Watching Egypt crumble

[DJKeefy]

Watching Egypt crumble by Sara Abou Bakr.

An acquaintance several weeks ago was in shock, “I got my daughter a bicycle which she parks on the street. Last night I found an old man trying to break its lock. I couldn’t believe it!”

Confronting the petty thief, the old man fumbled, cried and apologised telling my friend that he needs the money to eat. My friend gave him the bike telling me, “What else could I have done?”

Variations of such stories have been regaled to me, some more violent; a girlfriend found a knife at her side after she forgot to lock her car doors and a man got in at a traffic light. She crashed her car forcing him to flee. Another friend on his bicycle was chased by a pair on a motorcycle who he luckily evaded without being hurt. A friend’s house in one of the more posh neighbourhoods in Cairo was ransacked in the middle of the day while another was burglarised as they slept. Carjacking has become a part of everyday life. Many people have even paid “ransoms” to get back their cars, after the police either refused to help them or as one acquaintance put it, “just did not care”.

While such crimes may be a daily occurrence in some countries, in Egypt it is not the norm. It is an indicator of how desperate people are becoming and how severe the lack of security is.

Besides the personal tales of horror, the slew on news we, as journalists, cover every day highlights the lack of a state.

The charade of the kidnapped soldiers a few weeks ago reached its peak with the release of the hostages after “negotiating” with their kidnappers who belong to militant groups and promising not to arrest them in return of the safe retrieval of the soldiers. Egyptians on the street were shocked; many telling me “it’s a hoax” as others wondered how was it possible that no arrests were made while the military knew the exact location of the kidnappers in Sinai. The lack of transparency and retribution sent a clear message that Egypt is no longer a country run by the law but the whim of the Brotherhood’s Guidance Bureau.

The United States embassy in Cairo issued a warning on Friday to American in Egypt, warning them against visiting the Giza Pyramids. Apparently, “thugs” have taken over the area and are causing troubles for tourists, forcing them to pay money to be able to conduct their tours.

Every day there is news on acquittals of police officers accused of killing protesters during the 25 January uprising. On Saturday, officers accused of killing Khaled Said, seen by many as the spark of the Egyptian revolution, were released on bail. It seems the judge does not view them as a threat to society or a flight risk.

Cases of contempt of religion and insulting the president have become an almost weekly occurrence.

Last Tuesday, as Ethiopia inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that remains a cause of mystery on how the flow of the Nile water to Egypt and Sudan will be affected, a Shura council member demanded a ban on dancing ballet, calling it “the art of nudity”. Representatives of the current Egyptian legislative body decided it was more fitting to discuss dancing than Egypt’s Nile water shares. One has to wonder about the mental capacities of such individuals. Well, they were elected by less than 6% of the eligible voting body, mainly pseudo-Islamists if this sheds any light on the way they think.

Another blow was handed to the culture scene in Egypt last Wednesday when the Brotherhood’s minister of culture fired the head of the Cairo Opera House Ines Abdel Dayem, giving no plausible reasons for such action, particularly since Abdel Dayem is reputed to be an efficient and versatile manager. Workers in the opera house are currently on strike, suspending all performances against a decision seen by them as an attempt to enforce Brotherhood values on a cultural hub.

The cash reserve has reached $15.5bn in April, increasing by $1bn which should be a promising indicator only to discover that Egypt has lost $20bn of its currency reserve in the last two years. The Egyptian government’s has so far failed to score the $4.8bn International Monetary Fund loan. This comes after Morsi’s promise to incur a flow of $200bn into the Egyptian economy during his presidential campaign.

The dollar has reached a record high of EGP 7.02 spiking prices of almost all food supplies as well as energy products except for the so-far subsidised petrol.

During the presidential race the Brotherhood sold the Egyptians on the Renaissance Project, the Islamist group’s ideas for a new Egypt. They promised a plan that will transform the country in four years, Morsi’s term as president.

They came through with their promise and transformed Egypt, only for the worst. The Renaissance Project turned out to be a hoax.

Egypt has become a stateless country and the definition of bad governance. The Ikhwan proved that they have no experience running a country of Egypt’s importance and cannot offer real solutions to its problems. They continue to use the same oppressive methods through the Ministry of Interior as well as their own members; torture, imprisonment and libel.

As one watches Egypt crumble a little more every day with people stumbling under the burdens of life, one remembers the hope Egyptians felt after ousting Mubarak and is filled with anger. The promise of a better future is becoming more distant with the Ikhwani rule.

