January 25, 2011, the news was all about Egypt and the revolution. Multitudes filled Tahiri Square demanding political change and for President Mubarak to step down to make way for democracy and personal freedom. We realized that this development might lead to a better future for Egyptians but it put a hold on our plans to travel there until a later time.
By early January 2012, parliamentary elections had been held, the first free and open elections in Egypt’s long history. News reports suggested that the revolution and transition were proceeding well enough and conditions had stabilized so that visitors could again travel safely. We decided to go.
During our travels we met many Egyptians, visited all of the places on the normal tourist itinerary, observed protests, posters, the opening of the People’s Assembly (Parliament), read Al-Ahram Weekly, the English language paper, grieved over the deaths of more than 60 fans at a football (soccer) match, become a bit used to guards carrying kalashnikov machine guns everywhere.
Finally, it was time to leave, to consider all that we had experienced and learned and to write about those experiences.But we needed more information to assemble the mosaic of impressions, conversations, and observations through a better understanding of the history that had eventually driven the Egyptian people to take to the streets in significant numbers to demand regime change and democracy. We discovered ‘The Struggle for Egypt’ by Steven Cook, which we found to be an excellent book to provide us with the historic context we needed.
The Struggle for Egypt begins with a story about Hassan, a member of the elite wealthy class, whose anger and frustration over the sad state that Egypt had come to before the revolution as well as his ideas about what the future might bring had provided the author with clear insights. Conversations such as this as well as in depth research enabled Cook to narrate and interpret the events of the past hundred and thirty years beginning with the first stirrings of nationalism in the 1880s, through the Free Officers’ coup in 1952, the Nasser, Sadat and Mubarak years, to Tahrir Square in January, 2011.
The author argues that Egyptians have never been able to define "what Egypt is, what it stands for, and what its relation to the world is." He explores the role of foreigners, foremost the United States, in this long debate as he narrates the story of the continuing conflicts between the Muslim Brotherhood and the National Democratic Party (NDP), the socialist and nationalist policies and alignment with the USSR during the presidency of Gamal Abdel Nasser. After Nasser’s death, during the Presidency of Anwar Sadat, the narrative explores the turn toward free market economics, bridge building with the Brotherhood, the Camp David Accords to make peace with Israel, and ultimately Sadat’s assassination.
This opened the door to the presidency of Hosni Mubarak and over thirty years, the deterioration of Egypt’s economic and social structures, the absence of the rule of law, the violence of the police, the power of the military, the lack of accountability. Then the events leading up to the revolution are traced and we meet a few of the characters whose names we were reading in Al-Ahram: Omar Suleiman, Mohamed ElBaradei, Gamal Mubarak, Ahmed Shafiq.
Cook has written a readable, comprehensive, compelling, well documented history of an extraordinary country. It well serves a person with new interest in Egypt and its role in the region as well as those more well-versed in the events and history of the country. It gives indepth perspective on a country whose people are now facing the future with hope and apprehension as they take control of their government and restructure their society and economy
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Mohamed Morsi Is Egypt's New President!
On Sunday afternoon, 24 June, the Election Commission announced the winner of the presidential election. Mohamed Morsi had captured nearly 52 percent of the votes. Supporters in Tahrir Square celebrated through the night and were still celebrating the following morning!
Egypt now has the first (mostly) freely and fairly elected president in its entire millennia-long history!
Morsi has been sworn into office and moved into the Presidential offices formerly occupied by Hosni Mubarak. He announced to the world and all Egyptians "I will be president for all Egyptians, those inside the country and abroad. The people are the source of all powers, and it's time for unity to rebuild our country and achieve the goals of the revolution," he said. "Together, Egyptians will create a better and bright future for this nation."
He has given an order not to hang his portraits at any government ministry or institution. "The new president prefers that Egypt be a symbol, and not the president, as people are mortals while Egypt will remain," spokesperson El-Afdal said in a small press conference held at the presidential residence in Oroba Palace in Cairo soon after the results were announced.
