22/12/2013 Reporters

Now on BBC News it's time for Reporters.

Welcome to this special edition of Reporters, marking three years since

the start of the Arab uprisings. I am in the old city of Damascus. In

this programme, we have a series of reports assessing the impact of

protest across the region. The last hope for the Arab Spring. We report

from Sydney, the birthplace of the uprisings, and whether the

revolution has delivered on its promises. -- Tunisia.

Three years on, processes are still on the street, and so are the right

police. The gender gap - a report from

Yemen, one of the most conservative countries, on whether life is

changed for women. Women leader restricted lives. For the majority,

nothing much has changed. Growing concern about a return to

authoritarianism in Egypt. Many Egyptians believe the system

has stayed the same. Power is still in the hands of the army. There is a

real sense that the revolution is unfinished business. And sectarian

split. A report on the deepening divide between Sydney and Shia

Muslims, crushing hopes of a better future. -- Sunni.

Three years on, many are asking what went wrong with what used to be

called the Arab Spring. In some places it lead to stability, in

others, violence. It was the events in Tunisia that inspired the wave of

uprisings across the region. Leaders tell us the -- they are still

confident about the future. On the streets we found anger about a

revolution that has not delivered on its promises. It is the song that

has gone viral in Tunisia. Everyone knows the words on this university

campus. We live like trash in a garbage can, the lyric goes. The

rapper filmed his video in a poor suburb. Life is hard, jobs are

scarce, but people help each other just to get high. TRANSLATION: We

dreamt about the revolution. I thought we would be like Copenhagen

or Amsterdam, it remains the same. There is more freedom now to speak

out, although some rappers have gone to prison for insulting authorities.

After their revolution, to lesions refused to go quiet.

Protesters are still on the streets. Some other right police. They are

still shouting to leave. They are shouting at at the leaders. The

struggle for greater democracy goes on.

The old police state is still largely intact. There are a new

security fears after attacks blamed on radical groups. They have

betrayed the country, they shout, referring to the governments

dominated by the moderate Islamic party.

Do you worry you have let people down? TRANSLATION: People had high

expectations, we are working on bringing about democracy. We are in

the last phase and moving towards free and fair elections and a

democratic constitution. What is your greatest fear for Tunisia?

TRANSLATION: I am afraid that the people will become so dissatisfied

with politicians that they will turn to the military and ask them for

security. They have shown themselves willing to share power with secular

parties. Some were just pulled out of eight national dialogue. This is

not Egypt. Tunisia prides itself on its tolerant culture. If politicians

do not tackle these mounting worries, the nation regarded as the

last hope for the Arab Spring could soon lose its way.

Yemen was also caught in the wave of our prizes that caught the region.

Women played a key role in the uprising. How much has changed for

women? Gem install ranks among the worst in the world in terms of

gender balance. -- Yemen still ranks. Our correspondent has more.

Yemen, one of the most conservative countries in the Middle East. It has

been a male dominated society for centuries. Boys are taught from an

early age that it is the man who control every aspect of life here.

In this deeply traditional nation, women are almost invisible. The

generations they have had no say. In 2011, as the uprising spread through

the region, hundreds of thousands came out in protest. Surprisingly,

women were at the forefront of the demonstrations which overthrew the

former president. Part of the reason why women took to the streets was to

help other women that are voiceless. The reality is that women leader

restricted lives. The vast majority cannot read and write. It is

difficult for women to buy property. More than half are forced to get

married when they are still very young. For the majority of women,

not much has changed. If anyone needs change, it is this family. We

met the family, they are desperately poor. All three of the daughters

were married after for their 14th birthday. They had to do this to pay

off debts. The youngest, for just ?140. TRANSLATION: We did not have a

choice. We are very poor, my husband is sick. Are you angry at your

parents? Why? TRANSLATION: I did not want to get married, but they made

me do it anyway. They say that conditions are difficult and they do

not have enough money. TRANSLATION: They should not have done it. The

man who came here to marry me and by sisters, they know we are poor. My

apparent what do anything to stop it. I wanted to finish school and

become a doctor. For the human rights Minister, stopping child

marriage is a priority. Many girls are married at the age of nine, ten,

when they are very young. They could not bear the responsibility of

marriage. If they are 15 or 14, some of them get pregnant. Some of them

die. Child marriage is one of many challenges that women face. There is

a long road ahead before they see the progress they demanded during

the uprising. The hope is that the next generation will have a chance

for a better future. In the Arab world's most populous

nation, Egypt, mass protest to topple the long-time ruler. He was

ousted in 17 days. He was later replaced by someone from the same

organisation that he had driven underground, the Muslim Brotherhood.

