Chapter 6: Genealogy of Islamic terrorism
6-8(51) Short spring
banquet
"Arab Spring" was named by Western countries, in particular by its
media or intellectuals. It was defined as resistance and democratization movement
by citizens against the tyranny of dictators in the Middle East and North
African countries. The word "spring" in the political scene was used for
the first time in the Czech democratization movement during the Cold War. It
was called "Prague Spring". The word implied the positive and open-minded
meaning. It became a symbol of the resistance movement against USSR communism. All
of Western Europe media was fascinated itself the sound of the word. The Prague
Spring was crashed by the USSR in 1968. But in 1989 the Velvet Revolution took
place in Czechoslovakia. Unification of East and West Germany followed in the
next year. Western countries were convinced that democracy was absolutely
correct ideology and that Prague Spring was its forerunner.
Through the experience of ‘Prague Spring’, West European people believed
that Arab Spring would be able to achieve the victory overwhelmingly. However,
it was true that Arab Spring brought even more chaos and stagnation in each country
than before. History shows that the extremism seeks further reform while the
conservatism aims to restore the order of good old days. They resume to fight each
other and the society had been disturbed one after another. It took more than 30
years after Prague Spring that Czech accomplished the democratization.
Therefore, it might be too early to judge historical overcome of the Arab
Spring. After 30 years from now Arab countries might possibly turn into Western
style democracy. It will be exactly "Inshallah (if God wills)."
However, it would be valuable to judge the contemporary meaning of Arab
Spring. As mentioned before, there are three identities in the Arab World. They
are ethnicity, religion and ideology.
In Egypt, protest on the street was organized by students. They
demonstrated in Tahrir (Revolution) Square in Cairo in January 2011. It was
exactly same timing with the "Jasmine Revolution" in Tunisia. Following
on the agitation of young students who called to participate to demonstration
by SNS, the demonstration had expanded its scale and filled the Tahrir Square.
They shouted waving national flag and chanted the slogan; "Kefaya (We are
bored)!" They asked for resignation of President Mubarak. Police officers
on site showed sympathy to the demonstrators. Officers themselves were also "Kefaya"
for the President.
President Mubarak gave up to persuade public opinion, and resigned in
February 2011. Then he was arrested on charges of corruption and held in
prison. The demonstration still continued for a while and the government became
malfunction. Citizens hoped to return to a normal and quiet life. The security
force ordered the dismissal of demonstrators. Students were in the euphoria for
a while that they made Mubarak to resign from the President. But it was
unfortunate that they had no concrete vision or firm policies as to what should
be done next. They quarreled each other and insisted own opinion.
It was the Muslim Brotherhood that gained the power. They squeezed into the
gap between citizens and students. The Muslim Brotherhood had already deeply
rooted in the life of citizen as a mutual aid organization of Muslims. In
response to the general election, they formed a political party, namely Freedom
and Justice Party. On the other hand, students and intellectuals aimed to
establish liberal political party.
Prominent intellectuals of the liberal movement had exiled to Western
Europe during the Mubarak regime. They were accustomed to the free and safe
life there. They were argumentative intellectuals without actual action and
could not understand the pain of the citizens stayed in Egypt. They could not
organize the unified political party and could not coordinate with the ordinary
citizen who suffered from tyranny. Students who had too much confidence of the
power of SNS. Even though they could mobilize large-scale demonstration, they could
not make the people to act together. They could not compete against the well-organized
Muslim Brotherhood, which took the initiative of the movement. Students
lamented that the revolution was hijacked by Muslim Brotherhood. It was true
that young people spread the news of suicide tragedy of a Tunisian youth by SNS
and led the movement of "Arab Spring". However, democratic ideology
was still not rooted in Islamic society like in Europe or the United States.
Middle East Arab world is still the society that is dominated by blood of
ethnicity and religious faith of Islam.
Freedom and Justice Party of the Muslim Brotherhood gained overwhelming victory
in the first fair election in Egyptian history. The reign of President Mohamed
Morsi, however, had lasted only one year and so. Morsi with little political
experience repeatedly fainted from the economic policy management. In addition,
the peoples' heart was completely left from the Muslim Brotherhood due to its
nepotism for their members. Young people again demonstrated on the
The fate of ‘Arab Spring’ in other Middle Eastern countries was much
shorter than Egypt. Many of them fell into chaos and disorder. After the fall
of Gaddafi in Libya, a large number of weapons flowed into the black market and
resulted in a civil war between tribes. Same as in Yemen. President Saleh was
exiled abroad. Saudi Arabia, as a mediator, helped to establish a new interim government.
But as Yemen is the tribal society, Houthi factions gained momentum and former
President Saleh joined to Houthi insurgency and occupied the capital Sana'a.
The Hadi interim government escaped to Aden and managed to maintain a power
with the support by Saudi-led coalition’s airstrike. International community
stamped on Yemen as failed state same as Libya.
Syria would be the best example of Arab Spring ended in a failed state. Syria
was split into many political pieces, i.e. Assad government, Islamic State (IS),
Sunni anti-government forces, etc. At the same time there was also a fight between
the international powers which was involved in the fight in search for hegemony.
Islamic State was destroyed through international cooperation. Assad regime
with Russian support regained the power while the West and the Arab Sunni countries
took a time. The democratic forces in Syria, which was expected as a flagship
of the Arab Spring, revealed inability and was completely diminished.
What was the Arab Spring? There is endless debate until now. The word ‘Spring’
sounds sweet. But it causes misunderstanding. Western people use Spring and
democracy in the same political meaning. They insist that democracy is absolutely
the right ideology in modern society. Why they force on their own dogma denying
the different culture? They are not generous for others.
Anyhow,
it can be said that "Arab Spring" was a short spring banquet in 2011.
(To
be continued ----)
By Areha Kazuya
E-mail: areha_kazuya@jcom.home.ne.jp
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