csmonitor--2020-04-09--Why coronavirus clampdown is proving risky for Arab regimes

“ When the government is seen as incompetent and unable to manage a crisis , that changes the political equation , ” says an Algerian analyst .
“ You now have not only the people in the streets , but people who supported the system beginning to see it as illegitimate .
It is a legitimacy crisis.
” Abu Mohammed , forced to shut the Amman spice shop that supported his family of seven , is a month behind on rent and has reduced his groceries by half .
“ We can not get bread .
We can not see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medicine , ” he says .
“ We reach a point where we ask : What is the point of this security ?
” Now , as Arab regimes roll out their armies to tackle the crisis , the toll is threatening their claim to legitimacy , rooted in stability and security .
Many of the problems that sparked street protests over the past decade , analysts agree , are likely to become more acute .
Just weeks ago , Arab regimes appeared to be in a strong position .
Egypt had silenced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insurgencies seemingly defeated .
But a misreading of the pandemic allowed the coronavirus to spread undetected for weeks in many countries .
Delayed government responses have exposed mismanagement , deteriorating health services , and widening inequality .
Abu Mohammed has played life by the rules .
The 45-year-old merchant has worked hard , paid his taxes , stayed out of politics and protests , and been a loyal supporter of a government that promises security and stability .
Yet amid a COVID-19 lockdown , he was forced on March 19 to close his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 900 a month to support his family of seven .
He is now a month behind on rent and has reduced his weekly groceries by half .
“ We can not get bread , we can not see a doctor , we can not get medicine .
We reach a point where we ask : What is the point of this security ?
” he says via telephone .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
Such sentiments are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world , where people just like Abu Mohammed comprise a core of popular support for regimes that are less than democratic .
A misreading of the COVID-19 pandemic as a “ foreign problem ” allowed the virus to spread undetected for weeks in many Arab countries .
Their delayed response has exposed mismanagement , deteriorating health services , and widening inequality .
As Arab regimes roll out their armies to tackle the crisis , the virus ’ s toll is threatening their claim to legitimacy .
Many of the root problems that sparked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analysts agree , are likely to become more acute .
Citizens say it is “ inevitable.
” Just a few weeks ago , Arab regimes appeared to be in a strong position .
Egypt had silenced all opposition and had a near-complete control of the media ; monarchies were secured ; terrorist insurgencies seemingly defeated .
Even where recent waves of protests had threatened to upend nondemocratic political systems – the so-called Arab Spring 2.0 – the status quo was prevailing .
Elites in Algeria formed a government despite elections marred by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement was fizzling .
Iraqi protesters who had braved gunfire for months were overshadowed by a brewing conflict in Iraq between the United States and Iran .
Yet the regimes ’ COVID-19 responses have been marked by confusion and desperation , undermining stability .
In Egypt , where 95 % of the population lives on 5 % of the land , Cairo spent much of its initial weeks suppressing reports about the pandemic rather than tackling it head on .
Since then , Cairo has quarantined a dozen villages , closed several hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and transformed schools into makeshift hospitals as confirmed cases rose past 1,000 .
In Iraq , where rival political and sectarian factions have struggled to form a new government , the Health Ministry spent weeks attempting to receive a mere $ 5 million from the Treasury .
Algeria , home to the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Africa , with more than 1,600 as of Thursday , has the highest virus mortality rate in the entire Arab world at 13 % .
The crisis has revealed hollowed out public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose health sector was overwhelmed by the virus , has 30 hospital beds per 10,000 residents .
In comparison , Egypt has 15.6 beds per 10,000 , Jordan 14 , Iraq 13.8 , and Morocco 11 , according to World Health Organization figures .
Algeria ’ s hospitals host only 400 ICU units for 40 million people , experts say .
Arab regimes have recently resorted to launching public fundraisers to finance their responses : Morocco has raised $ 3 billion from businesses , royalty , and wealthy citizens ; Tunisia $ 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathered tens of millions in pledges .
Yet even these pledge drives have ignited frustrations .
“ Billions in our tax dollars and natural resources have been stolen by the elites , and they think by giving a few thousand dollars back while we die at home they become patriots , ” says Mohammed Mustafa , an Egyptian shop owner , via a messaging app .
Since March 20 , Arab states have imposed a range of restrictions , from night curfews in Egypt to full lockdowns in Jordan , Saudi Arabia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among towns , villages , and provinces .
Yet these lockdowns have placed the burden of the crisis on the middle class and working class – traditional pillars of support for autocratic regimes .
And most Arab states do not have unemployment benefits .
As of 2019 , only 5 % of the unemployed across the Arab world qualify for some form of benefit , the International Labour Organization estimates .
Small-business owners , small farmers , day laborers , and vendors – the so-called informal sector – do not receive a set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rely on daily and weekly commercial transactions for their survival .
In Egypt , 50 % of all workers are in this informal sector .
In Morocco it ’ s 75 % , Algeria 57 % .
With their travel curtailed and unable to work , this large segment of society is seeing their savings dwindle as they enter their third or fourth week under curfew , analysts and officials say .
“ This vulnerable segment is losing out completely : They are not poor enough to qualify for state assistance and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this crisis , ” says Tarik Yousef , director at the Brookings Doha Center and an expert in development economics .
“ The COVID crisis exposes these inequalities , which not only become glaringly clear , but will influence how fast people will recover.
” Already there are signs that communities are chafing at the curfews and restrictions .
Protests have erupted in villages under quarantine in Egypt and in impoverished neighborhoods in Tunis .
Scattered rallies were reportedly held in Morocco .
In Lebanon , a taxi driver set his car afire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the streets in protest .
“ Governments around the world decide on social distancing , ” says Carmen Geha , a Lebanese activist and assistant professor at the American University of Beirut .
“ But here social distancing means … you ’ re not going to sell your crops for the day .
You are not going to feed your kids .
That ’ s it.
” Morocco has gotten out in front by designating part of its COVID fund to support workers in the informal sector with $ 80 to $ 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law preventing layoffs and obliging most employers to continue salaries for March and April .
Yet Western diplomats voice concerns for social unrest in the region should COVID-19 restrictions stretch for months .
And Jordan and Gulf security sources say they fear a prolonged shutdown , saying , “ We can not let the virus spread or despair spread.
” The collapse in oil prices has deepened the crisis .
Iraq ’ s oil revenues dropped from $ 5.5 billion in February to $ 2.99 billion in March .
Government officials say they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 billion a month to cover costs and pay salaries .
“ For now , the government is just trying to stave off multiple crises and prevent total collapse , ” says Sajad Ziyad , a political analyst in Baghdad .
“ It needs to pay citizens .
It needs to make sure coronavirus doesn ’ t spread .
It needs to stop a war going on between Iran and the U.S. in its territory .
It needs to try to find some agreement to form the next government.
” Meanwhile , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a blow to several states .
Tourism accounts for 19 % of Morocco ’ s GDP , 15 % in Tunisia , and 12 % in Egypt and Jordan , employing hundreds of thousands .
Despite deploying armies to the streets and imposing curfews , Arab strongmen are suddenly appearing powerless in the face of the virus , with their image as guarantors of stability shattered .
“ When the government is seen as incompetent and unable to manage a crisis , that changes the political equation , ” says Algerian analyst Zine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only the people in the streets , but people who supported the system beginning to see it as illegitimate .
It is a legitimacy crisis.
” Compounding the regimes ’ fragility : world and regional powers , from the Gulf Arabs to Iran , can not bail them out .
“ In the short term this crisis snuffs out a lot of activism , ” says Julien Barnes-Dacey , Mideast expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations .
“ But once the health situation becomes manageable , this potentially unleashes a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

“When the government is seen as incompetent and unable to manage a crisis, that changes the political equation,” says an Algerian analyst. “You now have not only the people in the streets, but people who supported the system beginning to see it as illegitimate. It is a legitimacy crisis.”
Abu Mohammed, forced to shut the Amman spice shop that supported his family of seven, is a month behind on rent and has reduced his groceries by half. “We cannot get bread. We cannot see a doctor. We cannot get medicine,” he says. “We reach a point where we ask: What is the point of this security?”
