Egypt is burning with its citizens' desire for freedom, peace and their fundamental rights to pursue decent, honorable, dignified and pleasant lives. As of today, February 5, 2011, no significant developments have taken place in Egypt, namely the disappearance of the regime in its entirety. However, I remain certain that change will come soon and that Egypt will again resume its rightful place among the world nations as a great, ancient and progressive civilization and culture. Egypt's civilization goes back more than 7000 years; Egypt is also the oldest society in the Arab world. Events of the past days have me thinking long and deeply about the country of my birth. I would like to share those thoughts with you.
The uprising of January 25 has exposed the rotten truth behind the Mubarak regime. The regime is running state affairs in effect as a mafia state, the entire nation of Egypt is operated by families, his and associated families, for their own benefit… a very lucrative family business indeed. The regime's governance is riddled with nepotism, cronyism, corruption, police brutality, and most importantly incompetence at all levels of government, the ruling party and the dominant public-sector-run businesses. This has led to a constant state of widespread unemployment, poor standard of living, high inflation, rising prices, unavailability of basic products and services, and more issues, many more.
It is time, it is way past time, but better late than never, for the Egyptian military to return to its barracks as it had promised at its inception on July 23, 1952, the day it led Egypt to its revolution that liberated it from English rule. If Egypt has any chance for a decent future for its people, the military has to do the job of the military - no more, no less. Perks and benefits that have accrued to them over the last 60 years could be reviewed and they could retain if necessary some of those as reward for their noble services in maintaining Egypt's independence and security. But go back to their barracks they must.
With the military family running Egypt, little if any progress has been achieved. In fact, one could credibly argue the reverse, that Egypt has gone backward since 1952. Freedom, justice, equality, development -- none of that has been delivered. In fact, the opposite in large measure has materialized over time: authoritarian politics, massive youth unemployment (hidden or outright), outdated education systems, various establishments resisting reform, government salaries so low that government employees demand under-the-table payment from the public for their services, and a profound lack of understanding of the meaning and value of separation of religion and state, a key prerequisite for democracy. That is precisely why there are and always will be major issues for Egypt moving forward toward meaningful development and progress. Systemic problems, destructive and bloody unrest, and turmoil will inevitably result for any nation with such issues, as is the case now in Egypt.
Of course, the military is always represented in any government, the Secretary of Defense is for any nation an indispensable member of any cabinet. Of course, military people once retired can always join the civilian workforce and pursue like any other member of a free and peaceful society a productive and fulfilling career. However, military retirees should not expect a handout, a guarantee of a great job. They should seek opportunities like the rest of the civilian population, they should compete for it, earn the job based on hard work, skills, talent and luck. I suppose there will always be nepotism and cronyism, but it should never be the norm!
In order to halt Egypt's free fall, to reverse the trend of losing touch with the modern world, to reverse its backward course, to start the long and arduous process of reestablishing Egypt's image worldwide, Egypt needs a new national vision for its future, including the establishment of knowledgeable inspirational leadership, separation of religion and state, a respect for the rule of law, progressive education, the sharing of the nation's wealth, strong institutions to effect political, social and economic changes at the national and provincial level.
For Egypt to attain this vision, for related goals and objectives not to be unrealistic dreams, the Egyptian people must believe that their nation can speedily overcome generations of stagnation and stupor-like approach to progress. This noble and glorious movement of January 25 should never allow itself to be stopped, any sacrifice is no sacrifice, at all. The ruling party cannot and should not be allowed to remain in power, period. Not now, not when fear has been defeated, not now, not when the Egyptian people have rediscovered that there is no honor in submission and humiliation, that recovering our position in the Arab world, in fact in the whole world, is second to none in its import.
To borrow something from Shakespeare, it is now the time "to be or not to be." It is now up to Egypt's youth. It's their country, it's their future, it's their lives and the lives of Egypt's future generations. Now is not the time to stop, give up or accept half measures. As history has taught us over and over again, half measures are easily, sometimes diabolically, reversed.
There can be no more crucially important time for the Egyptian people to take note and remember the key elements of the incredible leader Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg speech. Abraham Lincoln, on November 19, 1863, said that nations "conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal" will see their endurance tested, by civil wars if necessary. Lincoln then said that to honor those who have lost their lives in that war, a nation shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government "of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." It matters little where these glorious words were uttered, they apply perfectly to Egypt today. A new government, a new parliament, and an amended constitution must ensure forever that Egypt's leadership is of, by, and for its citizens.
