4%, GDP/head: $5,400) (BBC country profile)
In February 2011, King Abdullah responded to large=scale, but mainly peaceful protests by sacking his Cabinet and appointing a new Prime Minister, former army general Marouf Bakhit. A powerful Islamist opposition group, the Islamic Action Front has called for the dissolution of parliament and has criticised the king's efforts to initiate reform. In February - Smaller-scale protests continued through the summer, and King Abdullah replaced Prime Minister Bakhit with Awn al-Khasawneh, a judge at the International Court of Justice.

Lebanon

([DE], Population 4m, 60% Muslim, 39% Christian, CPI 2010: 2.5,DI 2010: 5.8, unemployment rate:9.2 %, GDP/head: $14,400)
The January protests were against Hezbollah's attempt to take over the country's government.

Libya

([MOE], Population 6.6m, 97% Muslim, CPI 2010: 2.3, DI 2010: 1.9, GI: 36, unemployment rate: 20.7%, GDP/head: $14,000), OPEC member (BBC country profile)

The protests developed into a major civil war with over 10,000 casualties, in which the rebels were supported with NATO supplies and airstrikes. Libya's complex tribal structure is said to play a crucial role in its politics and now in the pro-democracy opposition movement. The rebel National Transitional Council has been recognised as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people by the USA, France and the UK. (See also Civil war in Libya). The civil war ended with the death of Gadaffi on 12th Octber 2011.

Morocco

([DE], Population 40m, 99% Muslim, CPI 2010: 3.4, DI 2010: 3.8, unemployment rate:9.8%, GDP/head: $4,800)
Protests have been mainly peaceful, and the response of the security forces has been generally moderate. Constitutional changes were introduced in July 2011 that reduce King Mohammed's near-absolute powers and name a prime minister from the largest party elected to parliament. as head of the executive branch. They were rejected as inadequate by the "February 20" protest movement.

Oman

([OE], Population 3m, 75% Muslim, CPI 2010: 5.3,DI 2010: 2.9, unemployment rate: 15%, GDP/head: $23,600)
There were protests in March 2011 over unemployment, food prices and corruption. The Sultan responded by promising to give legislative powers to Oman's parliament.

Saudi Arabia

([OE], Population 26m, 100% Muslim, CPI 2010: 4.7, DI 2010: 1.8, GI: 32, unemployment rate: 10.8%, GDP/head: $24,200), OPEC member (BBC country profile)
Protests have been few and local, confined to Shi'ite areas in the east. There have been no mass pro-democracy protests and opposition movements are banned. In September 2011 the King announced that women are to be allowed to vote and to become members of the Advisory Council.

Syria

([DE], Population 23m, 90% Muslim, CPI 2010: 2.5, DI 2010: 2.3, unemployment rate: 8.3%, GDP/head: $4,800)(BBC country profile)
Syrian security forces have fired on unarmed protesters and about 2,600 civilians have been killed, according to United Nations estimates. A report by representatives of the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights has called upon the government to "immediately put an end to the gross human rights violations, including the excessive use of force against demonstrators and the killing of protestors, torture and ill-treatment of detainees and enforced disappearances; halt violations of economic, social and cultural rights". A group of Syrian activists have formed a "Syrian National Council" representing a united front in opposition to President Bashar al-Assad. The Assad government is being supported by Iran and Iraq

Tunisia

([DE], Population 10.6m, 98% Muslim, CPI 2010: 4.3, DI 2010: 2.8,unemployment rate: 14%, GDP/head: $9,400) (country profile) (news link)
The Arab Spring started in a small Tunisian town in December 2010, after a young stallholder, Mohamed Bouazizi, set fire to himself in protest at his abusive treatment by the police. Riots, in the course of which around 300 people died, forced the resignation of President Zine al-Abidine Mebazaa. The political police and state security apparatus, which were blamed for many human rights abuses, were disbanded. Elections of an interim assembly, which is to draw up a constitution, were held on 24 October 2011. The winning party was expected to be previously outlawed Islamist party, Ennahda, which has been predicted to gain about a quarter of the vote . Despite Islamic connections, Ennahda campaigns for democratic governance, and does not seek to impose Sharia law. (Its adoption as a candidate of the female Suad Abdel-Rahim, who does not wear a veil, may be an indication of their moderation in other respects.)

Yemen

([PEE],Population 24m, 99% Muslim, CPI 2010: 2.2, DI 2010: 2.6, unemployment rate: 35%, GDP/head: $2,700) (BBC country profile)
The Yemeni uprising in January 2011 took the form of peaceful protests about unemployment, malnutrion and corruption, but it was violently repulsed by the country's armed forces, and hundreds were killed. A bitter power struggle also developed between the president's clan and their rivals, the Bani al-Ahmar. An incident in March, when 53 peaceful demonstrators were killed, led to the resignation of a number of Ministers, Ambassadors and other members of the ruling party, and the defection of General Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar (who promised to use his armoured brigade troops to protect the demonstrators). In August 2011, President Saleh promised to step down and to hold free and direct elections in 2013[2], but the demonstrations continued. In September 2011, a United Nations mission reported that protesters were trying to preserve the peaceful character of their demonstrations, but were being met with the excessive and disproportionate use of lethal force. The mission considered that the growing activity of "armed elements" among the demonstrators presented the danger of a cycle of escalating violence.

The international response

The United Nations

On February 2011, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1970 , imposing an arms embargo on Libya and freezing the assets of its leaders. On March 17, it adopted resolution 1973 (2011) by a vote of 10 in favour to none against, with 5 abstentions (Brazil, China, Germany, India, Russian Federation), authorising Member States, "to take all necessary measures to protect civilians under threat of attack in the country, including Benghazi, while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory" .

The European Union

The European Commission has made available EUR €30 million for humanitarian aid in Libya and to refugees at the Tunisian and Egyptian borders. The EU has also offered Arab Countries "Partnerships for Democracy and Shared Prosperity” conditional upon evidence of concrete progress toward the establishment of democracy, human rights, social justice, good governance and the rule of law . France and Britain have taken major parts in the NATO intervention in Libya which, however has been opposed by Italy and Germany .

NATO

On March 27 2011, NATO decided to take on the whole military operation in Libya under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. The stated purpose of Operation Unified Protector was "to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas under threat of attack." Of the its 28 members, 14 took military action in support of the uprising, 8 of which took part in ground attacks.

USA

On 17 May 2011, President Obama announced a new chapter in American diplomacy. In addition to the pursuit of existing policy objectives, such as countering terrorism, it would be be the policy of the United States to promote reform across the region, and to support transitions to democracy. But, noting that the people themselves who had launched the protest movements, he emphasised that it should be "the people themselves that must ultimately determine their outcome". A CNN/Opinion Research Poll indicated approval by a majority of Americans as well as opposition by a substantial minority.

Russia

On 7 March Russian foreign minister Serghei Lavrov stressed Moscow's opposition to military intervention in Libya: "we don't see how any form of external intervention could possibly solve the Libyan crisis, especially if it were military in nature. Libyans need to solve their own problems.