How politically destabilizing is this pandemic? The economic downturn poses a risk to any government. But across the Arab world, the segment of society most vulnerable is a pillar of regime support.
Now, as Arab regimes roll out their armies to tackle the crisis, the toll is threatening their claim to legitimacy, rooted in stability and security. Many of the problems that sparked street protests over the past decade, analysts agree, are likely to become more acute.
Just weeks ago, Arab regimes appeared to be in a strong position. Egypt had silenced all opposition; monarchies were secured; insurgencies seemingly defeated. But a misreading of the pandemic allowed the coronavirus to spread undetected for weeks in many countries. Delayed government responses have exposed mismanagement, deteriorating health services, and widening inequality.
Abu Mohammed has played life by the rules.
The 45-year-old merchant has worked hard, paid his taxes, stayed out of politics and protests, and been a loyal supporter of a government that promises security and stability.
Yet amid a COVID-19 lockdown, he was forced on March 19 to close his East Amman spice shop, which generated $900 a month to support his family of seven. He is now a month behind on rent and has reduced his weekly groceries by half.
Why We Wrote This How politically destabilizing is this pandemic? The economic downturn poses a risk to any government. But across the Arab world, the segment of society most vulnerable is a pillar of regime support.
“We cannot get bread, we cannot see a doctor, we cannot get medicine. We reach a point where we ask: What is the point of this security?” he says via telephone.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
Such sentiments are bad news for leaders across the Arab world, where people just like Abu Mohammed comprise a core of popular support for regimes that are less than democratic.
A misreading of the COVID-19 pandemic as a “foreign problem” allowed the virus to spread undetected for weeks in many Arab countries. Their delayed response has exposed mismanagement, deteriorating health services, and widening inequality.
As Arab regimes roll out their armies to tackle the crisis, the virus’s toll is threatening their claim to legitimacy. Many of the root problems that sparked street protests over the past decade, analysts agree, are likely to become more acute. Citizens say it is “inevitable.”
Mismanagement
Just a few weeks ago, Arab regimes appeared to be in a strong position. Egypt had silenced all opposition and had a near-complete control of the media; monarchies were secured; terrorist insurgencies seemingly defeated.
Even where recent waves of protests had threatened to upend nondemocratic political systems – the so-called Arab Spring 2.0 – the status quo was prevailing.
Elites in Algeria formed a government despite elections marred by a boycott. In Lebanon, the protest movement was fizzling. Iraqi protesters who had braved gunfire for months were overshadowed by a brewing conflict in Iraq between the United States and Iran.
Yet the regimes’ COVID-19 responses have been marked by confusion and desperation, undermining stability.
In Egypt, where 95% of the population lives on 5% of the land, Cairo spent much of its initial weeks suppressing reports about the pandemic rather than tackling it head on.
Since then, Cairo has quarantined a dozen villages, closed several hospitals due to transmission among medical staff, and transformed schools into makeshift hospitals as confirmed cases rose past 1,000.
In Iraq, where rival political and sectarian factions have struggled to form a new government, the Health Ministry spent weeks attempting to receive a mere $5 million from the Treasury.
Ramzi Boudina/Reuters View caption Hide caption Algerian police officers with protective face masks stand guard during an anti-government protest in Algiers, March 13, 2020.
Health care systems
Algeria, home to the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Africa, with more than 1,600 as of Thursday, has the highest virus mortality rate in the entire Arab world at 13%.
The crisis has revealed hollowed out public health care across the region.
Italy, whose health sector was overwhelmed by the virus, has 30 hospital beds per 10,000 residents. In comparison, Egypt has 15.6 beds per 10,000, Jordan 14, Iraq 13.8, and Morocco 11, according to World Health Organization figures. Algeria’s hospitals host only 400 ICU units for 40 million people, experts say.
Arab regimes have recently resorted to launching public fundraisers to finance their responses: Morocco has raised $3 billion from businesses, royalty, and wealthy citizens; Tunisia $3 million; and Jordan and Egypt have gathered tens of millions in pledges.
Yet even these pledge drives have ignited frustrations.
“Billions in our tax dollars and natural resources have been stolen by the elites, and they think by giving a few thousand dollars back while we die at home they become patriots,” says Mohammed Mustafa, an Egyptian shop owner, via a messaging app.
Middle-class squeeze
Since March 20, Arab states have imposed a range of restrictions, from night curfews in Egypt to full lockdowns in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia. All have restricted movement among towns, villages, and provinces.
Yet these lockdowns have placed the burden of the crisis on the middle class and working class – traditional pillars of support for autocratic regimes.
And most Arab states do not have unemployment benefits. As of 2019, only 5% of the unemployed across the Arab world qualify for some form of benefit, the International Labour Organization estimates.
Small-business owners, small farmers, day laborers, and vendors – the so-called informal sector – do not receive a set salary, have no protections, and rely on daily and weekly commercial transactions for their survival.
In Egypt, 50% of all workers are in this informal sector. In Morocco it’s 75%, Algeria 57%.
With their travel curtailed and unable to work, this large segment of society is seeing their savings dwindle as they enter their third or fourth week under curfew, analysts and officials say.
“This vulnerable segment is losing out completely: They are not poor enough to qualify for state assistance and not rich enough to escape the consequences of this crisis,” says Tarik Yousef, director at the Brookings Doha Center and an expert in development economics.
“The COVID crisis exposes these inequalities, which not only become glaringly clear, but will influence how fast people will recover.”
Already there are signs that communities are chafing at the curfews and restrictions. Protests have erupted in villages under quarantine in Egypt and in impoverished neighborhoods in Tunis. Scattered rallies were reportedly held in Morocco.
In Lebanon, a taxi driver set his car afire and fruit vendors threw their goods in the streets in protest.
“Governments around the world decide on social distancing,” says Carmen Geha, a Lebanese activist and assistant professor at the American University of Beirut. “But here social distancing means … you’re not going to sell your crops for the day. You are not going to feed your kids. That’s it.”
Morocco has gotten out in front by designating part of its COVID fund to support workers in the informal sector with $80 to $100 stipends. Jordan has enacted an emergency law preventing layoffs and obliging most employers to continue salaries for March and April.
Yet Western diplomats voice concerns for social unrest in the region should COVID-19 restrictions stretch for months. And Jordan and Gulf security sources say they fear a prolonged shutdown, saying, “We cannot let the virus spread or despair spread.”
Hassan Ammar/AP View caption Hide caption Lebanese police arrest an activist who tried to set himself on fire after security forces asked protesters in Martyrs Square to dismantle their tents and go home in line with a nighttime curfew that Lebanon imposed to help stem the spread of the coronavirus, in Beirut, March 27, 2020.
Oil, tourism woes
The collapse in oil prices has deepened the crisis.
Iraq’s oil revenues dropped from $5.5 billion in February to $2.99 billion in March. Government officials say they need oil revenues to stay at $5 billion a month to cover costs and pay salaries.
“For now, the government is just trying to stave off multiple crises and prevent total collapse,” says Sajad Ziyad, a political analyst in Baghdad.
“It needs to pay citizens. It needs to make sure coronavirus doesn’t spread. It needs to stop a war going on between Iran and the U.S. in its territory. It needs to try to find some agreement to form the next government.”
Meanwhile, the loss of travel and tourism has dealt a blow to several states. Tourism accounts for 19% of Morocco’s GDP, 15% in Tunisia, and 12% in Egypt and Jordan, employing hundreds of thousands.
Despite deploying armies to the streets and imposing curfews, Arab strongmen are suddenly appearing powerless in the face of the virus, with their image as guarantors of stability shattered.
“When the government is seen as incompetent and unable to manage a crisis, that changes the political equation,” says Algerian analyst Zine Labidine Ghebouli.
“You now have not only the people in the streets, but people who supported the system beginning to see it as illegitimate. It is a legitimacy crisis.”
Compounding the regimes’ fragility: world and regional powers, from the Gulf Arabs to Iran, cannot bail them out.
