Democracy is more than just deposing a dictator - CNN.com http://cnn.site.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=Democracy... Powered by Democracy is more than just deposing a dictator (CNN) -- As waves of protest and turmoil wash over the Middle East, Filipinos are celebra ting the 25th anniversary of their "people power" revolution that ousted the dictator, Ferdinand Marcos. So what can the people of Philippines teach the people of Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain and Libya about handling democratic change? Here's the short answer: The overthrow of a tyrant is probably only the beginning of a series of upheavals and crises. Marcos was forced from power and into exile on February 25, 1986, after the military switched sides and swung behind massive street demonstrations. But that support was short lived and the Philippines was soon rocked by a series of bloody coup attempts against the new pro-democracy President Cory Aquino. In one attempt, her son and now president, Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, almost died in an ambush by rebel soldiers. The involvement of the military in the overthrow of the dictator can be a turning po int for a people power movement. Played out wrongly, it can quickly metamorphose into another form of dictatorship and lead to the rise of neo-oligarchs and cronies. But done right, it can bring progress if the security forces work with, and not against, civilian rule. Mrs Aquino weathered the putsches against her and served out her full term with the backing of army chief Gen. Fidel Ramos. He then succeeded her as president after forming his own political party and winning elections. Although criticized for appointing too many retired generals to his Cabinet, he delivered economic gains and stability. But then came then came a new set of setbacks. The Asian financial crisis struck in 1997 and one year later, Joseph Estrada, a former action movie hero, was overwhelmingly elected president. His administration was characterized by plunder and massive corruption that, once exposed, led to a new round of street uprisings known as "People Power 2." Estrada was jailed, tried and eventually convicted. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo took over the top job but her 10-year presidency was also marred by allegations of graft, electoral fraud and human rights abuses. She likewis e suppressed two attempts to topple her by a group of junior military officers who had complained of corruption in the government and the military itself. Attempts to impeach her were blocked by her allies in the House of Representatives who were recipients of pork barrel largesse. Anti-Arroyo protests were sometimes met by violent dispersals and whistleblowers end ed up being the ones prosecuted. Rumors were rife that she was planning to amend the constitution so she could extend her time in power. However, street demonstrations led by no other than Mrs Aquino galvanized opposition against change. Mrs Aquino died in 2009 and her passing generated wide support around her son, Noynoy. He won the presidency in 2010 in what many regard as the rebirth of democracy through peaceful and fair elections. Here are some lessons learned in Manila that might now resonate in Tunis and Cairo: Firstly, overthrowing a dictator does not by itself create a democracy. But it can create a huge power vacuum. In that uncertain climate, coup attempts and instability can open the way for the coming of a new repressive regime. It's essential that civilian authority over the military is put into place as soon as possible and that chain of command within the ranks is kept intact to ward off the danger of civil war and anarchy. The civilian bureaucracy must start to function again quickly so that the military is not tempted to wade into in civilian affairs. Secondly, civilian leaders cannot simply put their own friends and relatives into positions within the government. This can lead to cronyism and corruption. Allowed to degenerate further, the situation can produce oligarchy and dictatorship. Masquerading under the guise of "democracy," institutions that should serve the greater good only watch out for the interests of rich and powerful elites. Thirdly, citizens must continually rally around pro-democracy forces. In a corrupt environment, honest reform-minded leaders and their supporters can find themselves the targets of marginalization and even assassination. It is heart breaking that so many activists, social workers, lawyers, doctors, journalists and whistleblowers have lost their lives in the past quarter century since Marcos. 1 of 2 2/25/2011 10:01 AM Democracy is more than just deposing a dictator - CNN.com http://cnn.site.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=Democracy... Building a democracy is not the sole role of elected or appointed government officials. It is the collective responsibility of every citizen to make their leaders accountable. It goes well beyond simply kicking out a dictator or ousting corrupt politicians. It takes years of courage and perseverance to stand up for freedom and justice. The Philippines has paid a high price since the ouster of Marcos. But now Filipinos can hold their heads high. Today, their democracy is alive and stronger than ever. Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/02/25/casanova.philippines.democracy Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article. © 2008 Cable News Network 2 of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isreading Tehran: The Twitter Devolut… The Twitter Devolution Far from being a tool of revolution in Iran over the last year, the Internet, in many ways, just complicated the picture. BY GOLNAZ ESFANDIARI | JUNE 7, 2010 Before one of the major Iranian protests of the past year, a journalist in Germany showed me a list of three prominent Twitter accounts that were commenting on the events in Tehran and asked me if I knew the identities of the contributors. I told her I did, but she seemed disappointed when I told her that one of them was in the United States, one was in Turkey, and the third -- who specialized in urging people to "take to the streets" -- was based in Switzerland. Perhaps I shattered her dreams of an Iranian "Twitter Revolution." The Western media certainly never tired of claiming that Iranians used Twitter to organize and coordinate their protests following President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's apparent theft of last June's elections. Even the American government seemed to get in on the act. Former U.S. national security adviser Mark Pfeifle claimed Twitter should get the Nobel Peace Prize because "without Twitter the people of Iran would not have felt empowered and confidant to stand up for freedom and foreignpolicy.com/…/the_twitter_revolut… 1/4 2/24/2011 Misreading Tehran: The Twitter Devolut… democracy." And the U.S. State Department reportedly asked Twitter to delay some scheduled maintenance in order to allow Iranians to communicate as the protests grew more powerful. But it is time to get Twitter's role in the events in Iran right. Simply put: There was no Twitter Revolution inside Iran. As Mehdi Yahyanejad, the manager of "Balatarin," one of the Internet's most popular Farsi-language websites, told the Washington Post last June, Twitter's impact inside Iran is nil. "Here [in the United States], there is lots of buzz," he said. "But once you look, you see most of it are Americans tweeting among themselves." A number of opposition activists have told me they used