[This is a bi-weekly roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Resistance and Subversion in the Arab world and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the DARS Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each bi-weekly roundup to DARS@jadaliyya.com by Sunday night of every second week.]
News & Commentary
Students Occupy Istanbul University Over Mining Disaster, by AFP
What started as a small protest against the prestigious Istanbul Technical University`s links with the company that operates the mine in the western town of Soma evolved into a full-fledged occupation last week after around a thousand students chained the doors shut. The occupation has already borne some fruit, with the university announcing it would cut ties with the Soma Komur mining company, which used to have employees on the faculty`s advisory board. But the students have other demands including the resignation of Orhan Kural, a mining professor at the university who said those who died from carbon monoxide poisoning "died beautifully.”
Turkish Mine Disaster: Unions Hold Protest Strike, by BBC
Trade unions in Turkey held a one-day strike in protest of the country`s worst mine disaster. Thousands took to the streets in cities across the country, with clashes breaking out in Izmir as the disaster triggered a wave of anger around the country. Several unions are reportedly taking part in the strike, and blame the privatization of the mining sector for making working conditions more dangerous. Some three thousand people marched in Ankara, while in Istanbul, people tried to march to Taksim Square, the scene of last year`s anti-government demonstrations, but were stopped by police. The government has been accused of rejecting a recent proposal for a parliamentary inquiry into mine accidents in the area, although officials say the Soma mine was subject to regular inspections. Coal mining is a major industry in the Soma area, helping to supply a nearby lignite-fired thermal power plant, but safety has long been a concern.
#Soma Social Media Finds “Cracks in The Divide,” by Conor Dillon
Many of the reasons that people protested in Gezi Park are still here. Every day you see a new reason to protest. I have never seen such street polarization, not based on religion or ethnicity or anything. You`re either pro-AKP or you`re not. In between the cracks in this divide, pro-Gezi people are spreading their message. On the Internet, at least, there`s more leakage to the other side. The case of the mining disaster is a trigger for an even wider swath of society. Despite holding the state power in his hands, Erdoğan and his men–and most of them are men–are not as capable as they used to be.
Images of Turkish Official Kicking Protester Fuel Anger Online, by Robert Mackey
One day after Turkey’s prime minister was jeered during a visit to the mining town of Soma, where at least 282 workers were killed in an accident, one of his senior advisers was forced to admit that he had kicked a protester being restrained by the police. Turkish bloggers were enraged by images of Yusuf Yerkel, the deputy chief of Turkey`s cabinet, kicking a protester during the prime minister`s visit to the scene of the mine disaster. According to the Turkish journalist Ilhan Tanir, Yerkel said in a brief statement that he regretted losing his cool but blamed the protester for provoking him to violence. The behavior of senior officials remained under the social media microscope, as footage surfaced of Prime Minister Erdoğan appearing to confront a young protester inside a Soma market where he sought refuge from a booing crowd, with supposed punches being thrown by his security detail.
Amnesty Urges Abbas to Drop Criminal Charges Against Palestinian Boycott Activists, by Ali Abunimah
Amnesty International has urged the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, run by de facto leader Mahmoud Abbas, to drop criminal charges against four Palestinians arrested during a peaceful protest in support of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement. The four men, Zaid Shuaibi, Fajr Harb, Fadi Quran, and Abd al-Fatah Hamayel, who are due to appear in court this week, were violently attacked by Palestinian Authority police and intelligence men during a 12 April protest at the Al-Kasaba Theatre in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah. The protest was against a performance by a dance group that had performed in Israel the previous day. Earlier this month, Human Rights Watch also condemned the mistreatment and prosecution of the men who have come to be known as the “B.D.S. Four.”
Ladies Who Rally, by Tanya Habjouqa
The Speed Sisters are the Middle East’s first all-female auto racing team and part of the Palestinian Motorsport and Motorcycle Federation. Composed of six women, the Speed Sisters represent the diversity of what Palestine has become, with racers hailing from the fragmented corners of the West Bank and showing the differences in lifestyle determined by the varied economic opportunities of cities divided by checkpoints, settlements, walls, and different ID cards.
