Diaries of an Online Activist

The Arab spring and the revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Syria and Bahrain turned me from a spectator into an activist. As I was following news of the Tunisian's uprising which turned into a revolution and spread to the rest of the Arab world, my Arabism, patriotism and zeal grew which got me hooked to the TV and laptop for endless hours, following events,  engaging in debates and expressing my views. My days suddenly turned into nights and I wouldn't realize it till the first rays of sun crept on me announcing the arrival of a new day.


I became an online activist, initially overtaken by the Egyptian revolution when I started my activism on Facebook. As the revolution in Yemen started to evolve and was filling the news along with the Libyan one, I shifted from the Egyptian revolution, since Mubarak was ousted and besides there were so many other hundreds of thousands covering it, and I started focusing instead on the rest of the Arab revolutions, but mainly Yemen's and hence I shifted from Facebook to twitter, which I felt was more dynamic and powerful.


Twitter transfered me to many places at once. I felt I was in Tahrir in Cairo, in Benghazi in Libya, in Change square is Sanaa, in Hama in Syria and in Manama in Bahrain. Just by following a certain timeline I heard the chants and the explosions and I felt the pain of the wounded and the loss of the martyrs.


I was actually apprehensive at first and worried when Yemen's revolution started. Yemen has the highest gun per capita ratio after the US and I thought it will turn into a blood bath from day one, but was pleasantly surprised, and so was the rest of the world. It turned into the most peaceful revolution of the Arab Spring due to the protesters commitment to peace, despite the regimes violence and killings. I never imagined the revolution would drag this long, nor for the suffering to be this severe. I pray for a peaceful resolve soon, although I doubt it will be a peaceful one, nor soon. 


I was taught to stand for what is right and fight for what I believe in and was fortunate enough to travel the world and have a good education. I hope all the people in Yemen will soon enjoy this right. Therefore I used all my knowledge and skills to speak out and advocate for the freedom and democracy of my country, and so did many other Yemeni activists in Yemen and abroad. We joined our efforts and collaborated to support Yemen and the revolution and together we will persevere, despite anyone or anything. 


Before the Arab Spring started I was a wife and a mother of four (one is in heaven) and that was my main job. I suddenly became a full time online activist, an addicted twitter and a blogger besides all my other duties. I can't wait for all this chaos and violence to end, for everyone to enjoy safety and stability, to move on and start rebuilding. We all want and need peace and stability in our lives and soon.

I salute all online activists and stand in awe for the freedom fighters who suffered and struggled, advocating for change in their country, I pray for the ones who were in the front lines and paid the price with their lives, blood, sweat and tears. May God bless all the revolutionaries in the Arab spring and beyond and have mercy on those who sacrificed their lives for all of us to live a better life. We will win and we owe it to them to make our countries better.

Peace

Celebrating Yemen's Tawakkol Karman

Tawakkol Karman, an outspoken journalist and human rights activist, described in the Guardian as a “thorn in [Yemeni President Ali Abdullah] Saleh's back”, was today named as Yemen's first Noble Peace Prize winner. She has been a prime example of courage and bravery in Yemen since 2007.

In the following video, posted by the channel of “Women Journalists Without Chains“, which Karman heads, she is shown leading a peaceful march condemning Saleh and Saudi Arabia's interference in Yemen's revolution and vowing to bring back the days of former president Ibrahim Alhamdi, whom Yemenis choose to honor today (October 7) calling it “Friday of Martyr Ibrahim Alhamdi”. (Video posted: belaquood)

Tawakkol Karman is a leader in Yemen's peaceful revolution against it's brutal and corrupt regime. She encouraged Yemeni to bravely pursue their struggle to topple the dictatorial regime, as she leads the chants in Sanaa's Change square, shown in this video posted also by Women Journalist Without Chainschannel. Undoubtedly she has been an inspiration to many men and women, and not only Yemeni.

Reactions to Tawakkol Karman's win were expressed all over Twitter. Here are some of them.

