Global Cultures Unit 5 Water Supply (Asia-Africa)

Unit 5: Water Supply (Asia/Africa) Southeast Asia/North African Water Supply: ● In the United States, we drink and use water as though it is unlimited ○ Most people in very developed countries don’t think twice about their water supplies. In other countries, this is not the case ○ Water is so sacred to people in these countries that they will do whatever they can to maximize their water supply. ○ In certain countries in North Africa and South Asia, fights over water are a huge deal and a common practice ● Euphrates River: ○ In 1962, talks with Syria and Turkey began about how to distribute the water and maintain the river ○ In 2000, the two countries even made progress in deciding how to distribute the water supply ○ After political instability in Syria, and Turkey’s support of the Syrian Rebels, these talks stopped ○ No progress has been made since ○ In 1962, Syria and Iraq also talked ○ Handling the Euphrates River, a river that runs through all three countries, is a major problem ○ Military incursions and other disagreements have been a problem preventing more talks from taking place. ● The Southeastern Anatolia Project: ○ Turkey’s idea to build 22 dams and 19 power plants ○ Could easily cut the water flow into the other countries by ½, ○ Fights over water are called water wars and can be just as dangerous if not more than actual wars ● The Nile River: ○ A large river flowing through countries such as Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, and Ethiopia ○ World's longest river ● In 1960, Aswan High Dam, but now another dam is being built ○ Egypt is not happy about it ○ The new dam is Ethiopia’s idea and they are going to fund it by themselves ○ The new dam is a good thing for Sudan. It will give them regulated water levels as well as energy ○ For Egypt, not as much ○ The Nile has always played a huge role in their country ○ They take all matters involving the Nile incredibly seriously ○ The dam threatens to reduce their water supply from the Nile by a full 2%. ○ Mohamed Abdel Aty, Egypt’s minister of water resources and irrigation, is not happy about it and has spoken on the topic ■ He believes that a 2% water loss could easily result in a million jobless people. ■ Has blamed Ethiopia for taking advantage of being a country upstream on the river ○ Negotiations concerning the river between Egypt and Ethiopia have not gone well ○ Little to no progress has been made. ○ There isn’t much Egypt can do to stop it. ○ It was ⅔ finished as of 2018 ○ The only way Egypt could stop it would involve getting the military involved ● Arab Spring ● Spring of 2011 ● Many slightly related protests began to happen in mainly Muslim countries ● Protests were against corrupt governments ○ Some were successes, others were not ○ Started with a movement in Tunisia ● To outsiders, Tunisia was viewed as a calm, peaceful place with beautiful beaches ○ No one expected such a revolt to happen ○ Citizens were being treated unfairly ○ The dictator, Zine Ben Ali, was corrupt, and would throw citizens into prisons if they spoke out against him. ○ Started in a small, forgotten town ○ Started with a fruit vendor named Mohammed Bouazizi ■ He was a 26 year old selling fruit attempting to support himself and family ■ Didn't have a license, but very few vendors did ■ An official came by and confiscated his scale, which was worth $100 ■ He knew what he had to do, bribe her to give it back, but was tired of situations like this one happening ■ Rather than offering a bribe, he complained. As a result of this, the woman slapped him across the face ■ His reaction to this was to go to the gas station and cover himself in gas in the middle of traffic ■ Stood in traffic and yelled “How do you expect me to make a living?” ■ Demonstrations were illegal, but citizens still came from all over to protest ● That small slap was the tipping point for many ● The spirit of protesting was also alive in other countries, such as Libya ● Libya is a large, oil heavy country in North Africa ● Muammar el-Qaddafi was violently beaten and killed ○ A video of the killing went viral on the internet, causing worldwide uproar ○ He had been Libya’s ruler for 42 years ○ Was the first absolute ruler to be killed during Arab Spring ○ People were relieved that he had died, and thanked God for his death. Southeast Asia Maps: