Sunday, January 30, 2011

Egypt...


After my last post someone asked me who I am writing for. As an answer, the following Chinese quote:
“If the archer shoots just for fun he has all his skill. If he shoots for score, his hand trembles and his breath is uneasy. If he shoots for a golden price, he becomes mad and blind. His skill was not lessened, but the vision of the target changed him.”
 Therefore, I am not writing for someone, because in this way I would just waste an amazing gift – I would be changed. I am writing because I feel that this is my own expression of God and God’s will, because I am aware of the power of words as everything began with a word.
And right now, I am writing because this is my way to support the ones that are on the streets of Egypt showing what courage, patriotism, unity and love means. They prove that “it is the person that matters “ ( St. Teresa of Avila) not the regimes, nor the political figures.
“We are here as Egyptians, not as judges.”  These are the words of an Egyptian judge who joined the other protesters today. His words followed the ones of a doctor who was defending the Egyptian military by saying that the soldiers will not shoot the people, because they themselves are Egyptians, they themselves are in charge to protect their country, and their country means the citizens. They all have the same aim and this is so simply expressed: “We are all Egyptians!”
I was writing about the power of words…The most simple sentence reveals an amazing truth and gives the power to step further.
The Arabic “sense of powerlessness” I was talking about in my other post quoting Samir Kassir has become an incredible lesson of courage and I am proud to witness amazing history in real time. Moreover, there was not even need for what we call the “can’t live without technology”: internet, mobile phones, media.  In fact,  Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Skype were banned at the start of the week, followed by the stop of any internet connection all over the country on the Friday morning.  But no one can stop people from gathering especially on Iaum al-Juma in a mainly muslim country (Iaum al-Juma means in Arabic the day of gathering).
There is definitely nothing good in wars, revolutions, conflicts, fights, weapons, attacks. But they do make part of our nature as human beings. And they do help us evolve whether we accept it or not. Still everything relies on the way we learn to manage all these, to manage our fear or courage, our angriness, our wish for power and command.
When I was 13, after my grandfather’s death,  I was writing on the first page of my first book:
“ God gives us the power to go on, so that we can make another step. God sends us a good taught, so that we can say the right word. God leaves in our soul the hope, so that we can dream. God sent to the Earth his only law – the law of love.”  
And everything stays again in our hands and hearts…

