DISTURBING AND SHAMEFUL

There have recently been un-precedented upheavals in The Middle East and it seems that there is a wave engulfing the whole region a sort of virus. How does it effect us? Middle East traditionally has been a region with the greatest "democratic defecit" in the world. It is ruled by hereditary monarchs or dictators who almost invariably remain head of states till death or disability makes them absolutely functionless. Everybody is hailing it as a healty sign of reform and change. There is a definite need of reform and change in the region but it is easy said than done. There are vested interests and powers who are working behind the scene to infleunce the outcome according to their interests. What one would like is that the region emerges from this choas with stability and systems responsive to the needs of the people as well as needs and interests of the Muslim Ummah at large. As of now it does not appear to be so. The systems in Egypt and Tunisia have remained the same with a cosmetic change at the top. It is still early rhough to say so . It may not be easy or even desireable to replicate the Islamic Revolutionary model of Iran everywhere in the world because of cultural, demographic and sectarian differences. The contrast between the Shia and Sunni concept of leadership has become very sharp. The Egyptian revolution carried out by Sunni majotity has been criticised by Saudi Arabia where the leading clerics have even dubbed it Un-Islamic in light of the traditional Sunni legal theory that it is illegal to revolt against and remove a ruler even if his behaviour is Un-Islamic in which case the Ummah is supposed to pray for his reform. I am not here to defend or refute this view but it is difficult to say at present what the Egyptians have achieved and what they have gained. We can only hope that what emerges is a stable, sensible, and responsive system which as I said works both for the interest of the people of Egypt as well as for the general interset of the Ummah not falling prey to the mechanisations of the Great Satan. The situation homever is very disturbing in Bahrain and Syria. An interesting aspect is to be seen in Saudi Arabia. Here the King has tried to quell any unrest and demand by a combination of ruthless suppression of the Shia minority and doling out material incentives to his subjects. When I was in Saudi Arabia I got a general feeling that the system is being run on lines of the Caliphate of Bani-Ummayah especially of Muwiyah ibn Abisufyan and the handling of the present crisis has substantiated that impression. This is exactly how Mowiyah dealt with his subjects he ruthlessly crushed those who opposed him on matters of principles and who were in-corruptible and bought the weaker ones by lavish gifts and presents. It is strange that on the one hand the Kingdom is being projected as a model of stability and progress being ruled by a benevolent king liked by his subjects and on the other hand you dole out material gains to them. If your subjects like you so much then you have nothing to fear and dont have to do such things but if you have done to bribe them into subjugation then you have insulted them. What is more dangerous and shameful is the situationin Bahrain where the Saudis have intervened under the garb of GCC. Saudis by their ideology are clearly sectarian in out look and they don't hide this. They by their ideology clearly label Shias as infidels and consider their killing as legal and they have unfortunately carried out their sectarian agenda in Bahrain. They have clearly acted on sectarian lines being afraid that if the Al-Khalifa family falls in face of sustained protests by it's Shia majority which it has till now suppressed it may effect the Shia minority in Saudi Arabia. It is a pity how monarcial and dictatorial regimens easily play the sectarian card to safeguard their personal interests and previleges with no consideration of the split caused in the Ummah. Saudi Arabia is welcome to hold whatever ideology it likes but enjoying a special status by virtue of geography it could have played a more positive role by involving all the segments of the Bahraini society even Iran and trying to reach a peaceful and negotiated settlement of the impasse. On the contrary and in line of it's sectarian agenda it chose to side with the ruling elite and to help them to crush and further oppress the local population. This is definitely going to have long term effects. Like every other dictator and ruthless ruler they may have succeeded temporarily but they will have to face the long time consequence. The just have to look North to see what happened to Sadam. That one time absolute ruler of Iraq was caught in from a hole like a rat and faced the ultimate punishment of his deeds. There is no doubt that it will be repeated everywhere where atrocities are commited.