The recent dramatic events in the Middle East and north Africa have taken many by surprise. Beginning in Tunisia, the wave of protest soon crashed into Egypt, where following 18 days of protests waged by ordinary Egyptians, peaceful demonstrators were able to topple their pharaoh.
Outraged and frustrated young protestors, many of whom were condemned to abject poverty by a regime seen as corrupt and heavy-handed, managed to end three decades of Hosni Mubarak’s tyrannical rule.
It did not come without a cost. More than 300 people were killed and over 5,000 were injured when police brutally cracked down on the peaceful protesters. But they stayed firm in Tahrir Square – an appropriate spot since tahrir is the Arabic word for liberation.
Given the notoriety and ruthlessness of the former regime, the colossal meltdown of Mubarak’s gang surprised many. Ordinary people managed to break the fear barrier and are no longer intimidated by the apparatus of repression. They are determined to transform the country into a democracy.
Yet given the history of the military intervention in politics (and in hijacking revolutions), revolutionaries need to remain vigilant. Time will tell whether the ouster of both dictators will bring about true democratic governments representative of all sections of society in Egypt, Tunisia and likely elsewhere in the Arab world.
Meanwhile, with two western-allied dictators toppled in a month, it seems that America and its friends are facing a moral dilemma. They are wrestling with the moral conflict between remaining true to their values of human rights and democracy, and the strategic buttress of authoritarian regimes capable of achieving western interests and preserving stability via oppression.
By turning a blind eye to police brutality and ruthless suppression of peaceful protests, the USA and its European allies often justify it by claiming they do not want to meddle in the domestic affairs of the countries in question.
The challenge facing the west now is the longer-term repercussions of the turmoil for other western allies such as Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan, Libya – the list goes on. Rather than viewing the people of the region as mere herds of cattle, western leaders must understand that long-oppressed people have a formidable power that can bring about a swift and surprising change.
There is a dire need for a new relationship between the west and ‘the rest’. This relationship should be based on mutual respect and economic interdependence. Events in Tunisia and Egypt suggest that western countries need an entirely new foreign policy in the region. It’s clear that the younger generations of the Arab world are ready to open their chests for bullets and sacrifice their lives for thee sake of freedom and democracy.
It is also important to point out that so-called ‘social media’ such as Twitter and Facebook have proven instrumental and empowering in recent uprisings. Despite attempts to cut off the internet, the epic scenes in Tahrir Square would not have been possible without this modern information technology which was effectively used by the well-educated and talented youth of Egypt.
A new era has been ushered in the Middle East where people’s power has played a crucial role in regime change. Right across the region people are thirsty for freedom and aspire for the society of equals where people can have control over their destiny. In simple terms, people want to be governed via consent, not coercion.
Tarig Yousif PhD is a freelance researcher in the field of forced migration and human displacement. He worked for many years as an aid worker in refugee camps in Sudan.
