Blooming Arab Spring
In a century of American supremacy, we can safely say that Arabs were and are most oppressed ones. Always targets of western power, the Arab land was made to suffer because of its natural boon, The Oil. The insatiable lust for oil led the western powers to constantly torch the Arab land for their greed.
Let me start pondering over Arab spring with a very uncommon note. It’s a page from history.
The 20th century had just dawned upon the world, when Arthur James Balfour, the then foreign minister of Imperial Britain, had announced to create a permanent thorn in the flesh of Arabian Pride. Under pressure from Zionist lobby, Balfour had promised to establish a Jewish Homeland in the ancient and holy land of Palestine. That was well before the end of First World War. As the Allied countries, especially Britain and France, anticipated victory over not just Germany and Austro-Hungarian Empire, but also over Germany’s ally, Ottoman Empire, they started a plan to implement their well nursed and cleverly hidden dream of over lording the Arabia till the foreseeable future.
It is then, that they decided to establish a permanent outpost of theirs, in Palestine, in the name of a Jewish homeland. A Jewish state could not be established immediately, but the usurpation started with it and as a final result of that declaration of Balfour, an obscene-illegal state of Israel came into being in 1948.
In that Balfour declaration was not just hidden agenda of creating Israel, but there also was a larger game plan, to usurp the whole of Arab land, its pride, its immense natural wealth. On the one hand, Allied powers instigated Arabs to revolt against Ottoman Empire, promising self rule and on the other hand Britain and France secretly made a pact to divide the Arabic states as client protectorates/mandate between them.
The then Sharif of Mecca, Hussein bin Ali, was either too naïve or too ambitious to believe the Brits and French that they would give him free reign in Arab Peninsula. They shrewdly left Palestinian question ambiguous. And, as they say, rest is history.
The forces of treachery unleashed then on poor, gentle, naïve Arabs, is still in action. Reigns of imperial greed has changed hand, now it is controlled by Uncle Sam. But the fate, the sufferings of Arabs at the hand of imperial design has never changed since Ottoman Caliphate ceased to exist.
Since then, since almost a century, the Arab mass is striving is for pride, self rule and respectful life. They don’t want the whole bread, but they do want the right to decide, with whom they chose to share their bread.
In past century, since the Anglo-French treachery, the Arabs have been fooled, backstabbed not just by Europeans and Americans but also by their own rulers. They have been let down, time and again, by Assads, Sadats, Mobaraks Hussains, Salehs and Ben Alis.
Arabs dreamt of nationalism and partially achieved it under marvelous, legendry Gamal Abdel Nasser, in Egypt. But that dream was cut short by Anwar Al Sadat in the seventies when he, under pressure from US’ forged an unholy alliance with the sworn enemy of Arabs, Israel. They dreamt of egalitarian, secular, society, under Baathists, but only to be let down by the likes of Saddam Hussain of Iraq, and Assad family of Syria, who came to power on establishing a socialist state but turned out to be tyrants and autocrats leading a militarist, thuggish regime in their own country.
It was not just the tyrannical, corrupt, oppressive rules of Ben Ali of Tunisia or Hosni Mubarak of Egypt or King of Bahrain, or Muhammad Bin Saleh of Yemen which led to the Great Arab Uprising of 2011. It was century old oppression, treachery, backstabbing, let down by their leaders and lack of freedom and self respect which fuelled and gave strength to it. Self Immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi on the streets of Sidi Bouzid on 17th December 2010, was just a spark to the century old pent up feelings of Arab commoner, to explode.
Since January 2011, Arab streets from Aden to Tangier, from Cairo to Holms, have been witness to not just call for change or demand for freedom, or bloodbath at the hands of their own masters, they have been witness to an unfolding change, unseen, unparallel in history.
This was not first time that an Arab Street was overflowing with people and emotions. They did so umpteen times at the call of their leaders. But this time they wanted to lead themselves. They wanted to have the controls of their destiny in their own hands and not in the hands of any leaders. They don’t want to be let down this time. The common Arab is fed up of being duped.
There is no need to tell that Million Marchers of Tahrir Square had no leader and so was the case with people spearheading go Ben Ali go momement. Neither had the people braving bullets of Saleh regime on the streets of Yemen nor had the protesters sqatting the streets of Bahrain.
Modern Means
So powerful is the urge for self rule and self respect that the Arabs have left their sectarian legacy behind to march ahead on the path of liberation. They have forgotten whether they are Sunnis or Shiites, Muslims or Coptic Christians. They don’t think even for a moment that their comrade is a tribal Arab or a Feudal one. They don’t bother to ask each other, whether they are Salafis or Wahabis or Bahais. There seems no difference when these youngsters march holding each others hand on the streets of Cairo, Sa’ na, Manama or Damascus. For an effective mass social action, it is necessary to forge an alliance among social groups, which are usually separate from each other, sometimes even hostile to each other. Arab revolutionaries achieved this feat with ease as they have demonstrated so far.
