Western powers such as the USA, Britain and the EU have issued comically lacklustre statements that can only be interpreted as open support of the coup.

Abdullah Ocalan Social Sciences Academy

Suddenly the Coup in Egypt is what the world is talking about. Egypt has always held a critical importance for the region and the world. Since the inception of central civilization Egypt has maintained a characteristic significance in relation to the global political domain; currently this significance is increasingly making itself felt. One of the first stops of the “peoples’ spring” is yet to gain any political consistency. The question in hand is “what kind of Egypt will form?” To which there remains two answers: the people’s Egypt or the state’s Egypt.

For almost half a century the Muslim Brotherhood had consistently remained an opposition force in Egypt. During the past year however, the Muslim Brotherhood was effectively in power. We can now clearly state that this period did not develop as they must have planned. There were clear inconsistencies between their actions and their words. Although these inconsistencies are surely a major factor in what can only be described as an early downfall, other factors such as a visible lack of an all-encompassing organizational inclusivity did not help their cause.

It is obvious that this development will affect the regions already volatile agenda. Although there are a few possible options as to what will now follow, the fact that Western powers such as the USA, Britain and the EU have issued comically lacklustre statements that can only be interpreted as open support of the coup, shows that the action itself carries the fingerprints of these major regional players.

 

How must one read these developments and what do they mean for the Middle East in general?

The developments in Egypt will surely have an effect on the goings on in Syria. It is well known that the Muslim Brotherhood is operational in Syria. We can come to the logical conclusion that the coup against the Brotherhood in Egypt will weaken the existence of the Brotherhood in Syria. However, we can also assume and expect that as an instinctive defence mechanism, the Brotherhood will do anything it can to destabilise the country further.

This coup can also be read as an intervention on the developing relationship between Egypt and Iran. The possible development of this relationship will surely have made certain international powers very uncomfortable.

This coup brings another serious question to the fore, what is the future of political Islam in the Middle East? What can other countries wishing to develop political Islam in the region expect? Is a similar destiny on the cards for these countries?

The Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has a strong agenda on political Islam, and like Morsi, is increasingly centralising political authority and concentrating decision-making to his person. Geo-political circumstances may not allow for a similar intervention on Turkey, however, if Erdogan’s unpredictable regional reflexes and inconsistent policies towards the demands of the Kurdish people persist then some sort of intervention cannot be wholly written off.

The increasing pressure being applied by regional and international powers against the Kurdistan freedom movement has not in any way caused the movement to abandon its insistence on an alternative stance in regards to the impasse in the region. This stance is both an alternative to the USA led interest group and the Russian-Iranian tendency. The latest decision to withdraw the licences of Kurdish channels Nuce TV and MMC by the Danish authorities is a clear indication of the pressure applied. This sort of stance has been Europe’s consistent approach against the Kurdish issue in Turkey; even at a time where a peaceful and democratic solution is being talked of, Europe’s stance is antagonistic and unhelpful.

The Middle East is at a clear conjuncture; the freedom and democracy demands of the people is in a direct struggle against the elitist demands of power and interest by regional and international money barons, corporations and hegemonic powers. Only an intense, affective and unified struggle of the peoples can succeed in bringing democracy and freedom to the region.