The first freely elected president was removed from office after barely

a year in power. Now eager to's military backed government maintains

that the country is on the path to democracy. Many Egyptians feel that

the country is turning back the clock and becoming even more

authoritarian. In the land of the Pharaohs, they cheer for a new

strong leader. The army chief. The poster boy for a coup. In July he

removed the hugely unpopular elected President Mohamed Morsi. Next year,

he could be elected himself. Do you want the general to run for

president? Such is the cult, that you can even

find him on sweets. They are read bestseller. For many who fought for

change colour this leaves a bitter taste. This Manfield and 2011, his

dreams of freedom cost him his site. He is right eye was hit by shotgun

pellets, his left eye targeted by a sniper. We sat down with a former

dentist in a cafe, where revolutionaries have met the decade.

He says the old regime that plunged into darkness has not been

overthrown it. TRANSLATION: The system remains the same. The army is

maintaining its position. It has acquired more privileges. It has

ruled since 1952 and a Scott Seiver need to change, because some people

to the streets. -- and does not see the need. They are still taking to

the streets. Protests are all but banned, dissent is stifled, and

prominent activists are being rounded up. The biggest casualties

may be the Islamist is of the Muslim Brotherhood. These days it is hard

to find the brothers, so we joined some of the sisters making a house

call. The revolution brought the Muslim Brotherhood to power, now

they are out in the cold. This woman was born into the organisation, it

was founded by her grandfather. With hundreds of supporters killed, and

thousands jailed, the Muslim Brotherhood is back underground. The

upper part is gone, it is behind bars. In every sector and every

branch, in every district, the first level and the second level, and some

of the third level have gone. Gone too is much of the hope that feels

Tahrir Square, when people power were brought down the regime. It

looks very different today. You cannot have a gathering of more than

ten people without permission. Some say life is worse now than under the

regime. History was made here, of the old order was swept away.

Although two residents have been removed, many believe the system has

stayed the same. Power is still in the hands of the army. There is a

real sense that the revolution is unfinished business. Elections are

coming in the most populous Arab nation. The rough is that the

democratic vision may not be realised. That may thereafter years.

Here in Syria, the Arab uprising began as a peaceful protest. A

growing war is now a deepening humanitarian crisis. The United

Nations has just launched its biggest ever appeal. $6.5 billion

for Syria. It estimates that about half of the population, nearly 10

million people, need access to food aid of some kind. About 2.5 million

people are living in what are known as "hard to reach" or besieged

areas. No aid is getting in. Searing Govett officials have now told us

that they will allow aid to reach besieged areas no matter which side

controls them. -- Syrian government officials. The

Syrian war is now a battle for bread. They have lost their homes,

jobs, dignity, and survive on UN handouts. This woman has to feed 16

children and grandchildren. They used to live in one district which

is now held by the rebels and cut off by the government. My brothers,

sisters, friends are still there, she tells me. They cannot leave,

they don't have any food. This province is also under siege and has

been for months. The BBC managed to obtain these pictures, markets with

only radishes. -- for sale. In these pictures,

people marched towards military checkpoint, calling for the siege to

end. This is the response. Food is a weapon in this war. The government

now tells us that they will finally let UN aid through. We have spoken

to them. We have told them that there will be more access, more

co-operation, particularly after the new achievements by the Syrian Armed

Forces. Does that mean that you will only allow aid to reach those areas

where your forces have prevailed militarily? No, I will assure you

that it will go towards all Syrians in need. The government blames

rebels for the siege. Rebel commanders across the suburbs made

an urgent plea for help. This is their pledge to protect aid convoys

and ensure that relief reaches civilians. Confidential UN document

leaked to the BBC show the scale of this crisis. 2.5 million Syrians are

now stuck in besieged or hard to reach areas. 0.5 million are under

siege by government troops, tens of thousands by government forces. We

arch to the UN if they believe that the UN would change this. -- asked.