The way I see it, the future of a free, peaceful and prosperous Egypt would rest on its new leadership establishing a solid secular democracy; a military dictatorship or a theocracy would severely compromise everything the uprising strives to achieve.
The current opposition forces should coalesce and decide on two or three leaders that would take Egypt through a transition period, whose length should be determined only after they can logically and knowledgeably ensure free, fair and legitimate elections, where voters are adequately informed before they head to election booths.
To my way of thinking, ElBaradei is the best positioned Egyptian to lead the transition period. ElBaradei will have to quickly overcome perceptions that he is European, just a diplomat, an American agent, an Iraq war supporter, all the result of a smear campaign that has been waged against him by Egyptian authorities over the last couple of years. He will need to overcome the fact that he is relatively unknown nation-wide, mainly because he spent decades of his life abroad. Mohamed Mustafa ElBaradei, born June 17, 1942, Nobel laureate and retired Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an inter-governmental organization under the auspices of the United Nations from December 1997 to November. Main reason for the hope for ElBaradei is that he has proved his competency and character on many levels, he would know what it would take to launch Egypt on the road to progress and modernity. ElBaradei has the background to inform the people of Egypt of the ways and needs for the way forward for Egypt. ElBaradei offers the potential of bridging the gap of distrust among various nations and various groups in the Middle East and around the world. He presents a good example of work ethics, of taking risk, and of respect for civility and the rule of law, all necessary ingredients, critical tools for any nation to propel itself towards the road of a productive life. By the way, I would have no problem at all, for someone else, someone possessing the key characteristics I indicated above, someone who can lead efforts to put together the blueprint for the way forward, to lead the transition period.
Once elections are held, for the new government and parliament, their first and foremost mandate must be to establish the institutions, the checks and balances that would move Egypt's democracy quickly from an immature democracy to a true democracy. That mandate would include the passing of amendments to the constitution for a meaningful reform of Egypt’s economy and build a moderate, legitimate political center. Such political center will help fill the void between the current authorities state and possible attempts to hijack the democracy by popular factions such as the Muslim Brothers, the boogie man used by the current Egyptian regime to scare the Egyptians and the world to stay in power, forever if possible robbing the country blind. On another note, Egypt secular democracy has to ensure moving forward at a fast pace in order not to suffer the agony of the Romanian experience, when it took a rather long time to get on the right track. The Philippines experience is a better one to be considered.
Now before we talk about the Muslim Brothers, I would like to share with you my thoughts about the desperate need for a democracy in Egypt. Back in the mid-70s, I believe it was Water Cronkite, famed CBS News anchor, asked Anwar Sadat why not democracy in Egypt. Sadat answered that the Egyptian people were not yet ready. Well, almost 40 years later, do you see democracy in Egypt? So, what did "ready" mean exactly, you have to start somewhere, take the good with the bad, one step at a time, experience the ups and downs, encounter setbacks and have some forward leaps, only then, democracy takes hold. Does anyone really think the US has a full democracy? Think again, people here in the US are being manipulated every which way, in all elections, local, state or national. More recently, earlier last week, Mubarak in his first statement said "there is a fine line between freedom and chaos," this is nothing but rubbish, there is a huge difference between freedom and chaos, freedom has respect for the people, it has respect for the rule of law. Democracy means opening a wide door for human rights and being on the right side of history. There is no need to be negative or pessimistic about the chance for democracy.
The Egyptian people more than deserve the chance and time to experiment with new leaders, new directions, new ways of life, new freedoms, as they grow their democracy, which will not be easy; as the United States did at its beginning. Progressive democracy requires not only the courage to exercise free speech, but the patience and forbearance for continual compromise among people of good will. My best source of hope is that these young valiant Egyptians have had a good education -- that is key. Democracy requires a mostly educated populace who can distinguish opinion and rumor from actual evidence.
