First picture which used to come to mind when we heard Egypt was the immovable ancient Pyramids and the dead mummies. But this time the country is alive more than anytime . The silent waters of Nile are roaring for a revolution. The civilization of 6000 years old is the centre of the world news today. This is the country which the whole arab world looks to for all the colors. It may be music, fashion trends or its movies. But today it is at the center for the most dramatic change in a regime which we ever encountered in our lives.
The Rebel
30 year old authoritarian rule of Hosni Mubarak comes to an end. The fire which was started by a young Tunisian vegetable seller setting himself ablaze seems to engulf the arab world soon. When Tunisia was burning Mubarak was fearful of an uprising in home . He continuously made remarks condemning the protests. The critics around the world mentioned the fear for him but no one thought it would be so soon and so large . Lets try to answer the million dollar question of WHY this sudden rebellion? Some says its economic ,some says political while some says its mixture of many things. The unemployment has risen all across the world not just Egypt.The country has a per capita income of US$ 2500 ,about 2.5 times that of India which is more or less calm in every aspect. Moreover the protests are urban. They are spread mainly in the biggest cities of Cairo and Alexandria. If you say its political , the main opposition of Muslim Brotherhood ,which wants Sharia law for the country, says several polls, does not contribute more than 25% of the protests.If there is face that is emerging out is that of the Nobel laureate Mohd. ElBaradei who returned to Egypt just when it all started. But it remains the protests of the public. The belief that the protests may be Islamic is rebuffed at the first sight of million march which does not have a single signboard of religious significance. The protests include Muslims, Christians all together standing for one demand. The continuous oppression and frustration is what is coming out today in the form of the biggest rebel Egypt has seen. 'Freedom of oneself to choose ' is what is echoing the most. Not just to choose a leader but to choose a way of life . The freedom of speech , freedom of assembly,and numerous human rights which sometimes seem of little significance to the rulers, have become more important than anything today. The pride and self respect of oneself oppressed under years of autocracy excites the Egyptian today to come out from home and join the protests.
The Reaction
The other important thing to notice is the world reaction. The United States today stands in a fix. Egypt is most important ally for making peace in the west Asia. In 1979 Egypt-Israeli peace agreement took place and lead to yearly aid from America reaching to US$ 1.3 billion today.Years of calculations and strategies now seem to confront the ideals of USA. How much it may have hated but had to choose between the democratic principles and the important ally of years. Israeli president Benjamin Netanyahu will remain with very limited allies in middle-east after Hosni Mubarak is gone. The continuous rise of Iran's power and the growing influence of islamists had made the two leaders come together.Israel till today is strongly condemning every support to the protestors in Egypt. Turkish prez has called for step down of Mubarak and France ,Germany remains on the public side from the start. Jordan and Syria fears for the turmoil in their own countries.It seems to be mainly an arab world problem But it is important to see how our country reacts. It may seems today why should we care enough . But when such a historic day is written in the life of a nation it does not forget to note down the names which voiced for a support . May be just a voice and nothing else. Our diplomats need to calculate very fast the significance of that voice . India may have some fears of an Islamist regime after Mubarak but being the biggest democracy of the world it can not silence itself from the basic principles it survives on. If on one side we demand to be at centre stage at UN on the other we try to distance our self from every little risk in diplomacy. Bangladesh remembers the aid from India during its formation and so will Afghanistan . Maybe in those cases the choices were simple but it is time we start to choose the correct rather than the easy.If a nation stands against its ruler it naturally expects some support from outside in whatever form it may come.
The Mood
Another important thing is the nature of the revolt. It was not ignited by some catastrophic event. Not by any genocide or assassination of a political figure.But a common man realizing his right to freedom. It is not restricted to labourers and peasants against unemployment and poverty but consists of all sections including educated ,modern and most urban of the country. And they are helping each other with food, medical aids, and anything which is possible. The army giving all support to the public. The mood is not of violence but of celebration. Recent reports narrates incidence of football match between public and military prized for a tank !Women and men shouting same slogans standing in the same crowd. An old lady said "I sneezed and someone offered me a handkerchief". The people are helpful to each other and are not chaotic when ATMs , shops and internet have been closed down. They are realizing one common purpose that is a real republic , a nation of people with power residing all with them.
The Future
From Tunisia to Egypt and seems spreading towards Jordan,where the government is making number of changes in the power sharing and increasing the expenditure as much as it can to avoid another domino fall.Next in line may be Yemen or Syria but the events of Arab world show clearly that they are not to be limited to these countries. It can not be said surely if the winds of change will limit to this part of the world. If the Saharan sands can cross the Arabian sea and vast Himalayas to make a desert in China it will be naive to think the winds of change for democracy can not penetrate the Asian giant. If not today or tomorrow it now seems in the internet world that the people of China will rise for the constitutional changes before than it was thought of. It seems all calm across the Tibet to Chinese Seas .But one spark may end everthing.May be we shall not compare the situations of two great civilizations of the world today but it would not take a lifetime to see that Tahrir square of today can be Tiananmen square one day.
