The uprisings in the Middle East have shown that viable political opposition is no longer the preserve of Islamists alone The question: Is Islamism dying? It is likely that the political futures of both Tunisia and Egypt will involve Islamist parties participating in formal politics in some capacity. Regimes in both countries have long evoked such a spectre in order to purchase silence and support from overseas in favour of their own continued rule. The current uprisings will not herald the demise of Islamism in the short term, but nor will they usher in an era of theocratic rule. In fact, events have made clear for all to see that there exists an alternative both to the Islamists and to their ruling antagonists: the general will. In the longer term, Islamists of all kinds – militant and electoral – are likely to emerge weakened from the current contestation. For over 80 years, Islamists such as the Muslim Brotherhood have formed part of the political landscape in the Middle East. Such organisations have served as a long-time opposition to the ruling regimes, and have survived pressures far worse than the end of a particular dictator’s rule. Yet for many supporters of Islamist parties, the parties’ appeal lies precisely in their status in dissenting from the ruling regimes. The culture of brutality that saturated the Mubarak and Ben Ali regimes, the corruption and graft that characterised their rule from the macro to micro level, and the frustration at their failure to provide for their subjects have all served as recruiting sergeants for Islamist parties. That the recent contestation across the Arab world has been over these issues but has not been led by Islamist parties shows that viable opposition is not the preserve of Islamists and Islamism alone. There is clearly another way. Those who are disaffected with the status quo do not have to turn to Islamism as the only viable and credible channel for dissent. Such a perceived monopoly over dissent has ended, but this is not something that has been changed by the recent protests. Rather, it is something that has been proved by them. It is often said that parties oppose in poetry and govern in prose. In Egypt, the Brotherhood – long referred to by the regime simply as “the proscribed organisation” – has now been explicitly named in state media as a party that the regime is talking to. Any future involvement of Islamists in formal politics is likely to bring new challenges for them. It is far easier, from this perspective, for them to criticise the status quo than to implement constructive change. Previous experiences where Islamist parties have been allowed to participate in parliamentary systems, or have seized power, have often proved detrimental to their popularity for they began to share the responsibility for governmental shortcomings. “Who ever liked a government that was ruling them?” the younger brother of the Muslim Brotherhood’s founder once asked the author John Bradley. “To survive in power, they would have to make compromises, even with their deepest held principles.” The most important aspect of the recent protests is the sense of empowerment it has given to populations governed by authoritarian regimes. The coercive rule of a “strong man” is not a necessary part of the Arab political landscape, and the demonstrators have shown that they can challenge dictators and shape their own future. Compare the humiliation felt by the toppling of Saddam Hussein in Iraq with the sense of empowerment at the Tunisian people ousting Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. Iraq was a case of a people arriving from overseas to lord it over another, whereas the Tunisian case shows a group of people taking assertive action to determine their own future. The jubilation expressed at one toppling was manufactured; at the other it was genuine. It is a sense of humiliation and powerlessness that so often inspires rejectionist forms of Islamism of the al-Qaida kind, and the recent protests are likely to serve a blow to this. Disaffected subjects need not take to the mountains when they see they can take to the streets. How events play out in either country is yet to be seen. Despite the similarities of the protestors’ demands, for various reasons Tunisia’s chances of a meaningful democracy are far higher than Egypt’s. It is not unreasonable to think that Egypt’s overseas allies consider the regime – not to be confused with its leader– to be “too big to fail”. “Failure”, in this case, would mean the risk of Egypt’s people choosing their own government, which may include Islamists. If one despot replaces another then Islamism could well flourish, since the causes of its popularity as a protest movement would remain profoundly unaddressed. On the other hand, the success of protesters in discarding despotic rulers cannot but highlight the fact that there is an activism and an ideology available to them that is an alternative to Islamism. Islam Religion Tunisia Egypt Iraq Protest Middle East Richard Phelps guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Nir Rosen, the journalist who tweeted more than one tasteless line about Lara Logan’s assault faced Anderson Cooper last night, attempting to explain what he’d been thinking—which was basically that he wasn’t thinking at all. “I don’t have an explanation. I was a jerk,” Rosen told Cooper. He said…
