Do we really need an explanation as to why did thousands of people haven taken to the streets of New York City since 17th September, 2011. Initially, these protests were assumed to be “brushed under the carpet” by the US Administration, but the way they have gained momentum world wide, analysts are of the view that the cat is finally out of the bag. However, it remains to be seen how much dirty laundry does the US have in its closet?

Adam Smith, the father of modern day capitalism, must have turned in his grave as protestors took to streets the world over again on May 1, 2012. What started off as an anti-consumerism movement organized by a Canada based magazine, Adbusters, soon turned out into America’s very own “Arab Spring”. The movement has quickly achieved popular support world wide, much quicker than anti-war movement or civil rights movement. The protests have exposed “fundamental problems” within US economic and political system and have shown a clear need that America should bring its own house in order before attempting to do so with other countries.

The protesters have not come up with a big list of demands either. It is more like a “revolution for the sake of it” by a wide variety of fed-ups from a broad spectrum; people have come out in the streets and are saying “We are not going to accept society the way it is”. Presently, the OWS is “leaderless” and protestors say that decentralization is deliberate as it has some advantages like allowing people from various backgrounds to rally behind the same broad message-Down with corporate greed…!!!

In the words of an old Japanese adage “When the army engages in protracted campaigns, the resources of the state will not suffice, for there has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefited.” What started off as a “war against terror” by the then President Bush, after ten long years, has not brought the desired results for the US; instead it has resulted in deteriorating economic conditions.  By making it a “Yes we can War”, Obama loses his own popularity while his troops continue losing ground to the Taliban.

The civil rights movement and the escalating war in Vietnam were the two great catalysts for social protests in the sixties. The situation is no different after five decades down the lane, only that Vietnam has been replaced by Afghanistan. The US is having a taste of its own medicine as, in pursuit of its objective to achieve complete military domination over oil reserves and routes, the US started occupying one weak country after another; totally oblivious of the fact that one day “Occupy Wall Street” will hit the streets of New York! The only wall that has withstood the test of times for 28 years was the Berlin Wall. Let’s keep our fingers crossed as to how the Wall Street survives OWS because when money stops flowing to the man in the street, blood starts flowing in the streets.

OWS-What’s in it for us…???

In Pakistan, the problem is that our politicians enter politics and elections not on ideological grounds but to grab power and make money. But the issue is, it is we, the people, who choose them, knowing very well about their past records. When the army is in power, we are in amnesia and desperate to bring the same corrupt politicians back, when they are in power we aspire for the army to make a come back. The real PROBLEM is that we are hunting for solutions in either of the two camps.

But the REALITY is that we don’t recognize that the real power lies with us THE PEOPLE–the power of the masses. We have had only one such experience of this “power of the masses” recently at the time of restoration of CJ. Time has come that people should start raising their voices through street marches, through media or through protests in any form.

Secondly, the military-bureaucracy-feudal nexus is so strong in Pakistan that talk of true democracy is far fetched. I feel that the major problem is that of illiteracy. If people are knowledgeable then they will have the understanding to vote and will think before they vote, whereas the literate population doesn’t vote because they think that it is useless.

Our leaders have taken safe refuge in their bunkers and have not shown any concern about its citizens. It is time that we demand from them a voice of action or they should be dispatched to their respective homes where they can face the reality of daily life being confronted by the people of Pakistan. The so called “leaders” are busy jockeying for political positioning and shown no leadership that they were elected to provide.

There is no governance, no accountability and not even semblance of leadership. This mayhem would have brought about a political change in any civilized democratic society. Perhaps it is time for the people to raise their voices against this deafening silence and demand action. I think we as a nation need to get together and realize that this is something we need to do ourselves. We need to be brave, we need to do whatever we can, write, voice our opinions, concerns and make ourselves heard.

About the author

Ahsan Nisar is a Karachi based freelance writer.

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