Cairo is a mess, again. Well, Tahrir is, and it is
completely localised to Tahrir and streets leading to it- so please don’t worry
about me... all is quiet at Hotel Bellylorna (well, as quiet as it ever is with
singers and dancers living together!)
Everyone I speak to has a completely different take on the
last 2 days of unrest in Tahrir.
Some strongly believe that the young people in Tahrir who
have been arrested and shot at deserved everything they got, saying they were
told not to protest and they chose to put themselves in that place, therefore
they want trouble.
Some believe that the protests themselves are mistimed and
everyone should wait until the elections to see what happens. However, they are
unhappy about the strong arm response by the police and their methods of
clearing the square, and therefore although they might not have supported
initial protests, now they strongly believe in supporting anyone who wants to
put their voice across in a peaceful manner without fear of being shot at.
There are those who say the police have been guilty of horrific
attacks on the protesters. Firing tear gas, rubber bullets and bird shot into people’s
faces. I know of at least two who have lost eyes due to this. There are others
who believe that the protesters went armed with rocks etc ready for a fight and
with intent to create chaos and burn police vehicles.
I quite honestly don’t know.
My sources of information are local TV and news, which does
seem biased in supporting the police. Then there is twitter and face book,
which is 100% in favour of what the activists are doing and very anti the
military. Then there are various other independent news channels and online
papers which seem to be on the side of the protesters.
I can understand if the nation is frightened of being ruled
by the army. There have been too many military trials of civilians this year,
and I can see that will only continue if the army stay in power.
I can also see why many people are frightened of the Islamist
parties winning the votes. They certainly know how to campaign, dishing out
gifts and educating supported in how to vote etc. However, they could
potentially threaten the way of live for many of us involved in music, dance
and tourism. I don’t have any evidence of this , but am sure that one of the
first things they would limited is venues serving alcohol, for example, which
would seriously affect tourism and entertainment in Cairo. I know many Egyptian
Copts who are very scared how their life might change for the worst if a
fundamentalist type government get into power.
Who knows what will happen in the future for Egypt? One
friend said to me today, what happens the parties who are actually set up by
the army actually win the votes to maintain power? If that happens then people
will accuse the elections of being rigged, no? But it could happen. I have
spoken to a few people who miss Mubarak and wish he was still in power. Someone
else just now said of course there won’t be peace, not yet. The army need to
stay in control until Mubarak dies at least... otherwise all the heads of the
army will share the blame with the big man. If he dies, then all the blame for
the last 30 years can be placed on him and the country can move on. Who knows?
As I say, everyone I speak to has a different take on it all.
God be with those fighting for what they truly believe is
right.
No-body knows what will happen next. Those speaking against
the protesters said the same things back in January, and then when they ‘won’ the
revolution they supported and backed them. It seems very deja vu to me.
I understand people who just want people in Tahrir to go
home, they want peace. Peace might be easier, businesses can run more smoothly
on a day to day basis, but peace doesn’t ever bring change. And Egypt needs to
move forward in so many ways. Change really is needed!
Are we in revolution 2? NO... personally I think we are
still in the first one... except that in round one people gave up too easily.
The activists in January had many demands... but the main one that everyone
knew was they wanted Mubarak out. However, He was only the figurehead for the
regime and what they really wanted, but couldn’t push for once Mubarak left,
was to rid the country of the regime that was running it.
We can only hope that in the political unrest which is sure
to follow the next few months that what is best for the long term good for
Egypt is what happens, and that those who have suffered greatly, and those who
have died, since January 25th won’t have done that in vain.
5 comments:
You summed up the situation precisely and fairly Lorna. I too have deja vu.
It does seem that on Saturday some protestors threw rocks through the clouds of tear gas at the Police who had killed and injured so many of them, in order not to be swept out of Tahrir Square.
However, during the hours I spent in Tahrir on Sunday (both morning and evening visits) I did not see a single protestor raise a hand against the security forces. The hands raised in the air came with the word "Stand", encouraging people to stand still or walk away in the face of police charges, to avoid stampeding or chaos. Let me repeat: my own personal eyewitnesses account - through eyes streaming with tear gas - is that all of the violence was coming from the regime.
Last night I stood behind a popcorn cart - only in Egypt could a revolution come with popcorn and candy floss, lol - immediately next to a man in a three-piece pin-striped suit, two women (one wearing a hijab, one not), a man who looked like a bowab, several middle-aged guys who appeared to be engineers, young men whose adrenaline had them jiggling about on the stop...people from all walks of normally disparate Egyptian life. People offered each other Kleenex to help with the effects of the tear gas, and a supportive arm when shots rang out or it looked like other protestors were fleeing towards us.
