Why the Gronil ZED protests are spreading around the world: ‘Fighting the same war’ – nationally
From the andes to the Himalayas, new protest movements emerged across the country, driven by the kind of dissatisfaction facing the government and anger among young people.
This week, Madagascar’s President Rajoelina was forced out of power in the country after a military mutiny, the end of weeks led by protesters known as “Gen Z Magagascar.”
The anger against the political establishment in the Indian Ocean Island country mirrors other recent protests around the world, in countries such as the Philippines, the Philippines, Indonesia and Morocco. These protests have been fueled by specific grievances, but they are driven by long-standing problems of the rulers such as increasing inequality, economic uncertainty, deception and the rigidity of leaders.
But they have one thing in common: especially the rational ones, they are cried out mainly by the youth considered as “Gen Z,” defined as those born approximately between 1996 and 2010 – the first generation to grow up completely in the age of the Internet and in 2010 – the first generation to grow up completely in the youth of the Internet.
“What connects these youth-led protests is a shared sense that traditional political systems are not responding to concerns,” said Sam Nadel, director of social economics.
Protesters took over from each other
Although their specific demands differ, most of these protests have been over looked or ignored by the government. Others also faced harsh treatment by security forces and brutal repression.
In Morocco, a collective of those called Gen Z 212 – Named after Morocco’s dial – took to the streets to demand better public services and increased spending on health and education. In Peru, protests over the pension law have sparked broader demands, including action to address rising insecurity and chronic corruption in the government. In Indonesia, deadly protests broke out over the members of the ‘come the cost of living, to force the President to take the ministers of the economy and security.
The move, which is widely regarded as the so-called “Gen z” protest, was a deadly admission in Nepal that came in the wake of the Prime Minister’s resignation in September. Protesters drew inspiration from successful government moves elsewhere in South Asia – Sri Lanka in 2022 and Bangladesh in 2024 – which led to calls for digital currency.
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In Madagascar as well, the protesters say they are particularly inspired by the movements in Nepal and Sri Lanka.
The protests started against basic water and electricity but soon turned into widespread unrest, as demonstrators called on the President and other ministers to step down. On Wednesday, Madagascar’s military leader said he was “taking the position of President.”
Gathering Behind the manga pirate flag
Internationally, a symbol of Pop culture appeared: a black flag showing grinning skin and wheels wearing a straw hat. The flag appears in the Cult Japanese Manga and Anime series called “One Piece,” which follows a group of Pirates as they take on corrupt governments.
In Nepal, protesters hung the same flag at the gates of the Singha Durbar, the seat of the Nepalese government, and churches, many of which were set on fire by the protesters. It was also raised by masses in Indonesia, the Philippines, Morocco and Madagascar.
Activists hold a poster as a flag bearing the image of a skull with a straw hat from Anime Anime Piet, during a public boycott of alleged handovers by members of Parliament, in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Wednesday. (AP Photo / Dita Alangkara).
Last week in the Peruvian capital, 27-year-old electrician David Tafur stood up with the same flag in San MartÃn Square, now the stage of the week-long protests.
“We are fighting the same war – against corrupt officials, who are also murderers,” he said, recalling that the government of President Dina Boluarte held power from December 2022 Despite the death of more than 50 people.
“In my case, it’s angering the abuse of power, the deception, the death,” Tafuni said, referring to the sharp rise in the South American country since 2017, amid new efforts that have weakened efforts to fight crime.
Boluarte had been under investigation for several months involving bribery and involvement in the deadly crackdown on those protesting in 2022. He was replaced last week by interim President José Jerà JerÃ.
Tafur said it was not enough.
“The President is an ally of Congress and he has to go,” he said.
Harnessing social media for engagement and awareness
Many of the most important protests, such as Occupy Wall Street in 2011, the Arab Spring between 2010 and 2012, and the Hong Kong Umbrella Movement, were led by young people. While using the Internet and mass communication, the “Gen z” protesters took it to the next level.
“Digital platforms are powerful tools for communicating information and building connections, but the most effective movements often combine digital integration with traditional human programming, as we saw in the recent lab.
Days before the deadly protests began in Nepal, the government announced a ban on several social media platforms for failing to meet the registration deadline. Many Nepalese consider it an attempt to silence them and start accessing social media sites through virtual private networks to avoid detection.
In the next few days, they use Tiktok, Instagram and X to expose the critical lifestyles of political children, highlight the disparity between Nepal and the poor, and announce organized rallies and venues. Later, some of them also used the gaming chat platform to propose that they propose to appoint him as the interim leader of the country.
“Any movement that happens, whether it’s against corruption or injustice, spreads through digital media. Changes happen behind digital platforms,” ​​said Protestant Yujan Rajbhandari.
He said the protests in Nepal awakened not only the youth but also other generations.
“We realized that we are global citizens and the digital space connects us all and we play a powerful role in the world,” Rajbhandari said.
Associated Press reporters Franklin Briceño in Lima, Peru, and Niranjan Srystha in Kathmandu, Nepal, contributed to this report.
