Region

Rafael de la Rubia, spokesperson for last year’s World March for Peace and Nonviolence talks about Egypt, Tunisia and the implications for the Arab world. Highlighting the essential role of nonviolence de la Rubia pays tribute to the young people who drove the process to its conclusion. “They have given the rest of the world a Master Class in non-violent revolution.”

Hundreds of demonstrators clashed with police in the Algerian city of Annaba, as the opposition announced another major anti-government rally next weekend.
The next anti-government rally will be held February 19, said Mustepha Bouchahi of National Coordination for Change and Democracy, an umbrella group of opposition parties, civil society movements and unofficial unions.

Thousands of people rallied in cities across the world to demand respect for human rights in the Middle East and North Africa as part of a global day of action organized by Amnesty International.
Activists, trade unionists and students created a sea of red, black and white – the colours of the Egyptian flag – in countries from Switzerland to South Korea.

“Getting rid of dictators is not enough. Building a civic participatory society is not easy – Europe’s enlightenment did not come just from removing a few dictators,” a Palestinian friend said to me recently. “People’s expectation raised for change will dash against the reality that it will take decades to create systems of governance, accountability, economic justice…”

Mubarak’s resignation marks an extraordinary victory of people: in 18 days of nonviolent mobilization , resisting attacks of all kinds, the Egyptians were able to get rid of a dictator who oppressed them for thirty years!
The courage and perseverance shown by the demonstrators are an example that we hope other peoples will follow.
And not just in the Arab world.

Rebellion is in the air. The people of Egypt have given us a shining example of the power of nonviolent protest combined with absolute determination. But theirs is not the only example.
The Egyptian revolt was sparked by one in Tunisia that echoed in Syria, Jordan, Algeria, Yemen. Something is stirring in the Arab world. But that’s not all.

On January 14 the Tunisian dictator Ben Ali was deposed after 20 years in power. Even if the detonator for the popular rebellion was the self-immolation of a humble street vendor mistreated by the police, over many years the Tunisian people had to bear injustice of all kinds, alarming levels of unemployment and poverty and even the persecution of certain Islamic practices.

To the joy of almost 20 million people who had mobilized to demand the resignation of Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president chose to step down after 30 years in power.
Mubarak’s resignation takes place after 18 days of massive protests. The recently-appointed Vice President Omar Suleiman made the announcement, saying that a Military Council will take over the administration.

In response to dramatic developments in Egypt, Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said: “I congratulate the protesters for their extraordinary courage and commitment to achieve fundamental change.”
“Persistent attempts to put down peaceful protests have not only failed but redoubled the determination of those demanding change.”

We humanists feel very joyful at the outcome of the Non-Violent Revolution in Egypt, which has culminated in Mubarak’s resignation. Towards the end of January the International Humanist Party showed its support for the “peoples’ protest” in the Arab world; and we demonstrated outside Egyptian embassies in several countries supporting the non-violent struggle of its people.