Libyans welcome Hugo Chavez on a visit to his friend Muammar
Qaddafi
in 2009. The death of Chavez, a leader from the Western Hemisphere
who was regarded as a genuine friend to Muslims, is being taken hard
among Arabs who saw in him a leader far superior to their own.
Hugo Chavez: 'More Arab than the Arabs of Oil' (Al-Wahdawi, Yemen)
"His convictions made him more Arab than the Arabs
of petroleum, the slaves of America and the dinar. ... The average Arab citizen,
who sees no strength or dignity in his own rulers, is struck by the tragedy of
Chavez' death. I have been startled and saddened to find some actually celebrating
the death of what they call a tyrant and dictator. They curse, utter profanities,
lie, and twist facts, and out of hatred fabricate history - even if Chavez was
a man that never stood in their way. Chavez stood with Arabs and Muslims more
than the hypocritical groups who lie in the name of Islam."
The father of Arab nationalism, Egypt President Gamal Abdul-Nasser, right, with a man who became a close friend of Hugo Chavez, Libyan leader Muammar Qadaffi, years before Qaddafi's successful coup in Libya. Nasser argued for greater unity within the Arab world, rejection of Western colonialism and Zionism, and a transition from capitalism to socialism. Sound familiar?
I still can't believe it. I find the question of why great men die
to be incomprehensible. Why doesn't the earth bear more people like them after
they depart? Chavez left optimistic about life and dreaming of a return to his
people. While addressing them before leaving for treatment, he said: "I
will return in better shape than you see me today. I have a tremendous desire to
live and will not say goodbye. This is not a time to die, but to live.”
But fate decreed he would never say goodbye to his people, nor to
those who longed to see him. His departure leaves behind millions of poor and
oppressed, who knew that Chavez was absolutely committed to their happiness and
victory - yet none of have ever suggested he had let them down.
The Venezuelan people, the Arab Nation and the entire world is in a
state of shock and sadness over the passing of a man beloved to their hearts
and who never played on their emotions. They knew of his commitment to Arab
causes and loved him for it. His convictions made him more Arab than the Arabs
of petroleum, the slaves of America and the dinar.
Chavez told Al Jazeera that because of the continuing validity of Gamal
Abdul-Nasser ideas, he
was an Arab-Nasserite soldier optimistic about the future of Arab
nationalism. He proved that he followed the path of Nasser. His Nasserite
positions on issues across the Arab world prove his commitment. And despite the
distance between our countries and his, his views were very close to our own,
particularly when it came to the issue of Palestine, for which he cared deeply.
He protested the Israeli war on Lebanon in 2006 and Gaza in 2009 by withdrawing
his ambassador, expelling the Israeli ambassador to Venezuela and all Israeli
embassy staff. He described the Israeli occupation as cowardly and demanded
that Israeli and American presidents be brought before an international tribunal.
These positions instilled love for him in the hearts of millions across the
Arab world. The average Arab citizen, who sees no strength or dignity in his
own rulers, is struck by the tragedy of Chavez' death.
As I browse through Facebook, I find that
a majority of users are talking about his passing and relating stories about
the great positions humanitarian postions taken by Chavez, who worked for the people
and contributed to an easing of their suffering. Their postings tell about him
standing with the oppressed in the world. They speak of him as a dear and loyal
friend who invested all of his life in leading the mocked and oppressed to
victory.
Posted By
Worldmeets.US
At the same time, I have been startled and saddened to find some actually
celebrating the death of what they call a tyrant and dictator. They curse,
utter profanities, lie, and twist facts, and out of hatred fabricate history -
even if Chavez was a man that never stood in their way. Chavez stood with Arabs
and Muslims more than the hypocritical groups who lie in the name of Islam. Muslims
know full well that such groups will never approve of anyone who stands in opposition
to America.