“In the short term this crisis snuffs out a lot of activism,” says Julien Barnes-Dacey, Mideast expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“But once the health situation becomes manageable, this potentially unleashes a wave of challenges for incumbent elites.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-04-07--India’s lockdown: Where community is prized, isolation proves tough

For the past two weeks , Indians have experienced everyday life in a way completely at odds with what they are used to .
Noisy streets have become eerily quiet , overcrowded buses and trains have stopped running , bustling markets have shut down , politics and protests have been suspended , and the collective hubbub of conversation has died out – for now .
“ Public life in India is an extension of family life , a spillover in a way , and public spaces reflect this , ” says Gautam Bhatia , an architect and critic .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep their interactions to a minimum amid the pandemic .
But that isolation poses extra challenges in societies like India , where for many people , physical separation is not only impossible , but incompatible with their identity – a culture where interdependence is both useful and prized , especially within families .
On March 24 , Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation to announce a 21-day lockdown against the spread of COVID-19 .
He was speaking in Hindi , but had to switch to English for one concept that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ social distancing.
” When Minhal Hasan and Kritika Gupta got married last month , it wasn ’ t what they ’ d pictured .
The couple , who both work for a production company in Delhi , planned on bringing all their family and friends and co-workers together for a grand celebration with hundreds of people , spread out over two days .
Instead , a week before the March 20 ceremony , they were sending frantic texts and emails to disinvite their guests , and wound up hosting a pared-down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There was no hugging or touching .
Sanitizer was handed out to each guest .
Their wedding costumes went to waste .
“ We had to improvise our wedding and ended up having a good time .
But after this is over , we will celebrate with everyone , ” says Mr. Hasan .
Indian weddings , known for being long-drawn-out and extravagant , are just the latest casualty of the coronavirus outbreak , which has halted all forms of community life .
Since March 24 , when the government announced a 21-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a way that is completely at odds with what they are used to .
Noisy streets have become eerily quiet , overcrowded buses and trains have stopped running , bustling markets have shut down , politics and protests have been suspended , and the collective hubbub of conversation has died out .
Hundreds of millions of workers are confronting severe challenges to make ends meet .
All around the world , people are attempting to keep interactions to a minimum .
But the idea of social distancing comes with added challenges here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not just a physical impossibility , but incompatible with their identity – a culture where interdependence within families and communities is both useful and prized .
Some 60 % of rural Indian households , and 30 % of urban ones , are multigenerational , according to a report by the Intergenerational Longevity Centre .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
There is no word for “ social distancing ” in most Indian languages .
When Prime Minister Narendra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown , he spoke in Hindi , but had to borrow the term from English .
“ The idea of self-isolation is a difficult one for Indians to grasp or implement , ” says social commentator , columnist , and author Santosh Desai .
“ There is a compulsive need in us to gather energy from the collective ; we find comfort in it .
Being an individual is a daunting task , and in India where we ’ ve always had large families , it leads to a lot of anxiety.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points out , that two of the greatest Indian epics , “ Ramayana ” and “ Mahabharata , ” are about the pain of exile , as the central characters are separated and eventually reunited with their social groups .
In fact , as soon as the lockdown began , the state broadcaster said it would rerun hugely popular series from the 1980s and ’ 90s based on the two epics – announced with the hashtag # IndiaFightsCorona .
One day into the lockdown , Shweta Keerthi Sethia , an event planner in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call with her family in the city of Hyderabad , nearly 1,000 miles away .
It was Ugadi , a harvest festival of southern India .
Typically , extended family and friends gather to pray and have an elaborate meal with dishes made of mango to signal the arrival of summer .
Preparation begins days in advance as new clothes are bought , homes are decorated with mango leaves , and visitors keep dropping in , but not this time .
“ It was so low-key .
I can ’ t ever remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keerthi Sethia says .
Indians , already the biggest users of WhatsApp in the world , are moving their communication to Zoom , now the most downloaded app in the country .
But they ’ re still managing to connect in real life , too .
Like citizens of all cities in these unusual times , Indians have been congregating and connecting on balconies , windows , and rooftops .
Millions came out to clap and clang their kitchenware on March 22 to express gratitude for essential service providers .
In one Delhi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game tambola across balconies , and in the western city of Ahmedabad , the festival of Chaitra Navratri had people dancing the garba folk dance on balconies .
It helps that Indian neighborhoods are dense and packed ; even those who can afford privacy often prefer to live in houses where they can interact with their neighbors , in the spirit of communal living .
“ Public life in India is an extension of family life , a spillover in a way , and public spaces reflect this , ” says Gautam Bhatia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in India is derived from the collective , especially the Indian family , large and overbearing , the stuff of legend .
“ If there is one ‘ ism ’ that governs Indian society and its institutions , it is family-ism , ” Indian psychoanalyst Sudhir Kakar and anthropologist Katharina Kakar wrote in their book “ The Indians : Portrait of a People.
” Indian culture embraces the pain that can accompany too much closeness , they note .
Some of that is a matter of survival , as people rely on extended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the absence of other institutions , says Anuja Agrawal , who teaches sociology at Delhi School of Economics .
In some ways , those norms may help us cope with being locked in with our families , testing our most intimate relationships .
But although shared spaces are part of the Indian ethos , this has changed with time and the rise of the middle class .
“ In our everyday spaces , we increasingly vacillate between togetherness and retreat , ” says Radhika Chopra , a professor of sociology at Delhi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by themselves , which would have been inconceivable a generation ago , she says .
Social distancing is not as alien to the Indian imagination as we might think , she argues .
For example , “ Through the concepts of purity and pollution , which are intrinsic to Hinduism , we have been practicing social distancing for people from a different caste , class , and even gender , ” she says , referring to the untouchability practice and the tradition of menstruating women being isolated .
So will the pandemic accelerate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine lead to a greater need for isolation – for those who can afford it – or foster even greater interdependence ?
One thing is certain : The streets will be crowded again .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

For the past two weeks, Indians have experienced everyday life in a way completely at odds with what they are used to. Noisy streets have become eerily quiet, overcrowded buses and trains have stopped running, bustling markets have shut down, politics and protests have been suspended, and the collective hubbub of conversation has died out – for now.
“Public life in India is an extension of family life, a spillover in a way, and public spaces reflect this,” says Gautam Bhatia, an architect and critic.
On a normal morning in Delhi, “I start hearing the vegetable vendor, the fruit seller ... shouting out their wares,” this writer told us. “I know [my neighbors’] rhythms: who goes for a morning walk, who goes to the temple. It’s the background noise to life in India” – but not for now.
All around the world, people are struggling to keep their interactions to a minimum amid the pandemic. But that isolation poses extra challenges in societies like India, where for many people, physical separation is not only impossible, but incompatible with their identity – a culture where interdependence is both useful and prized, especially within families.
On March 24, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation to announce a 21-day lockdown against the spread of COVID-19. He was speaking in Hindi, but had to switch to English for one concept that does not exist in most Indian languages: “social distancing.”
When Minhal Hasan and Kritika Gupta got married last month, it wasn’t what they’d pictured.
The couple, who both work for a production company in Delhi, planned on bringing all their family and friends and co-workers together for a grand celebration with hundreds of people, spread out over two days. Instead, a week before the March 20 ceremony, they were sending frantic texts and emails to disinvite their guests, and wound up hosting a pared-down lunch for 20 in their home. There was no hugging or touching. Sanitizer was handed out to each guest. Their wedding costumes went to waste.
“We had to improvise our wedding and ended up having a good time. But after this is over, we will celebrate with everyone,” says Mr. Hasan.
Why We Wrote This On a normal morning in Delhi, “I start hearing the vegetable vendor, the fruit seller ... shouting out their wares,” this writer told us. “I know [my neighbors’] rhythms: who goes for a morning walk, who goes to the temple. It’s the background noise to life in India” – but not for now.
Indian weddings, known for being long-drawn-out and extravagant, are just the latest casualty of the coronavirus outbreak, which has halted all forms of community life. Since March 24, when the government announced a 21-day lockdown, Indians have experienced everyday life in a way that is completely at odds with what they are used to. Noisy streets have become eerily quiet, overcrowded buses and trains have stopped running, bustling markets have shut down, politics and protests have been suspended, and the collective hubbub of conversation has died out. Hundreds of millions of workers are confronting severe challenges to make ends meet.