Beside their strong urge of liberation from tyranny, there is one more instrument which is playing a very powerful and important role in advancing their cause. It is the technology, the internet, especially, mobiles, social networking sites, video uploading portals.
The most recognizable face of Egyptian revolution is not a political or military man. It’s a geek, Wael Ghonim. The most powerful medium used by Syrian rebels is not a tank or helicopter or a RPG, it’s the video of their sufferings continuously being uploaded on the social networking sites. When Syrian regime prohibited foreign media organizations from entering Syria, the only medium left with oppressed people is internet based mediums, through which these people are showing their sufferings at the hands of Asad. Internet has provided them a window through which they are calling upon the world for help, shouting slogans and advancing their cause.
It was internet based medium like Facebook and twitter which helped Egyptian rebels to spread awareness among youth, to mobilize support and to give a call for Million March.
One of the most important advantage in using technology based medium like internet, is that, it easily connects with youth. The youth on Arab streets does not want to follow the philosophy of Osama bin Laden and he does not want to be America’s tutelage either. But he wants to be cool, he wants dignity, he wants employment. And those spearheading the Arab springs at least are promising the youth of a better, respectful future. To make any revolution, any movement a success, it is essential to attach the youth to it. Because, they are more fearless, impatient and idealistic than their elder comrades. They can’t be easily cowed down by painting before them, fears of losing job or families.
History is replete with the revolutionaries leading change. If one looks back starting early 20th century, India had eminent leaders like Dada Bhai Nauroji, Pheroz shah Mehta, BG Tilak, MK Gandhi, JL Nehru, when it strived for independence from British colonial rule. Likewise, Pakistan had MA Jinnah and Liaqat Ali Khan, when they demanded a homeland for their Muslim brethren in Indian sub continent.
When resurgent, exerting Germans asked for some space under sun, they had Der Fuhrer. Sun yat sen led the Chinese when they chose to break out from the dynastic rule of Quings. Russia was led by first Lenin and then ruthless Stalin when they broke the back of Tsarist regime.
When blacks demanded equal civil rights for themselves in US, in the sixties of 20th century, they had an able leader in Martin Luther King. Cubans had their Fidel Castro, Latin Americans had their Simon Boliver and Che Guevara.
When the Poles started the Solidarity labor movement in the eighties, biggest in Soviet Block, they were led by an able leader Lech Walesa.
Even when the Egyptians decided to take back the Suez Canal from imperial controls, they were being led by fearless Gamal Abdel Nasser.
More recently, when the Ukranians rose to rebel against Russian hold on their self rule, they were being led by Victor Yushchenko.
When revolutions are in making, leaders are required to keep a check, restrain the masses, participating in it. All the great mass leaders whether, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Lech Walesa, all were tested in such moments when revolutionary feeling were on the upsurge, when mass feeling was threatening to break all the boundaries of balance. It is interesting to know that all were criticized for choosing the path of negotiation and compromise over violent triumphalism.
But there is a contrast in these examples and Arab uprising. Can you name a leader for Egyptian revolutionaries? Can you recognize a face of it? Mohammad El Baradei was booed by crowd, when he reached Tehrir Square to lead them, to stake a claim on the leadership. Seeing the welcome meted out to Baradei, Muslim Brotherhood leaders chose to fall in line of masses, instead of claiming their leadership.
Contrary to that, every tyrannical regime has succeeded only when it had a leader. Take example of Egypt. First, it was, Anwar Al Sadat, then Hosni Mubrak. Now General Tantawi is holding back the reins of power. He wants to emerge as another Mubarak, not for common Egyptian, but for its ruling military elite and he is facing stiff resistance. Now he is trying to get an edge by effecting an age old formula, divide and rule. He is inflaming the hurt feeling of Coptic Christian minorities, by not acting on time to curtail the crime against them, thus giving way to their pent up feelings. Don’t know how far he can go with his nefarious tactics.
Empire Strikes Back
Caught on the wrong side of history in Tunisia and shocked by the events of Egypt, the American Empire was itching to intervene, to save its interests. (It’s favorite cliché while injecting its power unnecessarily in other countries’ internal affairs.)
