Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Tahrir Square in the center of Cairo in celebration of the 1 week Anniversary of ousting the president Mubarak and his cronies.
The jubilation mood is overwhelming. There is also a more concerned note in the undertone of this happy activities - to remind the Army who is in power in Egypt right now, of all the promises related to leading the country to Democracy. It is not the same, complacent Egypt the whole World got used to throughout the decades. The people of Egypt who in great degree are young and educated know exactly what they want. The movement which changed the country in a peaceful revolution we all observed, is still leaderless, but the new political life is being created, and simmers under the surface. Tweets from Cairo prove the completely new, proud attitude of the "new owners" of Egypt.
More and more voices demand the criminal investigation against the members of the Mubarak's government, and Mubarak himself. A few former ministers are already detained by the Army in the prisons with increased security.
While the Egyptians celebrate their new lease on freedom, most of the Arab countries experience the unprecedented turmoils.
Tunisia, who started this 'wild fire' is far from being stable. Former regime was a long time ally of the USA in the "war on terror" (ousted president - unrest started on economical/social basis).
Algeria, suffers waves of the unrest - clashes with the security forces (the unrest started on economical/social basis).
Libya, run for 40 odd years by the Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is swept with the protests. Most of the demonstrations and clashes occurred outside of Tripoli.
Some reports talk about the as many as 20 protesters killed in Benghazi alone in clashes with the Police. In Al Baida, the third biggest city of the country the sporadic clashes continue since Wednesday. At the same time in Tripoli the supporters of the "Revolution Leader - Colonel Gaddafi" demonstrate the unshaken trust in the Government. In all the countries of the region the apparatus has been built in a very similar way - based on very well maintained and efficient security forces and "countless" number of paid thugs. We all learned about their swift responses to the uprising in Egypt. For decades this country was on the list of the terror supporters. However in the last few years it's megalomaniac Leader "made peace" with the US and even helped with the "extraordinary renditions"(demands of the protesters include the ouster of the Col. Gaddafi and the economical/social reforms).
Yemen, a poor country on the Southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, is mostly tribal society. It's president - Ali Abdullah Saleh has ruled this country for more than 3 decades. A valued ally of the US in the "war on terror". The population organized the strong demonstrations almost coinciding with the Egyptian uprising. The security forces responded with the tear gas and the rubber bullets. There are noted fatalities. The government tried to negotiate some concessions, promising that Saleh wouldn't run in the 2013 elections. As expected, this window dressing couldn't satisfy the protesters (demands of the protesters include the ouster of the president and the economical/social reforms).
Bahrain, the country about which the most of the Americans have been oblivious so far, suddenly jumped in the center of the stage and into the news reports. A small island country on the Western shore of the Persian Gulf inhabited by roughly 1.23 million people, of which 666 thousand are non-nationals. The country is an absolute monarchy headed by the King - Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The economy is based on exploitation of natural resources - oil and pearls. Native population is mostly Shia, but the ruling family (also part of the government) is Sunni. Most of the non-nationals are the migrant workers in great degree Indian and Pakistani. The Bahrain native Shia population, in such a close proximity of Iran is considered by some observers as a dangerous combination. Hence the world's quiet approval of the oppressive rules of the Sunni ruling Family, for years...
This little Island is also the home of the US 5th Fleet - which by itself makes Bahrain strategically crucial to the interests of the USA - and makes it a valued ally.
Several reports from the capital city Manama described the government forces mercilessly crushing on the demonstrators using the tear gas, rubber bullets, and later steel pellets and life ammunition. There were deaths reported, however the officially reported number of fatalities is not proportional to the confirmed, sporadic death reports. There is a justified suspicion of the death toll being much higher, than officially reported. I understand that in such a complicated geo-political situation, reforms come at a very high price. The protesters, unfortunately were not given a choice. In order to force the government into the negotiation of the social and economical reforms, the protesters had to get to the streets and demonstrate. Unfortunately, the government, promising the reforms when the country calms down, unleashed the security forces on the peaceful demonstrators. One of them asked by a CNN correspondent if he would consider sacrificing his life in this protest, responded: "Of course. That is why I am here..."
We should not forget or overlook the new developments from the newly established "post-Husein" Iraq. The economically based protests (raising the issue of the corruption) have been noted and recorded in Baghdad and the Southern city Basrah.
-------------
What all these protests have in common is undeniably the economical/social disapproval of the status quo. What all these protests have in common is also the fact that ALL OF THEM ARE NOT RELATED TO THE RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM. There is no religious undertone of the unrest in any of these countries. Contrary to the scenario sold to the Western and local population, threatening the "radicalization" of the population, the societies in the Middle East are much more interested in improvement of the economical and social situation of the people than in religious separation from the majority of the Western World.
I am not trying to say that the danger of the radicalization of the Muslim population is not real, far from that. We all should be vigilant.
But instead of the demonizing threat, the Western governments should become involved actively in convincing the Middle East peoples (and any other region of the world which starts seeking the path to democracy) that America can and will support them, leaving to them the final choice of the solution.
America has been demonized by the fundamental rhetoric for many decades (not without our help, when we reacted to the threat heavy-handedly). It harmed the perception of the USA in the torn by violence regions. It harmed the perception of the USA in the Western societies as well. It allowed the enemies to use some elements of our politics against us in the eyes of the People of the region.
Maybe it's time to show to the World that our principles - freedom of speech, freedom to assemble, freedom to move and all other pillars of our Constitution which in general create the opportunity to seek the better and fulfilled life - are the principles we stand by, above all, and against all odds.
I agree.
ReplyDelete