People power matters

There are only a few days left in 2011. However, we must wait until the last day of this eventful year, as new surprises may be in store at the Arab level. During this year, radical changes have taken place in the Arab region, changes that the Arab people never thought of.

It was believed that the Arabs have been tamed, hence no one was expecting them to revolt against the status quo which prevailed throughout half a century.

Before this year's uprisings, it was widely believed that Arab citizens cared only about their livelihood, and military institutions managed to keep them powerless and muzzled by the use of political money.

The Arab people kept silent for so long that foreign decision-makers were convinced that their silence was evidence of their satisfaction with everything happening in their countries.

It seems that some Arab authorities cannot gauge the pulse of the people. Three huge Arab countries, Iraq, Libya and Egypt, were systematically destroyed by their own ruling regimes.

The beginning of this systematic destruction was in Iraq — the dream of all Arabs. Baghdad was always seen as the Islamic capital of the Muslim nation during the reign of Haroun Al Rashid. Baghdad was the city which had flourished to become the centre of knowledge and the beacon of human civilisation.

This Arab dream was shattered when Saddam Hussain came to power. He created rifts between ethnic groups and disintegrated national unity instead of developing a country so rich in human capital, natural resources and financial capability.

Saddam did not make the most of the discoveries made by Iraqi scientists and researchers striving to realise the dream of the nation. But, their efforts were thwarted by Iraq's enemies.

Saddam's folly

Baghdad was a beacon of civilisation and a model of peaceful co-existence. However, all scientific institutions were destroyed and intellectuals were assassinated. Consequently the country was systemically destroyed by its own people.

Saddam eventually faced his destiny on December 30, 2006, after a long trial process.

The second example is Libya where the people and all Arabs believed that the young leaders who came to power during the national liberation era would turn the country into a paradise on earth. But these national heroes cheated their people and began a systematic process of ruin that eventually destroyed themselves and others.

The mission of Muammar Gaddafi, who came to power after a coup in September 1969, was merely to manipulate the feelings of the Libyan people through bombastic slogans that worked as opium in sedating them.

Gaddafi deliberately worked on dubious plans throughout his 42-year rule — to expel all national symbols and intellectuals from Libya — a country which generates billions of dollars from its rich oil resources.

Gaddafi and his ousted counterparts would have stayed in power if their people enjoyed social justice, freedom, dignity and good living standards. But, arrogance and tyranny prevented them from learning lessons from Iraq.

Egypt is the third example of totalitarian regimes being ousted by people fed up with deteriorating social and economic conditions. The revolution insisted on being peaceful despite security forces.

These three examples show how military leaders who abort all development efforts do not last.

Obviously, the same mistakes, which are being repeated in Arab countries in different forms, will lead to similar results.

The only solution lies with civil society institutions regaining their role in leading the development of their societies and helping restore security. Regimes will come and go, but the people will always be there. And, without having a strong bond with the people, the regime will be the loser.

Will such regimes learn a lesson?

Dr Mohammad Abdullah Al Mutawa is a professor of sociology.