lessons from Tahrir square

LESSONS FROM THARIR SQUARE
Syed Qamar Hasan.
G. K Chesterton, the English novelist and critic once remarked, “You can never have a revolution in order to establish a democracy. You must have a democracy in order to have a revolution.” Egyptians living under the most oppressive regimes of the time by kicking out President Hosni Mubarak who ruled over them ruthlessly for thirty years have proved Chesterton wrong.
What a sight it was to watch live on television the grit and determination of Egyptian men, women, children, Muslims and Christians, lawyers, doctors, bankers, academics, barbers and butchers holding together, night after night for 18 long grueling days to oust the dictator. These 18 days of despair, anxiety and uncertainty, bordering on hope and apprehensions were the real pangs of birth of new Middle East, so different from the pangs of birth that George W Bush and his Secretary of State Condi Rice, told the world in 2005,when Israel using American provided weapons was pummeling Hizbollah.
Egypt has always enriched history, with its heritage from Prophet Yusuf( Joseph)to the plotting and cattish beauty Cleopatra, to the great warrior Saladin, who liberated Jerusalem from the Crusaders. Yet again a new feather has been added to its glorious history. The peaceful revolution, that humbled the most powerful man and the most feared regime of the region, deserves higher ranking, than the French and Bolshevik revolution. It pales Ayatollah’ Kommeni’s bloody and revengeful upheaval that sent waves of terror and fright across the world. The 1979 Iranian revolution that toppled Reza Shah Pahlavi cannot be called a revolution in the real sense of the word. It never had the appeal and fascination that makes people risk their lives and come out on the streets to change systems and governments.
Genuine revolutions by the hungry and jobless citizens unable to get justice from its rulers, spurred on and led by one or more among them, like in Tunisia and Egypt are contagious enough to infect other societies suffering repression and injustices.
History, they say is a great teacher, yet seldom do people learn from it. The 18 days people’s movement with its epicenter at the Tahrir square is a fresh lesson for kings, monarchs, presidents and dictators and democracies that deny freedom to its people in the name stability and security. And their leash holders should be aware of the fury of disgruntled and dissatisfied people, when they rise, as they did in Tunisia and Egypt, no power, however, strong can stop them. So also governments and countries harboring flash points, like Palestine, Chechnya and Kashmir, where people are fighting for independence are equally prone to popular public uprising.
Those kings, monarch, sheiks and presidents who wanted Mubarak to stay put notwithstanding the anger and anguish of millions of Egyptian deprived of justice and basic necessities of life, should by now feel the rumblings,that if not addressed soon, will throw them off their thrones and palaces. Their survival depends on the goodwill and contentment of their people, who want opportunities to participate in nation building and decision making, not necessarily in the same pattern as Western systems. That far away and distant allies and time serving relationships will not sustain them in the longer run.
When nature wants something to happen it creates circumstances and situations for it to happen. The 18 long day struggle of the people of Egypt to get rid of Husni Mubarak has also brought to fore and exposed the double standards and hypocrisy of our and their leaders who have been fooling the world with their constant harangues on democracy, freedom ,human rights, peoples empowerment and human dignity.
The most hardened of the pro-democracy nations, and their refrain on virtues of democracy, who do not spare any occasion accusing Islam of not having the depth and compatibility with democracy and human rights, the US and its allies, must take a leaf from Tahrir Square. The citizens of the most populated ,the strongest and the most strategic country of the Arab world has shown its penchant for democracy and that it is capable of ushering it in a far better and decent manner, than the main exponent of it , the US, exporting it on Abram Tanks, Bradleys, Humvees, F-16’s, Apache helicopter, killings innocent men, women children while its gallant soldiers indulge in rapes and murders .
Residents of White House, White Hall, and Elsyee Palace are eager to promote democracies in the Muslim world, but they are not happy with the results, that democratic processes in Muslim world spawn. When will Obama, Cameroon and Sarkozy, realize that “Arab Streets” the terminology, west derisively coined to describe mass protests in Arab world , will not be contend with selective and limited versions of democracy. They want full version of democracy and not the abridged. They will have it their own way and time. No dictations and patronage required.
It is time the west changes its perception and understanding of the Arab and Muslim sensibilities and put a full stop to support of tyrants and despots, kings and monarchs. What is wrong if the feared Muslim Brotherhood or the Islamist win elections and form governments? Are not right wing parties and extremist winning more and more seats in parliaments, assemblies and decision making bodies in Israel, Holland, France, Germany, Denmark and India?
If people in the Arab and Muslim countries vote the Muslim Brotherhood, Gama Islamia and other Islamic political parties to power through the ballot, so be it. The better it would be, for if they fail to deliver good governance, end corruption, un-employment, the same people who voted them will get rid of them, and bring in others, that is what democracy is about.
Syed Qamar Hasan is an Abu Dhabi based writer and former Abu Dhabi Bureau Chief,Khaleej Times and Emirates Today.
He may be contacted at.qamarhasan50@hotmail.com