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| Nicolae & Elena Ceausescu few hours before their death sentence |
1,104 deaths and 3,352 injuries was the cost the Romanian nation had to pay in their revolt against the communist regime in 1989. Few days after the revolt, the dictator couple Nicolae & Elena Ceausescu were captured and being sentenced to death immediately after an exceptional trial held by the military. Once the news were heard; cheers and dances filled Romania celebrating the success of their revolution ending 22 years of corruption, poverty and dictator ship of The communist regime. After years and years of this promising revolution, it seems like nothing much have changed in Romania, the system still corrupted, the economy still failing year by year, even the country’s factories built during Ceausescu time had all closed leaving the country disable to produce any goods or repay their pilling debt. What went wrong? How could the revolution fail after paying all this cost? How close is the Egyptian revolution from the Romanian scenario?
During my recent offshore assignment in South China Sea, I was placed in a sharing room with a chef mechanic on the rig. He happened to be a 50+ old Romanian citizen who had taken part in the Romanian revolution back in 1989. “What went wrong” was the first question popped out of my mouth once I knew he is Romanian. I always believed regardless of how much you read about a historic event, the best way is to listen to someone who lived that event. He seemed to be a good insider for what really happened back then. In this post am not trying to tell the story of the Romanian revolution, am just picking up the interesting points he said that shocked me.
“I saw on the news the cheering and the dancing of the Egyptian people in Tahrir square, I immediately remembered how we reacted when Ceausescu couple fled away from their palace in 1989, an event that marks the fall of the communist Romania. Same like you guys, back then we had no idea that the regime is much stronger than we could ever imagine!” that’s how he started his story.
Ceausescu started his first years doing good to the Romanian people, soon his wife started to influence his politics, things went really bad. He cut back most of the food, gas and basic supplies for some austerity policies to pay back the debt on Romania. The situation was horrible. No one was allowed to leave Romania like most of the communist regimes. Poverty was unbearable. For example every family had a certain amount of bread and eggs per month, it was an issue for a family to host someone for dinner, as it means more nights without food. While at the same time, the regime men were filthy rich.
After the clashes broke, following Berlin's wall fall. Ceausescu was trying to address a 100,000 citizen whom were forced to gather at his palace to show he was still popular. Only 8 minutes in his live broadcasted speech, the crowd started yelling at him, pushing the police to get him. The Ceausescu couple panicked, he was yelling “Quit, I will raise your salaries, I will raise your benefits” but it was too late. In a historical moment the crowd took the demonstrations to the streets, and it was a no coming back for the couple.(The video is uploaded later in the post).
They ran for their lives in a helicopter where the army captured them and killed them in an injustice trial in Christmas Eve 1989.
During the mass protests, witnesses confirmed there were army tanks crushing the protesters same like what happened in maspero in Egypt.
After the “fall” of the regime, people though the protesters will be respected and honoured, but what happened was quite the opposite. The protesters kept dying in massive numbers, as only 162 died during the revolution days, while almost 942 died in riots in the transition period. Rumors about terrorist attacks and a mystery attacks on protesters were all over the national TV that were still controlled by the old regime. They even claimed at that time that there were “Gaddafi troops “killing the protesters. Not a single person was captured or faced trial for these killings up till now! Marcel, my Romanian roommate continued.
They even had a reformer who was well known and respected worldwide but the local TV ruined his reputation, that guy refused to participate in the elections because he knew that the regime or which they call it in Romania (the octopus) still there, it needs to be removed first, and he kept telling the people that one guy can’t do it by himself. He needs everyone.
Shortly after the fake “success” of the revolution, a lot of the ex-leaders of the communist party were facing trials of corruption and killing the protesters. Few months later they were all released. As if all the bad things were only done by Ceausescu himself.
Despite all the news that Ceausescu owns billions of dollars in Switzerland or other foreign banks, Not a single dollar were brought back to Romania.
The 2nd line of the regime regrouped in a different party called National Salvation Front. They controlled all TV and radio channels, Also Secret police was used to suppress and torture students’ movements and rallies against that Fake transition of power.
For the last reasons and more, a former member of the Communist Party leadership, Iliescu was elected as Romania’s first president after the revolution with a majority 85% in elections! And the NSF party won 70% of the parliament. Iliescu basically represents the old regime but in a modern mask. He ruled for more than a decade then he was reelected again in 2000. Even when people voted for a good guy for once during these last few years, He couldn’t change much, as the octopus still controls.
Despite the bloodshed in The Romanian revolution, according to many experts the regime was not entirely replaced up to this moment.
When I asked him, what about the constitution? The Romanian constitution 1991 was written by the majority of the parliament. In different words by the old regime who won the elections. It’s filled by flaws that can easily be manipulated in their favor. That’s why they maintain power among them.
By looking back on those days, the biggest Mistake Marcel wanted to highlight was that they should have purified the media and the police on the first weeks after Ceausescu fall. They shouldn’t have given the time for the Regime to regroup and join the elections while controlling the media, police and even the judges.
I was shocked from how close the Egyptian revolution from the Romanian scenario. I had the feeling there is a manual and our military council is following it page by page. For a non Egyptian reading this he might miss the point. What happened in the Romanian Revolution is happening so far in Egypt, and we are about to have our first presidency elections with a big possibility to have Shafiq, Mubarak's prime minister as a winner.
The Egyptian revolution is far from finished, even if Morsy (Muslim brotherhood candidate) won, we need a massive effort in all directions to get rid of the regime. The old regime still controls police forces, media, Army and even judges. Mubarak’s octopus is all around us. The Romanian example is a must read for whoever thinks removing Shafiq is easier than Morsy. For me voting for Morsy is a tactic comes along side with the main tactic, which is continuing the revolution. In Romania 90% of the killing happened after Ceausescu fall. Living up to the saying (Those who make revolution half way only dig their own graves) Voting for shafiq will push the Egyptian revolution into that saying as well! Elthawra 7tmaaaaan mostmraaa!!
