Egypt that we don’t know the reason FJP will win

Despite my internal resistance to curiosity ever sense it almost got me I deep trouble on Jan 26^th, I couldn’t stand against trying to visit polling stations today. I actually drove aimlessly in Cairo trying to find a polling station and ended up in Sahel after getting stuck in traffic in Ahmed Helmy tunnel in Ramsis. Driving along Ahmed Helmy street next to the train I came across a school that was almost empty, the polling station just had army soldiers at the door and nothing more interesting. Also observed a huge dump of garbage lying along the road and narrowing the street as we driving, and it hit me why people can accuse the revolution for this uncalled for change.

I finally made it to the schools district in Sahel, parked and started to walk. The first school was pretty calm, and the crowds were limited. There was a car driving along campaigning for one of the candidates, and irregularity that was against the rules of the elections. I continued to walk with a friend and came across a small table setup a minute or so away from the school where people were writing the name of a candidate on pieces of paper and handing them out to cars and people walking by. Again something that was supposed to be against the rules. I tried to take a photo from afar and then continued along to other schools in the district. There were people handing out fliers for FJP next to the entrance of the technical high school close enough to the gate for the soldiers watching over to notice. Actually bumped into one of them and one was reluctant to hand me a copy, but eventually did. The lines were a little longer but still manageable by far. As I continued to walk along, there was a “voter assistance desk” set up by the FJP to direct citizens to their polling station and it didn’t harm to write it down on a paper that had the candidates of the party listed. At the next entrance and again members of the FJP and Alnour party were there handing out material to voters. The next school had longer lines that looked more like what was being voiced in the media about the public interest in the elections. Flyers from a lot of parties and candidates we littering the sidewalks, again something against the rules of the elections and no one was doing anything about.

After spending about an hour I decided to head back to the office and tried to use my navigation skills to find the way back. I have to admit that it didn’t work and found myself in Shoubrah ELkhemah in Kalioubya, which was not entertaining elections on the day, so the schools were empty and quite. However I found myself in places that were really different then Mohandseen and Zamalek. The sight of the place and the people who are struggling in their daily life were a sharp contrast to the young liberals holding ground at the Prime Minister’s office. The people there seemed totally out of touch with the realities in Egypt. Even to someone like me, who claims to be able to relate to these sights and people I had the feeling that my world was far apart from what I was seeing. People struggling to find their place in a world that was difficult and frustrating to handle. People seemed to be struggling to find their daily portions and needs.

At that point in time it hit me that the FJP would probably be victorious at the end of the elections. Why would someone with so much trouble in their daily lives vote for anyone other than those who would help them immediately, even practically help them before the day of election. Food and basic needs are far more important than the theoretical ideologies being voiced by the people of other social classes. The only way out for these people is those who help them in their needs and provide parallel systems that can satisfy them. The people in Tahrir are totally detached and have no way to relate to this world. Building bridges on ideologies seems to be an impossible mission, and sitting away from the real Egypt would not help.

I tried to make it back to Mohandseen, and ended up being mixed upin all directions and disoriented. I long have claimed that I had a good sense of direction, but eventually had to depend on Google to get me back home. As I drove back the only thing that stuck on the day that the bubble that the liberals are living in will only make them shocked to hear that unfortunately the FJP will end up as a winner.

Tahrir, land of a 1000 islands

Tahrir remains the center piece of the Egyptian drive for change that the Youth have driven, not once but twice. Actually for Egyptians to rise it is something difficult, for them to rise twice it is impossible, but after all “impossible is nothing”. I have to confess that my presence in Tahrir in the second wave of change has been far less than the two weeks earlier in the year, but I have managed to find myself there on many occasions, and it feels different than Feb 2011.

