Arab World wakes up: What lesson for Nepal?
Yuba Nath Lamsal
It began in Tunisia and the mayhem is slowly spreading to other countries of the Middle East. Already Egypt and Yemen are feeling the heat. Iraq is not yet settled even after the withdrawal of US combat troops and Saudi Arabia is likely to implode any time because public grumbling and grievances against the despotic regime are at the boiling level. Iran has undergoing fear psychosis as the United States-led western world is set to strike at Teheran with suspicion that Iran was proliferating nuclear bomb. As the heat of the public protests is building up in the Middle East and North Africa, the world is watching the events in the Arab world more closely as its fallout would have serious and dangerous repercussion in the rest of the world if the problems are not addressed in time and people's voices not heard.
· In a way or the other, upheaval is rising in the Arab world and spreading beyond national border. The dictatorial rulers of the Middle East are feeling hot water and now trying to devise a way out to crack down the public protests. Given the mood of the people and nature of the protest, the public anger is not likely to subside so easily and so soon without achieving their goal—the goal of liberation from theocratic, feudal and imperialist exploitation and enjoy freedom, dignity and democracy.
· The revolution in Tunisia, which is also called the ' Jasmine Revolution', was touted as the Arab version of French Revolution. The French Revolution had been an inspiration for the entire world to stand up against despotism. So is Tunisian revolution in the Arab world. In the mid-January, people mainly youths of Tunisia took to street with the slogan "Bread, Freedom, Dignity", almost akin to the slogan of French Revolution— Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. The protesters initially faced brutal repression of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. As the revolution continued to build up, the Tunisian dictator president fled the country to seek asylum in Saudi Arabia. The events--largely spearheaded by youth using social media to coordinate demonstrations and share information, as well as by Arab-language television news channels especially the Al Jazeera instilled the message of revolution in the mind of people in the Middle East and North Africa. Fed up with cronyism and corruption of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali regime, the Tunisians youths were demanding change—the progressive change—that would not only end cronyism and corruption but also guarantee employment and democracy in Tunisia. The events in Tunisia has already brought about change in the regime and dust is still not settled as the Tunisian people are demanding not just the change of regime but a structural changes in the political and economic fronts that would end the perpetual exploitation and discriminations of all kinds. It has sent a message to the Arab world that change is inevitable for which people must wake up. The anti-government protests are building up in Egypt, which has sparked the wave of fear to Hosni Mubarak's iron fist regime in Egypt. Although Mubarak is trying to calm down the public ire, anti-government protests continue to flare up spreading far and wide in Egypt.
· Some pundits claim that dictatorships are often stable but the events in the Middle East are testament to the fact that the stability maintained with iron fist would not last long and collapse ultimately. The power of the people is invincible and anyone who tries to play with the power of people is destined to cave in. 'Stability first and freedom next' is what some tend to propagate. In a chaotic situation that we have seen in various parts of the world including Nepal, peace and stability are the first and foremost priorities. However, peace and stability in the absence of freedom is farce and dead peace does not ensure stability and development anywhere in the world. Freedom and stability should go hand in hand and freedom should, under no circumstances, be compromised in the name of peace and stability.
· Egypt also needs to change in the way Tunisia witnessed change. The events in Egypt have shaken Mubarak's 30 year-long regime. The opposition leader Mohammad Elbaradei, who was once head of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is back in Egypt to lead the movement and has been accorded hero's welcome by the people. The way movement has intensified, Mubarak's days seem to have been over unless he announces political and economic reforms. As said by Elbaradei, the protests are the manifestoes for change in Egypt, which President Hosni Mubarak must listen to and respond accordingly.
· So far, Mubarak does not seem to have understood the call and message of the protests. He has not only clamped curfew to bar the protesters to come out to the streets but also has reshuffled the cabinet with the hope that the cosmetic changes may pacify the movement. People have already defied curfew and continued to demand reforms and change in the land of the Nile. This is a clear signal that the days of Mubarak are number and if he continues to ignore the call of the people, he would also have to face the same fate that Tunisian dictator did.
The Arab region is the world's existing bastion of dictatorship. Nowhere in the Arab world people have had the taste of freedom and democracy. Most Arab rulers are ruling with iron hands in the name of religion. But no religion including Islam defends dictatorship. The essence of all religions in the world is freedom from fear and freedom from want. Now the people have understood the real meaning of religion and stood for their rights. As a result, the Arab world is trembling, which is certain to bring about democratic change in the entire region. Starting with the ouster of Tunisia's dictator, Arab people are now emboldened to challenge the dictatorship. While people all over the world in general and in Arab world in particular are expressing their solidarity with the protesters in Tunisia, Egypt and Yemen, the dictators of the region have backed the despotic regime of Egypt. Jordan and Yemen have also been shaken due to the fear of possible revolt. Saudi Arabia, which is largest dictatorial regime in the Arab world, may be next target of revolutionaries. Similarly, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and United Arab Emirates are also waiting revolutions.
