Renaissance reaches the Arab world
Photo: udfl.net
The Renaissance has finally reached the southern shores of the Mediterranean after a few centuries of wait in anguish. The rich blue water of the Nile and the gray pyramids, have given the final call to the people of the surrounding areas to rise. Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, Algeria, Jordon - just about every people in that belt is on the street for democracy and human rights. Nondescript Tunisia may have provided the spark but Egypt, has given the final call to wake up. It is now a tsunami lashing the despots of the Middle East, like rising sun chasing the darkness. The fundamental question has finally come from the quivering heart of the millions- the country belongs to whom: the kings, dictators or the people? The shadow of darkness fell on the rulers and the ruled when they failed to cultivate religion with reason to walk into the modern era. European nations liberated themselves and conquered the world. Democratic aspirations of the awakened masses in many regions are still facing the brutality and regress of the cave age. The way Gaddafi is shooting his people in Libya even an occupation force would not dare to do that in 21st century. The human spirit will not surrender to the brutalities of Gaddafi. By the time this article goes into print, in all probability, he will be no more in power. There cannot be a global village without universal culture of values and reasoning. It is time to allow the people to rule themselves. They are ready to vote to elect their own government to ensure their welfare. The universe belong to the creator, but the state belongs to the people why else they should die on the streets of Cairo, Manama, Tripoli and many other places? The right of the people to select their government is fundamental. If government by the people is in doubt, everything else has a tendency to default. 21st century has little capacity to tolerate the savagery of the despots. The disorder comes as the best brains in business have pushed the global economic integration far ahead of politics. We hear the rumblings of the French Revolution in the Middle East now. It has to go ahead with the singleness of mind. There is no need for faultfinding with the past that may cause loss of momentum. Even recovery of the billions of stolen public money is not the top priority of the moment. If the countries in the struggle try to achieve everything in one go, there is danger larking in the woods. No matter weak and under performing, no matter on nursery bed, need of the time is the consolidation of democracy. The birth of democracy is inevitable either peacefully or coercively. National boundaries are falling apart in Europe to accommodate the rights of individual. Every society will have to concede to the advancement of new dawn of reasoning over the state sovereignty. African American President Obama spoke boldly in Cairo for the first time to bridge the gap between West and the Muslims. An underdog by birth, he knows how a suppressed heart quivers for freedom. The Muslims have no choice but to hang on to the vision of the president for closer ties with the West to walk out of the morass of the past. The stakeholders in the misrule of the Middle East are the greatest impediments to reforms long overdue. The Americans must remain pledge bound in the birth pang of democracy among their friends and foes. We happily observe, they have taken a people friendly stand in the Middle East. If the West maintains this strategic aim in spite of temporary dislocation of interest, it would bring long-term benefits on both the shores of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. The time has come to realize that revolts and revolutions will eventually sweep away the monarchs and dictators-who should better concede than be conquered. The West must fully perceive that only universal democracy can weed out threat to the open societies. Jihad will go if democracy becomes the sole game of politics in the Muslim belt. If rulers continue to resort to repression and force, the democracies should be ready to support the cause of the people in more ways than statements. The Egyptian armed forces have a mixed history. They dislodged King Faruk only to produce series of dictators one after another in the last six decades. People never got their promised freedom. The power that has passed to the generals through blood and tears of the people of Egypt this time may appear tempting once more. However, denial of democracy will be betrayal by the generals; certainly it will renew the appetite of the people for democracy in more violent ways than hitherto witnessed. The generals in Egypt should handover power to the elected representatives of the people within six months as promised.
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