Arab Awakening –A Spring of Hopes

The Protestor
Humankind would remember the year 2011 for the wave of protests cutting across the political boundaries of the globe, though varied in nature, scale and impact. From Tunisia to Spain, from Manhattan’s Liberty Square to Cairo’s Tahrir Square – the world witnessed an unprecedented phenomenon of people awakening and asserting to change the small world around them. It was not surprising when the Time magazine declared the ‘The Protestor' symbolising the global movements (that includes Arab spring,TheIndignant's movemement,The Tea Party movement, and Occupy Wall Street movement among others) as the ‘Time Man of the Year’.
The protests across the different countries erupted because of the varied reasons mired in the local problems - protest in Middle east was against the repressive regime and for the right to participate in deciding the policies that would shape their future, Occupy movement was against the economic policies of America (policy of laissez faire etc.) that had strengthened and empowered the hands of 1% population and created huge economic disparity among the various sections of the society. India also experienced its first televised mass protest against the corruption of the political class. Among the multitudes of the protests ‘The Arab Spring’ emerged as the most impactful voice of the rebellion that created the ripples around the globe and redefined the role of people courage and conviction in changing the destiny of the nations. Slogan of the demonstrators ‘ash-shab yurid isqat an-nizam'(the people want to bring down the regime)ignited a fire in the desert.

Desert on Fire
People of Tunisia would never forget the twenty six year old young university graduate Mohamed Bouazizi who set himself on fire against the repression of the President Ben Ali regime of Tunisia. The fire did not extinguish with the death of the young crusader in the capital city of Tunisia-riding on the wind of change ,fuelled by the stories of anger and anguish shared on the social networking sites ,flamed by the passion of the young generation it engulfed the Arab World encompassing the North Africa and Arabian Peninsula. Sight of the people with steel like heart and rock like spirit, demanding for their rights at ‘Habib Bourguiba Avenue’ in Tunis , at ‘Tahrir Square in Cairo and on the streets and lanes of the Libiya and Syria sent the shock waves through the corridors of power. King and their men (that includes the self appointed caliphs, chest thumping dictators, presidents who hate democracy and brave monarchs who kill their own men) felt the tremor of change.

Spring of Hopes
The revolution that rocked the Arab world has kindled the hopes for a better future in the heart of the millions inhabiting the Arab land. The hope emanates from the fortitude of the brave people of Tunisia who weathered the storm of terror and tribulations and ended the 23 years rule of President Ben Ali unceremoniously. The zeal and enthusiasm of the men and women defying the rising mercury ,standing in the serpentine queue to vote for their leaders in the historic election strengthens the belief of the people keenly watching the unfolding of the events for a new “Tunisia’.
Hosni Mubarak, the once invincible president of another African nation Egypt had to relinquish power after ruling for three decades. The power unleashed by the people marching on the streets of Cairo and the unparalleled display of grit and gumption by the men , women and children at Tahrir Square changed the course of history .Longest serving President was deserted by his own army and abandoned by his long time friends in power. The years of silent sacrifices and endurance by the people propelled the desired change of the guard at the helm of national affairs. It would be naive to believe that the rule by Military Junta (SCAF) represents the aspiration and wishes of the people of Egypt. But the struggle continues with the unwavering determination for changing the rulers and rules of governence.
Bloodshed and revolutions are not oxymoron – unlike other countries protest in Libya was an armed struggle by the rebel fighters backed by the NATO forces. Western super powers played their nasty game of one-upmanship in the disguise of NATO forces striking to help the rebellion fighters to ouster their enemy ‘Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi’ and export their version of democracy .Bloodshed on the streets of Libya by Gaddfi’s men equally matched by the rebel fighters would shame every sane soul on the planet earth. Brutal "King of Kings of Africa" Muammar Gaddafi was brutally killed by the rebel fighters in collusion with the self proclaimed champions of human rights. NATO backed ‘National Transitional Council(NTC) has assumed the power amid the prevailing chaos and bloody civil strife.
There is a strong undercurrent of political and social changes sweeping across the Arab land. The road ahead is long mired ininsurmountable challenges - but I can sense and see the ray of hope for a bright future in the dark smoke arising from the ruin and rubble of the war:

"ab bhii Khizaa.N kaa raaj hai lekin kahii.n kahii.n
goshe rah-e-chaman me.n Gazal-Khvaa.N huye to hai.n
Thaharii huyii hai shab kii siyaahii vahii.n magar
kuchh kuchh sahar ke rang par-afshaa.N huye to hai.n"

[Though autumn still reigns but in places, nevetheless
The sound of singing can be found in some corners of the garden]
[The darkness of the the night does not seem to lessen
Yet the colours of dawn can be seen in the Eastern sky]


March to Democracy and aftermath
Entire Arab world is going through the turbulent and tumultuous transition. Path to sustainable democracy is stalled by the heaps of stumbling blocks of the various shapes and sizes. Onus lies on the newly elected leaders to seize the opportunity lying in the sea of distressing crisis to address the aspirations of the people. Foremost priority of the governments should be to build the credible and independent institutions of the democratic structure. Independent institutions act as a safety valve for venting the grief and rage of the people in a society undergoing radical transformation.
Seed of democracy sown in the Arab land may not yield immediate fruit; it requires people to exhibit the extreme restraint and patience to allow democracy to take its root. For the political commentators and analysts, it is easy to debate and deliberate about democracy as an idea or ideal form of government but the process of building effective democracy to deliver goods to the people is slow and painstaking. Arab nations’ experiment with the democracy is being closely watched by the array of social scientists, observers and political analysts spread across the nations.
‘Will the democracy survive in this ‘part of the world’ is a million dollar question that cannot answered , can only be analysed retrospectively looking in the callous ‘Mirror of Time’. Enabling democracy to work effectively is the collective responsibility of the people & their representatives as the cost of failure in this politically volatile region would be extremely high for all the stake holders. I congratulate and extend my best wishes to the young generation of the Arab world to live happily and peacefully with the newly found love ‘Democracy’.