A Historic moment in Egypt
Popular revolt is against symbolic democracy and fake secularism
By Vidya Bhushan Rawat
It is difficult for dictators and despots to leave their power and possessions as things are painful afterwards and you do not have everything at your disposal. Surrounded by hundreds of Chums, these self glorified leaders have virtually lost touch with modern day realities, the pains and agonies of their masses. Every political leader became victim of their own images and egos and developed a larger than life image of their own selves. At the end, when they face the popular music from people, they failed to realize that their time has run out and it was time to say bye. The last big revolt of the masses was seen in the Philippines when military dictator Ferdinand Marcos was overthrown by the masses but not before things were made difficult for him. The exiled opposition leader Benigno Aquino whose wife Corazon Aquino became president of that country later in 1986, was assassinated in August 1983 as soon as he landed at the Manila airport from the United States. Anyone who has seen the life style of the then president could vouch why he became a hate figure in his own country. Popular uprising forced Tunisian President Ben Ali to run away from his country and take asylum in Saudi Arabia. Egypt secular dictator Hosni Mubarak feel that he was still fit to rule the country and that he has more people on his side. To complicate further, he warned the west that if he is forced to quit, Egypt would be under the Islamic Fundamentalist forces. While he could not organize a march of even two thousands people, paid goons of the government and those who felt that they might lose their perks and contacts in the new set up, lost no time in attacking the protestors as the army stood mute and watched the events helplessly. It was a well managed act yet got exposed on Televisions sets world wide. President Mubarak who is not so young today, is still sticking to chair with all dirty tricks wanted to show his masters in the United States that he is still in command and a 'people's representative'. Americans are actually 'experts' in exporting such democracies to the world which create Mubarak or Shah which produce an Ayatollah or Taliban in counter revolution.
When two million people marched at the liberation square in Cairo, Mubarak and his cronies might not have imagined that people would stay whole night and ready to take on the government. Perhaps the most important factor in the power politics is the 'patience' of the governing class and the 'impatience' of the oppressed. They know well that the longer this protest grow, it will get frustrated as people have to ultimately look for their survival as none of them are fortunate enough to survive without working like our powerful people could do with out caring for. Unfortunately, when the protest reached the 9th day, the state apparatus swung into action and started infiltrating in the movement for democracy. Mubarak's thugs came in Cars, Camels and horses and attacked brutally to every one. We saw live coverage how journalists are being targeted and foreigners are being shown the door. In the presence of international media, he knew that US and Europeans were determined to his ouster yet the facts are clear that they all know that once Mubarak is ousted then the new equations might be more dangerous. That this revolution does not go in the hands of allegedly Islamic groups was more problematic for the western diplomats and hence they have been working over time to stop it. The delayed tactics are being used and army is being taught to be a serious player so that a 'secular 'government' stays in power. This 'secular government' clearly means the one which can keep the interest of these powers safe and continue to be 'friendly' with Israel which feel continuously threatened with the growing unease in the entire Arab world against the dictators pampered by the United States. It's the 12th today as thousands of people continue to defy the guns, tanks and power of Hosni Mubarak whose dictatorial powers for past thirty years compelled people to come to the street and fight for their right. The fear of people has disappeared now despite army's dwindling responses. Initially the armed forces said that they would not fire on their own people but they did not do much to protect the protesters from the assault of the paid goons of the president. Though they know it well that they can not fire on its people.
Why has Egypt erupted against the president who looked secular to all of us who were not living in that country? Years ago, when people like Mubarak, Shah of Iran, Nazib, Saddam Hussein, King of Jordan, Hafiz Al Asad of Syria, Ben Ali of Tunisia were leading their nations, the general feeling outside their countries was of secular leadership.
Since no information would come out, a foreign visit of these dictators was always a public relation exercise for all. For US, UK and India, these despots were their secular Islamic face and for them and their public their popularity internationally. It also meant that the policies have got approval by the international community. The fact is that they were indeed secular in their personal lives who had the best materialistic things at their disposal and who denied their people right to freedom of expression and right to make independent political choices. Thousands of political opponents were jailed and constitution became 'keep' of the rulers.
Today, when people all over the world are describing the events in Egypt as Tsunami or major earth quack which has swept across the Arab world, the tremors are being felt everywhere. Nobody ever thought that a slap by a police woman to a vegetable vendor in Tunisia would force the 'secular' dictator to run away and take shelter at Saudi Arabia, the biggest lanky of the United States. It has to be understood why the entire Arab world is in the crisis and why a secular alternative is often out of sight in those countries. Why Arab world has turned so rigid. And the answers lies in Iranian revolution in 1975 when the revolutionary Iranian overthrew corrupted Shah Regime and Ayatollah Khomeini became the new voice of the Islamic world. That is why it is important to understand why Arab world is so different and react negatively to American imposed western democracy and secularism. It is not that the people there do not want democratic secular values. But if secularism is keeping the opponents in prison and allowing a dictator to rule the country unquestionably then we are going to see more problem. Without resolving the Israel Palestinian issue, no Arab government can live peacefully. The present peace that the Western world feels about the Arab world is imposed and purchased by supplying huge arms and keeping the armed forces happy. That is why, each of these despots had unquestioned support from their army as they too know it well that once real democracy comes in these societies the perks and loot in the name of national security will have to be replaced by a more transparent pro people policy of the governments.
