The Pot Boils: As Gen Z Protests Ignite Around the World, Some Say Repressive Algeria Is Next
NEED TO KNOW
The Pot Boils: As Gen Z Protests Ignite Around the World, Some Say Repressive Algeria Is Next
ALGERIA
Youth-led protest movements using social media to organize against poor government services, elite corruption, and other grievances are springing up around the globe.
The list is long – and it’s growing: Nepal, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Mongolia, and Indonesia in Asia, Madagascar, Morocco, and Kenya in Africa, Peru and Paraguay in South America, and Serbia in Europe.
While the triggers vary, what unites these spontaneous and often decentralized movements are the age of their leaders – mostly calling themselves Gen Z after the generation born between 1997 and 2012 – and their use of symbols such as pirate flags inspired by the Japanese manga comic, One Piece, to define themselves as they take over city streets and squares.
They have been having some successes, too: In Nepal and now Madagascar, they have toppled governments within weeks or even days.
Now, some wonder, is it Algeria’s turn?
“Algeria appears to be the next flashpoint,” wrote the Africa Report.
Algeria, some believe, is an unlikely country to host such a movement: Its shadowy “junta” government led by an elected president in elections many say were fraudulent is among the most repressive in the world.
However, for the past few months, calls to demonstrate have been circulating on Algerian social media. The movement calls itself #Gen Z 213 – an echo of Morocco’s protest movement and a reference to Algeria’s international dialing code – and is demanding via TikTok and Facebook better public services, a crackdown on elite corruption, political pluralism, the lifting of restrictions on civil liberties such as free expression, and the release of political prisoners.
“Freedom for Algeria,” “social justice now,” and “free our homeland from the gang,” read some of these posts. Some depicted Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune as a witch, while others displayed images of individuals jailed by the government for their posts or protesting.
But unlike in most countries where the protests have erupted, the Algerian government doesn’t even attempt to pretend it tries to serve its public, analysts say. Instead, it manages a highly repressive regime that has for years restricted free expression and muzzled its media. It has escalated its ongoing crackdown on expression this year.
Still, the burgeoning online protest movement has the authorities spooked, wrote French-language newspaper Jeune Afrique.
“Without waiting to gauge the movement’s power, the authorities flexed their muscles and put security forces on a war footing, while blaming an ‘international conspiracy’ by Morocco…to export Moroccan problems (such as protests) to Algeria,” it said.
The pro-government Algeria Press Service also spoke about a “desperate manipulation” and interference by Morocco – Algeria and Morocco have long been at odds – adding that such “manipulation” won’t be effective because Algeria remains a “solid social state” offering its youth “broad prospects for the future.”
“Far from being a superficial model, the Algerian welfare state constitutes a concrete bulwark against marginalization and poverty, and a guarantee of national cohesion,” the state agency wrote.
However, commentators say that Algeria faces severe economic challenges: unemployment among those under 24 exceeds 30 percent, while inflation and rising living costs have eroded purchasing power over the past few years. As a result, young Algerians attempt to migrate to Europe by the thousands.
And this migration has been rising: European border-control agency Frontex recorded a 22 percent year-on-year increase in attempted migrations by Algerians via the Mediterranean since the beginning of the year. Algerians are now the leading nationality to emigrate to Spain by sea, seven times more numerous than Moroccans, usually the top country in recent years.
“Relying on a declining oil and gas income, the regime has left the younger generation, often described as ‘sacrificed,’ increasingly determined to take up the mantle of protest,” wrote the Agence de Presse Africaine.
Still, what is underlying Algerian authorities’ nervousness is the memory of the Hirak movement, which staged huge protests for months starting in 2019 and ousted the country’s longtime dictator, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, before being stamped out by government crackdowns and also the Covid-19 pandemic.
Also, the government saw the ouster of President Bashar Assad in Syria in December as a warning, say analysts.
Meanwhile, there have been power struggles within the Algerian government, which burst into view this fall after the escape of Maj. Gen. Abdelkader Haddad: Known as “the devil,” the feared former head of the General Directorate of Internal Security allegedly fled to Spain after he fell from grace and was arrested for undisclosed reasons. That escape has set off purges within the military, wrote French-language publication Sahel Intelligence.
As a result, the government has stepped up its arrests of individuals for posting comments on social media complaining about the country’s leadership, and it has refused permits for protests such as those organized in August by political parties in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Algeria has long been a leading supporter of Palestinians.
