“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”
Lesson from Philipines
In the mid-1980's a popular movement sprang up to oust the corrupt Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos. What followed was an amazing example of non-violent struggle as hundreds of thousands of ordinary Filipinos took to the streets to protect the rebel officers from troops still loyal to Marcos. Marcos and his family eventually sneaked out the back door of Malacañang Palace and were forced on exile aboard a U.S. Air Force plane headed for Guam. Marcos, who ruled for twenty years as one of the world's most powerful dictators, was then just a sick old man fleeing his country like a frightened dog.
"What the story of the Philippine revolution demonstrates is the power people can have when they withdraw consent."
After violent revolutions there are always scores to settle, grudges to satisfy, revenge to extract, and the cycle of violence continues. But because the Filipino people created major political change largely without violence, national reconciliation was that much easier.
But, while the Philippine revolution deposed a powerful dictator, it left much of the old centralized power structure unchanged. The U.S. still retained major influence through military aid and bases. The Philippine military remained intact under Defense Minister Enrile, the same man who had gotten rich from political connections while serving as Defense Minister under Marcos. The new President, Cory Aquino, was from a wealthy family. The poor were still poor, and the rich were still in charge. Capitalism emerged stronger than ever.
What the story of the Philippine revolution demonstrates is the power people can have when they withdraw consent. The same dynamics apply, no matter what the issue. Had Filipinos decided to go on and struggle for a more equitable distribution of wealth, the abolition of the military, or a decentralized government that was more responsive to their needs, who knows what more amazing things they might have achieved?
On Thursday, July 29, 2009, President Obama is welcoming Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to the White House for his presidency's first visit by a Southeast Asian leader.
The Washington Times (Editorial July 28, 2009 - Obama the Sanitizer) says the choice of Mrs. Arroyo for this honor was a mistake because Mr. Obama is being used to give political cover for the Philippine president's troubles back home.
Mrs. Arroyo's domestic political position is precarious. A poll released June 8 by the Pulse Asia polling firm pegged Mrs. Arroyo's public approval at only 26 percent. Street demonstrations against her are routine and growing in size. These protests are in response to a dubious mandate following a dirty 2004 election and numerous allegations of corruption against her family and administration. Her husband, Mike Arroyo, has left the country and used doctors' notes to say he is too ill to obey court summons related to corruption charges.
The Washington Times Continues: "The Philippines has become less free during Mrs. Arroyo's 10-year presidency. According to Freedom House, "Corruption is extensive throughout the Philippine state apparatus, from the lowest to the highest levels. Bribes and extortion seem to be a regular element of the complex connections among bureaucrats, politicians, businessmen, the press and the public."
In Transparency International's 2008 Corruption Perceptions Index, the Philippines ranked 141st out of 180 nations on a list in which No. 1 is the least corrupt. The level of Philippine corruption is tied with Iran and Yemen and worse than in dodgy places such as Libya and Nigeria.
The corruption problem is affecting Manila's relationship with other allies. A senior Philippine official told The Washington Times that German Chancellor Angela Merkel sent Mrs. Arroyo an ultimatum last month that Berlin-Manila ties are at risk if the Philippines don’t pay $60 million owed to the German government for Manila's new international airport. The Philippine government seized the airport and refused to pay a German company -- which is partly owned by the German state -- for its construction after revelations that the contract allegedly was laden with millions in bribes and kickbacks.
There are also serious human-rights abuses in the archipelago. According to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, "The Philippines ranks sixth worldwide among countries that fail to prosecute cases of journalists killed for their work." Between 1992 and 2008, at least 34 journalists were murdered in the Philippines; there were convictions in only three of these cases. Four more members of the press were killed this June alone. Opposition voices regularly disappear as well.
On top of all this are machinations by Mrs. Arroyo to cling to power by setting aside next May's presidential election. The president and her allies are pushing to amend the Philippine constitution to change the current U.S.-style presidential system into a parliamentary system whereby Mrs. Arroyo could serve as prime minister. This would allow her to circumvent the presidential term limit which prevents her from staying in office. This move, incidentally, is similar to the strategy strongman Ferdinand Marcos used to stay in power after declaring martial law in 1972.
The relationship between Washington and Manila is an old and important one. After the U.S. victory in the Spanish-American war in 1898, the Philippine islands were a U.S. colony for half a century and have remained a close ally in the six decades since independence was granted in 1946. The current Visiting Forces Agreement between the two countries allows U.S. troops on Philippine soil to help in the war on terrorism and to assist the Philippines with its fight against Islamic insurrection in the southern islands.
But the nation should be differentiated from its lame-duck leader. Welcoming Mrs. Arroyo to the White House only validates her troubled rule".
