don't you know, we're talking 'bout a revolution

It seems to me that the world is calling for changes. It may simply be my own awareness in combination with all of my travels, but I think that the powers of the world are shifting and no one knows how it will come out when the game is done. Money, governments, and power vs the ordinary people. It seems to me (and comments welcome on this) that the times are changing, and there has not been such a time since the 1960's that has had, or will have such a profound effect on all of our futures. Democracy, Capitalism, Socialism, Christianity, Islam, terrorists (truly, perceived or propagated ones), tourism, oil, global warming, human rights, and above all...money and power. Which ones will come out on top in this struggle?

In Spain the new government is Socialist and the people want drastic changes. All over the world, the dramatic revolutionary image of Che Guevara can be found on T-shirts and posters. In Barcelona I participated in three huge peace demonstrations in two months time.

When I landed in Peru, the President had just declared a state of emergency because of the large scale demonstrations. Everywhere I went, there were roadblocks and protestors. In Lima there were widely televised riots.

My first day in Chile I ended up in the middle of a peaceful demonstration by the university students who shut down the public transportation of the city by filling the roads.

Now I am in Maldives, a very peaceful country with very few protests. I mentioned before that there were whispers of change in the air.

Thursday night the main jetty began to fill with people. The kept vigil through the night, and on Friday all tourists were advised not to go to Male. Somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 people gathered to protest the jailing of people who had spoken against the government, and to call for President Gayoom's resignation. What began well ended badly. Unlike last year's riots, when he was elected for his 6th term, there were no tanks this time, only tear gas, rubber bullets and swinging batons.

BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3561340.stm

Amnesty International
http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGASA290042004

Dhivehi Observer
http://www.newsofmaldives.com/