I made it to Tahrir at a late hour on Friday evening and into the early hours of Saturday. It was different than a few night before and I parked in my usual place at the Zamalek end of Kasr Elnil bridge. I was the only car there, which was not the normal and I thought to drive up again and park further down but settled for the usual routine. It was a chilly night in Cairo, and the walk along the bridge was a pleasant memory of how beautiful this location is and also with a lot of memories of the revolution. Towards the end of the bridge the sound of music was loud from underneath where a tea stand was setup on the Cairo bank. I also noticed the degree of cleanliness was less than usual, even for the average of Cairo. As I approached the checkpoints set for those entering the square I noticed a lot of motorbikes and a TokTok parked, it was a different sight from the long lines and order back in Feb. Checking was simple and seemed to be disorganized then before, but I was in. I made it through the square and out from the end of Elsheikh Rehan street making my way to the prime Minister’s office building where friends were waiting. I noticed a few street venders setting up electricity from the light pole in the street and a lot of different faces in the square, a crowd that was different than before. A few kids were playing with a ball in the space inform of the Tahrir office building, tents of different shapes and sizes set in front of the building and a few guys trying to get a TV set operational to help pass the night. As I walked out I noticed a larger amount of garbage that was left on the side, and the public toilet cabin was over filled, abused and signs of vandalize all over it. Walking along Kasr Eleiny street towards the prime minister’s office building was far better, and brought better images of Cairo Downtown and how it can be charming. As I entered the zone around the Prime Minister’s office and through the checkpoint, the sight of the people stood out. This crowd was different from the one I left behind in the square. They seemed to be more educated, sophisticated and with means. Blackberries and smart phones were popular, English was used more, and people were engaging in more political discussion and the sense of cosiness, even in the sense of how cross gender relations were expressed.  The sight was a sharp contrast to what is happening in Tahrir. After a few hours there, I made it back through the square and at the entrance at Elsheikh Rehan I witness as heated discussion between a few kids on unlicensed motorbikes that wanted to make it in and the guards were not letting them, the tone was different and the peaceful nature and acceptance that was back in Feb were no longer there. The incident ended, and I continued to walk to my car passing through tents, then through street venders and people. I stood to notice the different type of food and services being provided, and how the street venders were many and different in the square making feel like a popular market place rather than a revolutionary square. As I walked out I also noticed the small busses and toktoks offering transport to Haram and Moneed, too close to the square and too many compared to before. Walking along the bridge the pleasant cool winds of the Cairo winter started to come back, and the observation of the Blue Nile boat further down the Nile with people having an evening out made me think of how the Egyptians can detach themselves from a lot and keep on going on their lives with no change.  

I have to admit that although the square for face value seems to be more unified than the last 10 month (since 12^th Feb) in the message coming out, but it was differently not the same inside. The square looked more like many islands that are far apart and different. The people camping out in the center square, the people camping in front of Omar Makram and at the Governmental office building, were different then the people in the street coming from Kasr ElNil bridge. They were also different from those still remaining at Mohamed Mahmoud and definitely apart from those at the Prime Minister’s office building. Each was a world of their own and the diversity in interests, people, language, and environment stood out sharply. I guess the Jan-Feb events happened too quickly and the people camped long before street venders made it to the square. The venders had to find their place amidst all of this then and focused more on water and limited services. This time around the street venders were there long before the people and they made sure to take prime and large places in the square. They setup chairs and stores and different type of food for different level of people. The people camping in had to find a place with the field hospitals and clinics that were big and setup all around the square in response to the violence that was happening the previous days. The people were different, with young kids and people from lower social segments and poor communities strolling in the square. The level of cleanliness and conduct were different then before. It was still a pleasant feeling in the place but hugely diverse than before. The crowd at the Prime Minister’s office were again in a huge contrast to square, engraving this sense of diversity.

It is different, and the memories of Jan-Feb 2011 and the feeling that used to come to me in the square were long gone. It was still more decent than other places in town and the revolutionary and young energy in the square were definitely nice, but the diversity made me feel more eerie about the potential of a solution out of the hole Egypt is in. Coming to bring all the walks of life in Egypt to agree would be far more difficult now, and unfortunately it is the only way out. The complexity of the situation needs people who can elevate beyond difference, and the environment they are in this time around doesn’t help. We need a miracle, in times where miracles are rare, e to come out of the hole safely and in ways to realise the potential of this country. Nonetheless, the optimist I am (yes I am a black hat but an optimist at the same time), still am hopeful that we will be moving forward from this and will end in a better place. May the Winter of change in Egypt come with better outcomes than those brought to use in the Arab spring.

To my revolutionary friends

Its time to change tactics, and move on to the next step. I was debating with a friend that is over hyped on the revolution and wanted to keep pushing on staying in Tahrir square to the end that this is a wrong tactic and that the revolution will only loose if we keep on doing this. The sit in on the 8th July had definitely a huge effect, but after that sit-ins and presence in Tahrir square were only subracting from the revolution its momentum and glow. Compare what the response of the people was to the presence in Tahrir and that in front of the Isreali embassy in Giza. Despite the effect of the later on traffic the people relate to it and accept it big time compared to how people received any presence in Tahrir. The revolution should find other tactics and address the needs of the people, both economical and security and gain ground again. We need to funel the energy of the youth and young men and women who were in the revolution to come with potential solutions to both dimensions and get the people revolving around the main cause of Egypt now. We should overlook the details of the past, not to let go or overlook, but look forward to a new Egypt. One that we can shape ourselves and deny any force to pounce on it becuase of our incompetitence to deal with new dynamics. If the revolution ends to nothing it would only be from our doing now, mostly becuase of the emotional ties of the young to being revolutionary in only one form. Look forward and act collectively, bring the people together again and not apart.