These are noble people who believe in just principles. They're not particularly politicial, all they want is a few rights, a little freedom. The Egyptian media showed their colours early in the revolution...along with pictures of Tahrir described as "pro-Mubarak demonstrations"! Trying to provoke the protestors into a violent reaction to the regime's brutal and provocative violence, is an old tactic of theirs. They may have succeeded in getting some stones thrown on Saturday, but the moral high ground - and Tahrir Square - remain firmly occupied by protestors.
Every person in every country in the world should have the right to peaceful protest. Those the security forces beat, gassed and shot at, were sitting quietly in the centre of a grassy roundabout, not so much as disrupting traffic. Sometimes in the minefield of political debate, the simple things can get lost. Simply put: we have the right to stand peacefully and say we do not want to be ruled by the same military dictatorship that has spent the past 30 years gaining Egypt the sad reputation as the go-to country for illicit torture, that steals billions of dollars whilst many cant afford bread and that thinks a small peaceful protest should be smashed with fists, beaten, burt and cowed.
"They are going, we are not going" - deja vu indeed...
You summed up the situation precisely and fairly Lorna. I too have deja vu.
It does seem that on Saturday some protestors threw rocks through the clouds of tear gas at the Police who had killed and injured so many of them, in order not to be swept out of Tahrir Square.
However, during the hours I spent in Tahrir on Sunday (both morning and evening visits) I did not see a single protestor raise a hand against the security forces. The hands raised in the air came with the word "Stand", encouraging people to stand still or walk away in the face of police charges, to avoid stampeding or chaos. Let me repeat: my own personal eyewitnesses account - through eyes streaming with tear gas - is that all of the violence was coming from the regime.
Last night I stood behind a popcorn cart - only in Egypt could a revolution come with popcorn and candy floss, lol - immediately next to a man in a three-piece pin-striped suit, two women (one wearing a hijab, one not), a man who looked like a bowab, several middle-aged guys who appeared to be engineers, young men whose adrenaline had them jiggling about on the stop...people from all walks of normally disparate Egyptian life. People offered each other Kleenex to help with the effects of the tear gas, and a supportive arm when shots rang out or it looked like other protestors were fleeing towards us.
These are noble people who believe in just principles. They're not particularly politicial, all they want is a few rights, a little freedom. The Egyptian media showed their colours early in the revolution...along with pictures of Tahrir described as "pro-Mubarak demonstrations"! Trying to provoke the protestors into a violent reaction to the regime's brutal and provocative violence, is an old tactic of theirs. They may have succeeded in getting some stones thrown on Saturday, but the moral high ground - and Tahrir Square - remain firmly occupied by protestors.
Every person in every country in the world should have the right to peaceful protest. Those the security forces beat, gassed and shot at, were sitting quietly in the centre of a grassy roundabout, not so much as disrupting traffic. Sometimes in the minefield of political debate, the simple things can get lost. Simply put: we have the right to stand peacefully and say we do not want to be ruled by the same military dictatorship that has spent the past 30 years gaining Egypt the sad reputation as the go-to country for illicit torture, that steals billions of dollars whilst many cant afford bread and that thinks a small peaceful protest should be smashed with fists, beaten, burt and cowed.
"They are going, we are not going" - deja vu indeed...
Gosh I hope you're safe!
I don't know you Amanda, and I'm not in Egypt, but I just have to to thank you for your bravery and your comments. For what it's worth, people in Manchester will be looking to express solidarity outside the BBC building. it's the nearest thing we have to an organ of the state.
Hoping for a better future for Egypt, with freedom to protest [and vote] without fear of getting shot or beaten - and without further loss of life.
It's difficult but I do believe you can have peaceful change. If the promised elections had taken place when they were supposed to, perhaps that would have avoided the present unrest. It must be so hard for people to be living with such uncertainty so no wonder they wish to protest - and should be allowed to. Repressing free speech is why Mubarak had to go, along with a number of leaders of other countries recently - you would think those in power (temporary or otherwise) would learn that lesson. I don't know enough about the current situation but Lorna, your summary was fair and honest.
Amanda, sounds like you had a terrifying experience!
I just hope you are both safe and well and that the people of Egypt get fair elections and peace can break out!
Take care
Brenda
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