Draft Bill: NGOs With Foreign Funding to be Defined “Foreign Agents,” by Jonathan Lis
A new draft bill calls for increased supervision of non-government organizations or Israelis who receive funding from foreign countries, and defining them as “foreign agents.” Under the bill, contributions from other countries to these organizations will be taxed and the NGOs will be required to submit regular reports to Israel.
Living Inside an Invisible Cage: Welcome to Nabi Samuel, by Moriel Rothman
There are only ten homes left in the small Palestinian village of Nabi Samuel, just northwest of Jerusalem. The remaining families are fighting an uphill battle to continue living in their homes. Israeli bulldozers destroyed most of the village in 1971. The remains–the ten homes as well as a burial site that attracts considerable tourism–are being threatened as well. For several months last year, residents of Nabi Samuel, sometimes joined by Israeli, Palestinian and international activists, erected protest tents, seeking to “call the world’s attention to the story of Nabi Samuel.” Media has started to pay attention; foreign consuls and activist groups have stopped by. More recently, however, activity in the protest tents has slowed. Since the wall closed in on the village, almost a third of its residents have left, deciding to seek a life a bit farther away from the national park and its demolitions, siege, and threats.
Rachel Corrie’s Family to Have Case Reheard in Israeli Supreme Court, by Peter Beaumont
Eleven years after the death of Rachel Corrie, the 23-year-old American activist of the International Solidarity Movement, who was crushed to death by an Israeli military bulldozer in Gaza in 2003, her family will have their case reheard by three judges in Israel`s supreme court in Jerusalem. Israel has always denied the soldiers involved were negligent in Corrie`s death while she was nonviolently protesting against house demolitions by the Israeli military in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Corrie`s father, Craig, stated: "The case is about our own deep and personal loss, but it has become about more than that, about impunity and the protection of civilians." It emerged that there had been a discussion among the soldiers operating in the area whether to halt operations because of the presence of the activists, with a decision taken by commanders to continue so as not to set a precedent for the foreign activists.
Palestinian Human Rights Defender Declares Hunger Strike, by AIC
Detained human rights defender, Attorney Shireen Issawi, commenced an open hunger strike on earlier this month after learning her trial has been postponed for nine months. She is charged with cooperating with people and organizations working against the state of Israel. Issawi is a human rights lawyer who has monitored and documented violations committed against Palestinian prisoners. She began her hunger strike in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners, and has declared she will continue it in protest at the adjournment of her trial.
Saudi Activistis “Hibernate” After Series of Arrests, by Eman al-Nafjan
The new terror laws in Saudi Arabia–under which the definition of terror includes “harming the reputation or status of Saudi Arabia” and makes “disturbing the social fabric or national cohesion” a punishable offense–are so broad that they severely restrict freedom of expression. The laws and arrests of vocal activists have driven the majority of other activists underground. Many Saudis have stopped expressing their opinions in such public forums as Twitter and Facebook and have chosen instead more guarded options, such as Whatsapp, Telegram, and Path. The stranglehold on expression of dissent makes the future of Saudi Arabia more difficult to read, as diminishing freedoms and security to publicly discuss issues facing the country has made the reality on the ground more volatile.
Fathers of Revolution, by Wendy Pearlman
In this article, Wendy Pearlman tells the story of Abu Ma’an a young man from the Daraa province and former member of the Free Syrian Army. She writes, “Abu Ma’an’s face brightened when he remembered the uprising’s exuberant beginnings. ‘What we lived those days can never be repeated,’ he said. ‘We felt like we were doing the greatest thing in the world. But all that has disappeared. You lose even the fact that you used to be a person.’”
Support Syrian Strategic Shift to Nonviolence, by Tom H. Hastings
There is increasing rejection of the clearly failing violent insurgency in Syria. There is also a growing worldwide realization that strategic nonviolence is an effective tool available to insurgents who don`t have foreign patrons or a big bank account. We can do many things to support nonviolent struggle in Syria even if we don`t live there or we aren`t Syrian, including but not limited to: lobby our federal elected officials to stop funding violent insurgents, educate our fellow citizens about the poor practice of sending arms to Syria, support Syrian refugee and civilian groups, and encourage other affinity groups (like churches and mosques) to support nonviolence.
