An article with this title appeared in the Al-Ahram Weekly, 16 - 22 February, 2012. This is the premier English language newspaper in Egypt and became our main source of information during our stay there.
The author, Gihan Shahine, states that the results of Egypt’s first free parliamentary elections "indicated that a majority of Egyptians may want an Islamist government." He goes on to point out that "Egypt’s largest and best organized group, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party now constitutes the largest bloc in parliament, followed by the ultraconservative Salafist Nour Party which unexpectedly is the second largest political group in the parliament."
The article summarizes the concerns of liberal and secular groups as well as Coptic Christians that the new government will push for an Islamist agenda. There are numerous secular opinion makers who are expressing serious doubts about the sincerity of the Muslim Brotherhood’s contention that it is a moderate group that wishes to implement Shari’a Law without sacrificing personal freedom.
So, the big question is whether the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party will move to the right and align with the Salafist Nour Party or aim for a centrist coalition that includes secularist parties. Some analysts have postulated that perhaps Egyptians were not seeking Islamist rule but voted for the Freedom and Justice Party candidates because they had integrity and clean hands.
While this article shed a great deal of light on the political situation in Egypt, it also raised questions in our minds. The first question concerned the meaning of the terms Islamist and Islamism. In the western media, these terms are often used to describe a radical interpretation of Islam such as the one that drives members of Al-Qaeda to crash airplanes into buildings or the Taliban to practice brutal repression of women and massacre Afghan civilians. Is this the same interpretation of Islamist and Islamism that Gihan Shahine uses? Clearly not!
What, then, is the definition of these terms for the Egyptians? Further research was clearly needed to elucidate this.
As a start, we obtained a copy of the Constitutional Declaration of 2011, the interim constitution that guides Egypt during the transition, from the website of Egypt’s Cabinet of Ministers.
http://www.cabinet.gov.eg/AboutEgypt/ConstitutionalDeclaration_e.pdf
The first two articles of this essential document state:
Article 1
The Arab Republic of Egypt is a democratic state based on citizenship. The Egyptian people are part of the Arab nation and work for the realization of its comprehensive unity.
Article 2
Islam is the religion of the state and the Arabic language is its official language. Principles of Islamic law (Shari’a) are the principal source of legislation.
So, if Islam is the state religion and Islamic law (Shari’a) the source of legislation, isn’t Egypt Islamic already? Or is Egypt Islamist?
A search of the constitutional history of the country shows that an article similar to the current Article 2 was introduced into the constitution in 1980, when Anwar Sadat was President. Thus, in theory, Shari’a law has been the source of legislation for many years! One could wonder what if anything, will change with the new parliament, labeled Islamist by Al-Ahram, as they begin to make policy? What will change may be not so much that the country will become more Islamic but that it will be a democratic state based on citizenship rather than a state ruled by a dictator and his confederates and enforcers.
Returning to the question about the meaning or the terms Islamist and Islamism we have concluded that these are ambiguous and that their meaning is not well understood among our readers who are mostly American and European non-Muslims. Therefore, we have adopted a new Pioneer West policy: The words Islamist and Islamism will henceforth never be used in our writings!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Soccer Massacre Changes Everything for Egypt
The one year anniversary of the start of the revolution, 25 January, passed with celebrations, remembrances and protests to demand that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) turn over power to the People’s Assembly. All of this was as anticipated and the day passed as Egyptians considered how far they have come and the great distance they still must go to achieve the transition to democracy.
Two days earlier, on 23 January, the People’s Assembly opened, its members chosen by a free and fair election. Speeches were made and agendas were set as the members got down to the business of setting policy for the newly forming democracy. In the coming months, the constitution must be revived and a presidential election held.
Then, on 1 February, a soccer game between legendary rivals, Al Ahly and Al Masry in Port Said ended in a violent clash among fans of the opposing teams that left 74 people dead and many more injured. There were reports from fans that gates to the pitch were left open during the game enabling supporters to storm from the stands at the end of the game. During this melee, the lights went out and the exit gates were locked causing people to be trapped in a narrow corridor where some were trampled and others suffocated. Egyptians were in shock and the People’s Assembly declared three days of mourning and ordered an investigation.