A key message of his inaugural speech, delivered in Tahrir Square, was his commitment to work for the development of a "civil, constitutional and modern state." He has assured liberals and secular Egyptians that he is not planning, for now, to impose any strict Islamic rulings on society. No particular dress code would be imposed on the Muslim women of Egypt and he reassured the Coptic Christian community that he is the president for all Egyptians, Muslims and Christians alike.
Egypt still has plenty of challenges ahead. While the SCAF, the military council, has formally turned over power to the president, the relationship between the military and the president remains to be defined.
Egypt needs to comply with the recent court rulings to hold new parliamentary elections to replace those members of the People's Assembly who were found to have been elected illegally. This ruling enabled SCAF to assume legislative authority.
The challenge of selecting the members of the Constitutional Assembly who will draft the new constitution must be faced with all speed.
Most importantly, the dire situation of the economy must to addressed as rapidly as possible. The revolution disrupted the economy, resulting in a very low growth rate. International tourism and foreign direct investments have shrunk. Unemployment, poverty, inequality, a gaping budget deficit and fuel shortages are among the problems to be solved.
Yet, considering all this, we believe that Egyptians will find a way to reorder their government and society in accordance with laws prescribed by Islam while respecting the wishes of the majority of the Egyptian people through democratic processes. We believe that Egypt has now embarked on a quest to find the way to combine democracy and Islam and the world should support them in this.
Egypt now has the first (mostly) freely and fairly elected president in its entire millennia-long history!
Morsi has been sworn into office and moved into the Presidential offices formerly occupied by Hosni Mubarak. He announced to the world and all Egyptians "I will be president for all Egyptians, those inside the country and abroad. The people are the source of all powers, and it's time for unity to rebuild our country and achieve the goals of the revolution," he said. "Together, Egyptians will create a better and bright future for this nation."
He has given an order not to hang his portraits at any government ministry or institution. "The new president prefers that Egypt be a symbol, and not the president, as people are mortals while Egypt will remain," spokesperson El-Afdal said in a small press conference held at the presidential residence in Oroba Palace in Cairo soon after the results were announced.
A key message of his inaugural speech, delivered in Tahrir Square, was his commitment to work for the development of a "civil, constitutional and modern state." He has assured liberals and secular Egyptians that he is not planning, for now, to impose any strict Islamic rulings on society. No particular dress code would be imposed on the Muslim women of Egypt and he reassured the Coptic Christian community that he is the president for all Egyptians, Muslims and Christians alike.
Egypt still has plenty of challenges ahead. While the SCAF, the military council, has formally turned over power to the president, the relationship between the military and the president remains to be defined.
Egypt needs to comply with the recent court rulings to hold new parliamentary elections to replace those members of the People's Assembly who were found to have been elected illegally. This ruling enabled SCAF to assume legislative authority.
The challenge of selecting the members of the Constitutional Assembly who will draft the new constitution must be faced with all speed.
Most importantly, the dire situation of the economy must to addressed as rapidly as possible. The revolution disrupted the economy, resulting in a very low growth rate. International tourism and foreign direct investments have shrunk. Unemployment, poverty, inequality, a gaping budget deficit and fuel shortages are among the problems to be solved.
Yet, considering all this, we believe that Egyptians will find a way to reorder their government and society in accordance with laws prescribed by Islam while respecting the wishes of the majority of the Egyptian people through democratic processes. We believe that Egypt has now embarked on a quest to find the way to combine democracy and Islam and the world should support them in this.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Egypt's Future Highly Uncertain
A week filled with dramatic and surprising news left Egypt’s future highly uncertain.
This uncertainty began on 14 June when the Supreme Court, a Mubarak era panel of judges, ruled that the 508 member People’s Assembly (Parliament) was invalid because some provisions of the electoral law violated the constitution. The court also voided the Constitutional Assembly, appointed by Parliament on 12 June. Finally, the court ruled that Ahmed Shafiq (Mubarak’s former Prime Minister) was eligible to run for president because the law, passed earlier this year, which barred ex-regime officials from running for public office, was unconstitutional..