Syria Video Shows Chlorine Gas Floating in Streets: Activists, by Oliver Holmes
Syrian opposition activists have posted a video of what they say is chlorine gas floating through the streets of Kfar Zeita, a village north of Damascus. Activists and medical sources say the village has been the focus of a two-month-old assault in which chlorine gas canisters have been dropped out of helicopters, with activists accusing President Bashar al-Assad of mounting a chemical weapons campaign. The government denies its forces have used chlorine and blames all chemical attacks on rebels waging a three-year-old uprising. The alleged attack took place on the same day that Russia and China vetoed a resolution to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court for possible prosecution of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
An Even Longer Way to Go, by The Economist
Saudi Arabia has never much tolerated public expressions of dissent and lately it has tightened the screws even further. Raif Badawi, an internet campaigner who co-founded a website as a platform for open debate on religion, was banned from travel in 2009 after criticizing the official Wahhabist doctrine and has been in prison since 2012 under a law that bans the “production, preparation, circulation or storage of content that undermines public order, religious values, public decency or privacy.” On 7 May he was sentenced to another ten years in jail, plus a thousand lashes. Badawi`s current lawyer, Waleed Abulkhair, is himself in jail and is facing a series of charges. These two cases are among a string of arrests and prosecutions of human rights defenders, would-be reformers, and various other critics.
The Return of Oppression in Tunisia, by Aya Chebbi
The world has been applauding Tunisia for its new progressive constitution and “new consensus” caretaker government of technocrats who are administering the country until the elections later this year. Nevertheless, many citizens who are unemployed, students, or workers are yet to celebrate due to the hidden but underlying files of terrorism, corruption, human rights violations, and censorship issues that are yet to be addressed. After blogger and activist, Azyz Amami, started a campaign called “I Too Burned a Police Station” to defend demonstrators arrested during the 2011 revolution, he was arrested for supposedly being in possession of cannabis and was beaten up by police. Azyz is one of the young bloggers associated with the uprising in 2011 and is widely known for his political activism, which imprisoned him under former President Ben Ali. The arrest caused social media to explode with the hashtag #FreeAzyz trending on Twitter and Facebook, and a protest in support of Azyz took place on 13 May in downtown Tunis.
Egyptian Security Forces Raid Rights Group Days Ahead of Election, by Amro Hassan
Four days before Egypt’s presidential election, security forces stormed the offices of the Egyptian Center for Social and Economic Rights, an advocacy group in Alexandria, and arrested at least eight activists. The raid on the offices came after protests were held in solidarity with jailed activist, Mahienour Masry. Masry was one of nine activists who had a three-year prison sentence upheld and a fine of more than $7,200 levied for violating a tough protest law passed last year. Rights organizations denounced the sentence and called for the reversal of the conviction along with those of other activists.
The Disillusioned Revolutionary Youth of Egypt, by Khaled El Kaoutit
Three years after the fall of the dictator Hosni Mubarak, Egypt`s Arab Spring revolutionaries are increasingly frustrated. One young activist, Ali Ghoneim, has been repeatedly arrested for taking part in demonstrations over the past three years. "It`s just a ritual, electing a military chief as president," he says. "The aim is to revive and continue the repressive regime, whether it be in order to suppress freedoms or to extend the military`s economic power in Egypt." But Ghoneim is not afraid to fight on for the dreams of the revolution.
Tunisian Discontent Reflected in Protests That Have Idled Mines, by Carlotta Gall
In the towns of Moulares and Redeyef, protests have idled the phosphate mines–a cornerstone of the economy–for much of the last three years. “We will never stop this strike until we get a job,” said Bashir Mabrouki in a group of young people who guarded a barricade that blocked shipments last month, “we are being played by the government and their fake promises.” The complaints are an enduring refrain even since the overthrow of President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011. They point to what many here see as the unfinished business of their revolution, and a problem endemic across North Africa: the failure to meet the aspirations of a youthful population.
