THE HANDSTAND

JULY 2003

"Who Killed the Caliph?? "
by Dr. Eyad El-Sarraj

The taxi driver was listening attentively to the news. He commented after the news was over, " It seems that they have agreed to stop the martyrdom operations".

The lone passenger in the car asked: "why do you sound unhappy? we should be happy with the mutual respect between Hamas, and the Cabinet of Abu-Mazen, and hope that they come to an agreement to stop the bloodshed, and avoid civil war".

The taxi driver said, "we can not fight them without martyrdom… it is the only language they understand. More militant operations are the only means. The Cabinet of Abu-Mazen won't dare to stop the martyrs, or else, it will decapitate itself."

The passenger was surprised and said" martyrdom is one of the means to achieve freedom…Politics and politicians should have a role…it is illogical to keep killing and being killed forever. He continued, "we are in need for one government that should be respected by all.… and Hamas understands and respects that".

The driver replied, "Israelis even do not want the " Road Map", which is set by the United States of America. They do not understand except power and force". He continued, "they should be killed to be able to understand".

The passenger asked: "Don't you think that by doing that we unify them under the government of Sharon and give them justification to murder us under the pretext that they are defending themselves?".

The driver responded with agitation: "I swear, if you give them all they want, they won't offer you anything… Did not Saddam comply with all their demands? What was the result?…They killed him and destroyed Iraq. My brother, nothing works with Israel and the United States except, death…as you know, death is following them in Saudi Arabia, and in Morocco and everywhere else"…. He furiously continued, "the mistake that Saddam committed was that he did not use chemical and nuclear weapons against them…That is why they slaughtered him".

The passenger responded: "but he slaughtered thousands of his own people in the war against Iran, and Kuwait during his long term ruling, in which he deprived everyone from even speech".

The driver said in a quiet voice: "I have seen the dead bodies in the mass graves…His regime was terrible".

…Silence prevailed for a moment, then, the driver said: "they are all similar to Saddam Hussein. Do you know of an Arab leader that gives his people freedom and respect for law?"

Before the passenger responded, the driver urgently said: "even America itself, Great Britain, or Israel !. Do you think that these countries respect human rights, as they attack people and kill innocent civilians."?

"They are the origins of trouble. We do not have a way of responding to them and defending ourselves except confronting them with destruction and devastation."

The passenger asked: "what do you think will happen if we destroy a country like Morocco, and turned its people to a group of beggars?…Do you think this will be enough to revenge from the States and Israel.?"

The driver listened to the question, and it seemed that he did not find a response, so he asked: "do you want to listen to music or Quran". Then he laughed and said: "We are cursed with oil. May God destroy all this oil, so that the Americans get off our shoulders."

The passenger responded sarcastically: "the oil could have been a virtue, not a vice, if we used it properly."

The driver said: "the Arabs do not know how to use the thing that is more important than oil, that is, their minds. We need to know how to use our brains first".

The passenger said: "this is big talk, where did you learn? have you been to university?

The driver responded with pride: "yes, I have a degree in psychology… I teach in an elementary school, but, I work as a taxi driver during holidays and in the afternoons to get more income as governmental salaries are not enough" and with a banal attitude he said: "by the way, I need to swing by the school to sign the attendance sheet, before we continue our drive".

The passenger was shocked again, and fell so sorry that the country is wasted. It is when the individual is ready to die for the sake of the country, at the same time, forced to cheat under the justification that he/she wants to survive. It is a society that suffers from a split personality".

The driver looked in the mirror at the passenger and asked him: "and you, brother, can you tell me what is the destiny of Saddam, and what will happen to Arafat."?

He replied with a soft, quiet voice: "the killer of Saddam Hussein is the same killer of Jamal Abdel Nasser, and the killer of all other kings, princes and presidents throughout our history."

Then he continued: "it is adulation of power and converting the country and the state to praise an absolute ruler, and making the protection of the ruler a national duty… where he becomes the most important pillar of the country, while citizens and the country become secondary. That is what killed every king, Muslim caliph, or president who ruled tyrannically, and distributed the profits and positions to his friends and relatives, and looked down on others."

The Driver said: "yes, yes, but, Jamal Abdel Nasser was not like that."

The passenger replied, "perhaps Abdel Nasser was a national hero, who in his faith,had decency, and love for his country. But, he was a dictator, who did not allow people to practice freedom of speech... and to form parties, and practice their citizen rights in equality, justice and democracy. Keeping the regime was more vital than the country itself. That is what killed Abdel Nasser"

The passenger paid the fare, and got out of the car as he was smiling and thanking the driver for the good company, as the driver asked him: "you did not tell me what would happen to Arafat?."