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• Bahrain: five killed in police raid on Pearl roundabout • Libya: reports 14 killed across several cities • Yemen: protesters clash with security forces • Protesting in Middle East? Send us a voice recording • Read a summary of key events so far 3.05pm – Bahrain: The deputy chairman of the Bahraini parliament, Adel al-Moawda, told al-Jazeera there were “mis-calculations on both sides”. He also repeated the claims on Bahrain TV that protesters were armed: “It [the protest] was peaceful, we have to admit. but we have seen swords, guns … There are some people who want the clashes, who don’t want the situation to be calm.” 2.42pm: More from Peter on Britain’s arms trading with Bahrain – he says the weapons supplied included the sort of arms which were used to clear Pearl roundabout this morning. Following up on Denis McShane’s figures about arms sales to the Bahrain police force, I’ve just spoken to Sarah Waldron at Campaign Against the Arms Trade who has dug out some additional UK arms export licences to Bahrain. My earlier post talked about the export licences approved for just the third quarter of last year, around the time the government was rounding up 250 opposition members in the run up to elections. Here’s a better picture of what arms exports were approved. In 2010, equipment approved for export included tear gas and crowd control ammunition, equipment for the use of aircraft cannons, rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles and sub-machine guns. No requests for licences were refused. In addition Bahrain was invited to attend the UK arms fairs: the Farnborough Airshow in 2010 and Defence and Security Equipment International in 2009. Here’s the first and second quarter license approvals. It includes the kind of weapons that judging by the pictures of the injured and dead in Bahrain’s hospital’s that we’ve seen today that were used to clear the Pearl Roundabout, in particular shotguns. Here are quarter one and two: Q2, 2010 assault rifles (2); components for submachine guns; crowd control ammunition; equipment for the use of aircraft cannons; equipment for the use of small calibre artillery; gun mountings; non-sporting shotgun ammunition (2 licences); small arms ammunition (4 licences); tear gas/irritant ammunition (2 licences); wall and door breaching projectiles; weapon sight mounts; weapon sights. No refusals Q1, 2010 all-wheel drive vehicles with ballistic protection; equipment for the use of sniper rifles; gun mountings; gun silencers (2 licences); rifles (1); shotguns (2); small arms ammunition (3 licences); sniper rifles; submachine guns (2); submachine guns (3); technology for the use of sniper rifles; weapon sight mounts; weapon sights And here’s what Sarah Waldron had to say: “Government ministers claim they wish to support open and democratic societies in the Middle East but at the same time are aiding authoritarian regimes and providing the tools for repression. They don’t just approve the sale of this equipment – they actively promote it. “There should be an immediate arms embargo – but more importantly we should be asking why these exports were ever licensed in the first place.” 2.29pm: The Libyan youth movement has more updates on the anti-Gaddafi protests: • benghazi: the protesters now have the upper hand in the area where tomb of omar mukhtar was, security forces leaving the area #Libya #Feb17 • Confirmed Reports from #Benghazi, 6 people killed today in the city #Libya #Feb17 and the news still show pro #gaddafi protests.. shocking There is some footage said to be of the latest protests in Benghazi on Facebook , although it doesn’t show any clashes. 2.17pm: Two people are in critical condition in Bahrain’s Salmaniya hospital, a doctor has told al-Jazeera’s correspondent in Manama. He said he fears they could die. The doctor also told the correspondent, whose identity is being kept secret, that there was a refrigerated truck outside the hospital, which he fears the army used to remove more dead bodies, meaning that the death toll could be higher than reported so far. 2.09pm: A protest is planned for 3pm outside the Libyan embassy in Knightsbridge, London, today (the press release says 1pm but it’s been changed) by the British Libyan Solidarity Campaign For Freedom And Human Rights (BLSC). A counter-demonstration is also planned by Gaddafi supporters (such pro-government demonstrations tend to be organised by the embassy) and in the past Gaddafi supporters and opponents have clashed in London . 2.04pm: Peter Beaumont is following reports from Iran: This from Tehran Bureau : “After the calls this week for the executions of Green Movement leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, and Mohammad Khatami, hardliners in the regime have apparently added another big name to the death wish list: Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, president of the Islamic Republic between 1989 and 1997. Radio Zamaneh reports: Two days after the February 14 protests, supporters of Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, shown on national TV chanting slogans in Qom calling for the death of Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani. The moderate cleric is the chairman of Iran’s two major governing bodies, the Assembly of Experts and the Expediency Council. The attacks against Hashemi Rafsanjani have come despite firm condemnation of the February 14 protests by the Assembly of Experts. The Assembly of Experts has accused the protests of falsely using the recent Arab uprisings to further “seditious” objectives. The Assembly of Experts is the body that selects the Supreme Leader and (nominally, at least) supervises his activities. The Expediency Council advises the Supreme Leader and, in Iran’s complex governing apparatus, adjudicates conflicts between the Majles (parliament) and the Guardian Council, the body charged with vetting the Majles’s legislation for conformity with the Iranian Constitution and Islamic law. Meanwhile Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi’s Kalame website is calling for new protests for Sunday, February 20 to protest the death of two opposition supporters and to show support for Iran’s Green Movement leadership. 