Israel: Israelis participating in recent “tent city” protests in various cities are escalating their protest actions in Tel Aviv. The protests have involved establishing tent camps in central parts of cities to protest rising housing costs and a lack of affordable housing in many cities. The actions had previously caused no major problems, but disruptions occurred on 21 July 2011 as activists in Tel Aviv took over a construction site located at the corner of Rehov Dizengoff and Rehov Frishman roads during the morning hours. Another group of protesters gathered outside Kirya IDF base and blocked traffic at Kaplan and Menachem Begin roads. The protest actions caused traffic disruptions during the morning rush hour.
Activists have announced plans to stage a mass rally in Tel Aviv on 23 July. Organizers are calling for activists who have participated in tent protests nationwide to converge on Tel Aviv’s Habima Square to continue pressuring the government to take action on the housing demands. The rally is not anticipated to be violent but may cause disruptions to ground transportation in the vicinity of Habima Square, which is located in central Tel Aviv at the intersection of several major roads, including Rothschild Boulevard and Dizengoff Street. Meanwhile, tent camps remain in place in several locations, including Tel Aviv (the site of the largest camp), Beersheba and Jerusalem.
Malawi: Anti-government protests continued for a second consecutive day in the capital city of Lilongwe on 21 July 2011. Reports indicate that demonstrators marched through the city’s Old Town area and looted shops along the way, prompting shops to close and workers to go home early. Anti-riot police officers fired tear gas to disperse the protesters. Soldiers from the Malawian army are deployed in the city in an effort to restore calm.
Meanwhile, relative calm has returned to Blantyre and Mzuzu after widespread riots shut down those cities on 20 July. Local officials in Blantyre stated that shops have reopened on 21 July, although some banks remain closed. Authorities are working to clear road blockades that the protesters erected during the previous day’s protests, which caused extensive property damage in the city. At least one, but possibly as many as 10, people were killed during the riots in Blantyre and Mzuzu on 20 July; no fatalities were reported in Lilongwe.
The Human Rights Consultative Committee, which is comprised of more than 80 separate groups, organized the demonstrations on 20 July to protest President Bingu wa Mutharika’s alleged poor handling of the country’s economy and government. Thus far the group has given no indication that it intends to continue the protests. However, the deaths of protesters on 20 July could inflame the situation and possibly lead to more violence.
Senegal: Opposition groups are set to stage a demonstration on 23 July 2011 at Independence Square in Dakar, the capital, to protest President Abdoulaya Wade’s intention to run for a third term in office. The protest is scheduled to take place between 0900-1400 local time. On 21 July the government issued a ban on political protests in the downtown area of Dakar. The government’s decree prohibits political gatherings near a number of government buildings and in Independence Square. The opposition had previously indicated that it would continue to carry out demonstrations and social actions until Wade abandons his candidacy, but opposition officials have yet to react to the protest ban.
Although there is a two-term limit for the presidency, the constitutional change instituting the limit occurred during Wade’s first term. Wade has argued that his first term was obtained under the previous constitution and therefore does not count toward the two-term limit.