The SCAF (military rulers) subsequently dissolved the People’s Assembly and the Constitutional Assembly, reinstated the hated Emergency Law, and assumed legislative as well as budgetary responsibilities. To clarify the situation, the SCAF issued an addendum to the constitutional declaration. Many have interpreted this addendum as an attempt to significantly undermine the powers of the President as well.
So, on 16 and 17 June, voters, many dispirited and angry, lined up at polling places throughout the country. Many others just stayed home, not caring to support either candidate. Meanwhile, protesters gathered in Tahrir Square to vent their anger about this turn of events.
By Monday, it was apparent that the race would be exceedingly close. As the early tallies came in, both candidates were claiming victory. The Bortherhood published results that showed Morsi with 52 percent, while Ahmed Shafiq’s campaign issued statements asserting that he had 51.5% of the vote.
On Wednesday night, thousands of Muslim Brotherhood supporters, along with some secular youth revolutionary groups, camped out in Cairo's Tahrir Square and denounced the power grab by the SCAF.
On Thursday, the Election Commission was to have announced the winner. Instead they announced a postponement of the declaration of the winner until this week end. The commission said the declaration was postponed because a panel of judges must look into about 400 complaints of voting fraud submitted by both campaigns, including lawyers for Shafiq claiming fraud in 14 of Egypt's 27 provinces.
Political tensions are soaring as the country awaits its first new leader in three decades.
This uncertainty began on 14 June when the Supreme Court, a Mubarak era panel of judges, ruled that the 508 member People’s Assembly (Parliament) was invalid because some provisions of the electoral law violated the constitution. The court also voided the Constitutional Assembly, appointed by Parliament on 12 June. Finally, the court ruled that Ahmed Shafiq (Mubarak’s former Prime Minister) was eligible to run for president because the law, passed earlier this year, which barred ex-regime officials from running for public office, was unconstitutional..
The SCAF (military rulers) subsequently dissolved the People’s Assembly and the Constitutional Assembly, reinstated the hated Emergency Law, and assumed legislative as well as budgetary responsibilities. To clarify the situation, the SCAF issued an addendum to the constitutional declaration. Many have interpreted this addendum as an attempt to significantly undermine the powers of the President as well.
So, on 16 and 17 June, voters, many dispirited and angry, lined up at polling places throughout the country. Many others just stayed home, not caring to support either candidate. Meanwhile, protesters gathered in Tahrir Square to vent their anger about this turn of events.
By Monday, it was apparent that the race would be exceedingly close. As the early tallies came in, both candidates were claiming victory. The Bortherhood published results that showed Morsi with 52 percent, while Ahmed Shafiq’s campaign issued statements asserting that he had 51.5% of the vote.
On Wednesday night, thousands of Muslim Brotherhood supporters, along with some secular youth revolutionary groups, camped out in Cairo's Tahrir Square and denounced the power grab by the SCAF.
On Thursday, the Election Commission was to have announced the winner. Instead they announced a postponement of the declaration of the winner until this week end. The commission said the declaration was postponed because a panel of judges must look into about 400 complaints of voting fraud submitted by both campaigns, including lawyers for Shafiq claiming fraud in 14 of Egypt's 27 provinces.
Political tensions are soaring as the country awaits its first new leader in three decades.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Egyptians must focus as two finalists continue the campaign for the Egyptian Presidency
After two days of voting, preliminary results in the Egyptian Presidential Election are in. The Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate, Mohamed Morsi, and Amed Shafiq, Hosni Mubarak’s last Prime Minister are the two top vote getters. The other 11 candidates have been eliminated. The top two will face off in a runoff election on 16 and 17 June.
Morsi is a metallurgical engineer and engineering professor turned political activist and dedicated leader of the Muslim Brotherhood who answered the call of the organization to be the candidate of the Freedom and Justice Party after their first candidate was disqualified.
Shafiq, a former air force general, held many high-profile governmental positions during the Mubarak era. He is seen as a counterrevolutionary force who, if elected, would retain many attributes of the former regime.
The Freedom and Justice Party has called on all Egyptians to resist the remnants of the Mubarak era, that is, Shafiq, and to unite to protect the revolution and fulfill its goals.Meanwhile, Shafiq warned that Islamists would drag Egypt into the "dark ages" and threaten the rights of women and Christians.