This incident changed everything for Egypt. Questions have been raised about who was responsible for the unpardonable lack of security that enabled the perpetrators to bring knives and sticks into the match. Why were the gates opened and why were the exits locked? Was the power failure just an accident?
Some reports have hypothesized that this was a well planned and executed massacre of innocent people and that SCAF or operatives from the Mubarak organization could be responsible. Paranoia runs deep. Protesters stormed back to Tahrir Square the next morning and marched to the Ministry of the Interior causing police to retaliate with tear gas and bird shot, killing and injuring more people.
As visitors in Cairo, we feel quite a bit more nervous about being suddenly at the wrong place at the wrong time. We have talked with other guests in the hotel here in Zamelek who were staying in a hotel near downtown and they reported watching the police storm a field hospital, killing a doctor. They decided to move to our hotel for their safety. Here in the district where many embassies are located and upscale shops line 26 July Street, we are in pleasant isolation from all of the distress and violence, but not that far away!
So, we have taken a bus to Alexandria where we hope the situation will be calmer. Egypt has not been so comfortable from the start for us but now, our comfort has been disturbed to the edge of our tolerance level, and we’re wondering how long we should stay. Jordan beckons.
Two days earlier, on 23 January, the People’s Assembly opened, its members chosen by a free and fair election. Speeches were made and agendas were set as the members got down to the business of setting policy for the newly forming democracy. In the coming months, the constitution must be revived and a presidential election held.
Then, on 1 February, a soccer game between legendary rivals, Al Ahly and Al Masry in Port Said ended in a violent clash among fans of the opposing teams that left 74 people dead and many more injured. There were reports from fans that gates to the pitch were left open during the game enabling supporters to storm from the stands at the end of the game. During this melee, the lights went out and the exit gates were locked causing people to be trapped in a narrow corridor where some were trampled and others suffocated. Egyptians were in shock and the People’s Assembly declared three days of mourning and ordered an investigation.
This incident changed everything for Egypt. Questions have been raised about who was responsible for the unpardonable lack of security that enabled the perpetrators to bring knives and sticks into the match. Why were the gates opened and why were the exits locked? Was the power failure just an accident?
Some reports have hypothesized that this was a well planned and executed massacre of innocent people and that SCAF or operatives from the Mubarak organization could be responsible. Paranoia runs deep. Protesters stormed back to Tahrir Square the next morning and marched to the Ministry of the Interior causing police to retaliate with tear gas and bird shot, killing and injuring more people.
As visitors in Cairo, we feel quite a bit more nervous about being suddenly at the wrong place at the wrong time. We have talked with other guests in the hotel here in Zamelek who were staying in a hotel near downtown and they reported watching the police storm a field hospital, killing a doctor. They decided to move to our hotel for their safety. Here in the district where many embassies are located and upscale shops line 26 July Street, we are in pleasant isolation from all of the distress and violence, but not that far away!
So, we have taken a bus to Alexandria where we hope the situation will be calmer. Egypt has not been so comfortable from the start for us but now, our comfort has been disturbed to the edge of our tolerance level, and we’re wondering how long we should stay. Jordan beckons.
Friday, January 20, 2012
How will Egyptians Celebrate 25 January?
As 25 January approaches, Egyptians are conflicted about how to celebrate the first anniversary of the revolution that forced Hosni Mubarak to resign from his office as president for life. The Al-Ahram Weekly of January 12 - 18, 2012, summarized the views of the leaders of the various factions.
Safwat Abdel-Ghani, a leading member of the Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya, said, "On 25 January we will celebrate our victory at the ballot box and the peaceful hand over of power from the military to the newly elected parliament."
Ahmed Abu Baraka, a leading member of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing, told Al-Ahram "Of course there is a lot to celebrate on 25 January. The people are full of joy because they are now masters of their own destiny. They have elected their own representatives for the first time in our history."
Representatives of 54 liberal, leftist, and radical parties and coalitions released a statement announcing that they plan to hold demonstrations across Egypt to press for "the fulfillment of the key demands of the 25 January Revolution, on top of which is handing over power to a civilian government and president."
