Things to do.. NOW!

By: Ahmed M. EL NAHAS – Montopoli December the 5^th 2011.

In my previous article entitled “Enigma”, I promised to synthesise an answer to that question: “…what are we supposed to do about it so that ‘they’ wouldn’t succeed in their aim to liquidate and vaporise the revolution, depriving it from every particle of energy needed to maintain its driving thrust?”; as our tradition taught us that “a free man’s promise is a debt in his neck”, I will try to honour my obligation and settle the debt hoping that the currency of my cheque be valid for you to cash.

Let us first analyse the current situation:

·         SCAF is a military institution, bound by the concrete traditions of the military establishment, and  maintaining optimal relations and high understandings with USA, NATO and other foreign intelligence agencies.

·         SCAF is well organised, wealthy, autonomous and powerful.

·         Political figures and parties have already proven their incompetence and incapacity to defy the system over the past decades, or to impose any agenda of its own.

·         Social movements are filling the political void (the Brotherhood and the Salafits).

·         The electoral laws in force do not favour an accurate democratic representation, therefore they must be changed.

·         If Egypt will remain a “Presidential Republic” another dictatorship will tighten its grip over the country once more. Egypt should become a “Constitutional Republic”, where a president is the guarantor of the constitution competent to secure the functional equilibrium between the institutional powers, and be the supreme curator of the Constitutional Court. He will assign a majority winning party figure to become a Prime Minister in charge to form a government that will rule and govern in accordance with pre-set criterion by the nation’s constitution, performance of which to be controlled by the elected parliament.

Having said that, we can only conclude that what Egypt has achieved so far is nothing more than a military silent Coup-d’État, that compromised a critical situation by apparently sacrificing the heads of a system, protected the republic by taking control, and will supervise a transition after which they will handover the torch to a civilian government to the will of the people. That is not true. Because the “Military Establishment”, solidly represented by the “Supreme Council of the Armed Forces” (SCAF), is the system that ruled Egypt ever since the 1952 coup.

At this point be certain that this system may agree to change the look, but it will never concede to change the idea, the tradition or the belief. And the only way to make things change is the long painful way of the vigilant and non-violent resistance. Such can be set in motion only when all social movements would agree and succeed to unify and tighten their ranks regardless of their ideological preferences, keeping the objective clear and understood: “Changing the system into a ‘Free Sovereign Democracy” for  human rights and social equity”.

It is obvious that military resistance against dictatorships does not strike where they are weakest, but where they are strongest, and the disadvantage of the resistance in the military areas is distinct: supplies, ammunition, fire power and weapons technology. So it is not the case if resisting movements need to maintain and exploit their peaceful aspect to its maximum, keeping the cost in terms of moral and physical casualties to the minimum.

Therefore, in order to effectively defy and conquer a dictatorship, it is imperative for non violent resistance movements to:

·         Know that dictatorship can be conquered quickly and with least cost if their weaknesses can be identified and the attack remain concentrated on those weaknesses to aggravate them.

·         Believe that secrecy is not only rooted in fear, but it contributes to fear.

·         Identify in detail all the weaknesses of the system: internal inefficiencies, personal rivalries, institutional incompetence, conflict of interests, organizational and departmental illegalities, corruption, embezzlements, betrayals…etc.

·         Expose, beyond any doubt and with documented proofs and on every available channel of mass communication, the role of existing political and social institutions proved to have been in collusion with and in favour of the past/present system: phantom political parties, university presidencies, syndicate figures, associations and social organizations, banks, newspapers, TV networks, religious institutions, administration and governmental officials, law and order personnel, parliament delegates (As’Shaab) and senators (As’Shoura), intellectual, ministers..etc.

Of course all the above require long time before it could result in any satisfactory accomplishment, and you may ask yourself:  “But what am I supposed to do in the meantime?”. Well my friend, there is a lot that you can, and must, do to actively participate in making change happen; and I will point some out here below:

Ø  Read between the lines of each and every media report you may reach and help others do the same.

Ø  The majority of our media outlets – newspapers, magazines, publishing houses, television stations, radio stations, etc. – are owned either by the state or by private business corporations, and both of them aren’t afraid to manipulate the news they deliver. Always seek the truth and encourage others to do the same.

Ø  Cut back on energy consumption and shopping. When you are shopping, be very aware of the products you buy and the companies you’re supporting.

Ø  Protest against companies that exploit desperate people.

Ø  Look for ways to educate others about what is going on. This can be done by writing letters and emails to friends, newspapers, school boards and local organizations.

Ø  And finally, ask yourself the following questions: “Why have I allowed myself to be sucked into a system that I know is unbalanced? What will I do to make sure our children able to fulfill the dream of their fathers, the dream of life liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? What course will I take to end starvation, and make sure there is never again a day like January 28^th? How can I help our children understand that people who live gluttonous, unbalanced lives should be pitied but never, ever emulated, even if those people present themselves, through the media they control, as cultural icons and try to convince us that penthouses and yachts bring happiness? What changes will I commit to making in my attitudes and perceptions? What forums will I use to teach others and to learn more on my own? These are the essential questions of our time.”

That is what I am doing in my tiny little small space in this universe, as for you I can only wish that you would make up your mind and decide to do your part always remembering that:

“Change can come from the power of many, but only when the ‘Many’ come together to form that which is invincible.. The power of ONE”.

Therefore, have faith, trust in your potentials and those of your friends, keep following my blog and..

Pass On The Word.