The liberals and progressives who organized and executed the revolution feel that neither candidate imbraces the spirit of the revolution that brought an end to the Mubarak era, and are not likely to be content with either candidate.
To complicate matters even futher, on Saturday, 2 June, former President Hosni Mubarak and his interior minister Habib El-Adly were handed life sentences for their role in the killing of peaceful protesters during last year’s uprising. Six of El-Adly’s assistants were acquitted of similar charges. In a separate corruption case, Mubarak, his two sons Alaa and Gamal, and Egyptian business tycoon Hussein Salem were all found not guilty. After the verdicts were announced, thousands of protesters returned to Tahrir Square and other public squares throughout the country to denounce the verdicts and question the integrity of Judge Ahmed Refaat who presided over what was described as the 'Trial of the Century'.
Meanwhile, the People’s Assembly (Parliament) and the SCAF (Military leaders) have been arguing about the formation of the Constituent Assembly which will be responsible for drafting a new constitution which will redefine the powers of the president.
In our opinion, the trial and the arguments over the Constituent Assembly distract from the primary responsibility of the Egyptians to focus on the presidential election in order to turn out to vote and to make an informed decision on 16 and 17 June. We hope that they will be able to focus and will vote in larger numbers than turned out for the frost round. The future of Egyptian democracy depends on this!
Morsi is a metallurgical engineer and engineering professor turned political activist and dedicated leader of the Muslim Brotherhood who answered the call of the organization to be the candidate of the Freedom and Justice Party after their first candidate was disqualified.
Shafiq, a former air force general, held many high-profile governmental positions during the Mubarak era. He is seen as a counterrevolutionary force who, if elected, would retain many attributes of the former regime.
The Freedom and Justice Party has called on all Egyptians to resist the remnants of the Mubarak era, that is, Shafiq, and to unite to protect the revolution and fulfill its goals.Meanwhile, Shafiq warned that Islamists would drag Egypt into the "dark ages" and threaten the rights of women and Christians.
The liberals and progressives who organized and executed the revolution feel that neither candidate imbraces the spirit of the revolution that brought an end to the Mubarak era, and are not likely to be content with either candidate.
To complicate matters even futher, on Saturday, 2 June, former President Hosni Mubarak and his interior minister Habib El-Adly were handed life sentences for their role in the killing of peaceful protesters during last year’s uprising. Six of El-Adly’s assistants were acquitted of similar charges. In a separate corruption case, Mubarak, his two sons Alaa and Gamal, and Egyptian business tycoon Hussein Salem were all found not guilty. After the verdicts were announced, thousands of protesters returned to Tahrir Square and other public squares throughout the country to denounce the verdicts and question the integrity of Judge Ahmed Refaat who presided over what was described as the 'Trial of the Century'.
Meanwhile, the People’s Assembly (Parliament) and the SCAF (Military leaders) have been arguing about the formation of the Constituent Assembly which will be responsible for drafting a new constitution which will redefine the powers of the president.
In our opinion, the trial and the arguments over the Constituent Assembly distract from the primary responsibility of the Egyptians to focus on the presidential election in order to turn out to vote and to make an informed decision on 16 and 17 June. We hope that they will be able to focus and will vote in larger numbers than turned out for the frost round. The future of Egyptian democracy depends on this!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Twenty-three Hopefuls File Credentials for Egyptian Presidency
The deadline for filing presidential candidacy credentials was Sunday, 8 April at 2:00 PM Cairo time. In the final minutes, the offices of the Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission (SPEC) were surrounded by the supporters of several candidate hopefuls arriving to file their paperwork. As the deadline passed, the number of candidate hopefuls had mushroomed to 23!
In an earlier post, we had offered brief biographical summaries of several of the candidates but with the number now greater than we ever imagined we offer two more and for the rest, we suggest that our readers visit ahramonline! http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/36/122/38868/Presidential-elections-/Presidential-elections-news/All-you-need-to-know-about-Egypts-presidential-can.aspx
Mohamed Selim El-Awa
El-Awa is an Islamic thinker, writer and prominent lawyer who has published numerous books, as well as papers and newspaper articles. He was a legal consultant for the governments of the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Sudan, Yemen and Pakistan. As the secretary general of the International Union for Muslim Scholars, he was a founder of the Arab Muslim-Christian Dialogue group in 1994 and remains a member until today.
