Daily Lessons from Life 12 February 2011 - Mubarak's resignation hailed as victory for people power

"Mubarak's resignation hailed as victory for people power - 12 February 2011 CNA

PARIS - World leaders on Friday hailed the toppling of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak as an historic victory for people power, paving the way for democracy, amid scenes of jubilation.

As Mubarak's three-decade-long rule ended, a day after he enraged protesters by refusing to stand down, messages of congratulation to the Egyptian people flooded in."

Interesting to note the messages from the world leaders...

USA President, UK Premier, Germany Chancellor, France President, UN Sec-Gen, etc all said: people power. Democracy. Blah blah.

Russian President, PRC Official responses said: be responsible, stability and smooth transition, laws and orders...

Lessons for me are:

1. what is perceived as good by some is not necessary shared by others depending on if your self-interest will be impacted and how!;

2. I have seen many 'people power' that ushered in great hope and expectation only for it to be crushed with incompetent and eventually corrupt 'new masters'! The even worst fate is that of the disintegration of the great USSR (Soviet Union) for those who still lament about the loss of pride and power of Russia vs. old USSR!! The PRC government definitely does not want to go this way. Hence the hard decision made on the Tiananmen then;

3. it was FUNNY actually to learn of the promise of democracy by the junta that was put in charge of Egypt, for now. What an irony! Hopefully they are true to their words and that the people who clamoured for the overthrowing of their 'ex-leader' have a game plan on what to do with the 'new Egypt'! The speed of how fast a 'dictator' tolerated by his people for more than 30 years (ok. I think the discontent probably built in recent 5 years when the bread and butter issues were NOT taken care of for the majority?) can be GONE in a flash is scary for many of the other pre-dominantly 'dominant' rulers in the Arab world. More to come? More chaos? Let's hope not.

Like a wise statesman in Singapore said (actually anyone could have said that): without stability, there will not be prosperity. May 'new Egypt' be great again!?