generalspeaking

January 25 Anniversary

MAHMUD HAMS/AFP/Getty Images Egyptian protesters hold-up an obelisk with the names of those killed during last year's uprising, at a huge rally in Tahrir Square

Egyptians converged in their hundreds of thousands once again at Tahrir Square. Cairo is becoming accustomed to these mass demonstrations. This one was in celebration of an especial anniversary. Where hundreds of flags waved and people spoke of their pride, of their disappointment, of their hopes for the future.

The future has been a long time coming for Egyptians who were so jubilant when their initial protests swiftly brought down their long-time tyrant. They mourn their dead, those who were martyred by government forces during the long battle for the downfall of the regime. And they are confounded by the status quo; nothing has changed to reflect their sacrifice. They are waiting, and waiting.

Just as occurred in Russia with the fall of the Soviet Union and the resulting celebrations and the expectations of Russians that they would embark on a mission of democritization and embrace capitalism and they would all be free and wealthy, just like the average Americans that they watched on television, Egyptians can hardly believe a year has gone by and nothing has changed of any substance.

Russians found themselves sold out to the oligarchs, and went on a national drunk until they did find wealth pumping oil and gas. But it didn't happen overnight, and on their way to middle-class solidarity they realized that they are once again autocratically ruled by a facsimile government of what was brought down with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the USSR.

And Egyptians are suffering through their own economic collapse, with investment stalled and withdrawn, tourism disappeared, unemployment once rampant, now soaring, and the tyranny of military-backed Hosni Mubarak in retrospect looking fairly benevolent compared to what overtook his downfall in the guise of revolutionary support, the estimable Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

But Egypt is evolving and transitioning from sole military rule toward a duly elected parliament, with not the liberal-led protest groups having been elevated by a voting public eager to exercise their honest franchise, but the once-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, and the Salafist fundamentalists whom in a tandem of Islamism will gradually bring Egypt not the freedom the youth of Tahrir Square envisioned for themselves but the grip of Shariah.

"May Allah unify us", is the cry of the advantaged Islamists. And deeply entrenched in their mindset and their plans for the future of their country is the thought expressed by some in the square: "The Jews and Americans are behind every catastrophe".

Not the looming one, dear Egyptian public.

Labels: Egypt, Political Realities

posted by Pieface @ Thursday, January 26, 2012