“Since the Hirak protest movement…the Algerian authorities have weaponized the criminal justice system to clamp down on peaceful dissent, arbitrarily arresting and prosecuting hundreds of activists, human rights defenders, protesters, and journalists for exercising their rights to peaceful assembly, association and expression, notably on social media, leading to a steady erosion of human rights in the country,” wrote Amnesty International recently, detailing cases of those imprisoned for social media posts this year.
Even so, the escalating crackdown is evidence of worry, and of things to come, say commentators.
“All the ingredients are there for things to get going again – in fact, the hashtag #Manich radi (I am not satisfied) has been trending on social media in recent weeks (with) Algerians denouncing repression, economic and social problems…They are demanding peaceful change,” said Adel Boucherguine of the Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights, which was dissolved by the government in 2022, but resurrected in exile in France, in an interview with France’s L’Express newspaper.
“…the desire to turn the page on authoritarianism and inaction is shared by a large proportion of Algerians,” he added. “The disenchantment between the governed and those who govern has never been greater, and the anger is there, silent and unpredictable.”
THE WORLD, BRIEFLY
Gaza Ceasefire Holds After Weekend Fighting
GAZA/ ISRAEL/ WEST BANK
Israeli fire killed three people near Gaza’s ceasefire line Monday, as US envoys met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to help safeguard the fragile truce, which survived its major test following a weekend of intense bombardment that killed at least 28 people, Reuters reported.
On Monday, both Israel and Hamas said they would respect the US-brokered ceasefire.
Israel said it attacked the enclave Sunday following a Palestinian attack that killed two Israeli soldiers within their agreed-upon deployment zone in Rafah, in southern Gaza. According to a military official, Hamas had fired at Israeli forces beyond the Yellow Line in three separate incidents – the Yellow Line demarks the border behind which Israeli troops have withdrawn according to the ceasefire deal, according to CNN.
On Monday, Palestinian medics said three other people were killed by Israeli tank fire near the boundary. Meanwhile, Gaza City residents said they were confused about where the line lies, as electronic maps are available, but physical markings had not yet been placed along most of the route.
Israel defined the murder of its two soldiers as a blatant violation of the deal by Hamas. However, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement it would begin a “renewed enforcement” of the ceasefire following instructions from political leaders.
While much about Sunday’s events in Rafah remains unclear, Hamas said its internal Rada’a security force was targeting a “hideout” of an Israel-backed militia and denied involvement in the attack on Israeli soldiers. While confirming its intention to respect the truce, the group blamed Israel for violating the deal, killing dozens, and halting aid from entering the enclave.
Deliveries of aid into the enclave restarted Monday, after Israel said it would halt them on Sunday. Israel’s decision to restart aid deliveries – just hours after suspending them – is seen as an indicator that it intends to respect key elements of the ceasefire. Still, an Israeli official told CNN that the Rafah Crossing will stay closed until the remaining hostage bodies are returned.
The renewed commitment to the ceasefire arrives as US officials arrived in the region to oversee the next phase of the truce despite the repeated violent clashes since the agreement was implemented last week.
Meanwhile, Egypt hosted Hamas officials Monday for talks on the ceasefire and a future technocratic administration to govern Gaza without Hamas representation. Israel wants Hamas to disarm and have no future role in governing Gaza, conditions that the group has yet to accept.
Centrist Candidate Wins Bolivia’s Presidency, Ending 20 Years of Leftist Rule
BOLIVIA
Centrist senator Rodrigo Paz won Bolivia’s presidential runoff Sunday, ending nearly two decades of dominance by the leftist Movement Toward Socialism Party (MAS) of former President Evo Morales, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Preliminary results showed Paz secured almost 55 percent of the vote, while his conservative opponent, former President Jorge Quiroga, received about 45 percent.
Bolivia’s electoral court said the figures are “preliminary and not definitive,” noting that official results will be released within seven days, according to The Guardian.
In his victory speech, Paz thanked supporters and vowed to build “a new path after 20 years that have left us out of the economy … and geopolitics.”
He has pledged to revitalize Bolivia’s struggling economy by attracting foreign investment, particularly in mining and lithium development – the country holds the world’s largest lithium reserves.
He also plans to improve relations with the United States after years of left-wing rule saw Bolivia foster closer relations with Washington’s rivals, including China, Iran, and Venezuela.
Sunday’s runoff comes after a first round of voting in August, which saw Paz and Quiroga in the lead. MAS candidate Interior Minister Eduardo Del Castillo only won around 3 percent, a stinging defeat for the socialist party that has dominated Bolivian politics since 2006.
