generalspeaking

That Arab Spring...

Last year's Arab Spring continues to unfold, and to unravel as well. In the sense, of course, that those involved in the mass protests in various countries of the Middle East and North Africa felt themselves to be involved in a movement that would result in liberty, freedom and equality coming their way, and possibly the mounting of democracy in Muslim countries, may now have second thoughts.

While Syria is still battling it out, with the regime brutalizing its challengers, and oppressing their supporters, as the Arab League looks on mightily disturbed over the fact that one of their own has just latterly int he space of a year, slaughtered thousands of its own, in Libya the rival militias in the south have unleashed lethal violence in ongoing clashes, tribe upon tribe. The ruling National Transitional Council struggles to assert its 'authority'.

And in Egypt, the country remains troubled, its economy in disarray, the political scene hugely unsettled, but the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafist party, together holding 80% of the seats in Parliament, chafing at the bit to assume complete leadership and institute Sharia law. Those who had originated the mass protests that led to the downfall of President Hosni Mubarak, holding him accountable for all the ills they perceived in the country are no more content now than they were then.

Still demanding he pay the ultimate penalty for his reign that did not completely or even remotely satisfy the needs of all his critics, they now face the prospect of his former intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who acted as Mr. Mubarak's vice-president just before he was forced from power, now preparing to present himself for presidential elections.

The liberal and leftist parties have reacted to the move by the Islamist parties to move themselves to a position of control of the assembly set to write the new constitution, by insisting they will boycott the constitution-writing process. Thereby, leaving the way clear for the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafists to handily take the advantage given them.

While the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has accused the Islamist leaders of attempts to "pressure the armed forces and its Supreme Council with the intention of making them abandon their national mission to rule the country during the transitional period." And after the transitional period? What then, will become of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces?

"If anyone intends to recreate the former corrupt regime with new faces, the people are willing to move in order to revive their revolution and protect their ship from sinking at the hands of people with no sense of responsibility", according to the Islamist party spokesperson. Which caused the military council to return with an official statement of their own, accusing the Islamists of "baseless slander".

"The Egyptian population knows well who protected its dignity and pride, and who always put the people's best interest before anything else. The armed forces and its council were keen to adhere to that code and not deviate from it as a result of attempts at provocation. We understand that the performance of the government might not satisfy the expectations of the people at this critical stage, but we emphasize that the nation's interest is our foremost priority, and we shall spare no effort to pass through this tough stage."

And, perhaps ominously: "We ask everyone to be aware of the lessons of history to avoid mistakes from a past we do not want to return to, and to look towards the future." Might the future not look slightly more advantageous to the prosperity and prospects for Egypt, should the Muslim Brotherhood be put once again on the back burner of suspicion, and the aging, ailing Hosni Mubarak return to bring order once again to the country he so loves?

Egypt's Coptic Christian minority was nominated six members by the Islamists on the 100-member constitutional assembly panel. And Egyptian women, whose courage in confronting their traditional place in society brought them international respect, have also been given six seats on that panel. The leftist, liberal and secular parties who feel the constitutional assembly should better reflect the range of the Egyptian public, rages helplessly.

But this, then, is the movement and the mechanism that they unwittingly unveiled in their grand scheme to bring freedoms and democracy and equality to their country. Even food scarcity and rising costs that were a motivating factor in the initial protests have taken a back seat, while the country's economy continues to stagnate, and the political standoff continues.

Egypt's secular tradition is now at risk, along with whatever questionable respect for the rights of religious minorities and women there was to begin with, further imperilled. "We are going to continue struggling for a secular Egypt in the streets", insisted Mohammed Abou el Ghar, head of the Social Democratic Party, resigning from the constitutional assembly.

And good luck to that repetitious agenda, spitting in the wind.

Labels: Arab League, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Traditions

posted by Pieface @ Wednesday, March 28, 2012