UNLIKELY MISSIONARY:

A Gandhi in Egypt (T P Sreenivasan, , March 08, 2010, rediff)

I had expected that after his glorious innings at the IAEA, the Nobel Laureate would move to his chateau in Southern France, enter the celebrities' circuit, become the greatest champion of the use of nuclear energy for peaceful uses and a trouble-shooter for the United Nations and play his favourite game of golf in between. When I expressed surprise that he had plunged into politics in his own country, he replied, "Getting involved in Egyptian politics was not planned… It came by default when people saw in me a symbol for change. I do not know how it is going to play out, but I think it is worth a try. Egypt and the Arab world need to wake up and smell the coffee and understand that without democracy, it is a dead end street."

Clearly, his agenda is vast and formidable as he is speaking of democracy in the entire Arab world. But he also has formidable credentials. As an international lawyer, he was a distinguished member of his country's foreign service before joining the IAEA as an international civil servant. He brought credit not only to himself but also for his country in the years he spent in Vienna. He was elected director general against stiff competition at first, but sailed through in two subsequent elections without even a sign of a credible opponent.

His administrative abilities, efficiency and impartiality are legendary. [...]

The weapons in his armoury to battle for democracy are his credibility and honesty that made him popular in Egypt itself. His new role as an apostle of democracy should give his people hope. "There would not be one saviour for Egypt", he says modestly. The Egyptian people themselves should save their country, he believes.

So far only the intellectuals and young people have been ignited by him. His Facebook page has only 55,133 fans at the last count. His language is diplomatic and his vocabulary is not confrontational. But there is no doubt that he is ready to take up the leadership, whatever be the consequences. He is not looking for a sinecure to rest on his laurels. He has already invited attention to the repressive nature of the regime in Egypt and the flame that he has lit may well become a fire. Even if he creates a system that gives a fair chance to those who follow him, his mission will be fulfilled.