According to Tarek El-Kholi, spokesman of the 6 April Movement and Democratic Front, "The key demands of the revolution have not been met yet. What we will see in less than two weeks will be the launch of a new phase of the ongoing revolution." The new phase will not be violent.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has announced that it will be holding its own celebrations to mark the day at Cairo Stadium and in several other cities. Well known singers will participate and there will be fireworks and martial music
As we see it, the Egyptians have more freedom to choose the way they will celebrate than they have had before. Perhaps it is this freedom to choose they are really celebrating!
We wish them a peaceful day of remembrance that is also a day to consider how far they have come and most importantly the steps that are necessary in their transition to democracy.
Safwat Abdel-Ghani, a leading member of the Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya, said, "On 25 January we will celebrate our victory at the ballot box and the peaceful hand over of power from the military to the newly elected parliament."
Ahmed Abu Baraka, a leading member of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing, told Al-Ahram "Of course there is a lot to celebrate on 25 January. The people are full of joy because they are now masters of their own destiny. They have elected their own representatives for the first time in our history."
Representatives of 54 liberal, leftist, and radical parties and coalitions released a statement announcing that they plan to hold demonstrations across Egypt to press for "the fulfillment of the key demands of the 25 January Revolution, on top of which is handing over power to a civilian government and president."
According to Tarek El-Kholi, spokesman of the 6 April Movement and Democratic Front, "The key demands of the revolution have not been met yet. What we will see in less than two weeks will be the launch of a new phase of the ongoing revolution." The new phase will not be violent.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has announced that it will be holding its own celebrations to mark the day at Cairo Stadium and in several other cities. Well known singers will participate and there will be fireworks and martial music
As we see it, the Egyptians have more freedom to choose the way they will celebrate than they have had before. Perhaps it is this freedom to choose they are really celebrating!
We wish them a peaceful day of remembrance that is also a day to consider how far they have come and most importantly the steps that are necessary in their transition to democracy.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Cairo and All of Egypt is a Safe Place to Visit!
Since their January 2011 Revolution, the western press has published and republished images and stories about the demonstrations in Tahrir Square that have created the image that Egypt is a dangerous place and one to be avoided.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
We want to tell people that downtown Cairo is safe. Yes, it is bustling, noisy, full of traffic and pedestrians trying to get where they want to go - a typical megacity. But we found it to be quite safe.
We walked widely in the streets of the downtown, including around Tahrir Square, and never felt in danger. The sidewalks were busy, but we never felt threatened by the people or the merchants in the shops we passed. Many people said "Welcome to Cairo!" as we walked by. A few people offered us assistance and sometimes tours but in most cases, a simple "No, Thank you!" to a more insistant person was more than adequate.
We were welcomed in many local restaurants and enjoyed good food and gracious hospitality.
One proviso: Cairo is very much a male oriented society, so western women walking alone may experience greater hassling than we, a couple, did. Wearing a scarf probably helps. Most everywhere, we saw headscarf clad Egyptian women walking alone or in pairs, or sitting in cafes.
If you are considering an Egyptian Holiday, this is an ideal time to come! You will be welcomed.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
We want to tell people that downtown Cairo is safe. Yes, it is bustling, noisy, full of traffic and pedestrians trying to get where they want to go - a typical megacity. But we found it to be quite safe.
We walked widely in the streets of the downtown, including around Tahrir Square, and never felt in danger. The sidewalks were busy, but we never felt threatened by the people or the merchants in the shops we passed. Many people said "Welcome to Cairo!" as we walked by. A few people offered us assistance and sometimes tours but in most cases, a simple "No, Thank you!" to a more insistant person was more than adequate.
We were welcomed in many local restaurants and enjoyed good food and gracious hospitality.
One proviso: Cairo is very much a male oriented society, so western women walking alone may experience greater hassling than we, a couple, did. Wearing a scarf probably helps. Most everywhere, we saw headscarf clad Egyptian women walking alone or in pairs, or sitting in cafes.
If you are considering an Egyptian Holiday, this is an ideal time to come! You will be welcomed.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Keystone XL Pipeline Project - Just Say No, Secretary Clinton!
Dear Secretary Clinton,
As a concerned citizen of the United States and a global citizen, I am writing to offer my comments on the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) that was released on August 26, 2011. As I understand the present situation, the Department of State must carry out an evaluation of the application for a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline project. This evaluation of the application extends beyond environmental impact, taking into account economic, energy security, foreign policy, and other relevant issues.
