Dear Editor,
The Arab South America Summit (ASPA) that was scheduled for February 12-16 in Peru has been postponed to April. As well, the Organisa-tion of Islamic Conference Summit (OIC), scheduled for March 14-16, in Egypt will most likely be postponed or moved to another venue due to one of the most turbulent yet vibrant periods in modern Middle East history, that has taken the world by surprise. Arabs today are redeeming their dignity, the most significant period since their defeat at the hands of Israel in the 1967 Six Day War. Once taught as incapable of change, and known for their dictators, terrorists, oil, illiteracy, religious fundamentalism and consumerism, the Arabs are fighting back in a liberation movement that is void of religious dogma
Guyana and Suriname are both members of the OIC and the Arab South American block.
For now, Egypt’s totalitarian ruler, Hosni Mubarak, isn’t going anywhere. Unlike Tunisia, where the people of that nation in a popular uprising overthrew long time dictator, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the EU and the United States aren’t ready for a democratic regime in Cairo.
They see Mubarak as a champion of stability, a vanguard against political Islam, an ardent ally of the West, and an advocate of the Palestinians. Egyptians at home hardly discuss politics and fear to utter the name Mubarak. That suddenly changed after the Tunisian Revolution. Egyptians finally broke their silence. After decades of corruption, dictatorship and poverty, Mubarak’s bread subsidy to keep the Egyptian masses quiet came to an end, and a million plus people protested across the country seeking an end to his rule. They had had enough, and they are not buying into his pathetic farewell address. They know it is just another one of his political gimmicks to cling to power.
The Tunisian Jasmine Revolution will do down in Arab history as the catalyst that ended decades of Middle East dictatorships, and Al Jazeera, which is not aired in the US, will also go down in Arab history as the catalyst that mobilized revolts across the Middle East. Mubarak and Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh are buying time by announcing political retirement. It’s highly unlikely that they will go soon.
The United States of America, Saudi Arabia, and Israel are strongly backing both dictators. Algeria’s long time dictator, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, has announced an end to martial law. While in Jordan, King Abdullah sacked his cabinet afraid of another uprising there. Saudi Arabia, Israel and the US hesitantly are very vocal in telling the world that if Egypt goes, radical Islam will engulf the Middle East. Mubarak is milking the ‘war on terror’ to remain in office.
He is now warning the West that the Muslim Brother-hood (Ikhwan Muslimeen) will spread radical Islam in his kingdom if he is forced to abdicate his throne.
The scare tactic of radical Islam engulfing North Africa is loudly coming from Israel. Israel’s pathetic outcry to have the West back Mubarak is a ploy to keep the Middle East backward. It is bizarre that some leaders such as Netanyahu are willing to brand the masses in the streets as ‘terrorists’ (Ikhwan Muslimeen) and are urging the US to support North African dictators. Interest-ingly, the North African people’s revolt has drawn a cross section of society: bazaaris, young, old, women, Islamists, secularists, socialists and communists – all united after decades of living under the twin evils of poverty and dictatorship.
Islamists are not championing this fight. And if the Islamic Brotherhood threatens Mubarak’s wretched Egypt, he is the only one to be blamed. While in office for over decades these dictators failed to nurture moderate progressive voices. Yet, the people of Tunisia, Egypt and Yemen haven’t embraced political Islam.
Not surprisingly, the House of Saud is on shaky ground too. King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia condemned Egyptians protestors who are demanding that Mubarak resign.
The Saudi monarch alleged that the revolt has been infiltrated by Iran. Mubarak, Saudi Arabia and Israel have bought Iran into this scenario, hoping that the West will come to Mubarak’s and other dictators’ aid. Ultimately, they hope that having the West on their side will give Arab dictatorships and monarchies a few more decades of rule and leave Israel as the champion of “democracy and human rights” in the Middle East. This will also allow Egypt and Israel to milk billions of US taxpayer’s money.
The OIC Egypt summit will probably be moved to Saudi Arabia due to unfolding political turbulence in that country. Saudi Arabia is pumping cash into Egypt to save Hosni Mubarak and is willing to pick up the tab to have Egypt host the summit in Sharm el Sheik, the Red Sea resort, to hide Egypt’s repugnant poverty and repression. Little Qatar, which owns Al Jazeera, is often vilified and demonized by Mubarak’s state television. Mubarak can’t accept the fact that Doha is today an economic giant and a political broker in the region.
Many Arab leaders fearing revolts back home will not attend the ASPA and OIC summits. Arab revolt in North Africa will not affect Libya and the Gulf states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Kings of Morocco and Jordan most likely will stay home. The Saudi monarch hardly leaves his kingdom and Algeria’s authoritarian ruler, Abdelaziz Bouteflika who is very unpopular in Algeria may choose to remain home. Gadhafi never confirmed attending the summit in Peru.
Yours faithfully,
Ray Chickrie