The Middle East is a primary source of world's fossil energy. If the region turns into chaotic state, it would send strong ripples to the rest of the world. So far, the despots of the region are ruling with iron hand with the help of petro dollars and with the backing of western capitalist countries. No power in the world wants to lose hold on Middle East because losing hold in the Middle East would mean losing reliable source of energy supply. The world powers ranging from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia and China, are, therefore, coaxing the regimes in the Arab world to ensure unrestricted supply of petro energy. However, situation is beginning to change. The people have risen against their own despotic regime. It is now time that the international community changes its opinion and policy in relation with the Middle East and the Arab World.
Revolting against authoritarian and repressive regimes is the right of the people. In other words, people always have the right to revolt, which the Tunisian youths have proved. Similar process is going on in Egypt as people are on the streets to change regime and bring about democratic reforms and change in their country. This has given the message to the people of the world that revolution and change are inevitable to change the life of people. This will have repercussion in Nepal, too, because Nepal is also going through difficult situation. The condition through which Nepal is passing, a new revolution is a must to ensure the supremacy of the people. In the name of multi-party system, the political parties and their leaders have played with the fate of the people and the country. The country's sovereignty is at stake and foreigners are openly meddling and interfering in Nepal's internal affairs. Nepali people are slowly losing the right to decide their own destiny because of the parties' capitulation to external powers. Similarly, the life of the people is getting difficult, as inflation is skyrocketing, law and order is in the lowest ebb, unemployment is rampant, corruption and cronyism is pervasive.
The parties and leaders of Nepal have pushed the Himalayan republic into chaotic situation, which has added a strong apathy to the mind of the people. The parties that were entrusted with the responsibility of writing a new constitution in two years and subsequently concluding the ongoing peace process to transform the country into a peaceful and inclusive democracy have utterly failed which has raised a serious question over parties' credibility and ability to lead the country. The largest party in parliament is being pushed to the corner and is not being given the responsibility of leading the government as well as the constitution writing process at the behest of external forces. This is a disregard to the verdict of the people and also a treachery against the country. Acting on the instructions of foreigners to serve the interests of the external forces in the expense of national interest is an act of treason and those who are doing so are traitors. The people, thus, have to revolt and will revolt against the treachery of the parties and leaders. Revolt is necessary to safeguard Nepal's sovereignty and national identity. All these conditions have indicated that a people's revolution is ripening in Nepal which would burst anytime soon in the same way Tunisian people have woken up.
It began in Tunisia and the mayhem is slowly spreading to other countries of the Middle East. Already Egypt and Yemen are feeling the heat. Iraq is not yet settled even after the withdrawal of US combat troops and Saudi Arabia is likely to implode any time because public grumbling and grievances against the despotic regime are at the boiling level. Iran has undergoing fear psychosis as the United States-led western world is set to strike at Teheran with suspicion that Iran was proliferating nuclear bomb. As the heat of the public protests is building up in the Middle East and North Africa, the world is watching the events in the Arab world more closely as its fallout would have serious and dangerous repercussion in the rest of the world if the problems are not addressed in time and people's voices not heard.
· In a way or the other, upheaval is rising in the Arab world and spreading beyond national border. The dictatorial rulers of the Middle East are feeling hot water and now trying to devise a way out to crack down the public protests. Given the mood of the people and nature of the protest, the public anger is not likely to subside so easily and so soon without achieving their goal—the goal of liberation from theocratic, feudal and imperialist exploitation and enjoy freedom, dignity and democracy.
· The revolution in Tunisia, which is also called the ' Jasmine Revolution', was touted as the Arab version of French Revolution. The French Revolution had been an inspiration for the entire world to stand up against despotism. So is Tunisian revolution in the Arab world. In the mid-January, people mainly youths of Tunisia took to street with the slogan "Bread, Freedom, Dignity", almost akin to the slogan of French Revolution— Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. The protesters initially faced brutal repression of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. As the revolution continued to build up, the Tunisian dictator president fled the country to seek asylum in Saudi Arabia. The events--largely spearheaded by youth using social media to coordinate demonstrations and share information, as well as by Arab-language television news channels especially the Al Jazeera instilled the message of revolution in the mind of people in the Middle East and North Africa. Fed up with cronyism and corruption of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali regime, the Tunisians youths were demanding change—the progressive change—that would not only end cronyism and corruption but also guarantee employment and democracy in Tunisia. The events in Tunisia has already brought about change in the regime and dust is still not settled as the Tunisian people are demanding not just the change of regime but a structural changes in the political and economic fronts that would end the perpetual exploitation and discriminations of all kinds. It has sent a message to the Arab world that change is inevitable for which people must wake up. The anti-government protests are building up in Egypt, which has sparked the wave of fear to Hosni Mubarak's iron fist regime in Egypt. Although Mubarak is trying to calm down the public ire, anti-government protests continue to flare up spreading far and wide in Egypt.