During 2011, he denounced mass demonstrations which demanded a transfer of power to a civilian government before the deadline set by SCAF of July 2012. He also declared that he considered protests to be disruptive to the economy.
He is considered to be a reformist who holds a position between the Salafist candidate, Hazem Salah Abu-Ismail, and Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh, who is viewed as too liberal. He is thought to be open to dialogue and coexistence with those with other political and social views.
Kaled Ali
Ali, at forty-one, is the youngest presidential candidate to join the contest. A well known social justice lawyer, he has defended the rights of peasants, workers and students and has achieved a number of notable victories. In March 2010, he obtained a landmark ruling in a class-action lawsuit that mandated an LE1,200 minimum wage for public-sector workers. He held a position with Cairo’s Legal Assistance Center and was cofounder of the Hisham Mubarak Law Centre, a law firm that has since become an influential leader of Egypt’s human rights activities. He has also launched the Coordinating Committe to advocate for workers’ rights, the Front for Defending Egypt’s Protesters and served as the director of the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR), a prominent human and labor rights advocacy group. He resigned to run for president.
His support for the revolution and opposition to SCAF, calling for Egypt’s military to remove itself from economic activity, is well known. He emphasizes social equity, wealth redistribution, civil liberties and the revolutionary cause as a continuing struggle. He has gained enthusiastic support from the left and young revolutionaries.
SPEC delays final candidate list
Clearly the SPEC was overwhelmed by the effort required to determine the validity of so many hopefuls and they announced that the final list of Qualified Candidates will now be published on 26 April, not 9 April as originally promised.
We are certain that the delay in releasing the official list will not cause the hopeful candidates to delay their campaigns nor will the pundits and opinion leaders be delayed in stating their opinions and writing commentaries. The drama continues!
In an earlier post, we had offered brief biographical summaries of several of the candidates but with the number now greater than we ever imagined we offer two more and for the rest, we suggest that our readers visit ahramonline! http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/36/122/38868/Presidential-elections-/Presidential-elections-news/All-you-need-to-know-about-Egypts-presidential-can.aspx
Mohamed Selim El-Awa
El-Awa is an Islamic thinker, writer and prominent lawyer who has published numerous books, as well as papers and newspaper articles. He was a legal consultant for the governments of the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Sudan, Yemen and Pakistan. As the secretary general of the International Union for Muslim Scholars, he was a founder of the Arab Muslim-Christian Dialogue group in 1994 and remains a member until today.
During 2011, he denounced mass demonstrations which demanded a transfer of power to a civilian government before the deadline set by SCAF of July 2012. He also declared that he considered protests to be disruptive to the economy.
He is considered to be a reformist who holds a position between the Salafist candidate, Hazem Salah Abu-Ismail, and Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh, who is viewed as too liberal. He is thought to be open to dialogue and coexistence with those with other political and social views.
Kaled Ali
Ali, at forty-one, is the youngest presidential candidate to join the contest. A well known social justice lawyer, he has defended the rights of peasants, workers and students and has achieved a number of notable victories. In March 2010, he obtained a landmark ruling in a class-action lawsuit that mandated an LE1,200 minimum wage for public-sector workers. He held a position with Cairo’s Legal Assistance Center and was cofounder of the Hisham Mubarak Law Centre, a law firm that has since become an influential leader of Egypt’s human rights activities. He has also launched the Coordinating Committe to advocate for workers’ rights, the Front for Defending Egypt’s Protesters and served as the director of the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR), a prominent human and labor rights advocacy group. He resigned to run for president.
His support for the revolution and opposition to SCAF, calling for Egypt’s military to remove itself from economic activity, is well known. He emphasizes social equity, wealth redistribution, civil liberties and the revolutionary cause as a continuing struggle. He has gained enthusiastic support from the left and young revolutionaries.
