For far too long the Egyptians and the Arabs of the region have
held themselves in contempt. The Arab people cowered under the tyranny of the nizam – the regimes. The regimes ruled
by fear and favour. Eradicating opposition and dissidents while pouring out gratifications
to supporters, fattening first families and cronies, and ensuring strong
military support. The regimes kept a false facade of resistance and confronting
imperialism in the guise of Western and Israeli designs but kept back channels open
to enrich themselves and their cronies extending their life support system for
their misrule. The poorer regimes were funded and sustained by funnels of
money, aid and other means by those they declared as enemies of Arabs.
The military which should be safeguarding defences and
borders were busy suppressing the population, deeply involved in politics and enriching themselves.
The regimes stifle freedom, progress and creativity of their
own nations. The intelligentsia , people
possessing cultural and political influence are driven away migrating mostly to
the West. They include professionals, academics, businessmen and clerics. These
are welcomed by their host countries but are sadly rejected by their own
regimes. The Arab people on the street could only grumble and murmur in their
disappointment.
Every Arab knows the mukhabarat,
the feared gruesome secret police, the state intelligence operatives who spy
and spook their own citizens into submission. Their dark cells and dungeons are
filled with those who oppose, who seek freedom, who question corruption and
anyone the regime simply has suspicions. In these dark cells of Egypt many were
tortured, which some believe to have led to those few emerging from them
bringing radicalism and extremism to the fore.
But out of these tormenting
prisons also came the resilient Muslim Brotherhood, who persevered and maintained
their principles and their moderation even under the most extreme provocations
and persecution. They were driven underground but still managed to sustain
their organization, their resolve and their commitment to the cause. They
attracted a large pool of professionals as well as keeping in touch with people
on the streets with their projects and their welfare. Their movement and their
programs kept people aware, informed and above all, having hope, faith and
belief in themselves, and in a higher
order of life much more distinct then living under a crooked regime.
When Morsi became president of Egypt, he immediately laid
the gambit. He called for parliament to
convene. By doing so, he is establishing that he is not a stooge nor a stool
pigeon of SCAF or the former regime. He is not double dealing with the
intransigent military chiefs who have had good lives and all the privileges
that common Egyptians never had. Detractors of Ikhwan would use doublespeak to accuse the parliament of being “stacked”
with Ikhwan members but these were
freely elected MPs who deserve to be in the assembly.
Every commentator on Egyptian affairs predicts a stand off
between Morsi and Ikhwan vs SCAF and the old institutions packed with regime
appointees. But it is actually the Egyptian people against all those who stand
against freedom and liberation. It depends on whether more and more Egyptians
are enlightened and liberated in sustaining the cause of freedom. After all
these difficult months, whether the people are already tired of walking and demonstrating
in Medan Tahrir, the freedom square. Whether they have the will to stay the
cause, to overcome their own debilitating regard to determine their own lives
and to shake off fully away from the clutches of the old decrepit regime.
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