Of late, we have witnessed ugly scenes in most Arab countries of Tunisia, Algeria, Jordan, Pakistan including Mauritania. Natives of these countries have lost confidence in their governments, and their leaders to be specific.
The issues that are rising and causing alot of chaos and unrest range from unemployment, rise of food prices, and good governance. In Tunisia, the whole saga started simply in the capital Tunis, when a Young man set himself on fire after police confisticated vegetables which he was selling at an alleged unpermissible area.
In solidality with the poor unemployed young graduate, people took to the street in protest of what happened, and to add salt to the bleeding wounds, police displayed their brutality by firing live bullets at the protesters. This has escalated, claiming lives of people in the north African state.
Worse still, the government remains adamant on the actual number of victims while human rights groups have produced large figures.
President Ben Ali has stepped down after dissolving the government and has since left for Saud Arabia. The prime minister, Muhammed Baghouch declaired himself care taker leader, while the Army takes control of major airports and closed air space.
Meanwhile, speaker Foued Mebazza has been sworn in as interim president
Lybian President, Muammar Gaddafi has since spoken against the ousting of Ben Ali and said he recognizes him as the “legal leader of Tunisia”
Similar protests have also taken centre stage in Algeria, Jordan, Pakistan and Mauritania.
Surprisingly and ironically, these developments are happening concurrently in most Muslim countries.
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was a both a political and religious leader. One wonders if our brothers who are sitting at the mantle of leadership are of any resemblance to the Prophet.
