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Daily Life in Egypt after the Revolution Remains the Same; but One
Thing has Changed
Sona Avagyan
18:34, July 12, 2011
In terms of the everyday life of the people, nothing has changed in
Egypt after the revolution. There are many economic problems remaining
in the country because the whole economic system was corrupt before
the revolution and built on a few businessmen who were close to the
power. Most of them are now in prison.
Basem Fathy, a board member of Egyptian Democratic Academy and an
activist of the Egyptian revolution expressed such an opinion when
speaking to "Hetq".
"Of course, we want to institutionalize the revolution and laws and
everything. Five months is a very small period for getting these
gains," he added.
During the anti-regime protests in Egypt that started on January 25
and ended on February 11, resulting in the resignation of President
Hosni Mubarak and his 30 year reign, more than 800 protesters were
killed by the Egyptian central security forces and their hired thugs.
Basem Fathy says it's really a problem in Egypt that those who killed
the protesters haven't received any punishment so far because the
Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, formerly affiliated to the
Mubarak regime, remains in power.
During 18 days of protests, 15,000 people were wounded because live
ammunition was used against them. About 1,000 people lost their
eyesight either completely or partially because the police
intentionally shot at the eyes of protesters with rubber bullets in
order to stop them.
At the same time, Basem Fathy says that after the revolution, on the
level of freedom in people's minds and dignity, the situation is
totally different in Egypt.
"We don't have the same threats. I and all the activists were under
constant 24 hours watch by the secret police. We got threats from the
secret police and now we don't, and this is one of the achievements on
the political level," the Egyptian revolution activist said.
He had been detained 3 times before the revolution for his political
activities and released after several days.
In Egypt there were a lot of reasons for a revolution and not just
one. 40% of Egyptians live under poverty line.
Basem Fathy says that the other reason was the brutality of the
police. In Egypt it's common to read that every day somebody has been
detained for no reason or tortured in a police station.
The first day of Egyptian anti-government protests came 11 days after
the revolution in Tunisia. This was great inspiration for Egyptians,
who thought - "As long as the Tunisians did it, why shouldn't we do
it?"
Another reason for the revolution, in Basem Fathy's words, was that
parliamentary elections, which had been held 2 months before, were
totally falsified. The ruling party had taken 81 % of the seats in the
Parliament. The other 19 % of the seats had been taken by parties
affiliated and loyal to the ruling party. Thus, no one from the
opposition had succeeded to enter the Parliament.
Basem Fathy and activists like him had been participating in protests
to push their ideas for many years. On January 25, the first day of
anti-regime protests, they only called to conduct a large protest in
front of the Ministry of Interior (and not in Tahrir square) against
police brutality and to demand the resignation of the Minister of the
Interior.
"This was the top of our dreams. But on the 25th we found that a lot
of people responded and started to participate and spontaneously the
people started to move into Tahrir square from everywhere in Cairo. It
was the first moment for the people to feel freedom, to feel that they
are the strongest. It was unbelievable," Basem Fathy says.
On that day, he was responsible for getting some blankets, tents and
sleeping bags in case they were going to stay in the square. On the
following days, non-politicized people who never thought about
revolution before took to the streets protesting against Mubarak and
the regime.
On January 28, the Internet activists posted the list of starting
points for the marches from all over the country on Facebook and
blogs. The marches were to start from the mosques and churches all
over the country and head to the very logical destination, Tahrir
(Liberty) Square, where people had gathered 3 days ago.
On the same day, Internet and cell phone connections were made
unavailable for the Egyptians, but the people started to march from
everywhere around Cairo towards Tahrir Square. Basem Fathy says that
the security forces, the biggest share of which was concentrated in
Cairo, encircled the square in order to prevent the protesters from
getting there.
Besides the army of about 750,000 Egyptian servicemen, who will
disobey any order to shoot at their people, Egypt has internal army,
the security forces of 1.5 million people. In Egyptian activist's
words these forces are established and kept for political reasons and
are trained for dealing with protests.
"We started a battle. We were unarmed and they were armed with rubber
bullets, even live ammunition, of course tear gas, all the day
beating, even using police vehicles to crash into the people. On
January 28 people just went to Tahrir square after a 5 hour battle
with 1.5 million soldiers and they have been defeated in 5 hours by
the people. While you are under this, you have something inside
yourself, adrenaline, putting on the confrontations and pushing you
forward, not back," Basem Fathy said.
He added that the protesters, he included, were scared.
"I felt that I am brave and I was standing against the ruling power
for years, but it's very different when you find bullets everywhere
and people killed. The revolution always starts with the first
bloodshed. When I and my friend go to protest and my friend is killed,
I cannot go back, I have to continue, whether I'll be killed also or
we will win just to have the revenge of our friend. This was the case
in Egypt," Basem Fathy said.
He quoted the following words of one of the Egyptian revolution
activists, who on January 27 wrote in his Facebook:
"I have been beaten a lot through 2 days, but feel that we are very
close. I'll go today anyway to protest, because we are very close and
we have to reach to what we want."
