Lessons From Uprisings In Arab World
Yuba Nath Lamsal
With globalisation and the revolution in the information and communication sector, the world has become so small that any event - big or small - that takes place in any part of the world has an impact on every corner of the planet. The recent Arab uprising has sent a message across the world, however, differently to different people. The revolution in Tunisia and Egypt, and the changes it has brought about have been music to people wanting change and reform. At the same time, the Arab uprising has sent shock waves to dictators, compradors and repressive rulers in the world.
The revolt in the Arab world has already deposed two of history’s worst dictators. Some others, too, may be counting their last days. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia and Hosni Mubarak of Egypt have fled the country in the face of the unprecedented protests by the people, thereby, paving the way for change and political reforms. But the revolutionaries have not taken rest as they sense conspiracies to abort the spirit of the revolution and impose a dictatorship in different forms.
In Tunisia, people are still watchful, and they are exerting pressure on the new regime not to deviate from the spirit of the revolution. But the situation in Egypt is different. Although Mubarak has relinquished and fled the country, the army has taken over, which could be a more dangerous form of dictatorship. The spirit of the revolution was not to transfer power from one form of dictatorship to another. The change in Egypt is, thus, not complete. This, instead, requires the revolutionaries to intensify their protests for the total end of dictatorship so as to introduce freedom and democracy in the land of the Nile.
The revolution in Tunisia, popularly known as the ‘Jasmine Revolution’, has had a similar impact in the Arab world as the French Revolution in Europe. The banner of the Tunisian revolution was ‘bread, freedom and dignity’, similar to the ‘liberty, equality and fraternity’ slogan of the French Revolution. It is for this reason that the Tunisian revolution was touted as the Arab version of the French revolution. Like the French Revolution that created a wave of revolutionary and political consciousness not only in Europe but in the entire world, the Tunisian revolution also has had a similar impact on the Middle East and the Arab world.
The mayhem has already spread to Yemen, Jordan, Algeria and Iran. The people in the rest of the Arab world, too, are waiting for an opportune time to say good bye to their despotic rulers.
Change is necessary in the world, provided it brings a better and dignified life to the people. People all over the world want change, but it is more so in the Arab world, where democracy and freedom are still alien concepts. The rulers are ruling and trying to consolidate their authoritarian regimes either in the name of religion or Pan-Arab nationalism. But their tactics of fooling the people to protect their regimes are failing, and dictatorial regimes are crumbling one after another like a house of cards.
So far, the popular revolt has been limited to the Arab world, but it is likely to spread to the entire world to liberate oppressed humanity. Revolt is the right of the people, and the people have the right to overthrow a regime peacefully or revolt in order to install a regime of their choice.
As a result, the authoritarian order in the Arab world is being shattered. The developments and change in Egypt will have greater impact and repercussion in the Arab world because of its size and influence. Egypt accounts for roughly one-quarter of the Arab world’s 300 million population. Cairo stands at the heart of Arab culture and power in the Middle East. The transition of political power in Cairo will, thus, have an impact on all countries of the Middle East from Casablanca to Kuwait, Tripoli to Damascus.
This has sent a message to the people of the world that revolution and change are inevitable for bringing change in the lives of the people. This will have its repercussions in Nepal, too, because Nepal is also going through a difficult situation similar to that of most Arab countries. The condition through which Nepal is passing demands a new revolution to establish people’s supremacy and teach the corrupt and power-hungry parties and politicians a lesson that people’s power is invincible.
The political parties and their leaders have played with the fate of the people and the country in their pursuit of partisan and personal interests. Despite the pledges made to the people to give the country a new constitution to institutionalise the achievements of the 2006 popular movement known as Jana Andolan II, the parties have failed in their tasks. As a result, the political situation has only given rise to uncertainty and instability.
The unstable and uncertain situation of the country and failure of the political parties to work in consensus have given rise to external meddling and interference. This has sent a message to the international community that the Nepalese people are not capable of determining their own destiny. As external meddling is growing, a new kind of polarisation is taking shape in Nepal.
The parties seem least bothered about the condition of the country and plight of the people. The life of the people is getting more difficult due to the skyrocketing prices of foodstuffs, poor law and order situation, rampant unemployment and pervasive corruption and cronyism. The parties and leaders of Nepal have pushed the Himalayan republic into a chaotic situation.
The failure of the parties to complete the jobs they were entrusted with has raised a serious question about the parties’ credibility and ability to lead the country. This is a disregard for the verdict of the people who had mandated the parties during the Constituent Assembly election to write the constitution in two years and complete the peace process as early as possible.
Instead some of the parties are acting on the instructions of foreigners, and serving the interests of the external forces than the interest of Nepal. Alien culture and values have so forcefully invaded the country in the name of globalisation and liberalisation that we are slowly losing our national culture and values.
Against this dismal situation, people have no alternative but to go to the streets and revolt against the parties’ misconduct. This, however, does not imply support for the feudal, monarchist and rightist elements. In a multi-party system, parties are here to stay, but the revolt is necessary to bring the parties back on track.
The people, thus, have to revolt against the dictatorship, deceit and deception 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, ready to burst anytime soon as in Tunisia.
The people of Nepal are, therefore, expected to rise from their slumber against the conspiracy being jointly hatched by domestic reactionary forces and external elements. Once they fully awake, the people of Nepal would definitely shake off the foreign meddling and interference, which is necessary to safeguard the sovereignty, national independence, freedom and democracy. The revolutions in the Arab world, perhaps, teach us the necessity of a peaceful mass resurrection to reaffirm the rights and freedom of the people.
