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Egyptian opposition leaders are forming a united front to mobilize the people to put a limit to President Hosni Mubarak’s continuous monopoly of power.
Egyptians believe that Mubarak’s victory in last-month’s presidential elections is nothing but a way to pave the road for his son Gamal. In result of the accumulated frustrations about the way the so-called ‘democratic elections’ took place, the Egyptian streets are starting to boil.
The ruling National Democratic Party arranged elections by banning its major oppositions, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Labor Party, from participating. It intimidated voters and prevented candidates from fair media coverage. It banned observers and did not allow Egyptian expatriates from casting their votes.
It was no surprise to many observers when only 23 percent of the country’s 32 million registered voters participated in the election process. Only 8.5 percent of Egypt’s population of 75 million people gave their votes to Mubarak. This is a clear indication of the feelings of the Egyptian people on the elections.
The Kefaya Movement, which means “enough” in Arabic, has been gaining momentum in the Egyptian streets. It reacted to Mubarak’s official ceremony with protesters chanting “Illegitimate, illegitimate.”
With the emergence of Kefaya on Egypt’s political arena, another movement has joined the opposition calling itself Majaneen Min Agl Eltagh’yeer, which means “Psychos for Change” in Arabic. Their slogan is based on the belief that Egypt has become full of depressed and mentally sick people due to the policies of Mubarak’s 24-year reign.
Backed by Egypt’s diverse opposition to Mubarak’s NDP, a group of Egyptian intellectuals have begun publishing an incendiary weekly titled Al-Karama, which means “integrity” in Arabic. Despite the fact that an Arab Nasseri Party member heads the newspaper, Al-Karama is open to all Egyptian parties. The weekly wants to involve the people in the political process and give them more confidence for bringing Egypt back to prominence.
“We swear to the Great God! Gamal will not inherit us,” was the big, bold headline on the front page of Al-Karama’s first edition.
Many believe the regime and the state-run media have made Egyptians self-centered. In their eyes, many Egyptians only care about music videos, news of celebrities, careers and consumerism--thus, distracting them from getting involved in any political, economical or intellectual process.
The United States has been monitoring events in Egypt. Recently, it has realized the great potential for a revolution. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes made a visit to Egypt as part of a four-day tour that included Saudi Arabia and Turkey leaving on Sept. 26. The mission of her trip was to supposedly understand the people’s perception of the United States. Her visit to Egypt received wide coverage in the state-run, opposition and independent press.
However, after her departure from the region, the State Department’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Elizabeth Cheney and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Scott Carpenter arrived in Egypt on Sept. 27 for a four-day visit. The state-run Egyptian press kept a low profile on their visit. Al-Masryoon, an independent daily, was the only media to cover the visit. The reasons for this are easy to guess.
The NDP wants to keep the United States content so to allow a smooth transfer of power to Gamal. NDP officials expressed that it is in the United States’ interest for Gamal to rule Egypt, since he is the only one who would implement privatization, free-market reforms and preserve a stable relationship with Israel.
According to Al-Masryoon, the United States will support any Egyptian President who will commit to the American agenda and resist the emergence of any Islamic movement that is anti-Israel.
Most Egyptians are critical of their country’s normalization with Israel. In addition, they see the continuous privatization as a way to put the country under further foreign control. Reaching and maintaining such balance for both the United States and Israel may be a challenge in the future.
Egypt will have parliamentary elections next month. Emergency-state laws remain in effect. Gamal has founded the Policies Committee which observers see as a maneuvering lobby to keep the NDP majority in the Egyptian Parliament. Such a move will ensure a smoother transfer of power to Gamal, while also distracting the average Egyptian citizen with promises of reform. In doing so, the ruling party is moving toward preventing 100 members of the Muslim Brotherhood from participating in the coming elections.
Ayman Noor, the head of the Ghad Party, is currently being tried on fraud charges. Noor contends the NDP ruling party is fabricating these charges to distance him and his party from the coming elections. Noor finished second in the recent presidential election.
Noaman Gomaa, the head of the Al-Wafd Party, is under pressure to save his group from several NDP agents who are attempting to create divisions within the party.
Such actions have led the heads of three major opposition parties to begin to form a united front to challenge the NDP in the upcoming parliamentary elections. The leaders will have to put their minor differences to the side in order to oust the NDP.
The parties of the liberal-center, nationalist Al-Wafd, the center-left, nationalist Arab Nasseri and the left Tagamuu have primarily agreed on forming a coalition. The Kefaya Movement, the center Labor Party and the Muslim Brotherhood have welcomed the idea.
There has been an obstacle in reaching an agreement between the Muslim Brotherhood and the left Tagamuu Party. Sources from the Arab Nasseri, Al-Wafd and Labor parties will do their best to minimize the gap between Tagamuu and the Muslim Brotherhood. However, the Ghad Party of Ayman Noor remains a question.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Labor Party need Al-Wafd and the Arab Nasseri since they are not banned from the elections. The Arab Nasseri Party carries the agenda of former Egyptian President Nasser. Al-Wafd Party has a historic reputation in leading the revolution against the British occupation in 1919.
On the other hand, Al-Wafd and the Arab Nasseri need the Muslim Brotherhood because it holds the majority of opposition among the Egyptian people. The Tagammu carries the dreams of the Egyptian working class. Kefaya, not an official party, is a secular movement with an objective to do whatever it takes to lift Egypt from its current crumbling status.
The NDP’s tactics will not work forever. It is clear that the ruling party will use the same methods in the parliamentary elections that it used in the presidential election. It seems that the regime is working on its own political survival, rather than pleasing the masses. They need to keep in mind that patience has a limit.
What if true change in Egypt brings to power a regime that is approved by the majority of its people not just outsiders? Will it be a true victory for democracy or a loss for those who use it as a cover for hidden agendas? The future will have surprises. The big question is how much longer will the NDP remain in power? My guess is not for long if the NDP continues to manipulate and ignore the people.
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© Copyright World Internet News 2006-07
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The Egyptian Movement for Change - KEFAYA
The Egyptian Popular Campaign for Change
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