All around the world, people are attempting to keep interactions to a minimum. But the idea of social distancing comes with added challenges here, where, for many, it is not just a physical impossibility, but incompatible with their identity – a culture where interdependence within families and communities is both useful and prized. Some 60% of rural Indian households, and 30% of urban ones, are multigenerational, according to a report by the Intergenerational Longevity Centre.
Adnan Abidi/Reuters View caption Hide caption A guest takes a selfie at a wedding ceremony amid an outbreak of the novel coronavirus in New Delhi, March 21, 2020.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
There is no word for “social distancing” in most Indian languages. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation to announce the lockdown, he spoke in Hindi, but had to borrow the term from English.
“The idea of self-isolation is a difficult one for Indians to grasp or implement,” says social commentator, columnist, and author Santosh Desai. “There is a compulsive need in us to gather energy from the collective; we find comfort in it. Being an individual is a daunting task, and in India where we’ve always had large families, it leads to a lot of anxiety.”
It’s no coincidence, he points out, that two of the greatest Indian epics, “Ramayana” and “Mahabharata,” are about the pain of exile, as the central characters are separated and eventually reunited with their social groups. In fact, as soon as the lockdown began, the state broadcaster said it would rerun hugely popular series from the 1980s and ’90s based on the two epics – announced with the hashtag #IndiaFightsCorona.
A challenge – and a strength
One day into the lockdown, Shweta Keerthi Sethia, an event planner in Delhi, got on a Zoom video call with her family in the city of Hyderabad, nearly 1,000 miles away. It was Ugadi, a harvest festival of southern India.
Typically, extended family and friends gather to pray and have an elaborate meal with dishes made of mango to signal the arrival of summer. Preparation begins days in advance as new clothes are bought, homes are decorated with mango leaves, and visitors keep dropping in, but not this time. “It was so low-key. I can’t ever remember it being like this,” Ms. Keerthi Sethia says.
Indians, already the biggest users of WhatsApp in the world, are moving their communication to Zoom, now the most downloaded app in the country. But they’re still managing to connect in real life, too.
Like citizens of all cities in these unusual times, Indians have been congregating and connecting on balconies, windows, and rooftops. Millions came out to clap and clang their kitchenware on March 22 to express gratitude for essential service providers. In one Delhi neighborhood, residents played the popular Bingo-like game tambola across balconies, and in the western city of Ahmedabad, the festival of Chaitra Navratri had people dancing the garba folk dance on balconies. It helps that Indian neighborhoods are dense and packed; even those who can afford privacy often prefer to live in houses where they can interact with their neighbors, in the spirit of communal living.
Bikas Das/AP View caption Hide caption An Indian family play football on the roof of their apartment during a countrywide lockdown to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in Kolkata, India, April 2, 2020.
“Public life in India is an extension of family life, a spillover in a way, and public spaces reflect this,” says Gautam Bhatia, an architect and critic.
Identity in India is derived from the collective, especially the Indian family, large and overbearing, the stuff of legend. “If there is one ‘ism’ that governs Indian society and its institutions, it is family-ism,” Indian psychoanalyst Sudhir Kakar and anthropologist Katharina Kakar wrote in their book “The Indians: Portrait of a People.” Indian culture embraces the pain that can accompany too much closeness, they note.
Some of that is a matter of survival, as people rely on extended families, neighbors, and religious communities in the absence of other institutions, says Anuja Agrawal, who teaches sociology at Delhi School of Economics.
In some ways, those norms may help us cope with being locked in with our families, testing our most intimate relationships. But although shared spaces are part of the Indian ethos, this has changed with time and the rise of the middle class.
“In our everyday spaces, we increasingly vacillate between togetherness and retreat,” says Radhika Chopra, a professor of sociology at Delhi University. Many of her students live by themselves, which would have been inconceivable a generation ago, she says.
Social distancing is not as alien to the Indian imagination as we might think, she argues. For example, “Through the concepts of purity and pollution, which are intrinsic to Hinduism, we have been practicing social distancing for people from a different caste, class, and even gender,” she says, referring to the untouchability practice and the tradition of menstruating women being isolated.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
So will the pandemic accelerate social change? Will long weeks of quarantine lead to a greater need for isolation – for those who can afford it – or foster even greater interdependence? One thing is certain: The streets will be crowded again.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-04-13--Prayer calls and pet therapy: How seniors stay connected in a pandemic

Richard Dobbey , a church usher in Chicago , checks on the seniors in his parish , and makes sure food for funerals still arrives .
He is starting to look beyond the present crisis .
“ Some of these things you ’ re doing now , these are things we should do all the time.
” Out in the community , many seniors have also become cut off from personal contact with family or friends , adding to the risk of isolation .
But there are many creative ways to stay in touch , and community organizations and volunteers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolation of a lockdown .
Residents in nursing homes are among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic .
It ’ s not just the immediate threat of a disease that disproportionately afflicts the elderly and vulnerable .
In order to slow infection rates , nursing facilities have had to bar visitors and end communal activities , and that exacts its own toll on older people who are struggling with isolation and loneliness .
Julia Adams looked forward to two family outings a week : Thursday dinner and Sunday lunch .
That changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assisted living home in New Middletown , Ohio , closed to visitors as a COVID-19 precaution .
“ Mom had kept asking about going out to dinner , ” says her son Charley Adams .
“ I just had to keep telling her : ‘ Mom , you can ’ t leave , and I can ’ t come in.
’ ” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
He could hear her disappointment on the phone .
The facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connect , he says , but he does n't know how to use it .
So one Sunday he took matters into his own hands .
Mr. Adams , who owns a tree service business , went home to get his bucket truck .
It extends 55 feet into the air , more than enough to reach his mom ’ s 3rd floor window .
“ I called her on her phone – she had her blinds closed – and I said , Look out your window , Mom.
” “ Oh , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Adams on a call from her room .
She says her son ’ s surprise appearance was a big hit with the other residents , too .
Senior care organizations are scrambling to stave off the novel coronavirus as related deaths at these facilities mount – more than 3,600 according to the latest count from the Associated Press .
Residents in nursing and retirement homes are considered particularly vulnerable because of their age , and many have underlying health conditions .
Staff , too , are affected .
Last week , a nursing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be evacuated because staff were too frightened to work .
Dozens of residents , including employees , had tested positive for COVID-19 .
Yet as these facilities bar visitors , group activities , and communal dining , staff and families are finding creative ways to ease the isolation of elderly residents , from virtual pet therapy to window weddings .
Ideally , that stream of love and dedication should continue even after the pandemic , say experts , who point out that seniors in an aging nation already struggle with isolation and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the nation are [ leaning ] into our shared humanity and working hard to be creative about how they remain connected , ” says Lisa Marsh Ryerson , president of the AARP Foundation , the charitable arm of the AARP , which has nearly 40 million members .
“ As long as those circles of connection are inclusive of older adults , we ’ ll all benefit.
” Even before the pandemic , 1 in 4 older adults surveyed said they struggled with social isolation and 1 in 3 with loneliness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seniors have become cut off from personal contact or lost work , isolation is a growing risk .
It can bring on loneliness , and prolonged isolation has negative health effects – the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day , according to research .
“ Vulnerable older people tend to be invisible in communities , or can be .
At a time of social distancing , we need to be very wary they don ’ t become more invisible.
” In California , Gov .
Gavin Newsom , the first governor to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is asking individuals to call or text five seniors or knock on a door – even while keeping a safe distance .
He ’ s urging folks who want to help to call a hotline , 833-544-2374 , to ask about ways to reach out to seniors .
The state is also partnering with AARP and a nonprofit phone line that connects people with social services , including meals .
AARP recommends ways to boost your loved one ’ s morale , including letter writing and video calling , care packages with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meals together .
Roy Bateman , a retiree who lives alone in San Francisco , says he is not the type to ask for help .
He was never very social before the virus , though he valued the couple of outings a week to meet friends for lunch or go to a Japanese conversation class .
He used to walk a lot – up to 10 hours a week .