SPEC delays final candidate list
Clearly the SPEC was overwhelmed by the effort required to determine the validity of so many hopefuls and they announced that the final list of Qualified Candidates will now be published on 26 April, not 9 April as originally promised.
We are certain that the delay in releasing the official list will not cause the hopeful candidates to delay their campaigns nor will the pundits and opinion leaders be delayed in stating their opinions and writing commentaries. The drama continues!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Egypt's Presidential Candidates as of 3 April
Although the final list of candidates will not be announced until 9 April, we have compiled a preliminary list with the assistance of Ahramonline, http://english.ahram.org.eg/Index.aspx
These tidbits of information about each candidate provide insights about Egypt’s future leader and we offer them, begging your indulgence for the brevity and sketchiness.
Hazem Salah Abu-Ismail
Abu-Ismail is a lawyer and influential Islamic preacher, and has emerged as one of the front runners in Egypt’s first post-Mubarak presidential contest.
He is a staunch supporter of the implementation of Islamic Sharia in society but that the community must be ready to accept such Islamic principles. Sharia law would mean that Muslim women must cover their heads (but, presumably, not their faces). He believes that women only enter the workforce out of economic necessity. Abu Ismail would seek to enforce gender segregation at work places, saying sex mingling at the workplace creates intimacy that Egyptian men do not accept.
Amr Moussa
Moussa is a prominent politician and career diplomat, former Arab League secretary-general, who is well known in Egypt, the Arab world and internationally. Moussa's extensive experience in diplomacy and politics makes him a strong candidate. On the other hand, his close association with the Mubarak regime could cause him to lose support of younger revolutionaries and gain support of those who opposed the revolution.
According to Ahramonline, "At 75 years of age, he is seen by many as part of a generation which is past its expiration date and out of touch with the youthful energy asociated with the revolution."
Hamdeed Sabahi
Journalist and poet, Sabahi comes from peasant stock and worked as a fisherman as a young man. He is a former member of the People’s Assembly, and a Nasserist opposition figure, well known for his opposition to the Sadat and Mubarak regimes. His total support for the revolution appeals to the young activists and his peasant background makes him popular among the workers.
He is an outspoken critic of the United States and Israel. According to Ahramonline, "He has said in recent interviews that he would commit the Egyptian government to provide material aid to the Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation."
Ahmed Shafiq
If close association with the Mubarak regime is a plus, then Shafiq would be a sure winner. His name was even suggested as one of Mubarak’s possible successors along with Gamal Mubarak and former head of intelligence, Omar Suleiman. A veteran minister in Mubarak's government, he actually served for 33 days as the last prime minister before Murarak stepped down. He has promised to end the lawlessness in the country and is committed to pro-business policies that appeal to the private sector.
Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh
Formerly a prominent member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Abul-Fotouh served in the Guidance Office, the highest executive office of the Brotherhood from 1987 to 2009. He is a physician active in international relief work, and an Islamic activist with relatively liberal views. These views have given him the support of middle class and younger Brotherhood members. He might be the candidate best suited to bridge the divide between secular and Islamic Egyptians.
Khairat El-Shater
The newest candidate, El-Shater was the surprise nominee of the Muslim Brotherhood, announced on 1 April. The MB had insisted that it would not field a presidential candidate. El-Shater was, until the announcement, the second in command with tremendous power within the organization. He holds great influence over the Brotherhood’s Guidance Bureau and Shura Council, the two highest bodies within the group
A multimillionaire, he was a successful investor of the group’s funds. His Linkedin web page lists him as owner of half a dozen companies in a range of industries. If he wins the presidential election then he will be required by law to disclose his wealth.
In one week’s time, the final official list of candidates will be released by the Election Commission and we’ll provide an update regarding the possible additional candidates. We intend to offer our observations about the candidates and the campaign as it proceeds so please check back!
These tidbits of information about each candidate provide insights about Egypt’s future leader and we offer them, begging your indulgence for the brevity and sketchiness.
Hazem Salah Abu-Ismail
Abu-Ismail is a lawyer and influential Islamic preacher, and has emerged as one of the front runners in Egypt’s first post-Mubarak presidential contest.