Friday, January 28, 2011

Pulsul unei saptamani incredibile

Din cauza lipsei de timp si a conexiunii instabile la internet (nu pot spune cu exactitate care ma afecteaza mai puternic) nu mi-am mai putut posta gandurile pe blog pentru o lunga perioada de timp. Si am sentimental unei imense pierderi, mai ales cand se succed evenimente, trairi si experiente extraordinare.
Asadar, astazi mi-am propus ca nicio saptamana sa nu mai treaca fara ca cel putin un articol sa fie publicat.
Aparent nimic mai mult decat o zi de vineri obisnuita… In timp ce-mi savurez cafeaua intr-o cafenea  rusinos de occidentala de aici, din Damasc, am sansa sa ma gandesc la saptamana ce se sfarseste.  Nu resimt nostalgia stilului de viata european si nici nu sunt aici pentru mediul international sau pentru compilatia de melodii de pe fundal.  Sunt aici pentru savoarea extraordinara a cafelei indulcita cu miere si pentru bautura orientului: Polo – limonada cu menta. Totodata, am sperat ca voi reusi sa ma conectez si la internet, dar nu am avut noroc. Mi-au raspuns zambind: “Nu e internet in Egipt, trebuie sa fim solidari.” M-am resemnat in fata noului meu Notebook, scriind aceste randuri si reflectand asupra cascadei de evenimente din ultimele zile.
 “…trasaturile istorice cele mai importante ale Orientului Mijlociu nu sunt marginalitate si simplitatea,  ci  centralitatea si diversitatea.”  (Politics and Change in the Middle East: Sources of Conflict and Accommodation, Roy R. Andersen, Robert F. Seibert, Jon G. Wagner)
Mi-am amintit de acest citat in timp ce urmaream stirile de pe canalul Al Jazeera si il consider simbolul perfect al evenimentelor din aceasta saptamana. Inca de la inceputul sederii mele in Siria am realizat ca totul are o importanta si un impact diferit atunci cand traiesti aici, atunci cand poti lua pulsul evenimentelor din discutiile in soapta de la fiecare colt de strada, dialoguri scurte, dar extrem de incarcate de insemnamant. Si nu este necesara  o extraordinara cunoastere  a limbii arabe sau, mai exact, a dialectului sirian, pentru a intelege ceea ce se spune.  Ai nevoie doar de o inima si o minte deschisa.  
Negocieri secrete privind soarta Palestinei, revolte in Tunisia, Liban, Egipt si Iemen, inundatii fara precedent in Arabia Saudita, lansarea noului film turcesc “Valea Lupilor – Palestina”, atac terorist in aeroportul din Moscova, totul se petrece atat de repede incat nu ai sansa sa constientizezi cu adevarat anvergura evenimentelor.  Poti urmari 24/24 dezbateriile nesfarsite dintre diversi lideri ai Orientului Mijlociu, motivandu-si propriile actiuni si declaratii, aratand cu degetul si invinovatind intotdeauna cand subiectul nu mai este atat de comfortabil. Si din cand in cand stiri de ultima ora dau nastere la noi si noi controverse, declaratii, dezbateri incoerente. Incoerente pentru ca nimeni nu poate avea acces niciodata la imaginea completa asupra a ceea ce se intampla. Din pacate chiar si ochiului de vultur ii sunt ascunse cele mai adanci secrete in intunericul din inima padurii.   
Insa, ultima saptamana a dovedit din nou ca cei lipsiti de vina sunt sacrificati pentru “o singura lege si o singura arma” (imi permit aici sa citez un lider Palestinian in timpul negocierilor secrete cu Israelul) , si inca cei saraci, tineri, simpli, idealisti ies in strada luptand pentru ceva ce noi consideram a ni se cuvine – democratie.
Inainte de asasinarea sa in 2005, Samir Kassir, unul dintre cei mai cunoscuti jurnalisti si istorici libanezi, de origine palestiniana, scrie in cartea sa “A fi Arab”:
 “Cetatenii arabi sunt bantuiti de sentimentul lipsei de putere, inflamat in permanenta, fiind unul dintre manifestarile malariei lor. Lipsa de putere pentru a fi ceea ce crezi ca trebuie sa fi. Lipsa de putere pentru a actiona sa iti afirmi existenta, chiar si teoretic, in fata Celuilalt care iti neaga dreptul de a exista, te dezbina si isi reafirma dominatia asupra ta.  Lipsa de putere pentru a suprima sentimentul ca nu esti mai mult decat un pion singuratic pe tabla de sah globala chiar daca jocul se joaca in gradina ta.”
Mi-e teama ca evenimentele din aceste zile confirma, dar, in acelasi timp, paradoxal, contrazic vorbele lui Samir. Din punctul meu de vedere, din propria cunoasterea  inca nu de ajuns a Orientului Mijlociu, cred ca arabii au puterea de a schimba tot ceea ce necesita schimbare, au puterea de a-si atinge telul, dar reusita poate veni numai din unitate. Cu cat sunt mai uniti, cu atat impactul actiunilor lor va fi mai puternic. Ca atare,  am incredere ca puterea de a fi uniti a cetatenilor arabi face parte din insasi natura lor, din pasiunea lor comuna pentru libertate, pentru tara, pentru propriile drepturi.
 Nascuta la un an dupa  dupa revolutia din 1989, am crescut cu povestile tinerilor ce s-au sacrificat in acele sangeroase zile de Decembrie pentru un viitor mai bun al tarii lor. In consecinta, intensitatea la care percep evenimentele  curente este cu totul alta. Si cu siguranta este amplificata de existenta  unui grup de prieteni extraordinari din toate aceste tari si de sentimentul de solidaritate cu ei. Tragedia lor devine, inevitabil, tragedia mea si a oricui gandeste si vede mai departe de granitele tarii. In mai putin de o secunda, toate preocuparile minore ale tinerilor de varsta mea din Romania nu au nicio insemnatate in comparatie cu adevarata realitate de aici. Este o dulce si dureroasa constientizare ce ma face sa vad totul cu alti ochi decat ochii ignoranti ai occidentului.
In incheiere, consider potrivit sa citez un proverb arab de o mare insemnatate:  “Am trei prieteni si trei dusmani. Prietenii mei sunt: prietenul meu, prietenul prietenului meu si dusmanul dusmanului meu. Dusmanii mei sunt: dusmanul meu, prietenul dusmanului meu si dusmanul prietenului meu.”
Acum imi pun la loc in jurul gatului esarfa palestiniana,  parasesc  internet café-ul  sau, cum I se spune aici  المقهى , si pasesc  spre casa multumindu-I Domnului pentru toate lucrurile incredibile din viata mea.  Cu siguranta, acum sunt mult mai constienta de valoarea unei noi zile, si ma rog Lui pentru pace, liniste si dreptate in lumea noastra. Dumnezeu a fost intotdeauna doar Unul, numai perspectivele noastre sunt diferite.