You can therefore see that carrying out a revolution, even a safer, non-violent one without carrying out " a more equitable distribution of wealth, the abolition of the military, or a decentralized government that was more responsive to their needs" did not rescue the Filipino from the clutches of corrupt dictators
Proponents of a revolution say only a revolution can serve as deterrent. Their frustration with the goings-on in Nigeria makes them believe that. A Nigerian (Tunde) in response to my article wrote:
“I read your poser but I thank God that you are not in Nigeria to read first hand all the gory details of the looting of our national resources in such an unimaginable proportion and with such impunity and heartlessness which connotes one thing- apparent lack of patriotism and belief in the Nigerian nation. Because the act of belief presupposes that citizens, young or old will be patriotic and defend and protect our collective wealth and not loot it with reckless abandon.
With the foregoing, I remain absolutely convinced that only a very bloody peoples revolution comparable only to RAWLINGS GHANA will serve as a permanent deterrent to looting and lead to a process of salvaging what is left of our collective wealth.
He continues: The situation of things now is such that people are now openly calling for a revolution both in television debates, in newspapers and radio programmes not minding the seditious implications and this is grave for a nation. GOD has been so kind to us and I don’t believe he must come down physically to change us we should seek change through struggle. If the Israelites did not endure the pains of the journey and left EGYPT, they won’t get to the RED SEA talk less of getting to the Promised Land .Same applies to Nigeria”.
This is very sad, but are we too adamant to change? Please read on...
While another commentator (Ade) after reading my report of Bank Directors and politicians that liquidated Nigerian Banks wrote:
“Those bank directors who "borrowed" depositor’s money with no intention of paying back while the depositors of the failed banks are left gnashing their teeth. One of them may be our parent, child, cousin, nephew/niece, other relation, friend, neighbour, church/mosque/ shrine fellow worshipper, fellow alumni etc. If you know any of them, kindly advise him to repay ASAP.
Let's remember that in the US Madoff got 150 year jail sentence, after having been exposed by his kids. Unfortunately some of the insider credit abuse proceeds end up in the US and some of the kids/relations of these conniving Nigerians are reaping the benefits of their more effective judicial/financial system.
Each time you recall a relation or friend who is unemployed because factories in Naija are closing down since it is more interesting to borrow money for imports and subsequently not pay; hear reports or are/know a victim of armed robbery and kidnappings by unemployed youths, at least you now know someone who contributed to such events in the list hereunder.
I would rather encourage my relation or friend to pay up instead of taking the risk of being publicly executed or jailed by the revolutionary, in the mould of JJ Rawlings that 140 million citizens seem to be waiting for”, he concluded.
I have already debunked the wrong notion that JJ Rawlings “revolution” saved Ghana. Rawlings bloody take over is not even a revolution, it is a bloody military coup, pure and simple.
On the issue of the possibility of a revolution serving as deterrent, may I remind all that it was the same argument that was used to justify military coup in Nigeria for decades – that the threat of military coup will serve to keep politicians on their toes – which argument is now exposed to ridicule.
Yet a friend (Prince Emmanuel Ohai) wrote in response:
“And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms…. The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” Thomas Jefferson, in letter to William S. Smith, 1787
May I add that Jefferson also said: "Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God".
Emmanuel continued:
"The vast majority of the race, whether savage or civilized, are secretly kind-hearted and shrink from inflicting pain, but in the presence of the aggressive and pitiless minority they don't dare to assert themselves". - Mark Twain
These points are perfectly understandable. Where is the Nigerian that is not frustrated that “Nigeria should be producing upwards of 3m barrels a day, contributing to global energy security and using its gas reserves to power an industrial revolution at home, instead, it is Angola, with a third of the reserves that has taken over as Africa’s leading oil producer”.
Yes, who is not piqued that “Nigeria’s oil industry has been crippled by a campaign of bombing and theft conducted by militants demanding, and increasingly taking, a greater share of oil wealth, amidst uncertainty over broader policy, fresh exploration has ground to a halt” whiles the long-suffering inhabitants of the Niger Delta wallows in poverty?
Who does not smell murder that “A few, powerful Nigerians profit from the status quo. Even as it becomes less and less viable, they are clinging on”?
But another commentator (Okpuwhara Martyns) also wrote: Nigerians have been so pushed to the wall that all they want to see is some action, heads up there on that pole stick, it doesn’t matter if the executioner's hands are clean ''lets just do away with this AGIP'S''. He warned: just hope somebody does not come along in a hero garb and capitalize on our emotions.....
But is a violent revolution the only way to rescue Nigeria from the Abyss?
To be continued…
Daniel Elombah, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Read also Nigeria Needs Strong Institutions Not Strong Men
Shattering the Myth of JJ Rawlings
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