After reviewing the FEIS, I am convinced that to permit this project would be to encourage and provide a powerful incentive to the old fossil fuel energy economy. Meanwhile, we the people are making investments, both public and private, in the new green energy economy based on renewable energy and energy efficiency. Granting approval of this application would work at cross purposes to the stated goals of the Obama Administration.
As President Obama said, "The nation that leads the world in 21st century clean energy will be the nation that leads in the 21st century global economy. America can and must be that nation."
To permit the Keystone XL Pipeline project would be a major retrenchment in America’s world leadership toward a clean energy future.
The threats to our national interest that climate change poses are great. The coastal cities of the US will face rising sea levels. Our farmlands will face increasing disruption of normal seasonal rainfall, increasing temperatures and more violent weather events that could lower crop yields and threaten our food security. Southwestern states, including New Mexico, face drought, forest fires and water shortages as the annual snow pack shrinks and summer storms fail to arrive.
Meanwhile, the costs of maintaining the old fossil fuel energy economy are increasing at an elevated rate. The specific costs of the Keystone XL project include environmental destruction of fragile lands with unique ecosystems to produce this most dirty and destructive form of oil. The pipeline would provide strong incentives for Canadian Big Oil companies to expand their destruction to increase production. Extraction and refining of this tar sands oil results in more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional oil. In addition the increased production of tar sand oil will require the cutting down of some 740,000 acres of boreal forest, a natural carbon reservoir. As global citizens, we cannot just ignore this destruction because it occurs in Canada, not the USA.
Furthermore, the disturbance of fragile lands with unique ecosystems along the 1700 mile path of the pipeline during construction as well as the necessity to cross rivers and other recharge areas of the great Ogallala aquifer in the nation’s heartland will create disruption that will be slow to heal. When the dirty oil with its volatile diluents begins to flow, there is the ever present risk of spills and releases, as stated by the EPA in the letter to the State Department of June 6, 2011. These oil spills will cause additional environmental destruction and the risk of aquifer contamination. In my estimation, the environmental risks are just not worth the benefits!
Investment of $7 billion in the old fossil fuel energy economy could be invested in new green energy. This would be much more effective in creating the future we seek, create green jobs when we need them most. A visit to the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website demonstrates all of the investments that we the people are making to create incentives for the green economy. Why would we the people permit a dirty and destructive oil pipeline project to be built and operated when we are making so much progress toward a clean energy future?
This morning, I read again the position papers on energy and environmental protection that set forth the promises of presidential candidate Barack Obama to us, the voters. In 2008 I made a decision to vote for the president and worked hard to encourage others to do the same. Now, I am asking President Obama to stick by his campaign promises. Permitting the Keystone XL Pipeline project to proceed will go against these promises and cause me to reconsider my support. Yes, this is that important to me!
Sincerely,
Susan Gorman
As a concerned citizen of the United States and a global citizen, I am writing to offer my comments on the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) that was released on August 26, 2011. As I understand the present situation, the Department of State must carry out an evaluation of the application for a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline project. This evaluation of the application extends beyond environmental impact, taking into account economic, energy security, foreign policy, and other relevant issues.
After reviewing the FEIS, I am convinced that to permit this project would be to encourage and provide a powerful incentive to the old fossil fuel energy economy. Meanwhile, we the people are making investments, both public and private, in the new green energy economy based on renewable energy and energy efficiency. Granting approval of this application would work at cross purposes to the stated goals of the Obama Administration.
As President Obama said, "The nation that leads the world in 21st century clean energy will be the nation that leads in the 21st century global economy. America can and must be that nation."
To permit the Keystone XL Pipeline project would be a major retrenchment in America’s world leadership toward a clean energy future.
The threats to our national interest that climate change poses are great. The coastal cities of the US will face rising sea levels. Our farmlands will face increasing disruption of normal seasonal rainfall, increasing temperatures and more violent weather events that could lower crop yields and threaten our food security. Southwestern states, including New Mexico, face drought, forest fires and water shortages as the annual snow pack shrinks and summer storms fail to arrive.
