13 February 2011By Khalid
Amayreh
I can't express in words the
extent of my personal joy over the spectacular
triumph of the Egyptian revolution.
In my humble opinion, the deposition of the tyrant
Hosni
Mubarak, widely considered
Israel's and America's most trusted agent in the
Middle East,
is the happiest news the Arab and Muslim Umma has
received ever since the overthrow of the infamous
Shah
of Iran in 1978.
Like the Shah did to the Iranians, Mubarak tormented
the Egyptian people on America's and Israel's
behalf. He valued the "legitimacy" that resulted from
his humiliating subservience to
Israel
and America, but paid little or no attention to the
views and feelings of his own people.
In the streets of Tehran in 1978, I remember how
hundreds of thousands of Iranians shouted "Tou
Marge Shahe Khae'n Nehzat Edameh dorad" (until
the death of the treacherous Shah, the struggle will
continue."
Now, there is a feeling of a Déjŕ vu as
millions of Egyptians, frustrated with 30 years of
repression and oppression, have been shouting at
the Tahrir square in the heart of Cairo: Irhal,
Irhal, Irhal or "leave, leave, leave" and
ash-shaab yorid iskat al Nezam or "the people
want the regime to go."
So Mubarak was in a certain sense a later-day replica
of the Shah. They both savaged their peoples for the
sake of pleasing their master, who is one, namely the
evil empire called the United States.
Throughout his barren years in power, Mubarak was
always answerable to Washington , not to
Cairo
.
In fact, he looked down on the Egyptian people,
viewing them as if they were flies, scum and dirty
animals that ought to be exterminated.
Of course, the tyrant concealed all these despicable
characters with false pretensions of independence and
patriotism, pretensions that he sought to sell to the
disillusioned masses until the very last moments in
power. But, obviously, it was too late for him.
There is no doubt the moment is euphoric, overwhelming
and transcending reality. Some already speak of a
rebirth of Egypt, a transformation from an era of
despair into a new era of hope for freedom, an era
that would witness the restoration of people's dignity
and humanity.
Under Mubarak's 30 years of repression, corruption and
impotence, Egypt suffered immensely, retreating in
every conceivable field. Egyptian industry,
agriculture and all other production sectors underwent
a state of collapse and paralysis. The stagnation,
the corruption as well as the humiliating
subservience to foreign powers, especially Israel,
were conspicuous characteristics of the regime.
This writer, often at the risk of losing his job,
repeatedly criticized the Mubarak regime, not knowing
that its demise was only a matter of time. It has
really been a great serendipity.
Here are some of the articles I
had written about Egypt recently in which I
underscored the urgent need for change in that
country. I didn't know Egypt had an appointment with
freedom.
Rising Turkey Versus
Receding Arabs ,
what is wrong with Egypt ,
US Responsible for Egypt's
Election Joke ,
Mubarak Must Go
Hence, the victory of the revolution is really a
great-and until a few days ago- unrealistic, dream
fulfilled.
The triumph of the revolution in Egypt has proven
that dictatorship in the
Arab world
can be defeated. It shows that no tyrant, however
brutal his security forces may be, can defeat the
people's will for freedom.
But freedom will not be given on a silver platter.
Sacrifices must be made and blood must often be shed
for attaining freedom. On this occasion, we must
salute all the martyrs of this great revolution, who
died so that we may live in dignity and honor.
We Palestinians should be hopeful about this great
revolution . Now, at last, we have in Cairo people who
can be an asset, not a liability for our struggle for
liberation and freedom.
Needless to say, the Mubarak regime, instead of
pressuring Israel, nearly always pressured the
Palestinians to surrender to Israel.
He culminated his betrayal of our people and our
cause by colluding with Israel in starving and
savaging the people of Gaza, prompting many people
worldwide to ask: who is tormenting Gazans, Israel
or Egypt?
A last point. It is difficult to leave this
subject without applauding the role that al-Jazeera
TV has played in mobilizing and galvanizing the
Egyptian people for the revolution.
This happened while the defunct regime acted
feverishly to silence the free communication of
information from and to Egypt by shtting off
internet communication, arresting and assaulting
journalists and barring free and unfettered TV
broadcasts.
However, it seemed that fettering the free media
accelerated rather than slowed down the regime's
demise.
Al-Hamdulillah (Thank God), now every Egyptian and
every Arab can raise their heads aloft as 80
million Egyptians have proven to the whole world
that freedom does have an Arab name. It is called
al hurriya.
©
EsinIslam.Com
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