The first may well be Belarus, if the West can somehow come down hard on their abusive leader, President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko. It seems there is dissent in Belarus and the people are pushing for some Democracy and change but Mr. Lukashenko has very tough and strict control of the country, for now, at least.
The other, 2nd place there are stirrings of dissent and some push for more Democratic ways is showing itself--again in the Middle East--in Dubai of the United Arab Emirates. This from the news today:
Gulf leaders hear rumblings of dissent
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – There were only a few dozen Saudi women at a protest to demand the release of prisoners they claim are unfairly linked to militants. Yet the small act of defiance in Riyadh is part of a wider question for autocratic rulers in the Gulf who wonder if the ripples from Egypt could head their way.
It's too early to predict what — if any — street demonstrations could rise across a region symbolized by its skyscraper-studded wealth, super-powerful sheiks and monarchs and some of Washington's most important military footholds.
The failure to draw crowds at planned rallies in Syria last week also underscores that the protest fire from Tunisia and Egypt apparently can be stamped out by hard-line state security, which is also a hallmark of Gulf states.
But there's no shortage of hints that reform-seeking groups in the Gulf are trying to seize the moment.
More significantly:
"The Gulf states are not that far removed from what has happened in Tunisia and Egypt," said Ali Fakhro, a political analyst and commentator in Bahrain. "Why? Because all Arab youth have similar demands: jobs, freedom, a feeling they are not oppressed by their leaders. The Tunisian revolution, as well as Egypt, is spreading new principles and a new definition for Arab youth."
It seems there is a push for more democratic reforms on the island of Bahrain, in the Middle East, too. (See Yahoo link below).
So fascinating developments on all counts here. Let's hope that, if the countries can, in fact, move to more open government, that it can happen as quickly as possible for them and with no bloodshed.
One thing is for sure, with all the new technology, from news coverage to instant viewing and reporting on computers and televisions to Facebook and Twitter communication, the pressure is greater than ever on the repressive governments.
The power is more with the people.
Links: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/belarus/index.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/11/opinion/11iht-edforbrig11.html?_r=1&ref=belarus
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110208/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_gulf_next_protests
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