Charles Santiago |
| Listen to the cries of the Egyptians Posted: 31 Jan 2011 06:22 PM PST Source :- Free Malaysia Today January 31, 2011 The world’s super powers should stop taking upon themselves to determine a legitimate government by backing the Mubarak regime.
Egyptians have taken to the streets calling for an end to President Hosni Mubarak's regime which is largely to be blamed to the country's economic disaster, skyrocketing food prices and spiraling unemployment. It's however not a surprise that the US president, Barack Obama, has been passive in responding to calls urging him to ask Mubarak to throw in the towel. Egypt is a key ally of the US in the Middle East and continues to benefit from billions of dollars of military aid. But in the context of an impending global disaster. Obama's lukewarm stance is appalling and beneath a leader who came to power promising a foreign policy which is backed by democratic reforms. The fall of the Tunisian regime, riots on the streets of Pakistan, Morocco and now Egypt are all fundamentally related to unfair distribution of wealth and income, spiking food and commodity prices and a staggering rise in unemployment. In short, its the churning of the stomach which has led to the revolt and call for an end to oppressive regimes. I pledge solidarity with the uprising in the various countries including Egypt where people are braving army tanks and live bullets to make their legitimate demands seen and heard. At least 100 people have died in the last six days of protest. I also convey my support to the thousands of Malaysians who would be protesting outside the US embassy, this Friday, condemning Obama's atrocious support for the Egyptian regime. Rising food prices
Leading media organizations have reported and held Wall Street investment banks and firms responsible for the stock market bubble, dot-com bubble and the recent US and UK housing bubbles. As a result of their speculation on food and commodity prices, media reports say that at a time when there has been no significant change in the global food supply or demand, the average cost of buying food shot up 32 percent from June to December 2010. And about 40 percent of Egypt's population live off less than $2 a day! Obama, meanwhile, is certainly going down on the wrong side of history by not backing the end to Mubarak's rule. He has instead called for a smooth transition to an orderly government. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has hinted on the possibility of a "faux democracy" if street revolts are backed in Egypt and called for a "real democracy" and not a democracy for six months or a year, which could evolve into a military dictatorship that then replicates what is happening in Iran. Mrs Clinton, why isn't it possible for you to understand that there is a legitimate need for democratic reforms and social justice in Egypt? Down with a dictator The Egyptians are on the streets to demand the stepping down of a dictator. The struggle is about their valid need to be able to work and put food on the table for their families. The revolution in Egypt cannot be about the US or Britain and their allies. These countries have, without any shame, given unlimited support to murdering regimes like Tunisia, Egypt and Iraq before taking up arms against Saddam Hussein. Therefore, the US, Britain and their allies should stop determining which kind of government works in the Middle East. The West refused to accept the victory of the Islamic movement in a democratic election in Algeria in 1991. As a result, the country was ravaged in a decade of civil war where more than 160,000 people were killed. So the US, UK and their allies should stop taking upon themselves to determine a legitimate government for Egypt. And Obama must speak with a political spine. Charles Santiago is DAP's Member of Parliament for Klang         |
| Egypt is the new Ground Zero, with the protests in Cairo having far-fetching implications globally. Posted: 30 Jan 2011 11:48 PM PST Egypt is the new Ground Zero, with the protests in Cairo having far-fetching implications globally. Egyptians have taken to the streets calling for an end to President Hosni Mubarak’s regime which is largely to be blamed to the country’s economic disaster, skyrocketing food prices and spiraling unemployment. It’s however not a surprise that the US president, Barack Obama, has been passive in responding to calls urging him to ask Mubarak to throw in the towel. c Egypt is a key ally of the US in the Middle East and continues to benefit from billions of dollars of military aid.But in the context of an impending global disaster. Obama’s lukewarm stance is appalling and beneath a leader who came to power promising a foreign policy which is backed by democratic reforms. The fall of the Tunisian regime, riots on the streets of Pakistan, Morocco and now Egypt are all fundamentally related to unfair distribution of wealth and income, spiking food and commodity prices and a staggering rise in unemployment. In short, its the churning of the stomach which has led to the revolt and call for an end to oppressive regimes. I pledge solidarity with the uprising in the various countries including Egypt where people are braving army tanks and live bullets to make their legitimate demands seen and heard. At least 100 people have died in the last six days of protest. I also convey my support to the thousands of Malaysians who would be protesting outside the US embassy, this Friday, condemning Obama’s atrocious support for the Egyptian regime. The rising food prices has become a major worldwide threat, with prices in Egypt up 17 percent, primarily due to the speculation on Wall Street. Leading media organizations have reported and held Wall Street investment banks and firms responsible for the stock market bubble, dot-com bubble and the recent US and UK housing bubbles. As a result of their speculation on food and commodity prices, media reports say that at a time when there has been no significant change in the global food supply or demand, the average cost of buying food shot up 32 percent from June to December 2010. And about 40 percent of Egypt’s population live off less than $2 a day!Obama, meanwhile, is certainly going down on the wrong side of history by backing the end to Mubarak’s rule. He has instead called for a smooth transition to an orderly government. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has hinted on the possibility of a “faux democracy” if street revolts are backed in Egypt and called for a “real democracy” and not a democracy for six months or a year, which could evolve into a military dictatorship that then replicates what is happening in Iran. Mrs Clinton, why isn’t it possible for you to understand that there is a legitimate need for democratic reforms and social justice in Egypt? The Egyptians are on the streets to demand the stepping down of a dictator. The struggle is about their valid need to be able to work and put food on the table for their families. The revolution in Egypt cannot be about the US or Britain and their allies. These countries have, without any shame, given unlimited support to murdering regimes like Tunisia, Egypt and Iraq before taking up arms against Saddam Hussein. Therefore, the US, Britain and their allies should stop determining which kind of government works in the Middle East. The West refused to accept the victory of the Islamic movement in a democratic election in Algeria in 1991. As a result, the country was ravaged in a decade of civil war where more than 160,000 people were killed. So the US, UK and their allies should stop taking upon themselves to determine a legitimate government for Egypt. And Obama must speak with a political spine. Charles Santiago         |
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