The Butterfly Effect

“All things by immortal power

Near and far

Hiddenly

To each other linked are

That thou canst not stir a flower

Without troubling of a star.”

-Francis Thompson

I first read this poem when I was a lot younger, and I’ve always loved it. After reading Nick’s comment on my last post, and after talking with my mom about all the Middle Eastern countries rising up, it made me think of the poem again; namely, it made me think of the difference between the countries’ mutual influence versus their inherent differences.

Tunisia was the first country that rose up. It spread to Egypt. Now it’s spreading to Bahrain, Libya, Iran, Algeria, and Yemen. The one thing, however, I keep having to remind myself is that these are all separate countries. They may have similar problems--they all have poor economic situations, they all have a level corruption within the government, they are all balancing secularism with a predominantly Muslim population (which is often further divided between Sunnis and Shi’ites-- still, each and every country is not going to be Egypt 2.0. The area is not run by Hosni Mubarak clones. They each deserved to be dealt with individually, not as one, giant, problematic uprising.

In a horrifically brief synopsis:

The Bahrainis are purposefully trying to emulate Egypt through their use of Pearl Square. Also similar to Egypt, the government launched violent attacks against the peaceful protestors; unlike Egypt, however, these attacks were launched by the military, whereas in Egypt, the military even joined the protestors. Still, the government is waffling between allowing protestors in the square and forcing them to leave; most recently, on Feb. 19, Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa forced the troops to leave. Though the population is modeling its protests and its “Day of Rage” on Feb. 14 after Egypt, it is calling for a constitutional monarchy, an elected cabinet, and a constitution written by the population. One of the key problems facing the country is the division between the Sunni ruling family and the Shi’ite majority.

Photo Courtesy of Fractal 00

The Pearl Monument in Pearl Square, Manama, Bahrain

Libya has a horribly high death rate, at 200 when I last checked, and, like Egypt, Internet is being shut down, and the Al Jazeera’s signal is blocked. The military is joining the protestors, who are fighting against the 42-year rule of Muammar Gaddafi. Protestors are burning buildings, security forces opened fire on a funeral, and demonstrators captured and arrested six alleged mercenaries. This one seems to be the most violent protests in the area.

Photo Courtesy of NH53

Benghazi, Libya

Algerian police are preventing the protestors from marching through the capital, and President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s government has banned the protests, which are asking for improved living conditions and an increase in freedoms. Currently, the rallies are being limited to only Saturdays and, contrary to Egypt’s stance, Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia promises to lift the state of emergency (which has been in effect for 19 years) by March.

Photo Courtesy of Damouns

Algiers, Algeria

In Yemen, students are heading many of the protests, though members of  the parliamentary opposition against President Ali Abdullah Saleh have joined, and have urged others to join the student protests. The death toll is currently at 11 and, though police originally remained uninvolved, they shot a protester on Sunday. Interestingly (and amazingly), Saleh has promoted journalistic freedom throughout, so that the news can continue getting out; still, journalists have been targeted and beaten. Also unlike many of the other protests, there is a Southern Movement caught up in the turmoil that wants the formerly independent region to separate once more (the country was united in 1990, and briefly broke apart in 1994).

Photo Courtesy of Ai@ce

Sana'a, Yemen

Iranians gathered in Tehran to protest two demonstrators being shot on Feb. 14. The government did their best to squelch the protests, including using tear gas, and drastically slowed the internet while also shutting down cell phone service in areas where protestors were active and by blocking satellite television. The police seemed to be trying to recruit teenagers to join anti-demonstration forces (reminiscent of the Egyptian police’s practices), and there were reports of the use of live ammunition. Kurds (a group of native people in the Middle East), called for a general strike, also to commemorate the two deceased men, while the Iranian state television network is only admitting to there being a traffic jam.

Photo Courtesy of  Sam Anvari 

Tehran, Iran

So what? It’s hard to compare it to any previous phenomenon. When the Soviet Union broke apart, it was against virtually one ruler, even though it split into several countries. Even in instances were it seems that leaders could have been influenced, rarely is it several completely independent nations, bordering each other, at the same time. The closest idea I can come up with is the division of Africa in the postcolonial era. In both cases, an entire section of the globe underwent/is undergoing a similar, history-altering experience; however, rising against colonial leaders is a far cry from rising against local leaders with the same background as the constituents. 

The main similarity to Africa, however, is the fact that these countries cannot, ultimately, be grouped together. Luckily, the world does not have the same problem it did in Africa in trying to divide up the countries’ boundaries; those are mostly already established and, in the cases were there is contention, it is irrelevant to the current problem. Still, as the U.N. navigates this (good luck with the diplomacy, guys), and as the world renders its latest judgement on these nations, we all need to remember that they are not all one and the same. It is an argument that Arabs have made agains Americans since 9/11: We all think they are terrorists.

Let’s prove them wrong. Yes, they are linked. No matter what they do, it will affect their neighbors and the world, but not because they are fighting the same battle; it affects the world because everything we do affects our neighbors.

Support Bahrain. Support Libya. Support Algeria. Support Yemen. Support Iran. Separately.