Democracy is more than elections so don't be fooled!

Hamas Prime Minister: Ishmail Haniyeh 

Comments: In the past, I wrote about the abuse of Democracy and why elections in the Middle East aren't Democratic, and I think, in the light the military coup in Egypt, its worth revisiting. Days after the election of Ishmail Haniyeh as Prime Minister of Gaza by the overwhelming supporters of Hamas, the West launched an all out financial war against Gaza. Sanctions were immediately launched and England and US both condemned the election outcomes, calling it a rigged unfair election won by intimidation and violence and that an abuse of Democracy which use to install a government headed by a known terrorist organization bowed to destroy Israel and the West - Hamas. The pro-Hamas networks around the world condemned the sanctions and pointed out that the prime minister was Democratically elected. What many people don't seem to get is that Democracy is not about "elections". It is about the free right of the people to chose who should be their leaders. It is also a package in where elections, appointments, rule of law, rights and freedoms respected by a governing body. Democracy is not only about elections. Its all about the whole body of government institutions respecting each others existence and working in harmony to protect the will of the people and uphold the integrity of the rule of law.

In this case, Haniyeh and other authoritarian leaders elected democratically aren't necessarily Democratic leaders. They imitate Democracy for legitimate sake but when taking power, they forgot everything about Democracy and rule with extreme brutality. The Hamas prime minister ordered the extermination of all Fatah forces and government in Gaza. All Fatah supporters were arrested, those who chose to fight were parade in public and subsequently executed. Hamas took control Gaza instantly and their leader settled in to rule. How can a Democratic government decided to use force to kill off opponents? The answer comes back to who they really are - they aren't Democratically Liberal minded people. They are repressive, terrorist organization headed by a man who sworn to eradicate his enemy - Israel - from the face of the earth. Likewise, in Iran, during the presidential election in 2009, voters took to the streets to demand a fair election and that their dictator president should be ousted, the government that held this seemingly Democratic election turned around and kill its own people. The massacre of protesters in the streets of Iran, demonstrated one thing - the government still is an authoritarian theocracy, not a Democratic one.