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