He is a staunch supporter of the implementation of Islamic Sharia in society but that the community must be ready to accept such Islamic principles. Sharia law would mean that Muslim women must cover their heads (but, presumably, not their faces). He believes that women only enter the workforce out of economic necessity. Abu Ismail would seek to enforce gender segregation at work places, saying sex mingling at the workplace creates intimacy that Egyptian men do not accept.
Amr Moussa
Moussa is a prominent politician and career diplomat, former Arab League secretary-general, who is well known in Egypt, the Arab world and internationally. Moussa's extensive experience in diplomacy and politics makes him a strong candidate. On the other hand, his close association with the Mubarak regime could cause him to lose support of younger revolutionaries and gain support of those who opposed the revolution.
According to Ahramonline, "At 75 years of age, he is seen by many as part of a generation which is past its expiration date and out of touch with the youthful energy asociated with the revolution."
Hamdeed Sabahi
Journalist and poet, Sabahi comes from peasant stock and worked as a fisherman as a young man. He is a former member of the People’s Assembly, and a Nasserist opposition figure, well known for his opposition to the Sadat and Mubarak regimes. His total support for the revolution appeals to the young activists and his peasant background makes him popular among the workers.
He is an outspoken critic of the United States and Israel. According to Ahramonline, "He has said in recent interviews that he would commit the Egyptian government to provide material aid to the Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation."
Ahmed Shafiq
If close association with the Mubarak regime is a plus, then Shafiq would be a sure winner. His name was even suggested as one of Mubarak’s possible successors along with Gamal Mubarak and former head of intelligence, Omar Suleiman. A veteran minister in Mubarak's government, he actually served for 33 days as the last prime minister before Murarak stepped down. He has promised to end the lawlessness in the country and is committed to pro-business policies that appeal to the private sector.
Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh
Formerly a prominent member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Abul-Fotouh served in the Guidance Office, the highest executive office of the Brotherhood from 1987 to 2009. He is a physician active in international relief work, and an Islamic activist with relatively liberal views. These views have given him the support of middle class and younger Brotherhood members. He might be the candidate best suited to bridge the divide between secular and Islamic Egyptians.
Khairat El-Shater
The newest candidate, El-Shater was the surprise nominee of the Muslim Brotherhood, announced on 1 April. The MB had insisted that it would not field a presidential candidate. El-Shater was, until the announcement, the second in command with tremendous power within the organization. He holds great influence over the Brotherhood’s Guidance Bureau and Shura Council, the two highest bodies within the group
A multimillionaire, he was a successful investor of the group’s funds. His Linkedin web page lists him as owner of half a dozen companies in a range of industries. If he wins the presidential election then he will be required by law to disclose his wealth.
In one week’s time, the final official list of candidates will be released by the Election Commission and we’ll provide an update regarding the possible additional candidates. We intend to offer our observations about the candidates and the campaign as it proceeds so please check back!
Friday, March 23, 2012
There's Another Important Presidential Election
There is another Presidential Election that Americans should be following. Of course, we all acknowledge that the US Presidential Election is the one that will shape the future of the planet most profoundly. But another Presidential Election is coming up the end of May and this one will shape the future of the Middle East and accordingly, the planet.
This important election is happening in Egypt. It is the first ever multi-candidate race that promises to be free, fair and transparent.
Unlike the race in America, the timeline for Egypt’s contest is short. Beginning back on Saturday, 10 March, candidates could begin registering their names. This registration, now ongoing, requires hopeful candidates to complete several forms to provide basic personal information including financial disclosures. Each potential candidate must also have either the support of 30 members of the Peoples’ Assembly; or signed and notarized recommendation forms from 30,000 Egyptian citizens including some who reside in each of the governorates; or be the nominee of his/her political party. It turns out that whichever option the hopeful candidate chooses, it is a rigorous process, not without pitfalls! The registration process will end on 8 April at 2:00 PM.
