People’s Power: I – Year end Special
The year 2019 saw a stupendous rise of the People’s Power all over the world against the dictators and authoritarian State leaders. ‘Enough is enough’ seems to be the clear message of the People’s Power sent to all the autocratic rulers of the world! www.successstory.com elucidates the rise of People’s Power in the year 2019.
It is fascinating to note that citizens of respective countries had and have demonstrated, and are demonstrating in jillions against the corrupt ruling class for the reasons the rulers might have never thought would not only crush their power, but also land them in prison. Economic and social inequality was one of the main reasons for the rise of People’s Power in the year 2019.
Authoritarian regimes had brutalized the existence of their subjects to please the 1% rich business class. Corruption and greed of politicians had pushed the citizens to the brink. With nothing to lose any more, the rise of People’s Power saw the emergence of Centuries-old revolution once again in 2019. 2020 is likely to see the rise of People’s Power in many more countries. The big change is surely coming in the New Year.
Sudan’s 30-year-ruling dictator President Omar al Bashir was overthrown in April 2019 by People’s Power, in just four months demonstrating on the streets, for increasing the price of bread by 300%. He has also been indicted for corruption and sentenced for two years of jail term. Bashir is also likely to be handed over to the ICJ – International Court of Justice for ‘Darfur Genocide’, ‘War Crimes’ and ‘Crimes against Humanity’ in 2020.
The newly-formed coalition government under renowned Economist-turned-Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has opened an investigation of the genocide committed under Bashir’s three-decade ruling killing 300,000 and displacing 2,500,000 Sudanese people. Omar al Bashir dictated lives of the Sudanese people for 30 long years and today, his life is being dictated by the People’s Power. The once powerful dictator is now counting his days in fear.
Algeria’s 20-year dictator President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was thrown out in April 2019, when he announced he would run for the 5th term, by the People’s Power. His brother Said Bouteflika was sentenced for 15 years in prison for plotting against the State and undermining the Army in September 2019. Said Bouteflika was the real power behind his ailing brother’s Presidency.
People’s Power has continued their demonstrations against the corrupt regime. The new President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the former Prime Minister and an ally of Bouteflika, has appointed little-known Political Science Professor and retired diplomat Abdelaziz Djerad to form Algeria's next government on the 29th of December 2019, in order to pacify the anger of the Algerians. However, the People’s Power has refused to acknowledge him as the President of the nation.
In October 2019, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s government decided to increase a $0.20 WhatsApp Tax. In just 13 days, People’s Power forced him to resign from his post on the 29th of October 2019. Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri has been an exceptional leader in terms of ethics and principle to resign from his post unlike other authoritarian leaders of the world. Hariri made sure the citizens were not attacked by riot police on the streets of Lebanon.
The uncertainty in Lebanon continues at the advent of 2020. People’s Power demands have expanded from scrapping the $0.20 WhatsApp tax to condemnation of sectarian ruling class, high rate of unemployment, economic uncertainty, endemic corruption and biased justice system shield the corrupt ruling class. People’s Power is demanding basic services from the government like Electricity, Water and Sanitation. How the 2020 would fare, only time will tell!
Citizens’ rights are being stifled by respective authoritarian ruling governments and there seems to be no end to corruption and accountability for looting the nation’s wealth. Many historians in the world recalls the period of 1848, when the People’s Power rose to end the ruling class and monarchies’ authority in Europe. Just like in 1848, small incidents triggered huge spark – the year 2019 saw great similarity.
The have-nots are fed up of economic despair, the nationalists wants complete regime change of corrupt leaders and the anarchists are destroying the streets, because the government and the ruling class have not only stifled the voice of the citizens, but also pushed the people to a point of no return. From Albania to Zimbabwe – the younger generation rose to demand for their rights to lead a safe and better living conditions.
