At the crossroads

by Alif Daoud

May the 20th is a miracle that never ceases to fascinate all of us alike. In the same breath, one must add that the line between May the 20th, 1973 and May the 20th, 2011 is rather thin. Where there is an "up" , a "down" is pretty much a given, though the manner and time of May the 20th are often not in our hands. Fatal blunders, political, intramural and organizational-threatening disorders all play a part in snuffing out our objectives, sometimes instantaneously, sometimes after a prolonged and extended battle. Yet, in recent times, when May the 20th is racked by unbearable pain from a political illness or when the prognosis looks extremely bleak or when day-to-day struggle becomes a huge burden and grossly violative of our revolutionary principles, the word — Revolution — is actually being thought of and articulated in an organization that is pro-independence and where the recent system does not permit it at all.
While many recent revolutions through a combination of determined leadership, aligned perspectives and seized opportunities, have delivered dignity and tangible benefits to their people and still strive to improve and progress, it is clear that many failed due to lack of vision and poor governance.
May the 20th goals would not be satisfied by simple requirements — a full stomach, a decent education, and a good job, and if such things are sacred today, there are not guarantees that tomorrow would bring better opportunities. Freedom and Independence remain the "only" basis for prosperity and happiness and are, for sure, the lofty matters of our dignity.
Then as now there were not enough plans to go around, and however much the policy may improve in the future I suspect that full political recovery, in this age of setbacks and the creeping tide of UN promises, is no more than a dream until there is a major rethink of the increasingly unfit for purpose revolutionary system that we labour under. This scheme could, however, fail yet, if it is too much trouble for May the 20th to implement.
Alive our glorious revolution.

Alif Daoud
alifsw [at] hotmail.com
20.05.2011
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