As the democratic tests that we are currently witnessing in Tunisia, Egypt, and Morocco indicate a clear progress for the Islamic movements, it is important to consider the outcomes of this deep and historic shift in the three countries and perhaps also in other countries that are currently living through revolutions.
This shift comes after a deep estrangement between the Arab societies and the Islamic movements, which turned out to represent a basic and wide part of these societies. This estrangement is due to the politics of marginalization that the Islamic movements have been subjected to since the emergence of the independence movements in the Arab countries. The regimes were staging an operation of purposeful intimidation within and outside their countries aimed at raising concern about Islamists’ taking over any power post in the state. This was accompanied by the use of organized oppression in order to prevent any Islamic entity from expressing its opinions. For their part, the Islamists showed nothing but arrogance vis-à-vis anyone who disagrees with them in the society. They armed themselves with the “religious right” in addition to reverting to armed actions at several stages with the aim of terrorizing the regime and the society. This did not serve their cause even among those people who were convinced of the Islamists’ right to take part in the democratic experience like all the others.
Today, we are living a historic transition from one situation to another from the part of the Islamists as well as the regimes, which are now dealing with them in a different manner that matches the requirements of the Arab Spring. Even in Morocco, where the Street did not rebel in response to this Spring, one can say that the major reforms introduced by King Mohammad VI have allowed for the Justice and Development party to form the cabinet and they are proceeding in the same direction of the Spring.
This shift implies an increased responsibility for both sides in order to benefit from this democratic atmosphere and to deepen in it in a way as to make it the prevailing practice in the Arab world.
The leaders of the Islamic movements, including the Nahda or the Egyptian Freedom and Justice party or the party of Abdelilah Benkirane in Morocco have asserted that they are dealing with their victory as if it was a responsibility given to them by the voters rather than a “divine appointment” to run people’s affairs in the way they see fit. They are considering themselves to be below the constitution and the laws. This means that their Islamic ideas will be able to compete in a healthy way with the other opposing ideas. In addition, those Islamic movements have announced that they will not be imposing their rules on the citizens when it comes to dress code, food and drinks.
The importance of these assurances stems from the fear about what the Islamists will do with this victory of theirs. There are doubts concerning the conviction of the Islamic movements with the democratic process and how ready they are to respect its outcomes. Of course, they now respect these outcomes, because they have won. However, will they also respect them if they were to fail in the future elections? And how ready are they to give the voters other chances to evaluate their rule now that they are in power?
There are also doubts concerning the Islamic movements’ respect of the opposing ideas (about secularism and others) and the other forces and factions of society, whether these are religious or ethnic minorities. Will they for instance accept to be the equals – from the angle of political and moral “value” – of the civil parties that disagree with them and with their ideas? And what about their relationship with the followers of other religions in society? Or do they believe that theirs are the only ideas that work for saving the societies and securing their salvation, because these are good ideas while everything else is evil?
The governments are also responsible for preserving this Spring. They have so far followed a different methodology with the Islamists. Indeed, they have abstained from falsifying the results of the elections that the Islamists won. In addition, they did not dispatch their armies in order to force them away from power and they did not make external alliances against them Quite simply, the governments of the concerned countries showed that they do not consider themselves as the sole guardians of the country’s future and fate and that anyone who disagrees is a national traitor.
One of the most important achievements of the Arab Spring is that it restored the right to free choice to the regular citizens. This right is not violated by the fact that the Islamic movements have accessed power. Indeed, these are the societies and this is their choice. The important thing is that the victorious parties must preserve this right, because it is not a free gift from society. It is rather the result of the Arab youth taking to the street and confronting oppression and death in order to call for restoring their right to self-determination.
(The writer is a prominent columnist. The article was published in the London-based al-Hayat on Nov. 6, 2011.)