The positive aspect of what is happening now is one thing: people are revolting. Egyptians have discovered they are able to enforce change. They are revolting against the monopoly over religion from self-proclaimed Islamists. They are revolting against the patriarchal tone of the current regime which is copied off Mubarak. Most important, they are revolting against the current conditions on forced poverty.

Millions have signed the Tamarod petition withdrawing their confidence in Morsi’s presidency and calling for early presidential elections. People are mobilising others on the streets to join the “revolt” on 30 June, an open-ended sit-in by the Presidential Palace until Morsi leaves.

Clashes are expected on that day with pro-Morsi supporters, but people are no longer afraid of blood and mayhem.

Egypt has reached rock-bottom and now Egyptians have to claw their way up from the rabbit hole.

Source: http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/06/0 ... t-crumble/

[DJKeefy]

I think this is the point I wanted to try get across when people keep saying it "SAFE" *** While such crimes may be a daily occurrence in some countries, in Egypt it is not the norm ***

[Chocolate Eclair]

This is an excellent post Keefy and sums up exactly the score in Egypt as it stands. It cannot go on like this, I foresee much bloodshed, in the future as Egyptian people fight for their rights and a proper Government. For the life of me I am confused that the military has not stood in and started running the Country again. Regarding the IMF Loan i really cannot see this happening at all, these bodies do not hand over money willy nilly, they normally put into the agreement legislation, and that cannot be passed because there is no Government.

This protest on the 30th June to me will just be the start of a "Winter of Discontent", and what we all saw in Cairo 2 years ago will be nothing to what we will see in the future! Sorry to say this, but even uneducated people will realise that when they have no jobs or income to feed their families, they will revolt. How on earth its been allowed to carry on this far is beyond me.

I make no secret that I feel Egypt is not safe and feel the same way as yourself, how can people close their eyes to kidnappings, murder, carjackings, muggings and still proclaim the place is safe?

I have noticed though that many of the stories are now getting back to European News, Websites and Media. So Tourism is getting well advertised.

[Dusak]

Some people will always walk the walk of life with blinkered vision. Not willing, or just unable to see the writing on the wall. I remember Stan the man being quite adamant with his generous use of his !! stating Egypt/West/East/Luxor was safe, he hadn't see anything blaa blaa blaa. This country is in **** street and sooner or later we are going to suffer the full brunt of it all. Most are adopting an easy go easy come attitude as Luxor suffers very little at the moment in comparison to the rest of the country, but the local damn of common cence is made of sticks, and it will only take a slight pull of the stick at the bottom that used to hold the carrot to swamp us all in the troubles that will gush forth. The end of June could signal the death of tourism for good. But whatever the outcome, I intend to stay.

[Hafiz]

Thanks for the post.

Well those on the ground know better the day to day law and order problems. However this article is about much more, In fact it is the same old secularist litany/rant mixing water, crime and that dammed opera house (which seems to be at the very center of all the Islamist conspiracies), pyramidal problems that won't walk straight, international reserves. So many problems so few to blame.

You get a sense that she is not a serious person when she mentions the opera house as one of Egypt's critical problems. Its also significant that her crime section is anecdotal and contains no stats. Lazy and stupid.

Her economics is no good. The devalued pound will likely attract more tourists and make exports cheaper as well as the negative effect on import prices. Not mentioning the benefits of devaluation confirms this is a rant.

She mentions a 6% vote (for whom). She says that the brothers have no experience of government (is she suggesting that those who have should be brought back). The Brothers use torture. Well that's normal and the only thing abnormal is that the Cairo middle classes have now found a voice, after 60 years of silence, to complain about it.

There is no monopoly over religion as she states.

Freedom of the press includes the ability to publish tosh with no thought for cause and effect, no thought for who is responsible or for the time needed for change.

Her favorable comments on the Tamarod petition shows where she stands and reflects her cast of mind: half thought out, one group is responsible for everything and they should go whether they were elected or not.

Her sympathy for the for those "stumbling under the burdens of life" is pure tosh. One of the distinctive things about poverty in Egypt is that dealing with it has been the job of the international NGO's and the brotherhoods extensive programs. None of the Cairo billionaires has even been accused of generosity to the poor and other than some feeble local NGO's the Cairo elite and their student protesters are remarkable for their self absorbtion, self indulgence and lack of interest in the poor.

When will any of these journalists leave Cairo for a fortnight and try and report on rural and provincial life. Might be a bit uncomfortable for them. How would those Cairo high heals deal with the mud?