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s callousness towards the citizens was way beyond comparison to any other politicians in the world. While the firefighters were fighting the massive forests fires and people grappling with their lives, Morrison was enjoying vacation with family in Hawaii. With so much natural disaster, he refuses to acknowledge the existential threat of Climate Crisis. People’s Power is on the streets enraged and demonstrating against his callous behaviour.
Bolivia saw American Conspiracy at its best to overthrow the zealous socialist President Evo Morales. He is the first President belonging to the indigenous population, who ruled Bolivia from 2006 till his ouster on the 10th of November 2019. He had been very vocal about the ills of neo-liberalism and criticized the US Ambassador of conspiring against Bolivian democracy and encouraging civil unrest.
In 2019, the OAS – Organization of American States played a key role in spreading civil unrest in Bolivia against President Evo Morales. Morales had to flee his motherland to save his life. Within few days, with the help of OAS, Jeanine Anez declared self as the Interim President. Evo Morales is currently living in Argentina
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro attacked the millions of students by reducing funding to education. In May 2019, students’ power along with teachers opposed the cuts. An authoritarian, Bolsonaro refused to give in to the students. He has been condemned by various world leaders for the ongoing Amazon forest fires to destruct the world’s biggest evergreen forest.
In October 2019, Chile’s President Sebastian Pinera increased Santiago’s Metro Subway fare by 30 Pesos. With the high cost of living, privatisation and inequality prevalent in the country, People’s Power comprising of secondary school students demonstrated against the increase of Metro’s fare. The initial demonstrations have led to expand the demands of the citizens for a new Constitution. As many as 29 people have lost their lives, nearly 12,000 have been injured and nearly 8,000 people have been arrested so far.
People’s Power forced President Pinera to sack 8 Cabinet Ministers including Interior Minister Andres Chadwick on the 28th of October 2019. On the 15th of November 2019, the President signed an agreement to call a ‘National Referendum’ in April 2020, regarding the creation of a new Constitution to pacify the demonstrations. However, the People’s Power’s demand is out and clear – ‘It is not about 30 Pesos. It is about 30 Years’.
Historians regard the rise of People’s Power as the biggest wave of social change since the Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet’s end. Will the 2020 see the right-wing President Pinera’s resignation as demonstrations continue on the streets? People’s Power wants the government to solve the ongoing high cost of living.
In Colombia, President Ivan Duque’s government has failed to crush People’s Power’s strength of a million plus from the 21st of November 2019. The President has failed so far to work seriously about the ‘2016 Colombian Peace Process’ with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Duque’s failure has cost deaths of indigenous leaders in rural areas. The social unrest in the nation has seen 4 deaths, 533 injured and 500 arrested.
Killing of social leaders, police violence, corruption and possible austerity measures issues have escalated the rise in People’s Power in the past two months. At the advent of 2020, the social unrest will probably subside with Duque negotiating in multiple talks with the public. So far, both the parties have stood their grounds to a deadlock as the demonstrations continue.
In the month of November 2019, People’s Power gathered to a tune of 200,000 at Prague, the Capital city of Czech Republic, demanding billionaire-turned-Prime Minister Andrej Babis and Justice Minister Marie Benesova to resign over corruption links. A European Commission audit report has confirmed Babis as the Prime Minister had conflict of interest concerning EU subsidies to his Trust Agrofert.
The Supreme State Prosecutor has revived a fraud investigation of $2.2 million subsidy tapped to build the Capi hnizdo leisure complex. The third-largest grouping’s Deputy Leader of the Pirate Party Olga Richterova insists that the Prime Minister must resign for the better future of the nation.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the People’s Power demanded the UN Peacekeeping Force – the MONUSCO to leave the nation. The MONUSCO have failed to protect the poor people from notorious armed groups, who are on a killing spree in the North Kvu’s provincial Capital Goma. In the month of November 2019, the situation in Beni was not acceptable by the citizens, who were so angry that a UN Post and staff quarters were burned down by People’s Power.
People’s Power – II will elucidate the rise of People’s Power in many more countries. Stay tuned…
