By Solomon Bekele, Feb 21, 2011
The revolution in the Arab world is fast expanding. After the successful completion of the Egyptian revolution the Arab world dictators faced serious challenges from one end to another.
The fall of the Tunisian dictator Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali brought the second big casualty, the former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in just a few days.
The rule of strong men and despots has been truly defied. Surprisingly enough, the African despots and strong men felt the danger of that fire. In some countries like Uganda official warnings were given for the people not to go into the street.
The Ugandan strong man Musevini who is fighting for another term said that any one who attempts to duplicate an Egyptian type of protest will end up in the lock.
The Ugandan people on their part are pleading term limits for governments.
However, for the Ugandan strong man, after breaking the 24 year East African record held by the former Kenyan President Moi, his plan seems to keep going as long as Mother Nature allows him.
Ethiopians have passed through revolutions and have had bitter experiences. In the aftermath of the 1974 revolution that brought down Emperor Haileselassie, perhaps over half a million young people perished in the brutal fight for and against a place in the palace.
The second 1991 revolution was not free from bloodshed. In the wake of the popular 2005 Election, 193 people were killed in a cruel and bitter power struggle.
The people of Ethiopia are lucky to witness two big changes in the span of 37 years. And both big changes were motivated and inspired by the Marxist-Leninist revolutions of the 70s and 80s.
The revolutionary icons of the time were Che, Uncle Hochi and Mao.
The Arab World Tsunami that engulfed Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Yemen, Bahrain, Libya and even Iran seems unstoppable.
The kingdom of Muammer Gaddafi of Libya was seriously tested for the first time in 41 years. No big Arab leader earlier tried to have a dynastic succession for their sons before Gaddafi. Mubarak ignoring the Egyptian culture and history copied that from him.
He paid the price for it. But Gaddafi is yet to face that kind of penalty.
Media reports have it that anti-government activists in Libya have been using social networking sites to rally support for protests on what they are describing as a “day of anger”.
There were reports of clashes in two cities late on Wednesday, with about four people reported dead in the eastern city of al-Bayda. Dozens of people were injured in violent demonstrations on Tuesday night in the eastern city of Benghazi. The unrest there followed the detention of an outspoken government critic.
The man who grew addicted with power is at the end facing the hard fact. If Egyptian incident is any guide, the dynastic succession to his son looks like the first to go in to the history book.
No one predicted about the protest in Bahrain but it was costly. Over ten people died and over 300 were injured when police broke up the main protest camp on Wednesday.
What was unprecedented in Bahrain’s recent history is that the Shia and Sunni Muslims went hand in hand against the corrupt practices of their country.
They called for a proper, functioning and constitutional democracy. The protesters also wanted political prisoners to be released, more jobs and housing to be secured and clamored for the removal of Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, who has been in office for 40 years.
The same was true in Yemen where thousands of anti-government protesters are calling for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to stand down. What is common after the Egyptian revolution is the despots organizing their own thugs to clash with the protesters. Often this act ends in an embarrassing way.
President Saleh, who has been in power for almost 32 years, has said he does not intend to continue beyond 2013. But would he now? Is the question on many minds.
The Algerian revolution is making it hard for President Bouteflika who held power since 1999. With a mere 12 years in power the people of Algeria expressed deep frustrations of his rule.
The cases of IOG and Bouteflika, in power for an equal 12 years, are really bad omens for strong men and despots who have been ruling their country for over 20 years. But nobody learns from this precedent, as the great philosopher Hegel puts it; what we learn from history is that we don’t learn history.
The untouchables of the 70s and 80s are staggering. Some like Mubarak went. The record holder Gaddafi is still fighting for his mantle. Ali Abdullah Saleh’s term in office is now limited for at least two years if he survives the Tsunami. Who will be next in line?
The revolution in the Arab world is fast expanding. After the successful completion of the Egyptian revolution the Arab world dictators faced serious challenges from one end to another.
The fall of the Tunisian dictator Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali brought the second big casualty, the former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in just a few days.
The rule of strong men and despots has been truly defied. Surprisingly enough, the African despots and strong men felt the danger of that fire. In some countries like Uganda official warnings were given for the people not to go into the street.
The Ugandan strong man Musevini who is fighting for another term said that any one who attempts to duplicate an Egyptian type of protest will end up in the lock.
The Ugandan people on their part are pleading term limits for governments.
However, for the Ugandan strong man, after breaking the 24 year East African record held by the former Kenyan President Moi, his plan seems to keep going as long as Mother Nature allows him.
Ethiopians have passed through revolutions and have had bitter experiences. In the aftermath of the 1974 revolution that brought down Emperor Haileselassie, perhaps over half a million young people perished in the brutal fight for and against a place in the palace.
The second 1991 revolution was not free from bloodshed. In the wake of the popular 2005 Election, 193 people were killed in a cruel and bitter power struggle.
The people of Ethiopia are lucky to witness two big changes in the span of 37 years. And both big changes were motivated and inspired by the Marxist-Leninist revolutions of the 70s and 80s.
The revolutionary icons of the time were Che, Uncle Hochi and Mao.
The Arab World Tsunami that engulfed Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Yemen, Bahrain, Libya and even Iran seems unstoppable.
The kingdom of Muammer Gaddafi of Libya was seriously tested for the first time in 41 years. No big Arab leader earlier tried to have a dynastic succession for their sons before Gaddafi. Mubarak ignoring the Egyptian culture and history copied that from him.
He paid the price for it. But Gaddafi is yet to face that kind of penalty.
Media reports have it that anti-government activists in Libya have been using social networking sites to rally support for protests on what they are describing as a “day of anger”.
There were reports of clashes in two cities late on Wednesday, with about four people reported dead in the eastern city of al-Bayda. Dozens of people were injured in violent demonstrations on Tuesday night in the eastern city of Benghazi. The unrest there followed the detention of an outspoken government critic.
The man who grew addicted with power is at the end facing the hard fact. If Egyptian incident is any guide, the dynastic succession to his son looks like the first to go in to the history book.
No one predicted about the protest in Bahrain but it was costly. Over ten people died and over 300 were injured when police broke up the main protest camp on Wednesday.
What was unprecedented in Bahrain’s recent history is that the Shia and Sunni Muslims went hand in hand against the corrupt practices of their country.
They called for a proper, functioning and constitutional democracy. The protesters also wanted political prisoners to be released, more jobs and housing to be secured and clamored for the removal of Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, who has been in office for 40 years.
The same was true in Yemen where thousands of anti-government protesters are calling for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to stand down. What is common after the Egyptian revolution is the despots organizing their own thugs to clash with the protesters. Often this act ends in an embarrassing way.
President Saleh, who has been in power for almost 32 years, has said he does not intend to continue beyond 2013. But would he now? Is the question on many minds.
The Algerian revolution is making it hard for President Bouteflika who held power since 1999. With a mere 12 years in power the people of Algeria expressed deep frustrations of his rule.
The cases of IOG and Bouteflika, in power for an equal 12 years, are really bad omens for strong men and despots who have been ruling their country for over 20 years. But nobody learns from this precedent, as the great philosopher Hegel puts it; what we learn from history is that we don’t learn history.
The untouchables of the 70s and 80s are staggering. Some like Mubarak went. The record holder Gaddafi is still fighting for his mantle. Ali Abdullah Saleh’s term in office is now limited for at least two years if he survives the Tsunami. Who will be next in line?
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