· Some pundits claim that dictatorships are often stable but the events in the Middle East are testament to the fact that the stability maintained with iron fist would not last long and collapse ultimately. The power of the people is invincible and anyone who tries to play with the power of people is destined to cave in. 'Stability first and freedom next' is what some tend to propagate. In a chaotic situation that we have seen in various parts of the world including Nepal, peace and stability are the first and foremost priorities. However, peace and stability in the absence of freedom is farce and dead peace does not ensure stability and development anywhere in the world. Freedom and stability should go hand in hand and freedom should, under no circumstances, be compromised in the name of peace and stability.
· Egypt also needs to change in the way Tunisia witnessed change. The events in Egypt have shaken Mubarak's 30 year-long regime. The opposition leader Mohammad Elbaradei, who was once head of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is back in Egypt to lead the movement and has been accorded hero's welcome by the people. The way movement has intensified, Mubarak's days seem to have been over unless he announces political and economic reforms. As said by Elbaradei, the protests are the manifestoes for change in Egypt, which President Hosni Mubarak must listen to and respond accordingly.
· So far, Mubarak does not seem to have understood the call and message of the protests. He has not only clamped curfew to bar the protesters to come out to the streets but also has reshuffled the cabinet with the hope that the cosmetic changes may pacify the movement. People have already defied curfew and continued to demand reforms and change in the land of the Nile. This is a clear signal that the days of Mubarak are number and if he continues to ignore the call of the people, he would also have to face the same fate that Tunisian dictator did.
The Arab region is the world's existing bastion of dictatorship. Nowhere in the Arab world people have had the taste of freedom and democracy. Most Arab rulers are ruling with iron hands in the name of religion. But no religion including Islam defends dictatorship. The essence of all religions in the world is freedom from fear and freedom from want. Now the people have understood the real meaning of religion and stood for their rights. As a result, the Arab world is trembling, which is certain to bring about democratic change in the entire region. Starting with the ouster of Tunisia's dictator, Arab people are now emboldened to challenge the dictatorship. While people all over the world in general and in Arab world in particular are expressing their solidarity with the protesters in Tunisia, Egypt and Yemen, the dictators of the region have backed the despotic regime of Egypt. Jordan and Yemen have also been shaken due to the fear of possible revolt. Saudi Arabia, which is largest dictatorial regime in the Arab world, may be next target of revolutionaries. Similarly, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and United Arab Emirates are also waiting revolutions.
The Middle East is a primary source of world's fossil energy. If the region turns into chaotic state, it would send strong ripples to the rest of the world. So far, the despots of the region are ruling with iron hand with the help of petro dollars and with the backing of western capitalist countries. No power in the world wants to lose hold on Middle East because losing hold in the Middle East would mean losing reliable source of energy supply. The world powers ranging from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia and China, are, therefore, coaxing the regimes in the Arab world to ensure unrestricted supply of petro energy. However, situation is beginning to change. The people have risen against their own despotic regime. It is now time that the international community changes its opinion and policy in relation with the Middle East and the Arab World.
Revolting against authoritarian and repressive regimes is the right of the people. In other words, people always have the right to revolt, which the Tunisian youths have proved. Similar process is going on in Egypt as people are on the streets to change regime and bring about democratic reforms and change in their country. This has given the message to the people of the world that revolution and change are inevitable to change the life of people. This will have repercussion in Nepal, too, because Nepal is also going through difficult situation. The condition through which Nepal is passing, a new revolution is a must to ensure the supremacy of the people. In the name of multi-party system, the political parties and their leaders have played with the fate of the people and the country. The country's sovereignty is at stake and foreigners are openly meddling and interfering in Nepal's internal affairs. Nepali people are slowly losing the right to decide their own destiny because of the parties' capitulation to external powers. Similarly, the life of the people is getting difficult, as inflation is skyrocketing, law and order is in the lowest ebb, unemployment is rampant, corruption and cronyism is pervasive.
The parties and leaders of Nepal have pushed the Himalayan republic into chaotic situation, which has added a strong apathy to the mind of the people. The parties that were entrusted with the responsibility of writing a new constitution in two years and subsequently concluding the ongoing peace process to transform the country into a peaceful and inclusive democracy have utterly failed which has raised a serious question over parties' credibility and ability to lead the country. The largest party in parliament is being pushed to the corner and is not being given the responsibility of leading the government as well as the constitution writing process at the behest of external forces. This is a disregard to the verdict of the people and also a treachery against the country. Acting on the instructions of foreigners to serve the interests of the external forces in the expense of national interest is an act of treason and those who are doing so are traitors. The people, thus, have to revolt and will revolt against the treachery of the parties and leaders. Revolt is necessary to safeguard Nepal's sovereignty and national identity. All these conditions have indicated that a people's revolution is ripening in Nepal which would burst anytime soon in the same way Tunisian people have woken up.
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