Sensing the mood on Arab Streets, the US, cajoled, shoved and finally pushed, Mubarak to leave the theatre of power. It was the first and foremost of the demands of oppressed Egyptians. But by getting Mubarak agree to leave the reins of power, the US was effecting a master plan of itself. It had no intention of helping Egyptians to achieve the goal of real democracy. In reality, US was trying to hold back the powerful Egyptian military in its control. When in a grim, cold February night Mubarak announced his plan to leave the power plateform, what came in his place was the real whitewash, a masterly mischief of the US and its cronies. In place of Mubarak, a military junta, led by Egyptian Army Chief General Tantawi, came to control the power, with a promise that it is only a transitional arrangement. Eight Months have passed since Tantawi took controls of Egyptian government and for Egyptian people, dreams of democracy are still very distant. In fact, lots of water has passed through Nile, since masses of Egypt rose hand in hand against the rule of Mubarak. Now Egypt is again marred by sectarian violence between majority Muslims and minority Christians. The fresh steam of unity has evaporated and bloody, vicious air of animosity has taken its place. In effect, the Egyptian dreams have succumbed to the tyranny of the Empire.
Another story of mischief was scripted in the backyard of Egypt, when common people of Libya demanded liberation from Colonel Gaddafi. Sensing the mood of people and sniffing an opportunity to overthrow their old enemy, the US, helped by its European satellites, grabbed this urge for change. This time the Empire did not want to let the winds of change stray and be against it. So, US intervened more directly and militarily, in Libya. Led by the forces of NATO and under the garb of UN mandate, bombing civilians in the name of saving them, the US effected another regime change in the name of planting the tree of democracy in Libya. Anyone who saw the bloodied image of murdered Gaddafi could see the US’ folly in its most brazen form.
But as and when CIA confirmed the death of Gaddafi, African origin occupant of White House, Barack Hussain Obama came smiling before the cameras to announce Empire’s another feat of dethroning a foreign ruler by dubious means. Obama said, “This week, we had two powerful reminders of how we've renewed American leadership in the world. In Libya, the death of Moammar Gadhafi showed that our role in protecting the Libyan people, and helping them break free from a tyrant, was the right thing to do.”
He also said that three tyrannical rulers of Arab world have gone into the pages of history and two more, need to go. One of these two, Abdullah Saleh of Yemen has been a close ally of the US for years. In claiming another achievement and reinforcing American leadership of democratic world, Obama carefully ignored the Sultan of Bahrain, who was barely saved from being thrown out of throne by his own people, when US’ ally’s Saudi Arabia sent elite troops, to help the king. At the same time, the democratic messiah of free world, Obama did not forget to stress for a democratic change in Syria, ruler of which is not an ally of the Empire. To make a pun on his master, Abullah Saleh of Yemen did accept that his country needs a change of leadership (i.e. end of his own rule, which has been dubbed anti people and tyrannical), but refused to divulge, when he is going to quit.
Though Obama and leaders of US’ European satellites have vowed to plant the trees of democracy in barren Arab land but it seems more than ironical when we see the same free world supporting the monarchies of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Hope Floats
It was a historical day in the life of common Tunisians, when on 23rd of October this year they queued up in hordes to vote for their choice of political parties. In the history of this southern Mediterranean country, this was the first time its citizens were able to vote freely. The power to vote is the biggest democratic achievement. Since Ben Ali fled the country, democratic transition forces are working day and night in Tunisia to make the first flower of Arab Spring to bloom to the fullest.
Another country bordering Tunisia has bloodily got rid of its ruthless ruler of four decades. Gaddafi has been killed and laid to rest in Libya. And, transition government is promising a better future for Libyans. US’ and its European allies have also vowed to make the Libyan liberation a success. It’s a test of their will and intent. It’s a chance for them to win the trust of Arab world.
To the east of Libya, in Egypt, chances of success people’s revolution lay in the intent of its military rulers, who as a temporary arrangement had taken control of nation, when Mubarak left the scene. Revolutionaries are back at Tahrir Square. They are demanding immediate transfer of power to the people from the clutches of military. But to the utter disregard of people’s wishes, military rulers are playing in the hands of their western masters and are firing bullets on their own people. Till now, these bullets of tyranny have failed to dampen the spirit of democracy. Protesting people have shown their resolve by attacking the embassy of Israel in Cairo. Because, it’s the alliance of Israel and Egypt, which the egyptians decry and detest most. They are again camping in Tahrir to press for their demands. We can just hope and pray that democracy will ultimately dance on this great Arab country of Egypt.
One person who stood in a queue in Libyan city of Misrata, to have a glimpse of Gaddafi’s body said, Gaddafi’s death is a lesson for everyone. For people, that they should not let any one to become such a big tyrant and for these cruel rulers that they will meet the same end like any commoner, Death.
