Opposition political parties and civil dissents are repressed by the governments in many countries around the world. But repression is more in authoritarian or less democratic countries. In repression, different sorts of statements are given by ruling parties as justification for repression. Though there are differences in the justificatory statements of the repression, there are some statements that frequently appear including the destruction in the name of political demonstrations, a conspiracy against the state and the involvement of oppositions with foreign conspiracy. Of course, there are merits to such claims on some occasions but such claims are unfounded on many other occasions. This commentary is written on the statements made on the repressions of political oppositions and civil dissents by the governments of different countries around the world.
It is undeniable that opposition political parties and other dissent voices often create trouble in different countries. Political oppositions devastate buildings, buses, industries and other establishments and create anarchy and political instability. Indeed, there are many such instances in the world. Moreover, dissent voices sometimes support opposition political parties and serve the purpose of foreign conspirators with targeted propaganda against the targeted governments. Indeed, it is not surprising at all that foreign backups sometimes work behind heightened political turmoil, though governments are elected in credible elections and run their countries better. On some occasions, opposition political parties and civil dissents may also initiate a movement against a government especially after getting direct or indirect support from foreign powers. This can be found more in politically vulnerable countries.
Of course, political instability and targeted propaganda against a government may sometimes bring some good outcomes to the people and country especially when the government is generally repressive and there is no tendency of the government to secure justice, provide better opportunities to the people, curb down corruption and serve the reasoned interests of opposition political parties and civil dissents. But these sometimes lead to devastating economic, social and other consequences to countries including those countries where political stability is needed more to ensure economic, social and other sorts of development for the betterment of people. Many politically unstable countries remain politically unstable because of the constant propaganda of dissent voices and the destructive activities of opposition parties. This is the case especially for conflict affected and/or politically vulnerable/unstable countries, though this can sometimes happen in other countries too.
But does destruction or destructive movement happen always, even if opposition political parties carry out political demonstrations? This is definitely not. Political oppositions carry out political demonstrations and protest rallies without destruction on many occasions. Moreover, do civil dissents always support opposition parties with an intention to overthrow governments? Indeed, opposition political leaders and other dissent voices often rightly criticize different ill-planned plans and policies and ill-intended activities of governments that harm the opposition, people and the country. Moreover, they criticize governments on many occasions with an intention to make changes that are needed for the betterment of the country. Moreover, are opposition political leaders and civil dissents always supported by foreign countries? This is obviously not.
But it is undeniable that governments repress the political leaders of opposition parties and other dissent voices without any well-founded reasons in many countries especially less democratic and authoritarian countries on some occasions. They repress for the mere political benefits of the ruling parties. The aim of the governments may be to hold and exercise power almost absolutely and secure a long-term consolidation of power. If the governments consider some as significant threats to the absolute exercise of power, governments take resort to repression on some occasions. In the repression, governments blame opposition political parties and other dissent voices. Opposition parties and other dissent voices are also rendered by governments as foreign agents, anti-state conspirators and the like for justifying the repression.
No doubt, repression takes a variety of forms. Political protests and demonstrations of opposition parties are prevented by force, even though rallies are carried out without any vandalism. They are tortured in the name of protection from the destruction of establishments and prevention of regular activities. Opposition leaders and dissent voices are also arrested for fabricated cases. In extreme cases, opposition leaders and other dissent voices are disappeared and killed in some countries to create a feeling of fear for others too. Moreover, opposition political leaders and other dissent voices are sometimes deprived of getting justice because of the influence of the government over the judiciary system in some countries. Indeed, the judiciary is criticized more in those countries where oppositions get limited scope for political demonstrations and protests.
Undeniably, many reforms were made by governments because of the protests of political oppositions and criticisms of other dissent voices in many countries. Political, social, economic and other reforms carried out in response to protests and criticisms may be small scale and large scale. Indeed, without protests and criticisms, many problems might have not been heeded and resolved by governments in many countries especially where there is a lack of culture among political leaders to heed reasoned demands or concerns of political oppositions and people. Thus, are not the justificatory statements of the repression of opposition and civil dissents are indicative of unwillingness of making needed reform sometimes?
Since the justificatory statements of governments are not always well-founded and repression takes place, the repression of the opposition political parties and other dissent voices needs to be ended in the name of conspirators, foreign agents and traitors. Of course, the deserving punishment of opposition voices for their actual wrongdoings that devastate establishments merely for devastation and bring enormous harm to people is desired. Yet, it needs to be kept in mind that opposition parties can demonstrate against government activities and mismanagement in a peaceful manner whenever they think of it as important. But governments need to reflect a tolerant attitude toward opposition voices and end repression in its various forms including arbitrary detention, torture and filing cases for harassment merely for the benefit of the ruling parties.
No less important is that the development of a good political culture including a credible electoral political culture is important in countries including authoritarian and less democratic countries as it can help improve political conditions needed for ending unreasoned repression of the opposition parties and other dissent voices. Indeed, political protests are sometimes more common and devastating regarding elections in different countries, though people’s economic deprivations are increasingly generating more destructive political protests in recent years too. Moreover, some other measures including providing a scope of peaceful demonstration and just criticism are also very important. Of course, governments in those authoritarian and less democratic countries that repress the opposition political parties and other dissent voices need to do more here.
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