RANT: Mors(i)ls of Egyptian Democracy

The outcome of Egypt's Arab Spring has been leaving me very uneasy for some time now. What was so exciting and so energizing for me to witness on TV and on the Internet last year, has become disconcerting and disturbing. 

Because for some time now I have realized that democracy and a 'new dawn' in Egypt has been nothing more than smoke and mirrors and wishful thinking. An excellent article by Chris Hedges posted on Monday on the Common Dreams website has offered me the insight into the Egyptian situation that I have been wanting and know that I have been missing.

Things have come to a head in Egypt with the first round voting for the country's new Constitution, which formed the basis for Hedges' article, and which is entitled. "Morsi: Egypt's New Pharaoh."


Courtesy of Carlos Latuff at Latuff Cartoons

President Mohamed Morsi has been unsettling more than just a few million people in his own country. Many liberal and progressive thinkers and activists, both within Egypt and worldwide, now know that Morsi is part of a much wider and deeper and malevolent conspiracy to achieve absolute power in Egypt - power that is anything but democratic. As Hedges reports:
"It is the story of most revolutions. The moderates, who are crucial to winning the support of the masses and many outside the country, become an impediment to the consolidation of autocratic power. Liberal democrats, intellectuals, the middle class, secularists and religious minorities including Coptic Christians were always seen by President Mohamed Morsi and his Freedom and Justice Party—Egypt’s de facto political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood—as “useful idiots.” These forces were essential to building a broad movement to topple the dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak. They permitted Western journalists to paint the opposition in their own image. But now they are a hindrance to single-party rule and are being crushed."

So that is what all the 'brotherhood' on the streets of Cairo last year was a ll about - it wasn't about the brotherhood of men trying to topple the odious Mubarak regime, but the Muslim Brotherhood of men trying to topple the odious Mubarak regime. Except they were behind the scenes rubbing their hands with glee as they used their "useful idiots" and now manipulate their puppet, Morsi, to do their political bidding.
As Hedges states:
"The referendum masks the real center of power, which is in the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood. The party has no intention of diluting or giving up that power. For example, when it appeared that the Supreme Constitutional Court would dissolve the panel—stacked with party members—that was drafting the new constitution, the Brotherhood locked the judges out of the court building. Three dozen members of the panel, including secularists, Coptic Christians, liberals and journalists, quit in protest. The remaining Islamists, in defiance of the judges, held an all-night session Nov. 29 and officially approved the 63-page document."

He continues by adding:
"The draft constitution is filled with disturbingly vague language about democratic rights, civil liberties, the duties of women and the role of the press. It gives Islamic religious authorities control over the legislative process and many aspects of daily and personal life. One reason the constitution is expected to pass, apart from voting fraud, is because many liberals, secularists and Copts have walked away in disgust from electoral participation."


Hedges is of the opinion that the Brotherhood were reluctant when the Arab Spring took hold in Tahrir Square and spread all over Cairo and beyond in early 2011, only to seize the opportunity as events unfolded. I am not so sure. Hedges definitely knows his Middle East politics far better than I, but somehow I feel that the Muslim Brotherhood may have very well manipulated this whole 'Spring' far more than he thinks, probably from the very outset.
How very, very nifty and cunning of the Brotherhood. And how very stupid I feel - the gullible, naive Westerner so convinced that real, meaningful change was coming to the nation of the Nile. Stupid, naive me.

And now the Muslim Brotherhood orchestrates their grand takeover of Egyptian politics, society and life. And up in smoke will go the aspirations of a democratic, secular dawn for Egypt. Now all it seems is that an authoritarian, Islamist nightmare awaits that nation.

What a waste all of that emotion and jubilation and blood of Tahrir Square, as yet another nation is laid waste to the grubby, vicious fanaticism of religious fundamentalism.

What a great, great shame.

Do you get my point?

RAVE: A Positive Anniversary - Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution

As this week saw a shameful anniversary like that of Guantanamo Bay, so it too saw an anniversary to be celebrated - Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution is one-year old.



It was the genesis of a year of street protests and People Power all over the world; the very germination of what became known as the Arab Spring.

However many disappointments may have occurred in the aftermath of the Jasmine Revolution, and however many doubts may yet exist on the outcome of this Revolution, it must still remain a momentous, gigantic occasion for which Tunisians must be justifiably proud.

As with all revolutions that topple terror, greed and corruption, and free a people from that, every one of us is ultimately indebted to those who fought for those freedoms.

Do you get my point?

RAVE: It Says It All - Arab Spring 'Eggs'

This cartoon I came across today really says it all:



It's brilliant.

The Arab Spring does seem to continue unabated as summer unfolds in the Maghreb and Middle East:

Tunisia: The proud birthplace of this 'Spring' continues to have its issues as its people try to reach their objectives against a stubborn ruling class. Power to the People.

Egypt: Mubarak was justly booted out - but now the people are back in the streets and in the iconic Tahrir Square demanding the Army follow through on its reform promises. As they rightly should demand. Power to the People.

Bahrain: The Saudis had to be called in to bail out the ruler, in what was a shocking display of  authoritarian muscle-flexing. But the people have won some concessions for now. Power to the People.

Yemen: A total mess for now, it must be said, but the 20-odd years regime was shook to the core and reforms are still on the cards in this poorest of Arab countries. Power to the People.

The other two remaing eggs yet to be fully broken:

Libya: The most 'testy' egg of all. Yes, the current conflict to 'aid the rebels' against Gaddafi may indeed be very cynical on the part of the United States, EU and Nato. Libya's oil reserves no doubt are key to all of their 'help'. But, nevertheless, Gaddafi's days do appear to be numbered and there is no denying that the Arab Spring 'flu' caught on here, regardless of geopolitics. Power to the People.

Syria: This egg needs to be broken. Assad, for all his preachings of being a 'reformer', has been brutal in his suppression of protests and killed hundreds of his people in the process. He is no democrat and it seems the bastard needs to go. I hope the Syrians are up for it. Power to the People.

The Moroccan king has been smart (not to mention scared?) enough to hastily call for reforms in order to ensure national unity, as did the government of Algeria to a lesser extent...for now. I have no doubt that the governments of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and even Iran continue to watch this Spring very nervously.

As ever, power to the peoples of the Arab Maghreb and Middle East. May their Spring continue, with all its many challenges and complexities.

Do you get my point?

RANT: The Occupation of Bahrain

The world's attention remains understandably riveted on the ongoing tragic events in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.





However, something very serious is afoot in the Middle East. More to the point, something very serious is going on in the Gulf state of Bahrain. The small island state, rocked in recent weeks by mass protests against the ruling monarch and elites, is now occupied by no less than about 1000 soldiers from Saudi Arabia. You know, that bastion of democracy, freedom and rule of law. The Saudis have been joined by soldiers from neighbouring countries Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

According to the BBC, they have been called in by Bahrain's rulers in an effort to "guard key facilities such as oil and gas installations and financial installations." Of course, it makes sense - make sure the bucks and oil are well protected whilst the people revolt in the streets. 

The BBC also stated how the Bahraini opposition viewed the foreign troops on their territory as "[amounting] to an occupation." You got that right.

Imagine suddenly having soldiers of a country with one of the most hardline and appalling human rights records in the world (read: Saudi Arabia) in your midst as you yourself try to overthrow an authoritarian regime in your own country...

The Bahraini people have a lot to be worried about with this latest development in their recent quest to rid themselves of the ruling monarch. I sure wouldn't want the likes of Saudi Arabia flexing its muscle in my front yard.

If this isn't occupation by foreign powers, then what the hell is?

Do you get my point?