Nevertheless, on Monday, 9 April, an initial list of candidates and the names of the citizens, MPs, or the political party that recommended them will be released. Then the campaigning will begin. Just 45 days later, 23 and 24 May, Egyptians go to the polls! Actually, campaigning has already begun as hopeful candidates seek to complete the registration process and the media speculate on the possibilities and analyze the possible outcomes.
The speculation on the results is already in high gear. There are fears of back room deals between the Muslim Brotherhood and the SCAF (military leaders). Candidates who might be good presidents find themselves tainted by association with overthrown dictator, Hosni Mubarak. The generational divide between Egypt’s significant population of under thirty voters and their elders has added complexity to prognostications.
Egyptian political analyst Moustafa Kamel al-Sayed has argued that the entire political scene is blurred in a way that makes it very hard to guess who the next president might be. Sayed, who is also a professor of political science at Cairo University, argued that many analysts overlook the fact that Egypt has never really been through presidential elections and that is why it cannot be compared to countries with long-established democracies. (Al-Arabiya News, 21 March, 2012)
According to Ahramonline, 22 March, 2012, "The leadership of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood will reportedly discuss the possibility of nominating a presidential candidate at a group meeting scheduled for Friday. Some observers say the move is indicative of a political dilemma for Egypt's largest and most influential Islamist group." They report "...expelled member and presidential contender Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh is finding significant support from among the Brotherhood’s young cadres, and that his overall popularity appears to be growing, even among Coptic-Christian quarters." For more, go to
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/7/37419/Egypt/Presidential-elections-/In-a-corner,-Muslim-Brotherhood-mulls-presidential.aspx
All of this points to high drama as the Campaign unfolds. We will update our readers in future posts, Stay tuned!
This important election is happening in Egypt. It is the first ever multi-candidate race that promises to be free, fair and transparent.
Unlike the race in America, the timeline for Egypt’s contest is short. Beginning back on Saturday, 10 March, candidates could begin registering their names. This registration, now ongoing, requires hopeful candidates to complete several forms to provide basic personal information including financial disclosures. Each potential candidate must also have either the support of 30 members of the Peoples’ Assembly; or signed and notarized recommendation forms from 30,000 Egyptian citizens including some who reside in each of the governorates; or be the nominee of his/her political party. It turns out that whichever option the hopeful candidate chooses, it is a rigorous process, not without pitfalls! The registration process will end on 8 April at 2:00 PM.
Nevertheless, on Monday, 9 April, an initial list of candidates and the names of the citizens, MPs, or the political party that recommended them will be released. Then the campaigning will begin. Just 45 days later, 23 and 24 May, Egyptians go to the polls! Actually, campaigning has already begun as hopeful candidates seek to complete the registration process and the media speculate on the possibilities and analyze the possible outcomes.
The speculation on the results is already in high gear. There are fears of back room deals between the Muslim Brotherhood and the SCAF (military leaders). Candidates who might be good presidents find themselves tainted by association with overthrown dictator, Hosni Mubarak. The generational divide between Egypt’s significant population of under thirty voters and their elders has added complexity to prognostications.
Egyptian political analyst Moustafa Kamel al-Sayed has argued that the entire political scene is blurred in a way that makes it very hard to guess who the next president might be. Sayed, who is also a professor of political science at Cairo University, argued that many analysts overlook the fact that Egypt has never really been through presidential elections and that is why it cannot be compared to countries with long-established democracies. (Al-Arabiya News, 21 March, 2012)
According to Ahramonline, 22 March, 2012, "The leadership of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood will reportedly discuss the possibility of nominating a presidential candidate at a group meeting scheduled for Friday. Some observers say the move is indicative of a political dilemma for Egypt's largest and most influential Islamist group." They report "...expelled member and presidential contender Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh is finding significant support from among the Brotherhood’s young cadres, and that his overall popularity appears to be growing, even among Coptic-Christian quarters." For more, go to
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/7/37419/Egypt/Presidential-elections-/In-a-corner,-Muslim-Brotherhood-mulls-presidential.aspx
All of this points to high drama as the Campaign unfolds. We will update our readers in future posts, Stay tuned!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
"Islamism at the Crossroads"
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!
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!
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.
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