A key merit of a secular democracy is that it would allow women to be an effective force in Egypt's life, particularly in the work force. We all know that this is an area in need of serious reform. Women have to come out of their forced retirement. They have to take their rightful place addressing Egypt's needs and issues and assume their rights and duties as regards their responsibilities toward their country. A democracy in Egypt would need their full participation or it stands no chance for meaningful and speedy progress; actually Egypt's men should come to understand, acknowledge and pave the road for Egypt's women to come out of their retirement. The same logic goes for minority groups in Egypt, mainly Egypt's large Coptic population. Denying Egypt's minorities their rights and duties does an enormous disservice to Egypt, their input in all aspects of life is invaluable. The lack of full participation of all Egyptians on equal terms is simply wrong, unwise and unsustainable, it only moves Egypt backwards and de facto ransacks the country.
Now, what about the Muslim Brothers? What nation does not have one or more ultra-conservative religious entities, here in the US, the evangelicals, the many religious right groups, the Christian fundamentalists. How about the new so-called Tea Party, listening to them over the last couple of years one would think they would like nothing less than throwing scores, in the millions, of US citizens into the Atlantic Ocean and if that is not enough, then there is always the Pacific Ocean!
Egypt is not Hamas or Hezbollah, never will be. Egypt is Egypt, with a future for a democratic leadership, civic institutions, a robust private sector, a modern citizenry, with a constitution and laws that would allow then to get there, to get to the good life. Yes, there is always a chance that Egypt could become another Iran, but then again there is always a chance that the Tea Party could rule the US or that Sarah Palin could sit in the White House!! Anticipating or fearing a radical Egypt is self-serving to the naysayers, aside from this dire and unsophisticated forecast of an Egypt run and controlled by the Muslim Brothers, there are numerous scenarios that would work in Egypt, all better that what the US has supported for so long. Chile is a far more stable ally of the US, now that it is a thriving democracy.
The Muslim Brothers as a religious Egyptian group have the same rights as any other Egyptian to live free, in peace and prosper like any other Egyptian. It is far from a given that they represent instability and violence. They are not a bunch of crazies, they have their fundamental beliefs, but then again I have met many Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and others who have same fundamental beliefs about their respective religions. Moreover, the Muslim Brothers in a free election may get 25% of vote, and they will be part of a democratic Egypt, just like in the US, where the Tea Party representatives won many congressional seats in the 2010 elections. The Muslim Brothers will not dominate the government, the numbers are not there, the Egyptian society is not constructed that way, they will naturally be part of a hopefully modern Egypt under the rule of law and the norms of civic societies. Saudi Arabia, the ideological centre of radical Islam, and Pakistan are far more fundamentalist states than Egypt ever was or ever will be.
A friend of mine alerted me that in Karen Armstrong's book Islam, she argues that the Muslim Brotherhood were originally a progressive, political organization, more like a union - providing (before they were suppressed) a sort of welfare state with an Islamic flavor - ensuring that factory workers had adequate time off, prayer breaks, medical insurance, etc. Banning and branding them as a 'terrorist organization' occurred after the 1952 Egyptian revolution. They have their own ideas of course, who does not, but the common wisdom is that they are officially non-violent, they renounce terrorism.
Maureen Dowd recently wrote a column in the New York Times, Feb. 1, 2011. Here is a key quote from it: “The great fear that people have with Islamist parties is that, if they take part in an election, that will be the last election.” She continues “But we overlearned that lesson and we need to get beyond that panicky response. There’s no way for us to go through the long evolution of history without allowing Islamists to participate in democratic society." What are we going to do — support dictators for the rest of eternity because we don’t want Islamists taking their share of some political system in the Middle East? We’ve got to put our money where our mouth is. “Obviously, Islam needs to make its peace with modernity and democracy. But the only way this is going to happen is when people speaking for Islam take part in the system. It’s incumbent on Islamists who are elected democratically to behave democratically.”
Finally, to do a long-overdue justice (and we know that justice delayed is justice denied) by the Palestinian people and in the process allay Israel fears and have it live in peace and cooperation with its neighbors in the Middle East, I fully agree with Thomas Friedman. He wrote recently in the New York Times, Feb. 1, 2011, the following quote, "Today, I believe President Obama should put his own peace plan on the table, bridging the Israeli and Palestinian positions, and demand that the two sides negotiate on it without any preconditions. It is vital for Israel’s future — at a time when there is already a global campaign to delegitimize the Jewish state — that it disentangle itself from the Arabs’ story as much as possible. There is a huge storm coming, Israel. Get out of the way."
Hope this was useful, many thanks for reading it.
Hussein
© Dr Hussein A Amin 2011
