Tamarod is an Arabic word, and it means ‘rebellion’, or ‘insurrection’. The Tamarod movement in Egypt has been launched in response to a year of Muslim Brotherhood rule. While there have been a number of huge protests in recent weeks, they kicked off with a massive demonstration on Sunday the 30th of June. This new endeavour has been organised by many of the same people who planned or supported the revolt against Mubarak. Last time, the Muslim Brotherhood took control of the situation and were swept into power by an electorate that wanted - or thought it wanted - complete Islamic law..
Since then, Egypt has become a shambles. As soon as he came into power, President Mohamed Morsi drafted a new constitution which mainly served to grant himself dictatorial powers. After the Muslim Brotherhood paid gangs to rape protesters in Tahrir Square, and after sheikhs and other officials ordered the people to vote in approval, the constitution was passed into law.
It gets worse. More than 99% of Egyptian women have been sexually assaulted, a sharp increase over previous years. The Muslim Brotherhood government usually blames the women. The economy has also collapsed spectacularly. Even fellow Jihadists say that the Muslim Brotherhood are “fascist moronic amateurs”. Of course, none of this has stopped Obama’s administration from awarding them even more military support. There’s even talk of him sending over some well-trained riot cops to help them to crush the planned Tamarod protests. Protecting the border with Israel? Pull the other leg, Uncle Sam.
Now that Tamarod’s petition for the removal of President Morsi’s government has reportedly gained over 22 million signatures - more than the 13 million votes that put the man in power - the Muslim Brotherhood is doing what it can to crush its newfound opposition. They are supporting the creation of vigilante groups to ‘protect state institutions’. They are organising a counter-demonstration of their own to intimidate Tamarod supporters. The game is up and they know it, but they care only for their political power in the name of Islamic supremacism.
In less than a day since the beginning of the mass protest in Tahrir square, the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters have been destroyed, and the Egyptian Army has issued an ultimatum to Morsi - 48 hours to come to terms with the people. This ultimatum was rejected. The leaders of Tamarod are threatening “complete civil disobedience” if Morsi does not resign by Tuesday evening.
It seems now very likely that the revolution will succeed, Morsi will stand down, and new leadership will be chosen. Will Egypt suddenly become a beacon of liberty and virtue, now that the Muslim Brotherhood are being driven out of the country? We don’t think so. But it could hardly be worse than it is now. Then again, isn’t that what we all thought in 2011?
We in the EDL wish the best to the many people of Tamarod who crave the freedoms that the Western world takes almost for granted, and the worst to those who simply abuse democracy to further their brutal Jihad.