1.54pm – Libya: Dima_Khatib , an al-Jazeera correspondent who has been tweeting tirelessly for weeks, has this: Day 1 of Libyan Wrath: in Benghazi police is already reported to be using live ammunition against protesters #libya #feb17 1.49pm: We are looking for your first-person accounts of protests where you are. Now you can record your own Audioboo voice recording and send it straight to us. Click here to record an Audioboo . Log in using your Audioboo or Twitter account. If you don’t have one, log in using these details: Username: GuardianMEaudio Password: GuardianMEaudio Then click “start recording/upload file”. Once you have recorded your file, we will listen to it and post the most interesting ones on this blog. 1.48pm: Here’s a summary of events so far : • Bahrain : Five people are believed to have been killed and scores injured after Bahraini security forces raided peaceful protests in Pearl roundabout in the early hours of Thursday morning. Pictures have emerged showing brutal injuries sustained by protesters and, in one case, a young child. Riot police also targeted doctors and medics, while ambulances were prevented from reaching Pearl roundabout to collect the wounded. Gulf Arab foreign ministers are meeting in Bahrain tonight to discuss the unrest in the country, according to reports. Bahrain TV, the state channel, has been broadcasting pictures of weapons supposedly seized from protesters at the roundabout in an apparent attempt to blame protesters for the bloodshed. • Libya: Several hundred supporters of the Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, have gathered in the capital to oppose online calls for an anti-government “day of rage”. There are reports that 14 people have been killed in the country across several cities, while Human Rights Watch said 14 writers, activists and protesters who had been calling for protests have been detained. Protests have been reported in Beghazi, Zentana and al Bayda, where an opposition group says four people have been killed. Gaddafi’s regime is reportedly sending out text messages to Libyans in an attempt to quell protests, in a similar move to that seen in Egypt. “Libyan regime sending SMS to citizens threatening them with live bullets if they continue to demonstrate,” @libyanfsl tweeted this morning. There will be a demonstration against Gaddafi, expected to be countered by supporters of the Libyan leader, outside the Libyan embassy in London at 3pm. • Yemen: Security forces have clashed with anti-government protesters in Yemen for a seventh consecutive day. In Sana’a Associated Press reported that 6,000 protesters marched towards the centre of the city, being forced to fight off attacks “by police and government supporters swinging batons and daggers”. A dozen protesters and an unknown number of policemen have been injured, while security officials said police arrested about 50 protesters. Clashes have been reported in several other towns, including the port city of Aden. Middle East Bahrain Libya Egypt Yemen Tunisia Morocco Arab and Middle East protests Haroon Siddique Paul Owen Adam Gabbatt guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …There was a flurry of actual policy debate on Capitol Hill yesterday, as Republicans, determined to slash $60 to $100 billion in spending, waded through some 600 amendments, debating everything from health care reform to wild horses roundups, the Los Angeles Times reports. John Boehner has scrapped rules past speakers…
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Co-host Bangladesh wants to make a good impression at the Cricket World Cup, which starts in Dhaka on Saturday. Bus and car owners have been ordered to paint and repair their vehicles or risk fines, while street vendors have been moved on. As for the estimated 700000 beggars, they’ve been told to keep their distance. Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque speaks to beggars who say their livelihoods are being affected as the Bangladeshi capital has a makeover.
Continue reading …As president, Bill Clinton fired off “a grand total of 2 emails,” he admitted at a conference in New York yesterday. One was “to our troops in the Adriatic,” he said, and the other “to John Glenn when he was 77 years old in outer space. I figured it was…
Continue reading …Hawaii’s state Senate yesterday approved a bill that provides same-sex couples who enter into civil unions with essentially the same rights and benefits as traditional marriage. It’s now off to the governor, who has pledged to sign it into law, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports. “I have always believed that civil…
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At least five people died on Wednesday when a boat carrying migrants from Tunisia to Italy capsized in the Mediterranean sea, authorities say. Some 99 other people were rescued by the coast guard. It comes after around 6000 people arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa following Tunisia’s revolution. People unable to find employment in their country took advantage of a lapse in security around their country’s borders and shoreline. The European Border agency Frontex has said it will send officers to prevent the arrival of more migrants, but Italian authorities have accused Tunisia of not doing enough. Al Jazeera’s Nazanine Moshiri has taken a ride with the Tunisian Coast Guard to find out what exactly is being done.
