The public uprisings across the Middle East that greeted the dawn of the year 2011 came as a
bewilderment to many. Ever since the middle ages, the Middle East-the home of the Arabs and the Spiritual home
of the Islamic world has been ruled by several theocratic minded governments and empires; in all, the reign of
the Caliphs
is still being referred to as the gloriest
of all. The end of the First World War saw the demise of the Ottoman Empire
and for the first time since the time of the Crusades, parts of
the Arab world was ruled by Western Powers under the League
of Nations Mandate. At first, the Arab world basked in the euphoria of
freedom from Ottoman rule but later, Arab independence was sought.
Unlike
the time of the Caliphs
when the Arab world was under one government, this time the Arabs found
themselves partitioned into several countries and at independence, Western
powers (Great Britain and France) installed monarchical governments from the Hashemite
clan to rule. Iraq had King Faisal 1, Jordan had King Abdullah, Egypt had King
Fouad and Libya had King Farouk.
Apparently,
these installed Monarchies were client
regimes to the Allied powers and so a wave of Arab Nationalism arose
shortly in the mid 20th Century- The Baath party and Muslim brotherhood
movement was born. The former party seized power through zealous Nationalist
Military men and installed a wave of secular regimes across the Arab world.
These
regimes were characteristically Sunni led except that of Syria and Iran which
was Alawite and Shiite led. From the time of the Caliphs,
the Arab world has been split along sectarian lines in terms of Islamic
orthodoxy and this trend is a marked irreconcilable
rift among the adherents to the Islamic faith; the Sunni and Shia sect
being the most prominent among other miniature Islamic sects and subsects. At a
time of Arab consciousness, the over 1000year
rift once again came to prominence.
The
Western powers preached democracy and were ready to take their crusade to
heights in Africa especially at times of financial aid. However, when
it came to the Middle
East,
just like the USA’s power play in Central/Latin America in the 20th century, the West was basically
interested installing client regimes-‘doesn’t
matter whether democratic or autocratic’ provided the Jewish State was safe and their
loyalty was ascertained.
For
too long, several minority groups or indeed the Arab world in its entirety was
held under repression. The Kurds, Berbers, Muslim Brotherhood, Sunni, Shiite,
human rights et al; where held below freedom limits and thus a revolution was
not farfetched! The USA and her allies despite fighting off Iraqi expansionist
tendencies in the first gulf war and destroying significant Iraqi military
machinery were involved in the first regime change in the Middle East all in
the quest for ‘democracy among other motives’- the result, an unstable and ungovernable democratic Iraq!
 |
| Saddam Hussein's Statue at the centre of Baghdad being felled by Iraqi's after US troops entered the city in April 2003 Source: bbcnews.com |
Like
the fall of Saddam’s Statue in Baghdad, the Arab spring was greeted with cheers
and thoughts of a prospective Utopia and Nationalistic bliss. Starting with the
fall of the Tunisian regime of Ben Ali (who has always won previous elections
by 98%) to Egypt’s Mubarak, the agony of the Arab Spring oozed with the
military repressions in Libya, Yemen, Bahrain and Syria. Yet, the unimaginable
fall of the regime of the King of Kings of Africa and Imam of Muslims in
Gaddafi’s Libya through Western help gave the impetus for a prolonged Syrian
uprising that has seen Bashir Al-Assad sit tight despite having over 100,000
killed and just a little less than 2million displaced internally and externally
as refugees.
 |
| Hosni Mubarak and Muammar Gaddafi while they still held sway Source:bbcnews.com |
For
Tunisia, it witnessed multiparty elections with a religious backed party
forming the government; the apparatus of state being intact though expectations
are still yet to be met.
The fall of Gaddafi did usher elections too, but with the apparatus of
State in full collapse and the country awash with weapons, the Spring has
brought nothing but an unsafe state truly
governed by armed clans and gangs.
In
Egypt, the Military did play a role in fall of the Mubarak regime and when
elections finally came, the long repressed Muslim Brotherhood came to power. With
expectations high, it’s been one protest after the other for and against
government policies. Everybody now has a say and the exuberance was felt on the
streets. The resultant- with just a year in power, the Muslim brotherhood led
democratic government was brought down by protests albeit a Military coup.
 |
| Bodies of slain Egyptian protesters, most of them members of the Muslim Brotherhood Source:bbcnews.com |
The
Egyptian Streets and squares have exhibited the democratic exuberance of all
sides and parties in Egypt and for progress sake; the Military has stepped in a
crackdown to clear the streets of protesters but not without a drop of blood!
 |
| The Egyptian Military clearing Source:bbcnews.comthe Muslim Brother hood protesters in Cairo |
It
has been bloody in Yemen and Bahrain and Syria continues to shed more. What
lessons do we have to learn?
Revolutionary
results as initially swift will not come easy and fast. Patience is the virtue.
Religious
parties have to redefine governance in a secular atmosphere, such that would accommodate
minorities and respect the rights of everyone. Maybe Tunisia scored important
points in this case.
Care
must be taken to ensure the preservance of the apparatus of state because
revolution aftermaths are usually chaotic. Once again, thumbs up Tunisia!
Revolutions
should have a defined cause, devoid of significant external influence
But the hardest lesson is that, by itself, people
power is not enough. Translating popular protest and popular anger into real
and lasting change is the real deal for any successful revolution.
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