January anniversary: The difference between the revolution and coup in Cairo and Sanaa

As we approach the fourth anniversary of the Egyptian January Revolution this week, the Egyptian security and military authorities have announced a comprehensive mobilisation and has planned to close Tahrir Square.

All of this fear from the memory of the greatest revolution in modern Arab history, even in world history, confirms to anyone with doubts where the Egyptian government and its supporters stand with regards to the revolution which changed the face of the Arab world and the image of the Arabs in the world. As for the Tamarod Movement, which claimed to have led what they called the “June 30th Revolution”, it announced that it will dedicate January 25th to honouring the “martyrs” from the police force and army, which also reveals their true faces that they have been hiding behind masks. During the same week, Yemen witnessed one of in the series of coups staged by the Houthi militias, which began last September. During this time, they abducted the director of the Yemeni president’s office in a terrorist operation in order to blackmail the Yemenis into accepting the status quo and submitting to the authority of the coup.

What is happening in Egypt and Yemen answers the question about the difference between the January 25th revolution in Egypt and the February 11th revolution in Yemen, both occurring in 2011, and the difference between the June-July 2013 coup in Egypt and the September 2014 coup in Yemen. These scenes remind every fool and arrogant individual of how great the differences are and how clear they are, clearer than the sun at midday. It is just as the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) said about the false prophets: “You will know them by their fruits.”

The fruit of the January 25th and February 11th revolutions was the liberation of the people, making every Egyptian, Yemeni and Arab proud, releasing the innocent individuals from prison and replacing them with the criminals and tyrants. These revolutions gave the people dignity, pride and honour and gave them unlimited freedom in forming political parties, freedom of press and freedom in universities.

In addition to this, all the nations of the world paid tribute to the people of Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Syria; the Arabs were no longer the objects of sarcasm and pity in the world. In fact, many Western movements, such as the Occupy Wall Street Movement, were inspired by the Arab revolutions. For the first time in our history, since we introduced the blessing of Islam and its heavenly message, we became an example to the world.

As for what occurred after the “June 30th revolution” and the “September 21st revolution”, it was a disaster. In both cases, the thugs dominated, mouths were gagged and the honourable individuals were humiliated while criminals were honoured. In Egypt, the January 25 revolutionaries (who were still alive) were imprisoned, exiled, or prohibited from travelling. Those who tortured and murdered were honoured while every honourable Egyptian faced humiliation and indignity.

Egypt’s name has been dragged through the mud and it has become an example of oppression. The Egyptian judiciary continuously humiliates and degrades itself, as its trials have become farcical and black comedy. As for the Egyptian media, it has turned into a cross between a circus and an animal farm.

In Yemen, the homes of the January revolution leaders were attacked and destroyed, sanctities were violated, the honourable were degraded, media outlets were oppressed or shut down, and the corrupt figures of the dictatorship took over.

In both countries, the criminals who humiliated the people, became addicted to torture and looted the country’s money became afraid after the great revolutions. They were full of shame and had nowhere to go. However, after the June and September “revolutions”, they strutted out of their hiding places, took over the state committees, claimed patriotism and passed out exonerations. During the time of the true revolutions, there were no political prisoners or abducted individuals and there were no restrictions on people’s opinions. However, after the “revolutions” the prisons was filled and fear and instability prevailed.

It does not matter if these setbacks are called “revolutions” because not all “revolutions” and uprisings are good deeds. Some people actually revolted in June and September in Egypt and Yemen, just as the Qarmatians, slave owners in the American South, the racists in Europe today and their fascist ancestors in the past, Musaylimah and his followers against the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his successor, the  Jewish settlers and extremists, have all revolted. In all of those cases, a large number of people with various motives participated in mass uprisings against justice, honour, rights and humanity. The keenness of these people to defend their beliefs was no less than the keenness of those loyal and true in their defence of justice. However, what these “rebels” have in common is that they are the first to admit that they are a rejected minority who fear they will be exposed.

The first thing the June “rebels” did in Egypt was shut down all honourable and honest media outlets and only kept the mouthpieces that spread false information and lies. Even these media outlets were persecuted and asked to be more submissive. It is enough to cite the example of the comedian Bassem Youssef, who was a June “rebel”, but he is now facing anger from many who support Egypt’s new false revolutionaries.

The same can be said for ElBaradei, who was the godfather of the coup, but is now a fugitive fleeing the oppression of a government he was once vice president of. We do not know what the fate of the others will be, but the indicators are not reassuring for many. These are revolutions of fear and intimidation; revolutions against values, including the values of loyalty and justice. With these “revolutionaries” anything goes in order to achieve what they desire but what they desire is mysterious and vague and no one but a select few know what it is. There is nothing off limits to them and nothing stands in the way of them reaching their goals.

These people “revolted” against Morsi while he had no political prisoners during his rule nor did he shut down any newspaper. There were no outlawed parties, even if there was a party for Abdullah Ibn Abi Bin Salool, the leader of all hypocrites. However, the plan of these new “rebels” begins and ends with outlaws and bans. They claimed that 30 million Egyptians took to the streets to give Al-Sisi a “mandate”. If they were honest, why are they hiding in the dark like bats and fearing freedom of speech and free elections? Couldn’t they have held immediate elections in order for the millions, or even half of them who they claimed took to the streets, to elect their esteemed and beloved candidate, like Kim Il-sung, while Morsi and his supporters are humiliated and shamed when the people reject him, as they claim? Or do they know what we already know, that they are the ones rejected by the people?

The matter is very simple: the people should dominate all media outlets, the police, judiciary, security forces, economy and all aspects of the state, just as it was during Morsi’s rule. Those who rebelled against him rebelled against themselves and the people, and if we believe them, then the majority of the people support them. So why don’t they challenge the opposition, whether from the Muslim Brotherhood or ElBaradei, to a popular showdown, and even to unfair elections. If they win, we, and everyone else, will hand over the reins to them and it will end the issue. No one from the Brotherhood or anyone else will have the right to protest in demand of overthrowing Al-Sisi. So why haven’t they done this yet? We will leave the answer to them and to the intelligence of the reader.

The January revolution and the other Arab revolutions gained their greatness not only from the fact that they conveyed the voice of the people, but because they united not divided the people; they liberated not enslaved; and honoured not humiliated the people. In these revolutions, the people stood proudly with their heads up after the Arabs became an object of admiration and envy. A fourth pyramid stood tall in Egypt; the pyramid of a civilised and respected people. Even before the revolution succeeded, Tahrir Square became the Kaaba for every prominent journalist, every self-respecting international intellectual and every individual who values human dignity and freedom. These people did not come to dictate anything, as the saboteurs claimed; they came to learn from Egypt’s honourable revolutionaries and to have the honour to take their pictures in Tahrir Square.

As for the government of the June 30th “revolution”, they are afraid of Tahrir Square, just as Marie Antoinette feared the Place de la Bastille. They have turned Egypt’s wedding and celebration into a funeral. No one respects Egypt anymore after it became a country avoided by tourists and investors. The only people going to Egypt are those who belong to the permanent tyranny club. We fear that Al-Sisi’s Egypt will drag them into their abyss and Egypt will succeed in doing what Khomeini’s Iran and Saddam’s Iraq failed to do in the past.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.