Meanwhile, the costs of maintaining the old fossil fuel energy economy are increasing at an elevated rate. The specific costs of the Keystone XL project include environmental destruction of fragile lands with unique ecosystems to produce this most dirty and destructive form of oil. The pipeline would provide strong incentives for Canadian Big Oil companies to expand their destruction to increase production. Extraction and refining of this tar sands oil results in more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional oil. In addition the increased production of tar sand oil will require the cutting down of some 740,000 acres of boreal forest, a natural carbon reservoir. As global citizens, we cannot just ignore this destruction because it occurs in Canada, not the USA.
Furthermore, the disturbance of fragile lands with unique ecosystems along the 1700 mile path of the pipeline during construction as well as the necessity to cross rivers and other recharge areas of the great Ogallala aquifer in the nation’s heartland will create disruption that will be slow to heal. When the dirty oil with its volatile diluents begins to flow, there is the ever present risk of spills and releases, as stated by the EPA in the letter to the State Department of June 6, 2011. These oil spills will cause additional environmental destruction and the risk of aquifer contamination. In my estimation, the environmental risks are just not worth the benefits!
Investment of $7 billion in the old fossil fuel energy economy could be invested in new green energy. This would be much more effective in creating the future we seek, create green jobs when we need them most. A visit to the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website demonstrates all of the investments that we the people are making to create incentives for the green economy. Why would we the people permit a dirty and destructive oil pipeline project to be built and operated when we are making so much progress toward a clean energy future?
This morning, I read again the position papers on energy and environmental protection that set forth the promises of presidential candidate Barack Obama to us, the voters. In 2008 I made a decision to vote for the president and worked hard to encourage others to do the same. Now, I am asking President Obama to stick by his campaign promises. Permitting the Keystone XL Pipeline project to proceed will go against these promises and cause me to reconsider my support. Yes, this is that important to me!
Sincerely,
Susan Gorman
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Please Read this Book!
A Review of World on the Edge: How to Prevent Environmental and Economic Collapse
by Lester Brown
Our summer in Berlin has been truly filled with the joys of urban living - except for the changeable weather! People tell us this has been the coolest, wettest summer they can recall. We still have had some lovely sunny days but more frequent cool and rainy times indicate that the weather is just not normal! Folks here are convinced this is not an aberration - it is climate change at work.
It was with these thoughts in mind, that I read Lester Brown’s latest book, World on the Edge, to understand what’s really happening with the planet. World on the Edge, the most recent release of the Plan B series of books, is assiduously well documented, and a reasoned account of the environmental trends that are undermining the world economy.
For those unfamiliar with Lester Brown, he is the founder of the Earth Policy Institute and before that he founded Worldwatch, the organization that has published State of the World each year. Brown and the Earth Policy Team developed Plan B, outlining a plan, a budget, and a timetable for rescuing our twenty-first century civilization.
The environmental trends he discusses are falling water tables, eroding soils and expanding deserts, rising temperatures, melting ice, shrinking harvests and food insecurity. These trends lead to a new politics of food scarcity, environmental refugees, mounting stresses and failing states. As Brown states in the Foreword, "Restructuring the economy in time to avoid decline will take a massive mobilization at wartime speed." This book provides a more urgent call to action and presents the latest version of Plan B supported by new data and research.
On the hopeful side, he reports that all over the world, investments are being made by private firms, national governments and international organizations to restore the global economy’s natural support systems through energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, reforestation, and irrigation efficiency. Investments are being made, too, in education, health care and family planning.
But it is not enough! This Plan B envisions an additional annual expenditure of $75 Billion to meet the social goals such as universal primary education and school lunch programs, adult literacy programs, reproductive health and family planning and universal basic health care worldwide. To meet the environmental restoration goals including stabilizing water tables, protecting biodiversity, planting trees, and restoring topsoil, range lands and fisheries, an additional annual investment of $110 Billion will be needed. The total investment of $185 Billion is the ‘new defense budget’ to address the most serious threats to national and global security. This investment is just 28% of the US military budget or 12% of the world military budget!
What is needed, then, is a fundamental restructuring in two cornerstone areas: taxation and security. Plan B envisions a total restructuring of taxation from income to carbon. Income taxes would be reduced while carbon emissions would be taxed to include the costs of climate change and pollution. As to security, a total rethink would take place. As Brown states, "The threats to our future now are not armed aggression but rather climate change, population growth, water shortages, poverty, rising food prices, and failing states."