Now he ’ s mostly on his computer , watching news and short videos because he can ’ t concentrate , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remote volunteer work .
The former federal grants administrator is anxious about infection , and ventures out only very late at night .
He lets his newspaper sit for a day , and without punctuating events in the week , Mr. Bateman is losing track of time – loosely measuring it by how many cans of vegetables are left in his kitchen .
His last grocery shopping trip was to Costco on March 13 and he needs to go soon .
But if some unknown good Samaritan called him – as the governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t need anything , because that 's `` pretty much the case . ''
And he ’ d rather pick out his own food .
“ I ’ m not interested in getting homemade muffins , ” he says .
Still , he appreciates the weekly call he gets from Openhouse , which serves LGBTQ seniors .
“ It ’ s really nice.
” Pastor D. Darrell Griffin , of Oakdale Covenant Church , an African American church on Chicago ’ s South Side , spends a lot of time calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent day .
“ They were just so elated to hear my voice , elated that the church was thinking of them , ” he says .
The church also hosts a 6 a.m. telephone prayer line , which has been extended from five to six days a week because of the COVID-19 crisis .
It ’ s designed to accommodate the lowest-tech parishioner .
The connections are not good and the leader has to remind people to mute their phones .
But it works , and more people are joining in .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She said the pandemic has made her feel cut off , but not isolated .
The prayer line has helped .
“ It ’ s comforting , ” she said .
“ It ’ s uplifting .
It ’ s God affirming .
It ’ s life affirming.
” She adds : “ We kind of feed off each other .
We take comfort in knowing we ’ re not alone.
” At the Oakdale church , seniors help each other .
Richard Dobbey is 71 and head of the ushers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s also involved in the church ’ s men ’ s group , and they ’ re checking in on the older seniors .
He is starting to look beyond the present crisis .
“ Some of these things you ’ re doing now , these are things we should do all the time.
” Mr. Dobbey recently helped organize a funeral dinner for a family .
Parishioners cooked or picked up spaghetti , potato salad , green beans , three kinds of chicken , and “ four or five ” cakes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go to the funeral , so they dropped the food off at the family ’ s house .
The head usher says he isn ’ t in good health and doesn ’ t go out much .
But a few days ago , when the weather in Chicago turned warm , he walked to his driveway , sat in his car and rolled down the windows .
“ I just wanted some air .
I did that , and listened to music .
My wife said , ‘ What are you doing ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m doing something for myself , ” he says .
Helping themselves , and helping each other – that ’ s true for many seniors during this isolation .
In Los Angeles , Hugo and Elba Corzo used to love going out to see dancers from their native Guatemala , and to dance themselves .
Now the couple , in their 60s , dip and sway at their three-bedroom , two-bath home in the now trendy Highland Park neighborhood .
While Mr. Corzo continues to work as a handyman – his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks , and wipes – his wife , who cleans houses , is at home , tidying and sorting drawers , video-calling with her extended family , cooking , and working out to Jane Fonda .
She ’ s scared and lonely , but not depressed .
He ’ s fine , he says , in an interview in a client ’ s back yard .
In the evenings , they watch movies together .
“ She wants to be with me , ” he smiles .
Like the Corzos , Bob and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Retired and in their 70s , they live in San Rafael , just north of San Francisco in Marin County – among the first counties in the nation to get the “ shelter in place ” order , which took effect March 17 .
“ I ’ m very comfortable , but I definitely feel isolated , ” says the former city planner .
Like many baby boomers , the Pendoleys have become “ Baby Zoomers , ” learning to use Zoom , the popular video-conference service .
Their first virtual reunion with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ humiliating , ” recalls Bob , because he could not get it to work .
“ I kept hearing , ‘ OK boomer !
’ ” from the kids .
Now the Pendoleys are experienced Zoomers , holding a story hour with their granddaughter a couple times a week .
Yes , says Janet , it ’ s “ aggravating ” not to be able to go where you want , or to visit in person .
But , she concludes , this is temporary .
They do have connections with people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to find things to do so as not to get bored .
“ Bottom line , this makes me much more cognizant and appreciative of the things we do have.
” Staff writers Francine Kiefer and Sarah Matusek reported from Pasadena and New York .
Correspondent Richard Mertens reported from Chicago .

The elderly are vulnerable to the coronavirus, but also to the isolation that social distancing brings. This story looks at how families and communities are coping with this challenge.
Richard Dobbey, a church usher in Chicago, checks on the seniors in his parish, and makes sure food for funerals still arrives. He is starting to look beyond the present crisis. “Some of these things you’re doing now, these are things we should do all the time.”
Out in the community, many seniors have also become cut off from personal contact with family or friends, adding to the risk of isolation. But there are many creative ways to stay in touch, and community organizations and volunteers are going all out to ease the isolation of a lockdown.
Residents in nursing homes are among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s not just the immediate threat of a disease that disproportionately afflicts the elderly and vulnerable. In order to slow infection rates, nursing facilities have had to bar visitors and end communal activities, and that exacts its own toll on older people who are struggling with isolation and loneliness.
Julia Adams looked forward to two family outings a week: Thursday dinner and Sunday lunch. That changed last month when the 80-year-old’s assisted living home in New Middletown, Ohio, closed to visitors as a COVID-19 precaution.
“Mom had kept asking about going out to dinner,” says her son Charley Adams. “I just had to keep telling her: ‘Mom, you can’t leave, and I can’t come in.’ ”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
Why We Wrote This The elderly are vulnerable to the coronavirus, but also to the isolation that social distancing brings. This story looks at how families and communities are coping with this challenge.
He could hear her disappointment on the phone. The facility has arranged Skype sessions to help families connect, he says, but he doesn't know how to use it. So one Sunday he took matters into his own hands.
Mr. Adams, who owns a tree service business, went home to get his bucket truck. It extends 55 feet into the air, more than enough to reach his mom’s 3rd floor window.
“I called her on her phone – she had her blinds closed – and I said, Look out your window, Mom.”
“Oh, it was wonderful,” says Ms. Adams on a call from her room. She says her son’s surprise appearance was a big hit with the other residents, too.
Courtesy of Corrie Adams View caption Hide caption Charley Adams visits his 80-year-old mom, Julia Adams, at her assisted living home in New Middletown, Ohio, on March 22, 2020. Mr. Adams has used his bucket truck to keep connected with his mom during the pandemic.
Senior care organizations are scrambling to stave off the novel coronavirus as related deaths at these facilities mount – more than 3,600 according to the latest count from the Associated Press. Residents in nursing and retirement homes are considered particularly vulnerable because of their age, and many have underlying health conditions.
Staff, too, are affected. Last week, a nursing home in Riverside, California, had to be evacuated because staff were too frightened to work. Dozens of residents, including employees, had tested positive for COVID-19.
Yet as these facilities bar visitors, group activities, and communal dining, staff and families are finding creative ways to ease the isolation of elderly residents, from virtual pet therapy to window weddings. Ideally, that stream of love and dedication should continue even after the pandemic, say experts, who point out that seniors in an aging nation already struggle with isolation and loneliness.
“Many, many people across the nation are [leaning] into our shared humanity and working hard to be creative about how they remain connected,” says Lisa Marsh Ryerson, president of the AARP Foundation, the charitable arm of the AARP, which has nearly 40 million members. “As long as those circles of connection are inclusive of older adults, we’ll all benefit.”
Even before the pandemic, 1 in 4 older adults surveyed said they struggled with social isolation and 1 in 3 with loneliness, says Ms. Ryerson. Now that many seniors have become cut off from personal contact or lost work, isolation is a growing risk. It can bring on loneliness, and prolonged isolation has negative health effects – the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to research.
“Vulnerable older people tend to be invisible in communities, or can be. At a time of social distancing, we need to be very wary they don’t become more invisible.”
Morale booster
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom, the first governor to direct people over 65 to stay home, is asking individuals to call or text five seniors or knock on a door – even while keeping a safe distance. He’s urging folks who want to help to call a hotline, 833-544-2374, to ask about ways to reach out to seniors. The state is also partnering with AARP and a nonprofit phone line that connects people with social services, including meals.