With globalisation and the revolution in the information and communication sector, the world has become so small that any event - big or small - that takes place in any part of the world has an impact on every corner of the planet. The recent Arab uprising has sent a message across the world, however, differently to different people. The revolution in Tunisia and Egypt, and the changes it has brought about have been music to people wanting change and reform. At the same time, the Arab uprising has sent shock waves to dictators, compradors and repressive rulers in the world.
The revolt in the Arab world has already deposed two of history’s worst dictators. Some others, too, may be counting their last days. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia and Hosni Mubarak of Egypt have fled the country in the face of the unprecedented protests by the people, thereby, paving the way for change and political reforms. But the revolutionaries have not taken rest as they sense conspiracies to abort the spirit of the revolution and impose a dictatorship in different forms.
In Tunisia, people are still watchful, and they are exerting pressure on the new regime not to deviate from the spirit of the revolution. But the situation in Egypt is different. Although Mubarak has relinquished and fled the country, the army has taken over, which could be a more dangerous form of dictatorship. The spirit of the revolution was not to transfer power from one form of dictatorship to another. The change in Egypt is, thus, not complete. This, instead, requires the revolutionaries to intensify their protests for the total end of dictatorship so as to introduce freedom and democracy in the land of the Nile.
The revolution in Tunisia, popularly known as the ‘Jasmine Revolution’, has had a similar impact in the Arab world as the French Revolution in Europe. The banner of the Tunisian revolution was ‘bread, freedom and dignity’, similar to the ‘liberty, equality and fraternity’ slogan of the French Revolution. It is for this reason that the Tunisian revolution was touted as the Arab version of the French revolution. Like the French Revolution that created a wave of revolutionary and political consciousness not only in Europe but in the entire world, the Tunisian revolution also has had a similar impact on the Middle East and the Arab world.
The mayhem has already spread to Yemen, Jordan, Algeria and Iran. The people in the rest of the Arab world, too, are waiting for an opportune time to say good bye to their despotic rulers.
Change is necessary in the world, provided it brings a better and dignified life to the people. People all over the world want change, but it is more so in the Arab world, where democracy and freedom are still alien concepts. The rulers are ruling and trying to consolidate their authoritarian regimes either in the name of religion or Pan-Arab nationalism. But their tactics of fooling the people to protect their regimes are failing, and dictatorial regimes are crumbling one after another like a house of cards.
So far, the popular revolt has been limited to the Arab world, but it is likely to spread to the entire world to liberate oppressed humanity. Revolt is the right of the people, and the people have the right to overthrow a regime peacefully or revolt in order to install a regime of their choice.
As a result, the authoritarian order in the Arab world is being shattered. The developments and change in Egypt will have greater impact and repercussion in the Arab world because of its size and influence. Egypt accounts for roughly one-quarter of the Arab world’s 300 million population. Cairo stands at the heart of Arab culture and power in the Middle East. The transition of political power in Cairo will, thus, have an impact on all countries of the Middle East from Casablanca to Kuwait, Tripoli to Damascus.
This has sent a message to the people of the world that revolution and change are inevitable for bringing change in the lives of the people. This will have its repercussions in Nepal, too, because Nepal is also going through a difficult situation similar to that of most Arab countries. The condition through which Nepal is passing demands a new revolution to establish people’s supremacy and teach the corrupt and power-hungry parties and politicians a lesson that people’s power is invincible.
The political parties and their leaders have played with the fate of the people and the country in their pursuit of partisan and personal interests. Despite the pledges made to the people to give the country a new constitution to institutionalise the achievements of the 2006 popular movement known as Jana Andolan II, the parties have failed in their tasks. As a result, the political situation has only given rise to uncertainty and instability.
The unstable and uncertain situation of the country and failure of the political parties to work in consensus have given rise to external meddling and interference. This has sent a message to the international community that the Nepalese people are not capable of determining their own destiny. As external meddling is growing, a new kind of polarisation is taking shape in Nepal.
The parties seem least bothered about the condition of the country and plight of the people. The life of the people is getting more difficult due to the skyrocketing prices of foodstuffs, poor law and order situation, rampant unemployment and pervasive corruption and cronyism. The parties and leaders of Nepal have pushed the Himalayan republic into a chaotic situation.
The failure of the parties to complete the jobs they were entrusted with has raised a serious question about the parties’ credibility and ability to lead the country. This is a disregard for the verdict of the people who had mandated the parties during the Constituent Assembly election to write the constitution in two years and complete the peace process as early as possible.
Instead some of the parties are acting on the instructions of foreigners, and serving the interests of the external forces than the interest of Nepal. Alien culture and values have so forcefully invaded the country in the name of globalisation and liberalisation that we are slowly losing our national culture and values.
Against this dismal situation, people have no alternative but to go to the streets and revolt against the parties’ misconduct. This, however, does not imply support for the feudal, monarchist and rightist elements. In a multi-party system, parties are here to stay, but the revolt is necessary to bring the parties back on track.
The people, thus, have to revolt against the dictatorship, deceit and deception 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, ready to burst anytime soon as in Tunisia.
The people of Nepal are, therefore, expected to rise from their slumber against the conspiracy being jointly hatched by domestic reactionary forces and external elements. Once they fully awake, the people of Nepal would definitely shake off the foreign meddling and interference, which is necessary to safeguard the sovereignty, national independence, freedom and democracy. The revolutions in the Arab world, perhaps, teach us the necessity of a peaceful mass resurrection to reaffirm the rights and freedom of the people.
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