I asked if the UN could go to all areas of Syria as I have requested.

Their team here will explore exactly what that means in terms of our

ability to go to the hard to reach areas and the besieged areas as

well. You believe the promise? This is been a priority. If we are able

to get to these areas and in my conversations with the Foreign

Minister and the Deputy Foreign Minister, they said that they would

work with us to ensure that people were reached. The government's

Thomas comes as it makes military gains. This was a stronghold of

rebels linked to Al Qaeda. The government insists that this is a

war against terrorism and are confident that the West will

eventually accept that. As we has seen, the Arab operating brought to

Malta is change across the Middle East. The protests were largely

driven by young people wanting a greater say in the way they were

government. It is also resulted in reshaping the balance of power

between the region's glee and Shia Muslims. Our Middle East editor has

gone to Lebanon, a country which has been increasingly marked by

sectarian violence. -- tension. Tripoli, unmarked and

often divided is feeling the heat from Syria. It has turbocharged a

long-standing local conflict between Sony Muslims and a la whites from

the same Shia sect as President Assad. -- Alawites. Not far beyond

the mountains is Syria but their war is here. Men from Lebanon killed in

Syria are considered maters. These were Sunnis, fighters against the

Assad regime. In Shia areas are posters of men who died for the

regime. This is one end of the cor-surely the line. It runs from

Lebanon on the Mediterranean, South troops Syria and Iraq and to the

golf and beyond. In a shed in his garden right on the front line, this

man and his friends are still idolising Saddam Hussein, the Saudi

strongman who fought Shia Iran. -- Sunni strongman. His son died when

mosques were bombed in August. They blame the Shia. TRANSLATION: God

Almighty will kill them, of course. We ask God Almighty for permission

and help to eradicate them all. The local militia commander said that

grief and anger had pushed him to extremes. Every sectarian killing in

the Middle East deepens and spreads hatred. The division in Islam goes

back to a dispute over who should succeed the prophet Mohammed after

his death in the year 632. Those who wanted his position to be inherited

by his closest associates became Sunnis. Those who wanted him to be

followed by his descendants became Shia. Just as in the split in the

Christian church between Catholics and Protestants, it has been as much

about power as religion. The American led invasion of Iraq in

2003 started a new upheaval in the divide. The removal of Saddam

Hussein, the most bitter enemy of Shia Iran was a blow to the

traditional silly ascendancy in the Middle East. Thousands of Iraqis

have been killed in six at -- sectarian violence since then. This

was an attack in 2007 on Shia pilgrims. The side of a battle

between the two sides of Islam in the seventh century. At the other

end of the Gulf in Bahrain, a long-standing political conflict

between the poor Shia majority and the mainly Sunni ruling class has

become more overtly sectarian. In Syria itself, an uprising has become

an increasingly sectarian war. Saudi extremist groups, generally Al Qaeda

followers, now dominate the armed opposition to President Assad who is

from a Shia sect. In Beirut in November, suicide Bombers attacked

the Embassy of Orion. Many assumed it was the latest escalation in a

proxy war between Shia Iran, the Syrian regime backers and Saudi

Arabia which supports in the mainly Sunni rebels. I discussed these

attentions with the Iran Foreign Minister last month. It is probably

the most serious security threat in the entirety of the region and the

world at large. I think that all of us, regardless of our differences

over Syria, we need to work together on the sectarian issue. Three years

after the Arab uprising started, the weight of a millennium and a half of

sectarian rivalry is crushing hopes of a better future. This was a

funeral for Shia fighters in Damascus. Even where sectarianism is

less acute, there is economic crisis a political failure, and renewed

oppression. No wonder this winter, here in Beirut and across the

region, people are wondering how they will ever be able to control

their lives and break away from the bloodshed.

That is all from this special edition of Reporters marking three

years since the start of the Arab uprising. On the old city of

Damascus, goodbye for now. The weather has been giving it a

rough ride of it in recent weeks and there is more to come now in the

days until Christmas. More storms coming in and still -- from the

Atlantic. Wet and windy weather is coming. We will see further travel

disruption, particularly on Monday and Tuesday. It begins to settle

down on Christmas Day. This is the big picture