What's happening around the world? - February 1, 2022
PROTESTS AROUND THE WORLD IN 2022
The 2022 Kazakh unrest started on January 2, 2022, in Kazakhstan, following an unexpected significant spike in liquefied gas prices following the relaxation of a government-imposed price ceiling on January 1. The peaceful protests began in the oil-producing city of Zhanaozen and swiftly expanded to other cities around the country, particularly Almaty, the country's largest city, when the protests turned into violent rioting, spurred by growing dissatisfaction with the government. Over 9,900 protesters were arrested and 227 people were killed.
Since the military assumed control following the departure of Omar al-Bashir in 2019, demonstrators have participated in nonviolent protests in Khartoum, Sudan, seeking a free and democratic country. However, the Sudanese security forces have used live bullets and tear gas to put an end to the protests. Hence, 76 civilians were killed and over 2000 were wounded. The last protest was made on January 20, 2022 where two protestors were murdered: one being shot in the chest and the other in the head.
Protests in Myanmar, termed the "Spring Revolution" by locals, began in early 2021 in response to the February 1 coup d'état. As of January 20, 2022, at least 1,488 protestors and bystanders had been murdered by military or police forces, with at least 44 of them being children, and at least 8,702 individuals had been imprisoned. Protesters primarily used nonviolent and peaceful methods of protest; the three-finger salute has become a popular pro-democracy demonstration symbol.
Thousands of people protested Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's COVID-19 vaccination mandates in Canada's capital, Ottawa, on January 29, 2022. The so-called "Freedom Convoy" began as a truckers' rally against a vaccine mandate for cross-border drivers, but quickly evolved into a protest against government overreach during the epidemic, with a strong anti-vaccination bent. The protests were loud and chaotic, but mostly nonviolent and disorganized.
Sources:
Al Jazeera
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/17/three-protesters-killed-in-sudan-rallies-medics
European Parliament News
New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/07/world/asia/kazakhstan-protests.html
Reuters