AARP recommends ways to boost your loved one’s morale, including letter writing and video calling, care packages with puzzles picturing the family, and virtual meals together.
Roy Bateman, a retiree who lives alone in San Francisco, says he is not the type to ask for help. He was never very social before the virus, though he valued the couple of outings a week to meet friends for lunch or go to a Japanese conversation class. He used to walk a lot – up to 10 hours a week.
Now he’s mostly on his computer, watching news and short videos because he can’t concentrate, or writing emails, while doing a little remote volunteer work. The former federal grants administrator is anxious about infection, and ventures out only very late at night. He lets his newspaper sit for a day, and without punctuating events in the week, Mr. Bateman is losing track of time – loosely measuring it by how many cans of vegetables are left in his kitchen.
His last grocery shopping trip was to Costco on March 13 and he needs to go soon. But if some unknown good Samaritan called him – as the governor suggests – he probably would say he doesn’t need anything, because that's "pretty much the case." And he’d rather pick out his own food. “I’m not interested in getting homemade muffins,” he says.
Still, he appreciates the weekly call he gets from Openhouse, which serves LGBTQ seniors. “It’s really nice.”
Prayer lines and funeral services
Pastor D. Darrell Griffin, of Oakdale Covenant Church, an African American church on Chicago’s South Side, spends a lot of time calling seniors – phoning about 35 on a recent day. “They were just so elated to hear my voice, elated that the church was thinking of them,” he says.
The church also hosts a 6 a.m. telephone prayer line, which has been extended from five to six days a week because of the COVID-19 crisis. It’s designed to accommodate the lowest-tech parishioner. The connections are not good and the leader has to remind people to mute their phones. But it works, and more people are joining in.
Glenna Ousley is one of the regulars. She said the pandemic has made her feel cut off, but not isolated. The prayer line has helped. “It’s comforting,” she said. “It’s uplifting. It’s God affirming. It’s life affirming.” She adds: “We kind of feed off each other. We take comfort in knowing we’re not alone.”
At the Oakdale church, seniors help each other. Richard Dobbey is 71 and head of the ushers, most of them elderly. He’s also involved in the church’s men’s group, and they’re checking in on the older seniors.
He is starting to look beyond the present crisis. “Some of these things you’re doing now, these are things we should do all the time.”
Mr. Dobbey recently helped organize a funeral dinner for a family. Parishioners cooked or picked up spaghetti, potato salad, green beans, three kinds of chicken, and “four or five” cakes, he said. They couldn’t go to the funeral, so they dropped the food off at the family’s house.
The head usher says he isn’t in good health and doesn’t go out much. But a few days ago, when the weather in Chicago turned warm, he walked to his driveway, sat in his car and rolled down the windows.
“I just wanted some air. I did that, and listened to music. My wife said, ‘What are you doing?’ It was good for me. I’m doing something for myself,” he says.
Dancing and movie nights
Helping themselves, and helping each other – that’s true for many seniors during this isolation.
In Los Angeles, Hugo and Elba Corzo used to love going out to see dancers from their native Guatemala, and to dance themselves. Now the couple, in their 60s, dip and sway at their three-bedroom, two-bath home in the now trendy Highland Park neighborhood.
Francine Kiefer/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Handyman Hugo Corzo, who lives in Los Angeles, at the home of a client on April 4, 2020. While he is still able to work as a handyman, his wife, Elba, who cleans houses, is sheltering in place. The couple loves to dance, which they are now doing at home because they can't go out to dances.
While Mr. Corzo continues to work as a handyman – his car is loaded with hand sanitizer, masks, and wipes – his wife, who cleans houses, is at home, tidying and sorting drawers, video-calling with her extended family, cooking, and working out to Jane Fonda.
She’s scared and lonely, but not depressed. He’s fine, he says, in an interview in a client’s back yard. In the evenings, they watch movies together. “She wants to be with me,” he smiles.
Like the Corzos, Bob and Janet Pendoley watch movies after dinner. Retired and in their 70s, they live in San Rafael, just north of San Francisco in Marin County – among the first counties in the nation to get the “shelter in place” order, which took effect March 17.
“I’m very comfortable, but I definitely feel isolated,” says the former city planner.
Like many baby boomers, the Pendoleys have become “Baby Zoomers,” learning to use Zoom, the popular video-conference service. Their first virtual reunion with their two sons and their families was “humiliating,” recalls Bob, because he could not get it to work. “I kept hearing, ‘OK boomer!’” from the kids.
Now the Pendoleys are experienced Zoomers, holding a story hour with their granddaughter a couple times a week.
Yes, says Janet, it’s “aggravating” not to be able to go where you want, or to visit in person. But, she concludes, this is temporary. They do have connections with people. Even as a 10-year-old, she had to find things to do so as not to get bored.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“Bottom line, this makes me much more cognizant and appreciative of the things we do have.”
Staff writers Francine Kiefer and Sarah Matusek reported from Pasadena and New York. Correspondent Richard Mertens reported from Chicago.


csmonitor--2020-04-10--Coronavirus gives some protesters new mission: Preserving life

In Senegal , the group Y ’ en a Marre has switched its message from demanding transparent democracy to the more pressing need of promoting good social-distancing practices .
“ The time for protest and mass demonstrations will return , ” says Fadel Barro , one of the group ’ s founders and leaders .
“ But for now our aim has to be to preserve life.
” “ The activists who organized these movements aren ’ t going away , and their underlying grievances aren ’ t going away .
So there ’ s little reason to think that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t survive the coronavirus pandemic , ” says Jonathan Pinckney at the United States Institute of Peace .
Not only have few of the protesters ’ demands been addressed , experts say , but in many places the pandemic has only underscored some of their grievances , including indifferent government and the growing divide between haves and have-nots .
From Senegal to Santiago , from Hong Kong to New Delhi , streets that over the past year brimmed with protests have gone mostly silent amid the coronavirus pandemic .
But activists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean the movements have died out .
Rather the mass protests are likely to come back once conditions allow .
Just over a month ago , Senegal ’ s social action group Y ’ en a Marre – “ Fed Up ” in French – was spearheading mass street demonstrations to protest everything from unresponsive government and public-sector corruption to high electricity bills .
These days taking it to the streets is no longer feasible , as governments around the globe ban large public gatherings in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rappers , journalists , and other activists comprising Y ’ en a Marre have gone silent .
Now the group known for its protest songs and for rallying Senegalese youth to action is adapting to address what Y ’ en a Marre ’ s leaders say is the West African nation ’ s biggest immediate threat .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
“ Right now there is a lot of denial in Senegal .
People aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have decided to switch gears to get vital information out there and be of public utility , ” says Fadel Barro , one of Y ’ en a Marre ’ s founders and leaders .
A song list that before demanded a transparent democracy now promotes good social-distancing practices and implores Senegalese youth to stay home and meet with friends online .
Y ’ en a Marre organizes car caravans from which musicians , one per car , perform the new songs as they cruise from one neighborhood to another .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return , ” adds Mr. Barro , “ but for now our aim has to be to preserve life.
” From Senegal to Santiago , from Hong Kong to New Delhi , streets that over the past year brimmed with an unprecedented wave of protests and discontent have gone mostly silent .
But activists in many of these hotbeds of public dissatisfaction , as well as experts studying the global phenomenon , say the quiet does not mean the movements have died out .
Less like annuals that last but one season and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ established and will grow again , they say , the mass protests are likely to come back once conditions allow .
Not only have few of the demands that sparked the protests been addressed , experts say , but in many places the pandemic has only underscored some of the key motivating factors behind the discontent – from indifferent government and failing public services to growing divides between the haves and have-nots .
“ The activists who organized these movements aren ’ t going away , and their underlying grievances aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little reason to think that the global discontent was a blip that won ’ t survive the coronavirus pandemic , ” says Jonathan Pinckney , chief researcher at the Program on Nonviolent Action at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington .
“ If anything , ” he adds , “ we are seeing the movements in many countries adapt and shift to using the coronavirus crisis to highlight issues like government incompetence and negligence that were already among the major rallying cries of protesters before the pandemic.