On January 28 he was killed.
http://hetq.am/eng/news/2870/
Thing has Changed
Sona Avagyan
18:34, July 12, 2011
In terms of the everyday life of the people, nothing has changed in
Egypt after the revolution. There are many economic problems remaining
in the country because the whole economic system was corrupt before
the revolution and built on a few businessmen who were close to the
power. Most of them are now in prison.
Basem Fathy, a board member of Egyptian Democratic Academy and an
activist of the Egyptian revolution expressed such an opinion when
speaking to "Hetq".
"Of course, we want to institutionalize the revolution and laws and
everything. Five months is a very small period for getting these
gains," he added.
During the anti-regime protests in Egypt that started on January 25
and ended on February 11, resulting in the resignation of President
Hosni Mubarak and his 30 year reign, more than 800 protesters were
killed by the Egyptian central security forces and their hired thugs.
Basem Fathy says it's really a problem in Egypt that those who killed
the protesters haven't received any punishment so far because the
Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, formerly affiliated to the
Mubarak regime, remains in power.
During 18 days of protests, 15,000 people were wounded because live
ammunition was used against them. About 1,000 people lost their
eyesight either completely or partially because the police
intentionally shot at the eyes of protesters with rubber bullets in
order to stop them.
At the same time, Basem Fathy says that after the revolution, on the
level of freedom in people's minds and dignity, the situation is
totally different in Egypt.
"We don't have the same threats. I and all the activists were under
constant 24 hours watch by the secret police. We got threats from the
secret police and now we don't, and this is one of the achievements on
the political level," the Egyptian revolution activist said.
He had been detained 3 times before the revolution for his political
activities and released after several days.
In Egypt there were a lot of reasons for a revolution and not just
one. 40% of Egyptians live under poverty line.
Basem Fathy says that the other reason was the brutality of the
police. In Egypt it's common to read that every day somebody has been
detained for no reason or tortured in a police station.
The first day of Egyptian anti-government protests came 11 days after
the revolution in Tunisia. This was great inspiration for Egyptians,
who thought - "As long as the Tunisians did it, why shouldn't we do
it?"
Another reason for the revolution, in Basem Fathy's words, was that
parliamentary elections, which had been held 2 months before, were
totally falsified. The ruling party had taken 81 % of the seats in the
Parliament. The other 19 % of the seats had been taken by parties
affiliated and loyal to the ruling party. Thus, no one from the
opposition had succeeded to enter the Parliament.
Basem Fathy and activists like him had been participating in protests
to push their ideas for many years. On January 25, the first day of
anti-regime protests, they only called to conduct a large protest in
front of the Ministry of Interior (and not in Tahrir square) against
police brutality and to demand the resignation of the Minister of the
Interior.
"This was the top of our dreams. But on the 25th we found that a lot
of people responded and started to participate and spontaneously the
people started to move into Tahrir square from everywhere in Cairo. It
was the first moment for the people to feel freedom, to feel that they
are the strongest. It was unbelievable," Basem Fathy says.
On that day, he was responsible for getting some blankets, tents and
sleeping bags in case they were going to stay in the square. On the
following days, non-politicized people who never thought about
revolution before took to the streets protesting against Mubarak and
the regime.
On January 28, the Internet activists posted the list of starting
points for the marches from all over the country on Facebook and
blogs. The marches were to start from the mosques and churches all
over the country and head to the very logical destination, Tahrir
(Liberty) Square, where people had gathered 3 days ago.
On the same day, Internet and cell phone connections were made
unavailable for the Egyptians, but the people started to march from
everywhere around Cairo towards Tahrir Square. Basem Fathy says that
the security forces, the biggest share of which was concentrated in
Cairo, encircled the square in order to prevent the protesters from
getting there.
Besides the army of about 750,000 Egyptian servicemen, who will
disobey any order to shoot at their people, Egypt has internal army,
the security forces of 1.5 million people. In Egyptian activist's
words these forces are established and kept for political reasons and
are trained for dealing with protests.
"We started a battle. We were unarmed and they were armed with rubber
bullets, even live ammunition, of course tear gas, all the day
beating, even using police vehicles to crash into the people. On
January 28 people just went to Tahrir square after a 5 hour battle
with 1.5 million soldiers and they have been defeated in 5 hours by
the people. While you are under this, you have something inside
yourself, adrenaline, putting on the confrontations and pushing you
forward, not back," Basem Fathy said.
He added that the protesters, he included, were scared.
"I felt that I am brave and I was standing against the ruling power
for years, but it's very different when you find bullets everywhere
and people killed. The revolution always starts with the first
bloodshed. When I and my friend go to protest and my friend is killed,
I cannot go back, I have to continue, whether I'll be killed also or
we will win just to have the revenge of our friend. This was the case
in Egypt," Basem Fathy said.
He quoted the following words of one of the Egyptian revolution
activists, who on January 27 wrote in his Facebook:
"I have been beaten a lot through 2 days, but feel that we are very
close. I'll go today anyway to protest, because we are very close and
we have to reach to what we want."
On January 28 he was killed.
http://hetq.am/eng/news/2870/