In 1981 President Anwar Sadaat was assassinated by the extremists who were unhappy with his signing treaty with Israel. Mubarak was his deputy and took over. Since then Egyptians have to contain with Mubarak and his military commanders. It is equally interesting that none in the western world ever thought of writing about the gross human rights violations in these states. The violence against children and women is rampant and honored killings have official sanction. Blasphemy laws are used to curtail opposition and freedom of expression and right to chose political party and political protest is unknown phenomena in many of these states. Yet, in the name of modernity, Americanisation process started. Big companies had huge land and market in the region. Efforts were made to convert the distinct Islamic values into forced 'secularism'. There was no effort to strengthen democratic voices and dissent. Americans were only interested in their interest and were pumping money to two of its giant like Saudi Arabia and Egypt. It was American money only that was taking care of Israel too so you have both warring groups in your hand. Mubarak despite wide protest in the Islamic world continued to be in the good book of the Western governments and the people in large were unable to protest against him because they were afraid of power.
It has to be understood that just aping the western power will not bring secularism in these states. The fact is that Americans and western interventions had nothing to help secular voices. After all how did Taliban come into force in Afghanistan or now the radicals in Iraq? The things are clear that nobody would accept imposed secularism at the cost of their cultural identities and subjugation of their masses. In the glitter of free market we forgot that the life was becoming hell in all these nations. The free market economy failed Indonesia and Malaysia and then followed by Turkey. The colonial democracy imposed by the western elites in these countries actually was nothing but fancy of a few feudal lords who cared nothing about their people. Human rights violation was a regular affair and the powerful manipulated democracy for their own purposes. Most of them hailed from Army which played an important role in strengthening 'democracy' in their respective countries.
Can a 'secular dictatorship' be allowed to ruin these countries which do not allow freedom of press and freedom of choices? How are they called secular when they violate the basic principles of democracy? How is it that the colonial powers had different sets of rule for democracy in their own country and their colonies? How is that none in US and UK could rule for more than 10 years yet in all the states which are being pampered by them their chums are ruling for over 30-40 years. There is no civil society and political freedom. Keeping army powerful in these countries is the western way of controlling their leadership and that is why what we are witnessing in Egypt and other parts of Arab world is a rejection of these power politics.
The popular unrest in Egypt has been successful though it has not reached to a logical conclusion. Mubarak has threatened an Islamic revolution if he leaves and he does not want his country to convert into an Iraq or Afghanistan. But the fact is that Mubarak will do so till his last breathe as he has now realized that his days are numbered and yet he is there because of the hypocrisy of the Western governments who are unable to find another puppet to serve their interest. The people know it well and that is why most of the protesters as well as the pro government people, shouted slogans and posters against the Western governments. Interestingly the person who is made his deputy hails from the army and intelligence. He is bargaining with west and probably to ensure that the government after him does not go on which hunt against him. US know well that any new entrants may not be instrumental in their plan to control Suez for commercial purposes. One of Mubarak's close-aid in an interview to BBC said that he was an army man first and any army one would like to be killed or shot at rather than run away from the battle ground. According to him, Mubarak will fight this battle with honor as he would not like to quit as Ben Ali did as there is a difference between Egypt and Tunisia.
Whatever happened but the fact is that the Egyptian coup has send tremors not only in the Arab world but also elsewhere. We wait when will such revolutions happen in our part of the world where democratic dictators have made our lives hell. Egyptian people have shown great courage in their fight against one of their mightiest opponent. And this courage needs to be saluted. More importantly, this is not just secularism and democracy debate. Behind every glitter of the free market world is an ugly reality of life. Behind every power of stock market is a dark side where people have no space to live and get two time meals. The western world might change the debate and put it according to their convenience but the fact is lack of employment, increasing inflation and absolutely difficult life style will create more unrest. IMF report has already indicated that the world will face such crisis including food riots in future as situation is absolutely grim. It is therefore important for the Western World to keep away from intervening in the Arab world and allow a democratic transition in those countries. Let their people decide what suits to them as an American solution for an Egyptian problem would be counter productive and will fail. Whatever form of government we have, at the end of the day, if it does not lift the masses and improve their lives, they will always face challenges. Let us not forget these factors that people want a better life style, peace and prosperity in all the regions and the political paratroopers have completely failed to satisfy their basic minimum needs as looking secular was more important for them then creating more work, better jobs for their own people with peace and stability in the region. Egypt's crisis is warning to all those who created these symbolic democracies to fulfill their own market agendas. The war has just begun that market has failed, it will create more chaos in the region and that by and large people want secularism and democracy but definitely not at the cost of their society and country. The protesters who are shouting in the streets want better lives for them, cheap food and more jobs and definitely does not have any hatred towards any one except the ruling elite whether it is Muslim or any one else. Democracy and secularism will never get strengthened with undemocratic despots who are destroying their countries to keep their Western world happy. Their time has come now as this mass uprising will not go in vein. It has already jolted Mubarak and other such governments in the region. May they succeed and a democratic transition takes place in the region soon.
--Vidya Bhushan Rawat
Visit my blog at
www.manukhsi.blogspot.com
For information on the issues, movements and priorities of Scavenger community in India please log on to
www.swachchakar.blogspot.com
For information on civil society initiatives on Muslims in UP please log on to
www.rehnumaa.blogspot.com
For Social action, land rights, right to food and hunger issues support Social Development Foundation at www.thesdf.org
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Vidya Bhushan Rawat
Visit my blog at
www.manukhsi.blogspot.com
For information on the issues, movements and priorities of Scavenger community in India please log on to
www.swachchakar.blogspot.com
For information on civil society initiatives on Muslims in UP please log on to
www.rehnumaa.blogspot.com
For Social action, land rights, right to food and hunger issues support Social Development Foundation at www.thesdf.org
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