” As one example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-democracy movement over recent weeks has shifted to digital forms of expression to highlight what activists judge has been an already dismissive government ’ s inadequate response to the pandemic .
At the same time , some networks within Hong Kong ’ s movement have moved beyond criticizing the government to taking matters into their own hands – for example by organizing to import more than 100,000 medical masks to distribute in poorly served communities .
One result , Mr. Pinckney says , is that a movement that in some respects was losing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its public backing reinforced .
He notes that a recent poll measuring public perceptions of responses to the pandemic showed higher marks for the pro-democracy movement and falling support for the Hong Kong government .
In Chile , where a subway fare hike in October touched off months of protests over widening economic divides , activists have quickly moved much of their expression of discontent indoors , while shifting their focus to the pandemic – and to the inequalities in access to health care and other services they say it highlights .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18 was all about economic inequality , the inadequacy of public services like health , education , and transportation , and the daily struggles of the many in a country where wealth is concentrated in the hands of so few , ” says Andrés Velasquez , an administrator for a small Santiago construction company who regularly participated in the protests .
“ It ’ s true that we can no longer gather in huge numbers in Plaza de Italia , ” Santiago ’ s ground zero for the protest movement , he says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reinforced people ’ s thinking about the weaknesses and unfairness in our economic and governance systems.
” Chile ’ s activists have lost little time in adapting their action to the new constraints of the coronavirus .
One innovation is an online “ guide ” to protesting from home .
Among the expressions of discontent are regular caserolazos – the banging of pots and pans from windows and balconies at an appointed hour , often announced on Facebook – that have been a staple of protest in Latin America since the grim days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ 80s .
Mr. Velasquez says he has made his own adjustments to his protest routine .
Until the pandemic ended the mass marches , he joined other volunteers in providing food – which they dubbed “ Hooded Gourmet ” – to the often-hooded protesters making up the front line separating the mass of demonstrators from the police .
Now the protest-food cooks have shifted to providing meals to Santiago ’ s ramshackle camps of day laborers and the swelling ranks of people left unemployed as a result of the crisis .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so we ’ re all looking for ways to maintain that solidarity and help us all get beyond this virus together , ” Mr. Velasquez says .
“ But certainly all these actions are to some degree about maintaining our momentum.
” Mr. Pinckney of the United States Institute of Peace says he expects the pandemic to affect various national protest movements in distinct ways , with some weakened and others reinforced .
“ In some countries we ’ re already seeing a rallying around the flag that could work against any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries they ’ re adapting in ways that are likely to leave [ the movement ] stronger , ” he says .
He also notes that the rough police treatment accorded some people displaced by the pandemic – as occurred in India – could turn into heightened repression once mass demonstrations return .
But Mr. Pinckney has a hunch that in some places the pandemic , because of how it represents a threat to all social strata , will tend to increase a sense of empathy with the most vulnerable .
And that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up public support for protest movements .
Mr. Farro in Senegal is not so sure .
A journalist by training , he remains skeptical that the pandemic will necessarily mean a stronger protest movement ahead .
“ For sure it will change the way people interact with each other , but experience tells us that societies don ’ t change so easily , even after crises , ” he says .
He also worries that the state will use the pandemic as a “ pretext ” for extending limits on personal freedoms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s movement will come out of the coronavirus challenge stronger – and he cites one experience in particular that has left him confident of that .
At home in his 16th-floor apartment one recent evening , he opened his windows to hear Freddie Mercury ’ s rendition of “ Day-O ” spontaneously shouted from balconies across his neighborhood , the words and responding cheers wafting across the city like a message of unity and hope .
After that communal experience and others like it , he says , “ I ’ m certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will come back with even greater force.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

In Senegal, the group Y’en a Marre has switched its message from demanding transparent democracy to the more pressing need of promoting good social-distancing practices. “The time for protest and mass demonstrations will return,” says Fadel Barro, one of the group’s founders and leaders. “But for now our aim has to be to preserve life.”
“The activists who organized these movements aren’t going away, and their underlying grievances aren’t going away. So there’s little reason to think that the global discontent was a blip that won’t survive the coronavirus pandemic,” says Jonathan Pinckney at the United States Institute of Peace.
This particular season of discontent is not conducive to conventional mass protests. But social action groups dedicated to the common good are finding the means, and new directions, to refocus their energies – temporarily.
Not only have few of the protesters’ demands been addressed, experts say, but in many places the pandemic has only underscored some of their grievances, including indifferent government and the growing divide between haves and have-nots.
From Senegal to Santiago, from Hong Kong to New Delhi, streets that over the past year brimmed with protests have gone mostly silent amid the coronavirus pandemic. But activists and experts say the quiet does not mean the movements have died out. Rather the mass protests are likely to come back once conditions allow.
Just over a month ago, Senegal’s social action group Y’en a Marre – “Fed Up” in French – was spearheading mass street demonstrations to protest everything from unresponsive government and public-sector corruption to high electricity bills.
These days taking it to the streets is no longer feasible, as governments around the globe ban large public gatherings in response to the coronavirus pandemic. But that does not mean the musicians, rappers, journalists, and other activists comprising Y’en a Marre have gone silent.
Au contraire.
Why We Wrote This This particular season of discontent is not conducive to conventional mass protests. But social action groups dedicated to the common good are finding the means, and new directions, to refocus their energies – temporarily.
Now the group known for its protest songs and for rallying Senegalese youth to action is adapting to address what Y’en a Marre’s leaders say is the West African nation’s biggest immediate threat.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
“Right now there is a lot of denial in Senegal. People aren’t taking the epidemic seriously. So we have decided to switch gears to get vital information out there and be of public utility,” says Fadel Barro, one of Y’en a Marre’s founders and leaders.
A song list that before demanded a transparent democracy now promotes good social-distancing practices and implores Senegalese youth to stay home and meet with friends online. Y’en a Marre organizes car caravans from which musicians, one per car, perform the new songs as they cruise from one neighborhood to another.
“The time for protest and mass demonstrations will return,” adds Mr. Barro, “but for now our aim has to be to preserve life.”
From Senegal to Santiago, from Hong Kong to New Delhi, streets that over the past year brimmed with an unprecedented wave of protests and discontent have gone mostly silent. But activists in many of these hotbeds of public dissatisfaction, as well as experts studying the global phenomenon, say the quiet does not mean the movements have died out.
Less like annuals that last but one season and more like perennials whose roots have been established and will grow again, they say, the mass protests are likely to come back once conditions allow.
Not only have few of the demands that sparked the protests been addressed, experts say, but in many places the pandemic has only underscored some of the key motivating factors behind the discontent – from indifferent government and failing public services to growing divides between the haves and have-nots.
“The activists who organized these movements aren’t going away, and their underlying grievances aren’t going away, so there’s little reason to think that the global discontent was a blip that won’t survive the coronavirus pandemic,” says Jonathan Pinckney, chief researcher at the Program on Nonviolent Action at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington.
“If anything,” he adds, “we are seeing the movements in many countries adapt and shift to using the coronavirus crisis to highlight issues like government incompetence and negligence that were already among the major rallying cries of protesters before the pandemic.”
As one example, he cites how the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement over recent weeks has shifted to digital forms of expression to highlight what activists judge has been an already dismissive government’s inadequate response to the pandemic.
At the same time, some networks within Hong Kong’s movement have moved beyond criticizing the government to taking matters into their own hands – for example by organizing to import more than 100,000 medical masks to distribute in poorly served communities.
Jessie Pang/Reuters View caption Hide caption Pro-democracy veteran Leung Kwok-hung speaks to reporters in Hong Kong before a Court of Appeal ruling on the controversial anti-mask law that the government had a right to invoke colonial-era emergency legislation, April 9, 2020.
One result, Mr. Pinckney says, is that a movement that in some respects was losing steam has found new purpose, with its public backing reinforced. He notes that a recent poll measuring public perceptions of responses to the pandemic showed higher marks for the pro-democracy movement and falling support for the Hong Kong government.
In Chile, where a subway fare hike in October touched off months of protests over widening economic divides, activists have quickly moved much of their expression of discontent indoors, while shifting their focus to the pandemic – and to the inequalities in access to health care and other services they say it highlights.
