The tragedy of Egypt, where an elected President was ousted out of power and the constitution of that country approved by the overwhelming majority in a landmark referendum was abruptly cancelled in a military coup is unparallel in history. The Arab Spring which blossomed at the Tahreer Square was doomed into the Arab Winter through a manoeuvred revolt (Tamarrud) backed by the army, the judiciary and the bureaucracy of the past regime. The role of Arab sheikhdoms is quite astonishing; they extended huge monitory support to the so-called masses comprised of the army, Copts (Christians), and disgruntled elements (Salafis) whose roots are in Arab sheikhdoms. An outspoken report in the Wall Street Journal pointed out earlier that the plans of the legitimate Government to widen the Suez Canal had the potential to eclipse the prospects of Jabl-e-Alis, the ‘Free Trade Zone’ of Dubai, which alarmed the sheikhdoms and they planned the said coup. However, the Muslim Brotherhood did not notice the undercurrents in Arabia. This is an unforgettable lesson for all Islamic Movements world over.
Syed Shakil Ahmed Anwar
Hyderabad, AP