Activists in Bahrain Denounce Anti-Shia Policies, by Juan Cole
Ever since Bahrainis rose against the government in 2011, emboldened by the Arab Spring, to demand social and judicial reforms be implemented, the state has targeted the Shi`a community, using repression and oppression to silence calls for freedom and social justice. Threatened by Bahrain’s Shi`a majority, the ruling family, who are themselves Sunni Muslims, have transposed their fear of change onto the people. What the regime has failed to understand is that activists are not seeking to use their faith as a springboard for political advancement. Early last week political activists affiliated with Bahrain’s opposition groups delivered a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon calling for his office to take a stand against Bahrain’s systematic targeting of the Shia community.
A Call for Asylum for Bahraini Youngster, by The Guardian
Isa Haider al-Aali, a young activist, was arrested three times in 2013 for attending peaceful demonstrations for democracy in Bahrain. Isa was detained for months and tortured before he arrived in Britain on a valid passport and visa on 14 February and applied for asylum. On 11 March, his asylum application was rejected even amidst claims that due process had not taken place regarding his asylum procedure. If Isa is forced back to Bahrain, he will be held in the overcrowded Jaw prison due to his consistent refusal to be an informer. Human rights organizations urge citizens to contact their MP and the Home Office to demand a judicial review for Isa.
Bahrain Activist Nabeel Rajab Released From Prison, by BBC
Prominent Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab has been freed after serving two years in prison for his involvement in illegal protests. Rajab, who heads the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, was convicted in 2012 of taking part in illegal gatherings and disturbing public order. He was one of several leading activists arrested by the authorities after pro-democracy protests erupted in 2011. In addition to his role with the BCHR, Rajab is deputy secretary general of the International Federation for Human Rights.
Protesters Urge Guggenheim to Aid Abu Dhabi Workers, by Colin Moynihan
Forty protesters shouted “no justice, no art,” at the intervention staged by Global Ultra Luxury Faction, known as G.U.L.F, which was part of a growing protest of labor conditions on Saadiyat Island, off the coast of Abu Dhabi. The Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim will soon be built there, alongside an under-construction branch of the Louvre museum and a recently completed campus of New York University. The group called on museum officials to ensure that workers there are treated fairly.
A Prize For The Future of Iran: The Mothers of Kharavan and The Quest For a Just Society, by Payam Akhavan
After more than quarter of a century of struggle to raise awareness about the secret execution of their loved ones, Mothers of Khavaran, a grassroots network of thousands of survivors in Iran, received the 2014 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights. In 1988, Ayatollah Khomeini issued his notorious fatwa to deal with political prisoners and subsequently an estimated four to five thousands executions took place that summer. Ever since, the Mothers of Khavaran have withstood slander, beatings, imprisonment, and torture, in their quest to mourn the loss of their children and put an end to the Government’s denial and impunity. In their refusal to remain silent, in their demand for justice, the Mothers of Khavaran show us a different conception of power, they show us the potential for a different Iran.
Iranian Dissident Wins Geneva Human Rights Prize, by Peter Kenny
Canadian-based author Marina Nemat, an Iranian dissident who was jailed and tortured at the age of sixteen will be awarded the annual UN Watch human rights prize next week. Nemat was arrested for criticizing the sudden Islamicization of her school curriculum and she was jailed in Tehran`s infamous Evin prison, tortured, and sentenced to death. As recounted in her best-selling memoir Prisoner of Tehran, Nemat was forced to marry a prison guard to save her life and her family. UN Watch stated: "Marina`s clear and compelling testimonies have helped stir the conscience of mankind to demand fundamental human rights for the voiceless victims of Iran, whose plight has only worsened in inverse proportion to the charm offensive of its rulers."
Youths in “Happy” Video Find Iran’s Grip on Internet Is Still Tight, by Rick Gladstone
Six young Iranians who were arrested for posting a YouTube video of themselves dancing to “Happy,” the globally infectious pop song, were released on as new details emerged of their possible mistreatment while incarcerated amid an outpouring of sympathy–including a subtly supportive Twitter post from Iran’s president. They were taken into custody just as the president, Hassan Rouhani, was giving a speech arguing that Iranians should embrace the Internet instead of viewing it as an insidious Western threat. It is believed that the defendants are likely to be charged with “promotion of immoral acts” and “distribution of images disturbing public chastity.”
