China's Tunisia-style 'Jasmine Revolution' wilted within hours of mobilization after police descended on the discussed protest areas and squashed the uprising even before it took off.
Over the span of two months, Tunisian 'Jasmine' revolt has inspired people of Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, Iran, Libya among others to agitate against autocrats. After the Tunisian revolt dethroned President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Egypt's uprising also ended in success with the resignation of Hosni Mubarak.
On Sunday, China became the first Asian country to follow the footsteps of the pro-democracy dissidents in Middle-East and North Africa. Organizers called for protests across 13 cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou at 2 p.m. Sunday.
The mysterious call for a 'Jasmine Revolution' in China came on social media platforms such as Twitter and Boxun.com. The demands were simple: food, jobs, housing and justice.
Start the slideshow to go through how China's 'Jasmine Revolution' started and why it wilted:
The assembly point in Beijing was Wangfujing, a busy shopping street located very close to the historical Tiananmen Square.The hints of protests prompted police forces to step in. As many as 100 uniformed police personnel were accompanied by scores in plain-clothes.Symbolic to the words 'Jasmine Revolution' borrowed from the Tunisian revolution, a youngster reportedly placed a jasmine flower on a planter outside the McDonald’s in the upmarket area. This immediately elicited action from police, who were, however, cautious of the presence of journalists.REUTERS/David GrayThe Chinese revolution failed in terms of garnering strength seen in the Middle East movements.The demonstrations were just limited to sporadic scuffles between police and the protesters, leading to detainment of dozens of activists.Several others who gathered at Wangfujing were only acting out of curiosity over the presence of police forces.While a brief demonstration took place in Shanghai, there were no reports of any gatherings in the other 11 cities. REUTERS/David GrayWhile Tunisian revolt was fueled by unemployment and rising prices, the Chinese dissents sought justice and basic rights.In terms of economy, the ruling Communist Party is hailed for three decades of uninterrupted growth. Majority of the Chinese people support the current leadership for alleviating poverty and turning the most populous country into the second largest economy in the world.However, the fact that China is an autocracy remains.REUTERS/Siu ChiuWhile discussion over WikiLeaks' 2011 Nobel run continues, social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook deserve nobel prize for facilitating pro-democracy protests in Middle East, North Africa and even China.REUTERS/David GrayAlthough the uprising was killed even before it took off, the dozens of activists gathering at Beijing and Shanghai has sent out a strong message to the Chinese government as well as the authorities across the world.China's domestic security chief has reportedly warned that the government against brushing aside the unrest.Zhou Yongkang, the ruling Communist Party's top law-and-order official, has advised the government to find new ways to defuse unrest in the fast-changing society and to "adapt new trends and imperatives in economic and social development."REUTERS/Aly Song
