Stories about Arabic from March, 2011
Syria: Reactions to President Assad's Speech
President Bashar Al Assad finally made a speech Wednesday 30 March, 2011, at the Syrian Parliament after days of postponement and anticipation. The president's arrival at the Parliament was met with thundering applause and chanting by the Members of Parliament, and his speech was often interrupted by an MP reciting poems of praise. Twitter users did not receive this well.
Tunisia: Bloggers Angry at Interim Interior Minister Sacking
Tunisian bloggers are outraged over the sacking of Interim Interior Minister Farhat Rajhi today. In a surprise move, he was replaced by Hbib El-Seed. Netizens are now calling for his return to managing his portfolio in blog posts and on Facebook.
Lebanon: Ontornet instead of Internet
Frustrated with the very slow internet connection in Lebanon, a group of Lebanese bloggers started a campaign calling it “Ontornet” (“Ontor” in the Lebanese dialect means “wait”) to do something...
Libya: From the Battlefield of Zintan
Alive in Libya shares with us this video from the battlefield of Zintan.
Libya: Facebook Group in Support of Eman Al Obeidy
A Facebook group has been formed calling for support for Libyan rape victim Eman Al Obeidy. More on Al Obeidy can be found here.
Egypt: Football Before and After the Revolution
In the past years, football (soccer) used to be the main source for joy for the Egyptian people. However it seems that the recent revolution that took place in Egypt has revolutionized all this. The loss of Egypt's national team to South Africa was even cheered by some.
Libya: Citizen Reporting from the Battlefield
Videos continue to seep out from war-torn Libya as protesters battle Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces in a bid to overthrow his 42-year-old regime. Here is a selection of the latest videos taken by netizens on the frontlines of major cities where the battle for Libya is still fought.
Jordan: One Death and Some Loss of Hope
Friday night marked the violent defeat of protests that began on March 24 (#March24) in Amman, Jordan. By the end of Friday, one man had died, Khairi Jameel AlSaad, 55, and more than 100 were injured.
Syria: Protesters Demolish Symbols of Regime
In Syria, the faces of President Bashar al-Assad and his father, former President Hafez al-Assad, are regularly seen on billboards, buildings, and in the form of statues. Visitors to the country are often surprised by the prevalence of such images, while Syrians have grown used to them as a daily feature of life. Yesterday, a number of videos surfaced in which protesters tear down the symbols of the regime: posters and statues of the ruling family.
Libya: Is Khamis Gaddafi Really Dead?
Rumours have been circulating online and in mainstream media for about two weeks that Khamis Al Gaddafi, son of Muammar Gaddafi, has been killed. Tonight, the rumours are making the rounds again, with a new twist. They say the 27-year-old militia leader, who runs a brigade which carries his name, was killed during an air raid on Bab Al Aziziya Compound, where the Gaddafis reside in Tripoli. Unconfirmed reports add that his brother Muattasim was killed by Gaddafi for 'refusing to follow' orders.
Egypt: The Constitutional Amendments
About one month after the fall of Hosni Mubarak, Egyptians went to vote on constitutional amendments, on Saturday, March 19. The referendum is on a group of articles in the constitution that discuss the Presidency and Parliamentary elections and the requirements for candidates. Here, new and old voters alike share their stories.
Syria: ‘Friday of Dignity’ Protests Erupt Countrywide
Massive protests broke in several cities in Syria today in response to calls for a “Friday of Dignity” after a brutal governmental crackdown left dozens of protesters dead in the Southern city of Daraa and nearby villages. Videos emerging from across Syria show enormous protests in multiple cities.
Kuwait: Massive Sandstorm Turns Day into Night
A massive sandstorm has engulfed Kuwait in minutes this afternoon. Armed with cameras, Kuwaiti netizens gave us a glimpse of their experience as day turned into night. Here are reactions from YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
Jordan: #March24 Protest Camp in Amman
Hundreds of pro-democracy Jordanians, mostly students and young people, gathered to protest at the Dakhliyeh Circle (Ministry of Interior Circle) in Amman on March 24, 2011. Demands from the protestors included the dissolution of parliament, a new representative election law, the dismantling of the General Intelligence Department, and the removal of Prime Minister Marouf Al Bakhit.
Palestine: Biggest Escalation of Violence in Gaza since Cast Lead
The Gaza Strip is lately experiencing the largest escalation of violence since Cast Lead operation in 2008-2009 that claimed lives of more than 1,400 Palestinians, among them over 350 children. On the night of March 22, 2010, Israel started military operations that led to the bloodiest day in Gaza in two years. Palestinian bloggers and tweeps react to the clashes.
Egypt: Taxi Driver Finds Lost Camera Owner via Facebook
What would you do if you found a camera, and wanted to return it to its owner? One Egyptian taxi driver decided to do it the Egyptian way and utilise the internet - with rapid results.
Syria: Citizen Videos Show Horror in Daraa
As the crackdown on protests in Daraa continues and reports pour in of more deaths, citizen reporters in the town are capturing video and uploading it to YouTube, which was only recently unblocked in Syria. The videos in this post show the extent of the violent crackdown in Daraa.
Syria: Reports of Mass Killings, and a Blogger and a Journalist Disappear
The crackdown on protesters in Daraa, Syria continues. At dawn, a special army unit reportedly killed at least six people during an attack on Al Omari Mosque to disperse protesters using the mosque as a gathering place. At least one blogger has been arrested, while another is missing. Anas Qtiesh has the story.
Syria: Implementing Ushahidi to track protests
Syrian Revolution Map is a new Ushahidi instance launched in Syria to track ongoing protests in several cities based on citizen reports of protests, security patrols, dangerous locations, clashes, and...
Yemen: Game Over for Ali Abdullah Saleh?
Yemen is witnessing mass defections from the Army's top brass, officials, members of Parliament and Ambassadors - who are declaring their support to their country's people's and youth revolution. Is this the beginning of the end of Saleh's regime?
Syria: Protests Continue to Gain Momentum
Monday 21 March, 2011, protests continue in Daraa, in the Syrian south, where five protesters have been reportedly killed yesterday and another one today. While news reports claim that protesters have later on set fire to public buildings, netizens argue that it was the state security forces who have burnt the buildings. Many on Twitter argue that Daraa would be what Sidi Bouzid was for the Tunisians.
