Security Sector Reform and the Arab Spring 
Sami Faltas, University of Groningen, the Netherlands

Submitted in June 2012 for publication by the EU Delegation in an information brief on SSR in Lebanon.

The chant “Bread! Freedom! Social Justice!” is often heard in Cairo’s Midan el Tahrir. Bread stands for jobs and livelihoods that enable people to provide food, housing, education and health care to their families. Freedom stands for the right to speak one’s mind, elect one’s leaders and live in dignity, unafraid of being harassed and beaten. Social justice stands for equal rights. Workers are not mules, women are not slaves, children are not property, and no one is above the law. The slogan sums up the aspirations of the revolution of 25 January and resonates in other Arab countries as well.

I am an Egyptian who grew up in the Netherlands. Today I am a lecturer in security studies at a Dutch university. Looking at the countries of the Arab Spring as a European analyst, I am inclined to think they need to reform their security sector, preferably with some assistance from the EU. The ideals of the revolution cannot be achieved without the rule of law and an adequate level of security for all citizens. According to the European approach, Security Sector Reform (SSR) must ensure that the state is capable of providing good security and justice services to the population. At the same time, the security forces must be accountable, respectful of the rights and liberties of the population, and ruled by law. Each country must make these changes in its own way and according to the needs of its society. Only then will the reforms be feasible, appropriate and sustainable. Consider for example the Egyptian police. In the face of fierce popular anger, it vanished from the streets during the revolution of 2011, and one and a half years later, it is still invisible. As a result, people have less reason to fear police corruption, harassment and violence. Unfortunately, in large parts of the country the absence of the police also means open season for criminals. Egypt needs a police that serves and protects the population. Who could disagree? What are they waiting for? These thoughts go through my mind as I look at Egypt as a European SSR analyst.

Now if I look at my native country as an Egyptian, I am more sceptical about the chances for Security Sector Reform in the countries of the Arab Spring. “Bukra fil mishmish,” I am inclined to say. I’ll believe it when I see it. Egypt’s new rulers must be aware of the need for rebuilding an effective police force. The big question is whether it will be a service that the people trust or one that they fear. What is more, President Morsi wants the military to withdraw from politics. But we don’t know when or on what terms this may happen.

 Also consider Lebanon. Security touches all domains of life, and therefore security policy must be comprehensive. It needs to be shared and supported by all relevant government agencies. This is never easy, but in Lebanon it is especially difficult, because the country has various governmental and non-governmental security forces, each allied with a particular religious community, a political party and foreign supporters. Without deep political change, one cannot imagine these various factions adopting and pursuing a joint security policy for their country as a whole.

 This highlights another feature of SSR, namely that it is highly political. SSR enhances the power of the executive branch, while at the same time subjecting it to the rule of law and making it accountable to parliament and other oversight bodies. If and when a government in Cairo, Beirut or anywhere else agrees to such fundamental changes, it will want to carry out the reforms in its own way and on its own terms.

On this final point my two halves can agree. SSR programmes often fail because of a lack of local ownership. Tunisia, Egypt and other Arab countries going through deep political change will not allow Europeans to talk them into reshaping their security and justice sector. If and when they decide to do this, they will do it in their own way, according to their own schedule and for their own purposes. It will not happen without strong popular and political backing. However, if such home-grown efforts are indeed launched, I think Arab governments may accept foreign expertise and assistance. I would be happy to see some of it coming from the EU and its member states. But the Arab countries may also want to look at the experience of South Africa, where SSR has been and remains locally driven.