Democratic tsunami

Tunisia`s "Jasmine Revolution" that ended the 23-year dictatorship of President Ben Ali is spreading to neighboring Egypt. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak named a vice president for the first time since coming to power 30 years ago and replaced the prime minister. Yet anti-government protests show no signs of abating in Egypt. Inspired by the revolt in Tunisia, anti-government protesters are taking to the streets in Yemen and Algeria. The Arab world is about to experience the same democratic contagion that swept Eastern Europe in 1989.

A one-man dictatorship is possible only through suppression of public opinion and infringement on human rights. Mubarak has maintained a dictatorship by ignoring his people`s voices and suppressing opposition forces with power. The revolt came when he was preparing either for a sixth term as president or have his second son succeed him in the September elections. While the Egyptian people have rushed to the streets inspired by the Tunisian revolt, social networking sites have added fuel to the fire. To stop the online spread of dissent against Murabak, the Egyptian government shut down not only Facebook and Twitter but also the entire Internet, but failed to stop domestic upheaval.

It looks like Murabak cannot prevent the Egyptian people`s democratic aspirations. No country is more legitimate than a democratic state. Democracy is accepted as the most rational political system in the world as opposed to totalitarian systems such as monarchy, theocracy, fascism and communism. The Arab world has been excluded in world democratic trends but is experiencing a contagion of people power. Western countries like the U.S. supported the Murabak administration to respect Egypt`s status in the Arab world. The U.S. provides to Egypt an annual 1.3 billion U.S. dollars of military aid and 2 billion dollars in economic support. Yet the fierce protests by the Egyptian people have helped change the U.S. stance, with U.S. President Barack Obama urging Murabak to implement reform. The Washington Post went further by saying Washington should prepare for the peaceful implementation of the opposition platform. The world should urge Murabak to refrain from abusing power and accept the Egyptian people`s demand for democracy.

The upheaval in the Arab world is a threat to Korea`s economy and its people. The price of West Texas intermediate oil for March delivery surged 4.3 percent per barrel. The worsening of Egypt`s situation and its spread to the Middle East and North Africa pose a bigger risk. The Korean government should restrict Koreans from traveling to Egypt and ensure the safety of Korean residents and companies there as well as oil supply.