By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
The counter revolution – or the ongoing revolution, depending upon how optimist you are – has left the world – the West as well as the Muslims - in dilemma. The coup d'état once again exposed the hypocrisy of the West, which while claim to champion the causes of democracy the world over, but history is replete with examples where they rather sided with monarchical, authoritarian, dictatorial or military regimes, from Iran (as the recent CIA documents officially confirms) to now Egypt, where they provided lip service in condemning the crushing of pro-democracy and pro-Morsi supporters, but did not stop aid due to ‘strategic’ reasons.
However, the recent turmoil in Egypt, as well as in Syria and other Arab countries have also exposed the Muslim world - including Indian Muslims – of hypocrisies, which they always preferred putting under the rug. The same people who are shedding tears for the deaths in Egypt, have largely justified and supported the rebels in Syria, and that included Turkish prime minister.
Moreover, while Muslim intellectuals, leaders, activists and organisations have been forthright in condemning the usurpation of democratically elected government and use of brute force to crush the the demonstration, and never failed to mention the “Zionist conspiracy,” “hypocrisy of the West,” or the “CIA support to the Egyptian army;” however, the unequivocal support to the military junta by rather authoritarian monarchs of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are noted only in passing, if at all.
When noted political anthropologist Dr Irfan Ahmed wrote about “El-Sisi's reign of terror and the propaganda of 'fascism'”, West , Germany, UK, USA and France found mention and outright condemnation, however, KSA and UAE came only in the last line of the otherwise well argued article.
Ahmed argues – rightly so – about military’s reign of terror and propaganda, and goes on to compare Mustafa Hegazy, advisor to the 'President' Adly Mansour with infamous Propaganda Minister of Nazi Germany’s Goebbels for “instituting lies and vilifying the Egyptians fighting for civil rights, freedom and democracy.” He even accuses the BBC (and by extension Western media) of painting the ongoing protest as “Pro-Morsi” or Muslim Brotherhood, rather than “pro-democracy” for there certainly are some people who are not part of MB, but want democratic government.
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Once the ‘Arab Spring’ began in Tunisia, Egypt soon followed with the popular uprising or ‘January Revolution’ eventually over throwing the Egyptian President for three decades Hosni Mubarak. The largely non-violent protest by the demonstrators, though once started by middle class liberals was soon joined by the Muslim Brotherhood cadre, and so although the two sides were standing united against ‘common enemy’, their agendas were quite different. It is also to the MB credit, who proved backbone to the ‘revolution’ and they reaped the fruit as well when Freedom and Justice Party won the Presidential elections. MB, no doubt, being the only potent opposition from the time of Gemal Nasser, enjoys considerable support on the street, particularly large number of college educated. However, MB seemed to have forgotten that one main reason why army could not use the same brute force in 2011, was because middle class urban population in Cairo – many of whom enjoy considerable support in the West – were on the Tahrir Sqaure too.
As the economy showed no sign of improvement, the newly elected President Mohammad Morsi appeared to be focusing more consolidating his and the party’s position. Thus ‘liberal and secular’ members of the Constituent Assembly had walked out as they feared imposition of strict Islamic laws. Instead of negotiating with them, Morsi issued declaration that would virtually immunize his decrees from challenge. This had enraged the liberals, primarily urban citizens, who announced “Tamarod” protests, that grew violent in December 2012 as they clashed with pro-Morsi supporters. They also led signature campaigns against Morsi and demanded his ouster. Although Morsi had offered “national dialogue,” he refused to take the decrees back.
As the protests continued for months and clashes became more frequent, including attacks on minority Coptic Christians and their churches, military sniffed opportunity to stage come back and eventually set deadlines. On 3 July 2013, General Abdul Fatah al-Sisi staged coup de etat and once again imposed the martial laws and installed a nominal government.
It is interesting to note here that although the Egypt’s march to the path of democracy does not appear to be over yet, but with the the July coup, the revolution that had begun in January 2011 had come full circle. Liberals and urban middle class, which had stood earlier with MB against their common enemy in Mubarak, were now standing in the opposite camp against what they saw as increasingly “Islamist” regime. Thus in the nominal government, Chief Justice Adly Mansour became the interim president. Mohammed el-Baradei, who too joined the government, had then said the coup was to rectify the issues of the revolution. Left leaders also joined the interim government.
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No doubt, liberals, secular democrats and left leaders have made one of the biggest blunder by bringing back the Frankenstein's monster in power, to overthrow whom they had sacrificed so much. Egyptian army, with full support from the Saudi and UAE monarchs, soon started using brute force to curb the pro-Morsi protests, shooting the death toll in thousands. As the Egyptian populations found themselves in mess over the choice they made, they are in shock as protests, violence and death toll continue. Shocked el-Baradei realizes this to his dismay that supporting al-Sisi was akin to riding on proverbial lion, as he faces trial for “betrayal of trust” of the army. On their part KSA and UAE are afraid of spillover effects if MB become strong in Egypt and other Arab countries and see it as potent threat to their family rule, and are hence naturally opposed to Morsi and do not shy away from openly supporting al-Sisi and calling the protesters as “terrorists”.
However, the political turmoil does not absolve Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood from all the responsibilities, as their supporters (and purported pro-democratic activists) across the world are trying to garner support in the name of democracy, that he had won majority votes and that a legitmate government has been removed by coup d'état, their supporters have conveniently ignored the grounds that flared up the tension and eventually led to usurpation of power (This, however, does not justify the coup.).
These new democrats, perhaps intoxicated by power, had forgotten the cardinal principle of nurturing democratic political culture of moderation, cooperation, bargaining and accommodation and to refrain from the “tyranny of majority.” Of course, the Opposition too need to share the blame. Even after the coup, MB did not appear willing for negotiation, demanding that Morsi be first restored.
It is interesting to see back home in India Muslims getting so enraged about the events in Egypt and Palestine, although same fervor and anger is often missing for issues that immediately affect them. Nonetheless, while talking of democracy, the parameters of these Muslim activists and leaders should remain same for all countries and not change from Syria to Egypt, depending upon the sect of their respective rulers and the rebels.
The basic point that I have tried to argue here is that in a conflict, where majority “liberal and secular” Muslims wanted a democratically elected “Islamist” government over-thrown, where rather conservative and largely “Salafi”monarchs are siding with military junta against purported “political Islamists”, the least activists and protesters could do the world over was not try to explain the situation in simple binary of pro/anti-democracy, or simply accusing a some foreign hands of meddling in internal issues. Moreover, while talking of democracy, the parameters of these Muslim activists and leaders should remain same for all countries and not change from Syria to Egypt, depending upon the sect of their respective rulers and the rebels.
Meanwhile, as it appears inevitable that Mubarak may eventually walk free, the chaos may not end any time soon in the land of Pharaohs!
(A slightly edited version of this article appeared in TehelkaBlog )