Lester Brown has made a powerful, well documented case to foretell the grim and chaotic future our civilization faces. He has also advanced a way forward for all of us to save civilization. But this massive mobilization at wartime speed requires each of us to participate by taking action in some way. He has provided the plan and the information sources, the data and the rationale. Now it is our turn.
I urge you to read the book, to think about how you will participate in the transformation, and to act!
My offer:
If you have a book reader or laptop, you may download a pdf copy for free from Earth Policy Institute, http://www.earth-policy.org.
If you promise to read this book, let me know and I will send you a print copy.
After you have read the book, please share your reactions and your own personal Plan B with us at http://globalPW.blogspot.com
by Lester Brown
Our summer in Berlin has been truly filled with the joys of urban living - except for the changeable weather! People tell us this has been the coolest, wettest summer they can recall. We still have had some lovely sunny days but more frequent cool and rainy times indicate that the weather is just not normal! Folks here are convinced this is not an aberration - it is climate change at work.
It was with these thoughts in mind, that I read Lester Brown’s latest book, World on the Edge, to understand what’s really happening with the planet. World on the Edge, the most recent release of the Plan B series of books, is assiduously well documented, and a reasoned account of the environmental trends that are undermining the world economy.
For those unfamiliar with Lester Brown, he is the founder of the Earth Policy Institute and before that he founded Worldwatch, the organization that has published State of the World each year. Brown and the Earth Policy Team developed Plan B, outlining a plan, a budget, and a timetable for rescuing our twenty-first century civilization.
The environmental trends he discusses are falling water tables, eroding soils and expanding deserts, rising temperatures, melting ice, shrinking harvests and food insecurity. These trends lead to a new politics of food scarcity, environmental refugees, mounting stresses and failing states. As Brown states in the Foreword, "Restructuring the economy in time to avoid decline will take a massive mobilization at wartime speed." This book provides a more urgent call to action and presents the latest version of Plan B supported by new data and research.
On the hopeful side, he reports that all over the world, investments are being made by private firms, national governments and international organizations to restore the global economy’s natural support systems through energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, reforestation, and irrigation efficiency. Investments are being made, too, in education, health care and family planning.
But it is not enough! This Plan B envisions an additional annual expenditure of $75 Billion to meet the social goals such as universal primary education and school lunch programs, adult literacy programs, reproductive health and family planning and universal basic health care worldwide. To meet the environmental restoration goals including stabilizing water tables, protecting biodiversity, planting trees, and restoring topsoil, range lands and fisheries, an additional annual investment of $110 Billion will be needed. The total investment of $185 Billion is the ‘new defense budget’ to address the most serious threats to national and global security. This investment is just 28% of the US military budget or 12% of the world military budget!
What is needed, then, is a fundamental restructuring in two cornerstone areas: taxation and security. Plan B envisions a total restructuring of taxation from income to carbon. Income taxes would be reduced while carbon emissions would be taxed to include the costs of climate change and pollution. As to security, a total rethink would take place. As Brown states, "The threats to our future now are not armed aggression but rather climate change, population growth, water shortages, poverty, rising food prices, and failing states."
Lester Brown has made a powerful, well documented case to foretell the grim and chaotic future our civilization faces. He has also advanced a way forward for all of us to save civilization. But this massive mobilization at wartime speed requires each of us to participate by taking action in some way. He has provided the plan and the information sources, the data and the rationale. Now it is our turn.
I urge you to read the book, to think about how you will participate in the transformation, and to act!
My offer:
If you have a book reader or laptop, you may download a pdf copy for free from Earth Policy Institute, http://www.earth-policy.org.
If you promise to read this book, let me know and I will send you a print copy.
After you have read the book, please share your reactions and your own personal Plan B with us at http://globalPW.blogspot.com
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
A Letter from Cairo
Our good friend, Lora Lucero, is visiting Cairo this summer, hoping to obtain permission to go to Gaza. She sent this letter to us on August 6, 2011....
I really hope you visit Egypt --- but plan a cooler time of the year.