  

Taking the pulse of an amazing week...

Due to the lack of time and poor internet connection (I can’t say exactly which one affects me more), I haven’t been able to publish my thoughts on the blog for a long time. And I do have the feeling of a great lost, especially when I realize how many events, feelings and experiences are here to write about.
Therefore, today I decided that no week should pass without at least one article on my blog… I hope time and circumstances will help me to keep my promise.
Apparently more than usual Friday morning…As I am enjoying my coffee in a very western coffee place here in Damascus, I get the chance to think about the past week. I’m not here for the nostalgia of the western lifestyle, neither for the international customers that pop in everyday or the amazing international music, a compilation of best French, American, English, Spanish old, but so contemporary hits.  I’m here actually for the amazing taste of the Coffee Americano served with a teaspoon of natural honey, that you can hardly find any elsewhere. Or for the amazing lemon with mint Polo.  To be honest, I was also dragged in by the hope of a good internet connection that can facilitate my Arabic translation. I found none, but I can still have a good time in front of my new Notebook, writing these lines and reflecting over the events.   
This quote from one of my last year Politics books came to my mind while watching the Al Jazeera   news. I strongly believe this perfectly symbolizes the events that have happened in the past week.  Since my stay  in Syria I’ve realized that everything has a stronger impact and importance when you live here, when you can feel the pulse of the events even in the restless rumors in the street, short dialogues that do not request an extraordinary knowledge of  Arabic or, more exactly, Syrian dialect… They rather request an open heart and mind. 
The Palestine Papers, revolts in Tunisia, Lebanon, Egypt and Yemen, inundations in Saudi Arabia, the new Turkish film “The Valley of Wolves – Palestine”,  bomb in Moscow’s airport,  it feels as if you don’t even get the chance to realize what is actually happening. One can watch 24/24 the long debates on TV with different leaders of the Middle East arguing, defending their words and actions, pointing at someone else every time the topic becomes uncomfortable. And from time to time astonishing last minute news take the place of the tiring unfair debates. Unfair because one can never have the whole image of what is happening, one can never see everything from an eagle’s eye just because most of the important details are hidden in the darkness of the forest.
The past week has showed that still the innocents are the ones sacrificed for the sake of “one rule and one gun” , and yet the poor, young,  simple people go out in the streets fighting for what we take for granted – democracy.
Before his assassination in 2005, Samir Kassir, one of the best-known journalists and historians of Lebanon, of Palestinian origins, writes in his book “Being Arab”:
“The Arab people are haunted by a sense of powerlessness, permanently inflamed, it is the badge of their malaise. Powerlessness to be what you think you should be. Powerlessness to act to affirm your existence, even merely theoretically, in the face of the Other who denies your right to exist, despises you and has once again reasserted his domination over you. Powerlessness to suppress the feeling that you are no more than a lowly pawn on the global chessboard even as the game is being played in your backyard.”   
I’m afraid the late events tend to confirm, but at the same time, paradoxically, disagree with Samir’s words.  From my own point of view, from my little knowledge of Arabs and the Middle East, I believe they do have the power to change everything that needs to be changed, they do have the power to achieve their goals, but this can only come from their unity. The more unite they are, the biggest the impact of their acts. Therefore, I trust the power of the Arabs and their passion for liberty, for their homelands and for their rights. As a Romanian born after the ’89 revolution, I was raised with the stories of the youths that died during that bloody days of December for a better future of their country. As a consequence, there is something that makes me more sensitive to all this events taking place now. This is amplified by the luck of having a group of amazing friends from all these countries and the feeling of solidarity to them. Their tragedy becomes somehow my tragedy and vice versa.  In less than a second all the minor things that preoccupy the minds of people my age in Romania become piece of cake in comparison to the real world. There is a sweet painful awareness that makes me see everything with other eyes than the ignorant western eyes.
 To sum up, I would like to quote a very old Arabic saying: “I have three friends and three enemies. My friends are: my friend, the friend of my friend and the enemy of my enemy. My enemies are: my enemy, the friend of my enemy and the enemy of my friend.”
Now I put back my Palestinian scarf as I leave the internet café or المقهى as people call it here and I thank God for all the amazing things in my life. I believe now I appreciate more the value of a new day and I pray for peace, rest and justice in our world. God has always been just one, only our perspectives have been different.