“The movement that got started on October 18 was all about economic inequality, the inadequacy of public services like health, education, and transportation, and the daily struggles of the many in a country where wealth is concentrated in the hands of so few,” says Andrés Velasquez, an administrator for a small Santiago construction company who regularly participated in the protests.
“It’s true that we can no longer gather in huge numbers in Plaza de Italia,” Santiago’s ground zero for the protest movement, he says. “But the epidemic has only reinforced people’s thinking about the weaknesses and unfairness in our economic and governance systems.”
Chile’s activists have lost little time in adapting their action to the new constraints of the coronavirus. One innovation is an online “guide” to protesting from home. Among the expressions of discontent are regular caserolazos – the banging of pots and pans from windows and balconies at an appointed hour, often announced on Facebook – that have been a staple of protest in Latin America since the grim days of dictatorships in the ’70s and ’80s.
Mr. Velasquez says he has made his own adjustments to his protest routine. Until the pandemic ended the mass marches, he joined other volunteers in providing food – which they dubbed “Hooded Gourmet” – to the often-hooded protesters making up the front line separating the mass of demonstrators from the police.
Now the protest-food cooks have shifted to providing meals to Santiago’s ramshackle camps of day laborers and the swelling ranks of people left unemployed as a result of the crisis.
“This movement has always been about solidarity, so we’re all looking for ways to maintain that solidarity and help us all get beyond this virus together,” Mr. Velasquez says. “But certainly all these actions are to some degree about maintaining our momentum.”
Mr. Pinckney of the United States Institute of Peace says he expects the pandemic to affect various national protest movements in distinct ways, with some weakened and others reinforced.
“In some countries we’re already seeing a rallying around the flag that could work against any expression of opposition, but in other countries they’re adapting in ways that are likely to leave [the movement] stronger,” he says. He also notes that the rough police treatment accorded some people displaced by the pandemic – as occurred in India – could turn into heightened repression once mass demonstrations return.
But Mr. Pinckney has a hunch that in some places the pandemic, because of how it represents a threat to all social strata, will tend to increase a sense of empathy with the most vulnerable. And that, he adds, could mean stepped up public support for protest movements.
Mr. Farro in Senegal is not so sure. A journalist by training, he remains skeptical that the pandemic will necessarily mean a stronger protest movement ahead.
“For sure it will change the way people interact with each other, but experience tells us that societies don’t change so easily, even after crises,” he says. He also worries that the state will use the pandemic as a “pretext” for extending limits on personal freedoms.
Mr. Velasquez in Santiago believes Chile’s movement will come out of the coronavirus challenge stronger – and he cites one experience in particular that has left him confident of that.
At home in his 16th-floor apartment one recent evening, he opened his windows to hear Freddie Mercury’s rendition of “Day-O” spontaneously shouted from balconies across his neighborhood, the words and responding cheers wafting across the city like a message of unity and hope.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
After that communal experience and others like it, he says, “I’m certain this movement will come back, and will come back with even greater force.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-04-28--Barr asks: Do state lockdowns violate US Constitution?

Attorney General William Barr on Monday ordered federal prosecutors across the United States to identify coronavirus-related restrictions from state and local governments `` that could be violating the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual citizens . ''
The memo to U.S. attorneys directs the head of the Justice Department 's civil rights division and the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan to coordinate the department 's efforts to monitor state and local policies and take action if needed .
`` If a state or local ordinance crosses the line from an appropriate exercise of authority to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infringement of constitutional and statutory protections , the Department of Justice may have an obligation to address that overreach in federal court . ''
Mr. Barr 's memo comes about two weeks after the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in a civil case in Mississippi , siding with a Christian church where local officials had tried to stop Holy Week services broadcast to congregants sitting in their cars in the parking lot .
The directive also comes as many stay-at-home orders are set to expire and governors eager to rescue their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to control the spread of the coronavirus , even as new hot spots emerge and experts warn that moving too fast could prove disastrous .
At the same time , protesters have staged demonstrations against stay-at-home orders , and in recent weeks , President Donald Trump has urged supporters to `` liberate '' three states led by Democratic governors .
Mr. Trump was asked at Monday 's coronavirus briefing about the strategy behind the decision by the Justice Department .
`` Well , you 'd have to ask Attorney General Barr , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like everybody , he wants to see people get back and he wants to see people get back to work , '' Mr. Trump said .
`` He does n't want people to be held up when there 's no reason for doing it .
In some cases , perhaps it 's too strict .
He wants to make sure people have the rights and they maintain the rights , very importantly . ''
The Justice Department argued in the Mississippi filing that officials in Greenville appeared to be targeting religious conduct by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service , as designated by the state of Mississippi , that may not operate despite following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state recommendations regarding social distancing .
In an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt last week , Mr. Barr said the Justice Department could support legal action against states that impose strict measures as the number of coronavirus cases begins to subside .
`` The idea that you have to stay in your house is disturbingly close to house arrest , '' Mr. Barr said .
`` I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm not saying in some places it might still be justified .
But it 's very onerous , as is shutting down your livelihood . ''
Mr. Barr said he believes there is a sufficient basis for social distancing rules that have been put in place , but he has cautioned that there may be concern if the restrictive measures continue too long .
He has said the U.S. must find a way to allow business to adapt and reopen .
`` I think we have to allow people to figure out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep their workers and customers safe , '' Mr. Barr said in an interview with Fox News earlier this month .
`` I 'm not suggesting we stop social distancing overnight .
There may come a time where we have to worry less about that . ''
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Attorney General William Barr on Monday ordered federal prosecutors across the United States to identify coronavirus-related restrictions from state and local governments "that could be violating the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual citizens."
The memo to U.S. attorneys directs the head of the Justice Department's civil rights division and the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan to coordinate the department's efforts to monitor state and local policies and take action if needed.
"If a state or local ordinance crosses the line from an appropriate exercise of authority to stop the spread of COVID-19 into an overbearing infringement of constitutional and statutory protections, the Department of Justice may have an obligation to address that overreach in federal court."
Mr. Barr's memo comes about two weeks after the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in a civil case in Mississippi, siding with a Christian church where local officials had tried to stop Holy Week services broadcast to congregants sitting in their cars in the parking lot.
The directive also comes as many stay-at-home orders are set to expire and governors eager to rescue their economies are moving to ease restrictions meant to control the spread of the coronavirus, even as new hot spots emerge and experts warn that moving too fast could prove disastrous.
At the same time, protesters have staged demonstrations against stay-at-home orders, and in recent weeks, President Donald Trump has urged supporters to "liberate" three states led by Democratic governors.
Mr. Trump was asked at Monday's coronavirus briefing about the strategy behind the decision by the Justice Department.
"Well, you'd have to ask Attorney General Barr, but I think he wants to see – like everybody, he wants to see people get back and he wants to see people get back to work," Mr. Trump said. "He doesn't want people to be held up when there's no reason for doing it. In some cases, perhaps it's too strict. He wants to make sure people have the rights and they maintain the rights, very importantly."
The Justice Department argued in the Mississippi filing that officials in Greenville appeared to be targeting religious conduct by singling churches out as the only essential service, as designated by the state of Mississippi, that may not operate despite following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state recommendations regarding social distancing.
In an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt last week, Mr. Barr said the Justice Department could support legal action against states that impose strict measures as the number of coronavirus cases begins to subside.
"The idea that you have to stay in your house is disturbingly close to house arrest," Mr. Barr said. "I'm not saying it wasn't justified. I'm not saying in some places it might still be justified. But it's very onerous, as is shutting down your livelihood."
Mr. Barr said he believes there is a sufficient basis for social distancing rules that have been put in place, but he has cautioned that there may be concern if the restrictive measures continue too long. He has said the U.S. must find a way to allow business to adapt and reopen.
"I think we have to allow people to figure out ways of getting back to work and keep their workers and customers safe," Mr. Barr said in an interview with Fox News earlier this month. "I'm not suggesting we stop social distancing overnight. There may come a time where we have to worry less about that."
This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.