By Tazoacha Asonganyi, Yaounde.
A journalist once asked our God-sent,
president-in-perpetuity what he would like to be remembered for. Remember what
his response was? He said: I will like to be remembered as the one who gave
(brought) democracy to Cameroon. There is an opposition leader in Cameroon who
usually declares that Cameroonians should be grateful to him (or is it his
party?) for bringing democracy (or is it making it possible for them to
experience democracy?)
All preposterous!
Democracy is bigger than all of us. It can neither be
brought nor given to a people. It has always been acquired through a do-or-die
struggle with autocratic forces; through the collective sacrifice of a people
or society. Democracy is the state of mind of an informed, rigorous and
critical citizenry acquired through a struggle-based continuing education
process that constantly reinforces the state of mind, leading to innovation,
evolution and strengthening of democracy and society. The role of government is
to create, sustain, expand and strengthen the societal space in which this
struggle and learning process occur.
The iconic Aung Sang Suu Kyi of Myamar seems to know better.
Gustaaf Houtman quotes her in his book Mental
culture in Burmese crisis politics: Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League
for Democracy as saying the following to
her followers: “Do not think that I will be able to give you democracy.
I will tell you frankly, I am not a magician. I do not possess any special
power that will allow me to bring you democracy. I can say frankly that
democracy will be achieved only by you, by all of you...”
About a week ago when Mohamed Morsi was still enjoying his
position as “democratically-elected” president of Egypt, he declared in a show
of bravado that he would not step down precisely because he bore that
sobriquet. It made me to choke with laughter; and I shouted back at him on my
TV screen that if the venerable, God-sent, “democratically-elected,”
president-in-perpetuity Muhammad Hosni El Sayed Mubarak could resign following
the same demands from Tahrir Square, what more of the few-months-old Morsi? And
it came to pass; he went the Mubarak way, equally nudged by the military!
The other day a French colleague was mourning the many lives
being lost in Egypt and virtually boasting that they (the French) have also had
“massive” demonstrations in France recently, but nobody can think of
overthrowing their president. I snapped back that if the French invite us each
year to celebrate 14th July which also brings to memory several
casualties that made it possible, they should let other peoples to look for
their own “revolution” day to celebrate in future. And if nobody can think of
overthrowing their president, it is precisely because they had already lived
their 14th July moment!
One would say virtually the same thing to most of the
lesson-donors in newsrooms, situation rooms and other ante-chambers around the
world. Egyptians are engaged in a trying search for democracy. With luck, they
may find a version that suits their yearning – their hunger - after a short
struggle. Otherwise, it could well take a while. Either way, they should not be
encouraged to settle for half-measures after the road they have covered so far.
They may well end up with Mohamed Morsi II. No matter. What
is certain is that Morsi II will be different from the first
“democratically-elected” Morsi who wanted to serve the Moslem Brotherhood,
rather than all the people of Egypt.
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