It”s safe to say the Arab Spring has reached a decided tipping point.
With the recent elections in Egypt, an election in Libya set for Saturday, growing concerns in Tunisia and complete chaos in Syria, things could very easily get out of hand, if they aren”t already.
Egypt was one of the most liberal countries (in other words, one of the most Westernized countries) in the Arab world prior to the ousting of Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. Since then, violent street clashes and a military government that still seems reticent to relinquish power bogged the country.
The Egyptian people elected a man from a radical Islamic party known to be in favor of Sharia law, the strict religious-based laws that follow the teachings of the Quran.
Women in the old Egypt usually led an independent life that wasn”t much different from the lives of American women. Now, fear is spreading that life for women will become filled with sexual harassment and other acts of misogyny, such as death by stoning, that are somewhat familiar parts of life in other countries with Sharia law.
The militia groups the U.S. and NATO helped to oust Muammar Gaddafi last year are still causing trouble for Libya”s interim government just days before a parliamentary election, the country”s first in 42 years.
Tranquil streets throughout the nation”s cities can be marred by gunfire at any time. Election officials have been attacked, as have officials with the Red Cross, American and Tunisian consulates, and diplomatic convoys from the United Nations and Great Britain.
The fear the militias will take to the streets on Saturday and protest against steps toward democracy in the election is rampant.
In Tunisia, which was the first Arab country to oust its leader and hold free elections last year, an anti-corruption government minister quit just a few days ago. The minister accused the government of failing to do enough to overhaul the public sector and root out corruption.
Now there is concern that the government, which transitioned relatively smoothly to democracy, could collapse or plunge the country into crisis. Either scenario could halt efforts to revive the economy and draft a new constitution ahead of full parliamentary elections planned for 2013.
Do I even need to mention the chaos in Syria?
President Bashar al-Assad refuses to relinquish power while faced with attempted uprisings and has used the Syrian Army to violently crack down. It is estimated more than 16,000 people have died since March 2011.
I came across a news story that stated a vast torture network has sprung up around the country since the uprisings began.
About 27 detention centers have been used to torture people by beating them, using electric shock treatments, burning them with cigarettes, holding mock executions and employing sleep deprivation, according to a United Nations mission report.
So what do we do about this? Should the U.S. or international community step in and do anything? Should we step aside and allow these countries to govern its citizens?
I honestly wish I knew. I believe these countries do deserve the right to govern themselves, even if the Western world doesn”t agree with many of the policies in existence there.
However, I think the international community should continue to play an advisory role, at the very least, for this part of the Arab world. The citizens of those countries deserve to have their government at least attempt to rule them. After all, much of the Arab world hates the Western world and the U.S. for sticking their noses into its affairs.
But we cannot allow this crucial zone to plunge into total chaos. World war, genocide and famine seem like easy possibilities and must be avoided in this area.
For the record, I do not fear or hate the Islamic religion and I am not trying to bash it in any way. But I do believe countries that have enacted Sharia law tend to violate the human rights of its citizens, and that is something I cannot stand.
Just as those governments have the right to govern its citizens, the citizenry has the right to a high quality of life.
I hope the chaos in the Arab world will vanish and peace returns. While history has shown this usually is not the case, perhaps it is the right time for the volatility to end and for democracy to bring much-needed change.
Time will tell.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at kevin.n.hume@gmail.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14. Follow on Twitter: @KevinNHume.
