Ibrahim urges Mideast democracy

The political science department has a very personal Egyptian connection.

Students at a lecture on democracy in the Middle East given by political activist and human rights champion Saad Eddin Ibrahim were treated to a fairy tale of sorts as Ibrahim described the labrynthine familial connections that tie him to Michael Munger, chair of Duke's political science department.

The story of the two--who are brothers-in-law--lightened the mood of an otherwise serious discussion in a packed White Lecture Hall regarding the feasibility and necessity for the Arab world to adopt democratic policies and institutions.

"When I talk about democracy in the Middle East," he said, "I talk of hope." He said that democracy was the only way to effectively usher peace into the Middle East, adding that democracy was not simply a goal but a means to bring about sustainable human development in the region. Ibrahim, a professor at the American University in Cairo and self-proclaimed "true believer" in democracy, has authored over 10 books and hundreds of articles on the subject; has received countless accolades and awards; and holds positions in such organizations as the World Bank.

Perhaps more publicized, however, was his arrest in the summer of 2000, along with 27 others, all of whom were charged with illegally accepting money from the European Union to make a film about Egyptian election irregularities and fraudulently disseminating information. After he was sentenced to seven years in prison, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the U.S. Congress all worked to get him acquitted in 2001.

Invoking Kantian political theory--more specifically, the idea that democracies do not go to war with each other--Ibrahim reiterated that democracy was the only way to resolve the conflicts that have plagued the Mideast for so long.

Ibrahim added that while the Middle East has 350 million people, or roughly 10 percent of the world's population, since World War II, it has seen thirty-five percent of the world's armed conflicts. He further noted that in the same period of time, the U.S. has become involved in an armed conflict approximately once every seven years, mostly in the Middle East: in Sudan, Libya, Iran, Lebanon, and most recently, Iraq. Democratic regimes could quell these outbreaks of violence, he said. He referred to his theory of democracy leading to peace and eventually development as the "Golden Triangle," also offering converse examples of how despots, tyrants and dictators instill fear in their populations, detracting both indigenous and foreign capital from the region and leading to underdevelopment and poverty. "Your part," he said, "is to say no."

Ibrahim urged students to try to change the future in the Middle East not as soldiers but as workers for human rights and democracy. "I ask you to give us a hand in moving and transforming the region into democracy, sparing 350 million the agony of fighting, and sparing America and the world the specter of armed conflict," he said. Paraphrasing Winston Churchill's famous words, he closed with a maxim: "Democracy may not be the best system, but it is the best system we have."