Campaigns
#SelfiePoubella
A number of Tunisians have recently been taking selfies while posing near trash before publishing them on social-network sites via the hashtag #SelfiePoubella (‘trash selfie`) to denounce the piles of trash that fill the country`s streets. The move came in reaction to a number of selfies and photos posted by the minister of tourism Amel Karboul to promote tourism in the northern-most African country. Last April, the government estimated the piles of trash accumulated in the streets at three hundred thousand tons blaming “broken” trash collection equipment and an increase in the number of sick leaves taken by trash workers. Despite multiple cleanliness campaigns launched by the authorities and civil society groups in different regions of the country, trash continues to pile up. The selfie campaign aims to encourage Tunisian citizens to clean public space and promote tourism.
“I Too Burned a Police Station”
A Facebook campaign called “I Too Burned a Police Station” is supporting Tunisians facing criminal charges related to protests during the 2011 revolution. “This is a campaign denouncing the false and arbitrary arrests against the young activists falsely accused of burning police stations,” said Fatma Asma Moatemri, the page’s administrator.
Art
The Writing Is on the Wall, by Julia Baird
For decades it was thought that the reason street art was almost exclusively male was because men were more comfortable with peril; many sought it. After all, street art is notoriously dangerous, exhilarating, and risky. It is, of course, usually illegal; many street artists work at night, in wigs or masks, wearing shoes made for running. Women street artists–now believed to make up only one percent of all street artists, although until recently made up 0.1 percent–have created the most astonishingly powerful and delicate art, often involving images of female martyrs of the revolution, or protesting violent sexual assault. For example, Egyptian artist Mirah Shihadeh depicts women blasting harassers with spray paint. It has become increasingly obvious that street art is no longer the sole preserve of men. The current eruption of female artists is global: in America, Europe, Brazil, Colombia, Afghanistan, Egypt, Australia, Asia, and beyond.
Gallows Humor: Political Satire in Sisi’s Egypt, by Jonathan Guyer
While Egypt’s political cartoonists don’t report from violent protest zones, criticizing the security state is still perilous. Illustrators capture the everyday challenges Egyptians face, and produce work that is far-reaching: legible to the illiterate and capable of transcending cultural, class-based, and generational barriers. Plus, while illustrations may be creations of the imagination, their imagery goes straight to the gut. It shows the blunders of the ruling class in a moment’s glance. Protesters in Tahrir Square carried cartoons on placards, not opposition op-eds.
Conferences and Events
The World is With Us, curated by the Palestine Film Foundation, runs from 16-18 May at the Barbican Cinema, London EC2, and continues from 19 May-14 June at Rich Mix, London E1.
“New Conundrums Facing the State in the Arab World: the Example of the Amazigh Spring,” an ACSS Public Lecture by Dr. AbdelNacer Djabi, 29 May 2014, Rotana Gefinor, Beirut, Lebanon.
The Protest Movements in the Contemporary Middle East, 29-30 May 2014, Prague, Czech Republic.
Muslim Women’s Activism, 26 June 2014, University of Derby, UK.
Architecture After Revolution, DAAR in conversation with Ilan Pappe and Okwui Enwezor, Tate Modern, Starr Auditorium, 28 June 2014
Call for Papers: ‘Bread, Freedom and Social Justice:’ Organized Workers and Mass Mobilizations in the Arab World, Europe and Latin America, 10-11 July 2014, University of Cambridge, UK.
International WAFAW Conference: “The Role of Diasporas, Migrants, and Exiles in the Arab Revolutions and Political Transitions”, October 2014, Tunis, Tunisia.
International Conference “The Impact of Arab Uprisings on Citizenship in the Arab World,” 12-14 November 2014, University of Balamand, Lebanon (Call for Papers deadline: 7 June 2014).