The Egyptians I talk with are naturally better-educated and speak English. They are urban, as opposed to rural, and they are generally younger than me --- 20-40s. They see Turkey as a good model. None have mentioned Germany as a model. But an Egyptian woman (middle class) living in Germany now said that she doesn't think Egyptians know how to build a democracy. "They must first learn to live democracy in their homes, before they can build a democracy in the country." She doesn't think Mubarak should have left.
Things are very fluid here. I think they could go in any direction based on what I read in the English-language newspaper, hear on the English-language TV and learn from English-speaking people.
The demonstrators in Tahrir Square are symbolic of the tensions in Cairo. The majority of them left Tahrir Square voluntarily out of respect for the month of Ramadan, with intentions of returning at the end of the month. A few die-hards remained and the army came in and forcibly removed them. Some of the shop owners near Tahrir Square are upset with the demonstrators because they feel they have disrupted business and tourism.
Last night there were 100-150 peaceful demonstrators standing behind a fixed barrier near Tahrir Square, not obstructing traffic or being unruly. About 500 army men dressed in full uniform, with helmets, batons and shields marched towards the demonstrators in a line as a show of force, and stopped in front of them. Without any warning or provocation, the army charged and began beating the demonstrators. The army warned a cameraman against taking pictures of this scene and confiscated another person's camera. It didn't appear that anyone was seriously hurt - no blood. But this raises some serious questions: Will the military be able to transition to a new form of government? Will there be freedom of the press in the new Egypt? Are demonstrators going to be seen as a constructive force for progress or a flashpoint for division and violence?
In Cairo, I met a 76-year-old woman from Spain who married an Egyptian many years ago. She speaks Spanish, Arabic, Italian, English and probably other languages as well. She now lives alone in her apartment directly over Tahrir Square and had a front-row seat to the mayhem and violence in January-February this year. She was so nervous about the events taking place in Cairo that she headed to Spain for a few weeks to avoid the craziness. Since her return, she has panic attacks and was so nervous with Mubarak's trial being televised that she asked me not to take a photo of the TV. : ( She wants stability to return to Egypt.
I don't think anyone can predict the future for Egypt. I certainly can't.
Lora
I really hope you visit Egypt --- but plan a cooler time of the year.
The Egyptians I talk with are naturally better-educated and speak English. They are urban, as opposed to rural, and they are generally younger than me --- 20-40s. They see Turkey as a good model. None have mentioned Germany as a model. But an Egyptian woman (middle class) living in Germany now said that she doesn't think Egyptians know how to build a democracy. "They must first learn to live democracy in their homes, before they can build a democracy in the country." She doesn't think Mubarak should have left.
Things are very fluid here. I think they could go in any direction based on what I read in the English-language newspaper, hear on the English-language TV and learn from English-speaking people.
The demonstrators in Tahrir Square are symbolic of the tensions in Cairo. The majority of them left Tahrir Square voluntarily out of respect for the month of Ramadan, with intentions of returning at the end of the month. A few die-hards remained and the army came in and forcibly removed them. Some of the shop owners near Tahrir Square are upset with the demonstrators because they feel they have disrupted business and tourism.
Last night there were 100-150 peaceful demonstrators standing behind a fixed barrier near Tahrir Square, not obstructing traffic or being unruly. About 500 army men dressed in full uniform, with helmets, batons and shields marched towards the demonstrators in a line as a show of force, and stopped in front of them. Without any warning or provocation, the army charged and began beating the demonstrators. The army warned a cameraman against taking pictures of this scene and confiscated another person's camera. It didn't appear that anyone was seriously hurt - no blood. But this raises some serious questions: Will the military be able to transition to a new form of government? Will there be freedom of the press in the new Egypt? Are demonstrators going to be seen as a constructive force for progress or a flashpoint for division and violence?
In Cairo, I met a 76-year-old woman from Spain who married an Egyptian many years ago. She speaks Spanish, Arabic, Italian, English and probably other languages as well. She now lives alone in her apartment directly over Tahrir Square and had a front-row seat to the mayhem and violence in January-February this year. She was so nervous about the events taking place in Cairo that she headed to Spain for a few weeks to avoid the craziness. Since her return, she has panic attacks and was so nervous with Mubarak's trial being televised that she asked me not to take a photo of the TV. : ( She wants stability to return to Egypt.
I don't think anyone can predict the future for Egypt. I certainly can't.
Lora
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