By Jack Rabah
I wanted to take a few moments to ensure you, dear world, that the current situation in Egypt, and previously in Tunisia, does not affect us here in Jordan. In an effort to distract people from the growing unemployment rates, the increase in price of goods, and the rising budget deficits across the U.S, “western media” thrives on scaring people with their witty headlines about the Middle East, labeling it “Unsafe”.
As you can see, the Tunisian people (known for their strong will and determination) revolted and overthrew their government in 29 days. The Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali fooled his people while he was cashing in money and gold. But when a family man who was selling fruits and vegetables on a street corner for many years and barely made ends meet was asked to present a work permit to be able to sell on the corner, he set himself on fire, and riots flared. This powerful statement was the straw that broke the camel’s back (no pun intended). The people of Tunisia gathered in huge numbers, and in an impressive show of solidarity, were able to unite for the good of the people and move one step closer towards democracy.
Egypt (famous for its ancient civilization, and home to 80 million Arabs) was next. We are in the 14th day of a “Tunisia-like” revolution leading towards a complete demolition of the current government and the public firing of Hosni Mubarak. February 1st marked a historic day in which millions of people took to the streets in a well orchestrated protest demanding that Mubarak step down. People of all ages held up signs, in all languages, saying: “Game Over”, and “You Leave, We Go Home”. The term organized chaos was perfect to describe the situation in Egypt. The iron fist of Mubarak pulled the plug on the internet in Egypt in an attempt to dismantle this efficient madness. But the masses evolved and found better ways to communicate and still managed to get their message across. Twitter or not, here we come.
We are witnessing history. In a region known for its “dictator-like” leaders and undemocratic rulers, this is exactly what the doctor prescribed. Tunisia leads the pack in first place with a gold medal, Egypt is looking a definite second with silver, and third place is up for grabs. Yemen and Syria are rumored to be vying for bronze.
The “Muslim Brotherhood”, oh that scary name that’s made even scarier when the likes of Fox News flash it in capital letters across its screens all day long. The west, Israel included, is fearful that once Mubarak is ousted, the MB will take over. Let us slow things down a bit and remember that the people of Tunisia and Egypt were risking their lives to protest against corruption and civic inequality. This means replacements will hopefully be democratically elected in a fair and open manner. I am personally more afraid of the thought that “Sarah Palin” could be president one day.
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a monarchy headed by King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, a modern Middle Eastern Arab country surrounded by Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, with a population of 6.4 million, is a thriving country full of young people working towards a better future. The recent public outcry for democracy has spilled into the streets of Jordan, and the people (not intending to overthrow the regime) voiced their concerns peacefully. Middle Easterners do not only share the same language, customs and traditions, but also the need for freedom and equality. Jordanians have recently felt that the government was not doing its job properly, and accusations of corruption were voiced. Demonstrations and protest allowed the people not only to support their brave brothers and sisters in Tunisia and Egypt, but to also show our government that we are not happy. The price of gas keeps rising and cost of food makes it impossible for families to survive. The voice of Jordan demanded that the Prime Minister step down as he was not truly representing the people.
King Abdullah was quick in his actions, and last week he approved the resignation of the current PM Samir Rifai and appointed Marouf Bakhit. This is a positive sign towards reform and stability, I believe.
We remain a strong and united Jordan and hopes of a brighter and fairer future doesn’t seem too far fetched.
