Sound like a daunting task? It will be difficult, but history has shown that it is not impossible. In the 20th century, there were many such struggles in which a weaker group fought for its fundamental human rights and a dominant group violently resisted the assertion of those rights. Pre-partition India, pre-Civil-Rights-Act America and apartheid South Africa are examples that bear resemblance to the case at hand. And in each of these cases, the sympathy of the outside world eventually tipped in favor of the oppressed. But in India, America and South Africa the oppressed group was led by a leader--Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela, respectively--who won the respect of his adversaries and who held the undivided loyalty of his people.

Arafat may be a Nobel laureate, but he is no Mandela. He is not associated with peace. He is not charismatic. He has the respect neither of his people nor of his adversaries. He has had his turn and now must have the courage to realize that the Palestinian struggle would be better served by someone else.

It might be unrealistic to hope that a Gandhi, an MLK or a Mandela will step forth from the Palestinian ranks, but we will never know as long as Arafat continues to cling to his autocratic regime. If I am wrong and if Arafat truly does speak for the Palestinian people, then let him re-affirm his legitimacy with a democratic election. The international community, including both Western and Arab countries, must pressure the PNA to take the question to the people. And if Arafat refuses to yield to democracy, then the world must embrace a popular Palestinian movement. Arafat's unchecked monopoly on power has endured far too long and his people have suffered because of it.

Nader R. Hasan '02 is a government concentrator in Lowell House. His column appears on alternate Wednesdays.