Tunisia and Egypt: Re-Examining the policy of supporting undemocratic leaders

A new day in the global village

If there was any lesson to be learnt from the recent crisis that ousted the former both Presidents Ben Ali of Tunisia and Hosni Mubarak of Egypt was that the long standing policy of supporting dictators for sake of stability and continuity are no longer necessary, viable and sustainable. The need to continue to be backing vision less leaders for sake of stability is no longer necessary for this is a new day. Peoples of world are yearning for freedom and liberty. The end of cold war brought by the defeat of communism and the subsequent surging of democratic movements around the world is a testament of the new day.

There were three major factors that contributed to the fall of these governments and the impromptu uprisings were neither religious nor ethnic based movement. But a movement propelled by injustice and domination heaped on the masses by their overbearing and dictatorial leaders.

The neo-liberal economic policy of globalization that integrated the global economy also integrated the world cultures. Now more than any other time in history, people of all cultural backgrounds are coming in contact with each other, sharing ideas, food, views, and culture. People from developing countries are eating from the fruit of liberty and they like what they taste.

Secondly, technology has made the world small and one. The role of tweeter and internet cannot be overemphasized in the crisis of Tunisia and in the liberation in Egypt. Technology has allowed civic leaders to organize protest, inspire a great Diaspora movement, and provided a forum of breaking away from the culture of silence that looms large in developing countries.

Even without access to the internet, television set in any African village or any distant land does convey the lifestyle of the rest of the world and no one has to tell natives how bad are their condition. The awakening of the consciousness have been gathering momentum in modern times, not through the outdated radical communism but through television satellite dish that beams ‘The Young and Restless’ and soap operas , MTV Cribs, blockbuster movies and Coca Cola commercials.

Dehumanizing and oppressing of peoples of the world is no longer sustainable. At the dawn of 21st century – social justice, human rights and democracy have become accessible to the global village and the West should support the people and not put their lots on the decaying dictators.

The election of President Barack Obama ushered in a spirit of hope throughout the world and a promise of a better tomorrow, and the global impact cannot be underestimated.