Continue reading …The unrest in the Middle East has been accompanied by a surge in violence against journalists—and has claimed yet another victim. The latest is ABC ‘s Miguel Marquez, who was beaten mid-broadcast when he was caught in the middle of Bahraini security forces’ surprise attack on protesters in a…
Continue reading …Bahrain crackdown will make citizens more determined | Abdulnabi alEkri
February 17, 2011 No Comment
The strategy was to demonstrate peacefully, but attacking Bahraini activists has ruined hopes of a brokered deal The 14 February marked the 10th anniversary of the National Action Charter , which is considered to be the blueprint of the Bahraini reform project. In 2001, the charter was accepted almost unanimously by eligible voters, with the aim of leading to a constitutional monarchy. This chapter in Bahrain’s history was supposed to end decades of authoritarian rule, emergency law and repression of political activists. The results are mixed – but the main outcome is superficial democracy. The state wanted to use this year’s anniversary to create a pompous spectacle to legitimise the ruling family. Organised public rallies and parties, as well as glossy newspaper ads and posters, were pervasive. It is a twist of history that this display of regime power coincided with widespread protests and dramatic changes across the Arab world. In Bahrain , arrests of several hundred political dissidents and human rights activists have been taking place since August 2010. The state used all of its means to portray those that tried to topple the regime as dangerous elements, especially the so-called group of 25 Shia dissidents . It wanted to tell the existing opposition that you are “either with the state or against it”. In addition, the regime successfully foiled the fate of many leftist candidates in the parliamentary elections of October 2010 . But these widespread arrests only served to prove the authoritarian nature of the state to a wide spectrum of Bahraini society. So while the local political atmosphere was very tense and there had been many demonstrations in the past, the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt have totally altered the Arab political sphere. Bahraini online activists saw that the time was ripe and emulated the Tunisian and Egyptian example, calling for a “revolution in Bahrain” on 14 February on social networking sites such as Facebook. This day has a symbolic value for Bahrainis as many think they were deceived by the promises of the regime and so the organisers, emboldened by Hosni Mubarak’s downfall, made the most of this moment. While many were skeptical about its success, several thousand demonstrators turned out. The leftwing al-Wa’ad party openly supported the demonstrations and the Shia alliance al-Wifaq endorsed it, but the majority of the demonstrators were young Bahrainis without political affiliations. The strategy was to demonstrate peacefully in many different villages and quarters in order to strain the security forces. The main demands are a constitution written by an elected constitutional assembly and the release of political prisoners. The organised political opposition groups have largely been taken by surprise by these developments but they are trying to form a common stance. Galvanised by the deaths of two young protesters, the demonstrations moved from the villages to one of the busiest roundabouts – Pearl Square – of the capital Manama, close to the financial district. The two sides were well entrenched and there were hopes for a long process of negotiation, inclusive of the non-partisan youth. At the time, there was still a chance to broker a deal, while recognising the legitimacy of the King. Yet, while the Tunisian and Egyptian examples have shown that a violent crackdown is not in the interests of any regime, this lesson has obviously not been learnt in Bahrain. At 3am this morning, a surprise attack was launched on the men, women and children peacefully assembled in Pearl Square. Most were asleep at this early hour, and were suddenly woken up by a barrage of tear gas, rubber bullets and raging waves of anti-riot police forces. Even ambulance workers were attacked, and it is being reported that so far four people have died, including a medic, and hundreds have been injured. The army has been deployed all over Manama and a security operation has been launched to locate and arrest activists. These events mark a turning point. After what has now happened, it is difficult to imagine the possibility of negotiations. Pearl Square has been cleared, but the funerals of those who were murdered will be full of shocked citizens even more determined to confront the regime. The British foreign minister visited Bahrain last week and did not call openly for serious reforms. The UK has much influence in the country and a great deal of leverage over its rulers. It should use this opportunity and stand with the Bahraini people. Bahrain Protest Egypt Tunisia Middle East Abdulnabi alEkri guardian.co.uk
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