“Fedia Hamdi’

                                          “Fedia Hamdi’

 Sid Bouazizi, Tunisia

      Events of turmoil are started sometime  by small incident and small characters who’s act are small in nature but are considered so vile that it starts an avalanche of death, destruction so strong that it changes borders and places.

         Fedi Hamidi a Tunisian police women and Gavrilo Princip a crony in a vast conspiracy concerning Yugoslavia are to people whose name will live in infamy

      Mr. Princip a Yugoslavian citizen shot and killed the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria who was visiting Sarajevo with his wife who also was killed.

        This single act by Mr. Princip   set Europe into a frenzy of vicious wars of attrition in World War 1 that changed the borders of Europe and bought on the fall of the Ottoman Empire and indirectly ignited much revolution such as the Bolshevik in Russia against the czar.

        Miss Fedia Hamidi a female police officer in the Tunisian town of Sidi Bouzid started her day like any other, but that day on Jan, 17, 2011 she had a date with history.  While making her rounds she entered the area of cart vendors who sold fruits and many products. A place where some of the Vendors are victim of the economic failure of their Governments where University degrees got you an unlicensed fruit cart. 

      Mr. Bouazizi was a young man internally in a state of pain and hurt that his college Degree could not give him the self-worth that he yearned for. So when police officer Miss Hamidi approached Mr. Bouazizi Cart he could not provide a permit where it led to the confiscation of his Cart with its products and in the ensuing argument Miss Hamidi did the unthinkable in Arab culture she smacked Bouazizi on his face which unleashed the turmoil that was eating away at Bouazizi misfortune in life, so when his man hood was challenged and his pride hurt let alone what made it worst it was a Female which led him to set himself on fire. 

         That action by Miss Hamidi awakened a public outcry that every person fitted it to their grievances so demonstration started like wild fire chasing away the ruling president Ben-Ali and then toppled Mubarak of Egypt a Libyan rebellion against gaddfi and other countries stretching from Yemen to Syria.

         Miss Fedia Hamidi will always be remembered as the Women whose action changed the feature and political landscape of the Arab World

          

Salah Sharhan

“The Arab Armies “

                                     “The Arab Armies “

Egypt, Cairo

             The Arab Armies in most of the Arab countries had been purposely weakened by the ruling Dictators out of fear that these Armies will challenge their grip on power.

        In this tsunami of revolt fever in the Arab World the Army became the wild card where people feared that the Army will massacre the masses under the orders of the criminal rulers but something strange happened.  In Tunisia the first Arab state were people came out to demanded their rights thru out many of their cities, The President Zain Ben Ali gave orders to turn these cities upside down so the masses will be reined in .

      This is how it went Mr. Ben –Ali picks up the phone to calls the top military brass telling them I need the military to quell this rebellion by the demonstrators that is playing all over the country, the response was sir you have lost all the legitimacy to rule our duty as the defenders of our country is to defend our people against those who will try to violate their rights to demanded that their many grievances be met and told the President Ben –Ali that the Army is at the service of the masses and that his special forces should not in any way or form commit violent acts against the masses, When Ben-Ali heard this he knew that his days were numbered and was negation with many countries for asylum were many former allies refused to give him Asylum such as France  and Saudi Arabia gave him shelter.

         Let us not be distracted with the humiliation that these regimes suffered, In my mind there was the first Tanks to enter the population area of Tunisia and the first thing that happened was the embrace and kisses exchanged between a citizen and soldier standing  on an  Armored vehicle.

         The next test was Egypt were millions of people had occupied freedom square and when the security apparatus of these regimes failed to dislodge the people yearning for their freedom that had been stripped of them for the last 30 years by a President whose mind had been influenced by his forefather that he well eternal rule that he did not even appoint a Vice-President and colored his hair black at the age of 82.

          When the first Tanks entered freedom square they were met with flowers and cheers by an Egyptian population that has a historically warm relationship with their military.

    The Egyptian Army sat idly as the political powers juggled with ideas to pacify the masses because one of their most important cards had fallen to the side of the masses and guaranteed their safety of those who were on the streets.

          The next test came in Yemen were the Yemeni army took the side of the masses and the Yemeni government have only the republican Guards and many security apparatus which are loyal to the Regime because their inception and goals are to serve the President directly.

       Gadhafi had built himself small brigade to protect him from his own people because these brigade were created for internal consumption not to defend the borders of Libya Gadhafi left the national Army on its own deprived of funds and arms turned the National Army in to a rag tag force, As you know the national Army joined the Libyan Rebels.

       The Revolt in Syria is in its infancy but we already know the Army’s position by the Army soldiers who were shot and killed by the security forces because they refused to shoot the demonstrators which led to the Government telling us there was a third party killing both the demonstrators and Army personals.

    Enough with the lies we have growing tired of them , We know one thing Western Democracy should be more vocal and engaging in guaranteeing the birth of these young Democracy if not History will not be forgiving  to their actions.

                                                                                                                        Salah Sharhan

The Arab Spring Revolution

                           “The Arab Spring Revolution “

           New York

                 A Region that was once placated as not fit for Democracy such as the one western nation enjoys has exploded peacefully for that Democracy. We were told that Democracy cannot be forced on people but must come from within now more than five Arab nations are demanding their natural rights to be free and throw away the garments of past fears.

         Tunisia a nation that was more pragmatic then their Arab brothers accidently started what eighty years of defeats and poverty had hovered of the 400 million Arabs.

         This observer is astonished at the foot dragging pace of western nations in embracing or their short comings of not nurturing these peaceful movements.

       What will these new Democracy translate to the interest of the western nations who for years have been betting on these mules called Arab leaders  to provide and deliver the input of their masters.  Democracy will change the relationships of client States to nations who will work together for common interest of these nations according to public opinions and voters at the ballot.

         Egypt a proud nation who more than fifty years ago played an important role in regional and World affairs was shrunk by the policies of dictators who embraced the idea of being client states. The question is why was Egypt with its proud people and rich history neutered from playing their natural role in world’s affairs.

      We are living in fast paced World were changes are scaring  us but what can be worst then the state we are in, stagnate economies  ,unemployment that has reach double digits and in some of these nations  poverty line is over 70%.

         Whatever this spring produces our hope is that a harvest of human rights and Democracy for a people who have been short changed for many years.

                  “THE PEOPLE WANT THE FALL OF THE REGIMES”.

       These chants stopped the Tanks and security forces that for years struck fear in the hearts of their population.

                                                                                                                                Salah Sharhan