The Condition of Punjab
(The
(Part-4)
EGYPT unrest and PUNJAB youths, issues similar?
For those who need to take a closer look at
Are we going to see same from
PUNJAB very high unemployment is mostly ignored by
as usual leaders most of them are already too old.......but still hold their positions!
Are leaders,
"Too old to LEAD & WORK and too young to RETIRE"?
(CNN) -- As the protests in
What are the protests about?
The protesters are calling for democratization -- for a government that they feel represents them. They want President Hosni Mubarak, 82, to step down after 30 years holding onto power, and an end to what they complain is a corrupt regime. Some have called for the government to face a trial.
The anger is driven largely by economic frustrations.
Why now? What sparked the protests?
A wave of protests in nearby
But the spark, in many ways, was one young man. Mohamed Bouazizi, a 26-year-old college graduate in
His self-immolation triggered the huge protests in
A popular Facebook page that helped organize the
Who are the protesters?
Many are young men. The majority of
There's "a feeling amongst that middle class that they're not being given the opportunities in life that their degrees warrant -- what historians would call a 'blocked elite,'" Cole said.
Have the protests been violent?
The protesters have generally been peaceful, chanting slogans and holding signs. Last week, police clashed violently with some demonstrators, leaving some dead and others wounded. Once the government sent in the military to take the place of police, the clashes came to a halt. The two sides have generally gotten along well. Some protesters have even posed for pictures with members of the military on their tanks. At times, the protests have even taken on the feeling of a music festival, with people wandering around, chatting, and celebrating.
"This is the start of the rest of my life," one jubilant young man who appeared to be in his 20s told CNN. "As cheesy as it sounds, that's exactly how I feel right now."
How did chaos begin in some areas?
Police disappeared from the streets in parts of
Men gathered in neighborhoods to create vigilante groups protecting their property. In some places, people handed out knives, sticks, clubs, and baseball bats to men and teenage boys, encouraging them to fight any looters who came along.
Some Egyptians said they worry the chaos could be part of Mubarak's strategy, getting citizens angry at the protesters for creating havoc and excited for government security forces to come along and bring order. But the crime has also built more frustration against the government among many Egyptians.
How many have died?
While it's difficult to ascertain a solid death toll, Human Rights Watch staffers have confirmed more than 120 deaths in
How is the food supply?
Many families are fast running out of staples, and they are either unable or unwilling to shop for groceries. "I have three children, and I only have enough to feed them for maybe two more days. After that I do not know what we will do," school administrator Gamalat Gadalla said.
Grocers have closed up shop or are running out of supplies themselves.
"With the curfew, there are no restaurants, food or gas. Basic goods will soon be in shortage," Sandmonkey, an Egyptian blogger said via Twitter.
Egyptian state-run Nile TV has set up a hotline for citizens to call in and report bread shortages. There has been no other indication of what the Egyptian government is doing to address the crisis.