Civil Society Challenges (DP IB Geography)
Revision Note
Democracy & the Arab Spring
The Arab Spring was a series of pro-democracy uprisings in several mostly Muslim countries, including Tunisia, Morocco, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Bahrain
It began with the Jasmine Revolution in December 2010, when a Tunisian street vendor set himself on fire in protest of the seizing of his vegetable stand by police over failure to obtain a permit
Street protests in the capital, Tunis, resulted in the hard-line authoritarian President Ben Ali abdicating and fleeing to Saudi Arabia
The widespread flow of information on the country’s first democratic parliamentary election, held in October 2011, inspired activists in other countries to protest against their own authoritarian governments
These grassroots movements wanted increased social freedoms and participation in the political process
However, some of these protests became full-scale civil wars, such as in Libya, Syria and Yemen, with continued restrictions
The only country to maintain a form of democracy is Tunisia
Evaluation
Countries with a strong, vocal society are more likely to gain political change than those with a limited middle class
Tunisia has a strong civil society and was able to transform and maintain political change
Widespread media coverage results in less mass violence
In Egypt, the BBC and Al Jazeera reduced violence by the government and military
But, in Syria, restricted news coverage caused greater violence
Countries with good access to social media usually gain support for protests
In Egypt and Tunisia, the military supported protesters in removing the government, but in Syria, where media is limited, the military contributed to the civil war
Political Change in Myanmar
Myanmar, formerly Burma, is a majority Buddhist (90%) country with a population of 55.9 million as of Dec 2023
Myanmar is ethnically diverse, with 135 recognised ethnic groups divided into 8 national groups, with Bamar or Burman being the dominant at 70%
The other 7 major groups are Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Chin, Mon, Rakhine and Shan
Many of the ethnic minority groups have faced systematic racism, a lack of representation in government, and abuses by the military
Military rule
Under British rule, divisions were created among ethnic groups
After independence in 1948, a mostly democratic Burmese State was formed
This lasted until 1962, when General Ne Win and his Revolutionary Council led a military coup and held power for the next 26 years under single-party military rule
After a nationwide popular uprising in 1988, a new junta, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), was formed
Under this regime Burma became Myanmar, and decades of military suppression and human rights abuses followed with severe restrictions to movement, work, education, marriage and home ownership
Aung San Suu Kyi led the National League for Democracy (NLD) opposition party, which rose to prominence
Under the pretence of safety, she spent more than fifteen years under house arrest until 2010
In 1991, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Suu Kyi while she was still under house arrest
Political change
In 2007, many anti-government protests broke out
Under international pressure, the junta began to loosen its control
In 2008, a new constitution gave the military widespread powers, even under civilian rule
The military junta officially dissolved in 2011 and established a military-dominated civilian parliament
Some reforms began, including:
Amnesty for political prisoners
Less media censorship
Policies to encourage foreign investment
In 2015, Suu Kyi became Myanmar’s leader after a nationwide multiparty election
But the military still held control over much of the government
After suffering a major defeat during the 2020 elections, the military launched another coup In February 2021
They then cracked down on protests
The opposition formed a shadow government and a fighting force
This had led to another civil war and humanitarian crisis that could spill over Myanmar’s border
Once again, Suu Kyi was detained and charged with corruption and other crimes against the country
Various officials and activists were placed under house arrest
Peaceful protests erupted nationwide, with people refusing to go to work until the elected government returned to power
The ousted groups established a parallel government known as the National Unity Government (NUG)
They also formed an armed division known as the People’s Defence Force
Evaluation
It has brought groups opposed to the junta together and has:
Encouraged greater unity among ethnic groups
Created an agenda for a post-junta Myanmar
Encouraged support from foreign governments
The armed resistance groups have united
But the country's society and economy are still devastated by the civil war
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