@tota770::

OH MY GOD ! The Yemeni activist Tawakol Karman was awarded the #Nobel peace prize , VIVA #Yemen #YF

@Dory_Eryani:

She is Yemeni and woman and she made it! #yemen #woman #tawakkolkarman #nobel

@mainoman:

Yemeni women have always been proud, and they have every right to be! But today the world recognizes why #Yemen #tawakkolkarman #nobelprize

@brrhom::

#TawakkolKarman trends worldwide on twitter #Yemen

@OmarMash::

Yemeni female activist Tawakol Karman has today won a Nobel Peace Prize, this is win against Saleh, a win for Yemen & Arab women empowerment

@Saphsaf:

Good Friday for #Yemen and #Peace and #Women and #ArabSpring and #TawakkolKarman our very own Aung San Su Kyi for #democracy

@WomanfromYemen:

what should be remember about #TawakkulKarman is her role in speaking out against injustice & oppression since 2007 #supportyemen #yemen

Afrah Nasser a Yemeni journalist and blogger, now based in Sweden after receiving threats from the regime vloggged her reaction to the news in this video:

@YusraAlA:

Proud of being a woman, Proud of being Yemeni, and proud of Tawakul Karman! Congrats #Yemen #yf

Twakkol Karman's own reaction was quoted:

@OmarMash:

Tawakul Karman: “I am very very happy about this prize. I give the prize to the youth of revolution in Yemen and the Yemeni people.”

@yemen_updates:

Tawwakul: “I dedicate this Prize to all Arab revolutionary in #Tunisia, #Egypt, #Syria & #Libya.” Live interview with her on Suhail TV now.

Yemen, unfortunately, has been associated in the media with terrorism and violence, yet Tawakkol Karman's Noble Prize and Yemen's current revolution managed to associate it with Peace, forever.

@yemen_updates tweeted:

Tawwakul's winning of #NobelPeacePrize will keep making headlines worldwide for a while, breaking down the negative image of #Yemen.

This post was published in Global Voices as part of a special coverage Yemen Protests 2011. 

A Thank You Note

This has certainly been the spring of Arab uprisings and a very long awaited awakening. What started with a protest for a daily life survival right by one man triggered and transcended to a regional outcry for political, economic, social reforms and above all human rights. Being an Arab, I proudly monitored the pioneering Tunisian Revolution, being Egyptian I felt the struggle and emotions of the inspiring Egyptian Revolution and being Yemeni by birth and origin, I am living the suffering of the Peaceful Yemeni Revolution. Besides monitoring and tweeting major headlines happening in Libya, Syria, Bahrain, Jordan and Palestine which is always in my heart.

I am not going to go through the reasons for these uprisings, I am sure we all know them, although some differ on the reasons behind them. Some think they are due to genuine reasons while others think they are due to a "conspiracy theory" and that is the shaping of the so called "New Middle East". I personally thank God it happened what ever the reason behind it, although I agree more with the first school of thought.

A thank you is in order. I want to thank first and foremost all the martyrs who died for these revolutions starting with Mohamed Bouazizi down to the last soul that has just parted us. These heroes sacrificed their lives for our freedom and democracy and to them we will always be in indebted, and we owe it to them to make these revolutions succeed. My deepest sympathy and prayers goes to all their families and friends. I also thank all the protesters who went out to the streets and participated in the sit-ins, marches and demonstrations and suffered gun shot injuries, beatings, inhaled gas, and even went through the fatigue of the process. Another note of gratitude goes to all the activists on the ground and on the net wether at home or abroad who have rallied for their countries. All your work, time and effort is certainly noticed and much appreciated by your country and country men and women.

These revolutions, through Facebook and twitter have certainly brought us closer, and we have certainly felt the solidarity and humanity overflowing. Twitter by far is a fascinating forum for sharing our ideas, hopes and aspirations. I have been impressed by inspiring minds of people whom I have never met but whom I consider now as friends. And as a new found friend and activist said in her tweet: "i love the #solidarity found on twitter. it affirms that #humanity is still alive. #oneworld". Another activist and very prominent journalist pointed that through these revolutions we have learned more about each others culture, geography, history and especially the struggles. I pray that all our Arab revolutions will be successful and realize most, if not all  their aims and that those still struggling will see the light soon and that it will all be worthwhile in the end.

Last but not least I want to thank my family for their support and understanding during my long hours glued in front of the TV and on the laptop.  
I am sure these revolutions had a toll on many household besides mine :( 


Peace.