Observers attributed the party’s collapse to internal divisions between Morales and outgoing President Luis Arce, as well as public anger over the country’s deepening economic crisis.
The deeply unpopular Arce decided to sit out the election.
Analysts said the new president will inherit a nation facing its worst economic crisis in 40 years, marked by high inflation, fuel shortages, and falling bank reserves.
The centrist leader said he would take a gradual approach to reduce the country’s massive budget deficit and cut spending, including slashing fuel subsidies that cost the state about $3 billion a year. Political analysts cautioned that Bolivia’s powerful unions and social movements will strongly oppose such moves.
Another challenge will be to bring the country’s large underground economy – around 80 percent of the workforce is made up of self-employed or informal workers – into the formal market.
Although Paz’s Christian Democratic Party (PDC) won the most legislative seats, it lacks a majority, and it will be forced to cooperate with Quiroga and moderate left-wing factions to pass key reforms.
Northern Cyprus Election Revives Hopes of Peace
NORTHERN CYPRUS
Opposition candidate Tufan Erhurman won the presidential election in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) by a landslide after campaigning on resuming negotiations with rival Greek Cypriots to establish a two-zone federation after an eight-year stalemate, the Associated Press reported.
Erhurman, 55, secured 62.8 percent of the vote, defeating incumbent Ersin Tatar, 65, who received 35.8 percent, according to unofficial figures.
Speaking at his victory rally, Erhurman said the results represented the victory of all Turkish Cypriots, regardless of party affiliation. He added that any future steps on reviving Cypriot peace efforts would be taken in consultation with the Turkish government.
With this vote, Turkish Cypriots rejected Tatar’s two-state vision for Cyprus, a plan Turkey has supported since 2017, when the last major peace effort collapsed. Greek Cypriots reject the two-state proposal, which they consider inconsistent with the United Nations and European Union-endorsed framework for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, Al Jazeera noted.
Throughout Tatar’s five years in office, Erhurman had been a strong critic of his refusal to engage in formal peace talks, saying it came at a cost, especially because it alienated Turkish Cypriots from the EU and the international sphere.
Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, but only the southern Greek Cypriots enjoy full EU benefits, as the internationally recognized government is there. Still, many Turkish Cypriots have EU-recognized Cyprus passports while living in the north.
While the recent election results represent hopes for a UN-backed push to restart formal negotiations, serious challenges remain in reaching a peace deal.
Cyprus was divided in 1974 following a Turkish invasion, days after Greek junta-backed supporters of unification with Greece carried out a coup. Only Turkey recognizes a 1983 Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence while maintaining more than 35,000 peacekeepers in the region.
DISCOVERIES
Underwater Beats
Beneath the surface of rivers exists a whole soundscape that mostly goes unheard.
Now, a new study has developed a publicly available tool that relies on sound to help scientists uncover what is happening below the surface.
“The problem is that listening-in is not as simple as it sounds,” lead study author Katie Turlington said in a statement. “Scientists drop waterproof microphones into rivers to record what is happening underwater, but in just one day, a single recording could capture tens of thousands of sounds…and manually analyzing them could take a trained professional up to three times longer than the recording itself.”
The new tool was developed in R, a free program for the analysis of data that sorts volumes of uploaded audio files, sparing users hours of manual work.
The tool scanned recordings from Warrill Creek, near Kalbar, in Queensland, Australia, and identified sections that contained sound. It then automatically grouped similar sounds, making it easier to determine what is present in the audio.
Turlington added that the tool can detect sounds masked by the constant noise of streaming water, which often makes it more difficult to analyze recordings from rivers.
“When tested in South-East Queensland streams, the tool correctly identified nearly 90 percent of distinct sounds, faster and with far less effort than manual analysis,” she said.
The tool is also free, works with datasets of any size, and does not require users to have advanced coding skills. Turlington said she hoped it could change the way freshwater health is monitored, Cosmo Magazine added.
“By listening to rivers, researchers can track changes in biodiversity, detect signs of disturbance, or even discover new species,” she said. “And because sound can be recorded day and night, in remote or murky waters, it offers a low-impact way to track changes in aquatic ecosystems.”
The tool has been tested in underwater soundscapes so far, but researchers note it can be used in all kinds of ecosystems.
“We’ve only just started to explore freshwater sound – making this tool publicly available and free means more people can get involved, ask questions, and hopefully make discoveries,” Turlington added.