Atrocities are on the increase in many nations and these “HATE CRIMES” are committed in the name of Islam. They are referred to as “the work of Al-Qaida or its offshoots”, and they are described as “Acts of Terrorism”. Yes, terrorism is the most potent of their tools but I wonder when we are going to call these by their real name: they are heinous crimes committed by violent Muslim Jihadists and are condoned by ruling Governments. They are spreading, like fire, (and are like Al-Hydra when you cut one head it pops somewhere else) over many countries especially throughout Africa, promise to set them aflame and are fuelled by an increasing poverty, ignorance, misinformation and the influence of misguided religious leaders.
Look no further than Mali, Tunisia, Algeria, Mauritania, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Niger, Iran, Sudan, Darfur, Chad, Ethiopia, Somalia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Yemen, Afghanistan, , Pakistan, Iraq and Iran to name some. What do they have in common? Most of these are tribal communities that have merchants of death who thrive on the increasing corruption, killings, dismemberment, genital mutilation of women, and treatment of religious minorities as inferior to Muslims because they are “infidels” and are, therefore, marginalized and punished ruthlessly for crimes they may have never been part of. Countries harboring these groups and allowing them to commit these barbaric acts with impunity continue to deteriorate. Group leaders are all connected through their perverse ideology and a sense of entitlement. Al-Qaida as an organization has been decimated but its ideology of Islamic extremism and violence is active.
Every nation has a fringe minority that propagates all kinds of conspiracy theories but these groups are not trusted to govern and they never get the votes necessary to dominate in the West. When these fanatics take charge of a country, they cause a rapid uncontrollable deterioration of its societies. True crimes are not punished and false accusations become rampant. Chaos and corruption prevail and disorder rules. The Mideast has more than 360 million inhabitants and its citizens produce less than the five million living in Finland. Most of its countries are composed of tribes that have their own primitive traditions and rules which do not conform to the “Universal Declarations of Human Rights”. Egypt has been almost unique in the “Muslim World”; being the cradle of civilization, invented tolerance and modernity, and ALL of Egyptians subscribed to the same traditions, customs and rules.
The Muslim Brothers now control Egypt (this is an aberration), but Dr. Morsi is driving rapidly towards a fiscal cliff. He has no political or management experience. He is loyal to his own group (MB), and not to the Country at large. He will surely fail (you either bend or break). The challenge will be who will fill the vacuum caused by his departure? It behooves the National Salvation Front (NSF) headed by El-Baradei to BE READY. Finding excuses for not doing the right thing, blaming other countries for Egypt’s catastrophe or to criticize well known respected Egyptians for not being perfect enough or demonstrating for trivial issues will not solve the many problems that Egypt has at present. Neither Mubarak nor Morsi are the epitome of attractiveness and charisma. Egyptians must face up and not just talk. Laying it on God will not work. I find myself gleaning a lot from the jokes or writings about Egypt,s woes. It is time to act.
It is my view that extremists have overplayed their hand. People all over the world are fed-up from their tyranny. Also, the times are different. Monarchies in Jordan and Morocco are exploring ways to remain secular, reduce the role of Monarchs and strengthen democracy in Government and the Parliament. Countries that depend on their natural recourses are able to survive by buying their subjects, but realize that they must change. The cracks are starting to run deeper in all autocratic regimes. Developed Nations have a duty to call these groups by their real names and to say unambiguously that what they are doing is unacceptable. In many countries the youth asked for bread, freedom and dignity and they ended up with less of each.
_____________________________________
Lotfy Basta MD, FRCP, FRCPE, FACP, FACC, FCCP, FAHA, is member of Coptic Solidarity Advisory Council