SCAF has won the battle today

Despite the huge crowd in Tahrir today, I strongly believe that when it comes to Tahrir, SCAF has won this battle, and has gained a lot of ground that retracting from it is an even bigger hill to climb. Only their stupidity would dig us out of their hole, and pure luck will save us from falling into a hole that might be even darker.

Today Tahrir was different. It was articulated well by a man who stopped me while walking around the square this afternoon with my SLR. Upon asking me if I am a journalist or a hobbyist, and I indicated I was the later, he pointed me to look and see how Tahrir was different and that I should photograph the different faces in the square. He was right. I was probably one of the very few who didn't entertain a beard, was wearing pants and had a backpack (other than the few foreigners in the crowd). I was the odd one out. Never have I had that strong feeling of being excluded from the square like today. 

My first impression was underground, the tunnel to the exit of the metro in Tahrir was significantly different. I would have to say that I haven't used the Talaat Harb exit in a while, and picked it out under the impression I would be clear from the platforms all set in the square. That turned out to be wrong and I ended to be entering right behind one of the stages, nothing unique about them today like every time, they were all singing the same song, Salafy Salafy Salafy (The exception was one that was not active and it is there that I claim I felt the defeat, and I will come to it later). 

The tunnel was filled with more litter than usual. Empty bottles of water, paper, newspapers were all over the tunnel. People with beards and in white Galabeys, women covered in black cloth were all over the place. The vendors that were usually there selling flags and pins were present, but so was vendors selling copies of the Quran, Siwak and scents were also present for the first time, ones like those in front of the mosques at prayer-time. I made my way through the masses to the exit from the metro to meet checkpoints outside the metro. Checking in was not as thorough as usual and I entered the square. As soon as I entered I noticed people chanting Takber, and "islamiya Islamiya", a few moments and a guy asked me for water (I bumped into a friend in the metro who told me that the water bottle I had would be immediately taken in the square), and before I replied he pulled it out. I objected of his action and he shoved it back to me without drinking objecting that I was not well behaved. He didn't drink from it. 

 I walked in the see of people with beards and galabeya and women covered from head to toe in black. I was just after Asr and somewhere still praying. I saw a guy holding up the Saudi flag, and as I was making the sarcastic comment questioning if we have suddenly become the same country a guy came to ask him to put it down and that we are here for Egypt and only Egypt. The ground was filled with more litter than usual, probably newspapers used for prayer and water bottles all over the place. I wouldn't claim that Tahrir was always spotless, but not a littered. I walked towards the Tahrir government building and saw the huge stage that the Muslim Brotherhood had, it was bigger than any stage erected in the square before. Nothing was happening on it, and it was probably because of the prayer time. As I pasted it Elbeltagy came out chanting "Change, freedom, social justice" only to be met with Takber. 

I walked around and there were still the seas of the same kind of people, and most of the banners lifted talked about the Islamic identity of Egypt and opposed the right of others to take part in this nation, which to me was against all the agreements of the day. I saw banners asking for the release of Omar Abdel-rahman, why is this even here? Where have these people come from, why have they suddenly appeared today after being away from the Tahrir since day zero, and at times against the whole revolution. Where have the other Egyptians gone? I made it around and the stage at Omar Makram entertained posters of Hazem Salah AbouIsmal and people were doing the same chant. It was really surprising that they have conquered the square. I asked myself the question, Where has the consensus gone? Where have we are all united and calling for the same things gone? How on earth am I expected to trust that people will be able to work together against the common enemy, I was feeling the SCAF members watching over and happy with what is happening. They are the only ones who would end up winning from the day.

Then came the big disappointment of the day, one that put the nail in the coffin of the revolution. A few handful of members of the 6 April movement had their backs to at the stage that they had set up chanting madaneya madaneya. Opposite them were people chanting “Islamia Islamia mosh 3ayzenhah madaneya”, in a disgusting scene. One that was really heart breaking to see. They were pushing them against the wall of the stage trying hard to be heard and people were flocking in to “defeat” them.

I found myself debating with a few people, and more came in. One of them was a mosque clerk from Qina, telling me how much push they have done to bring all these people to Tahrir. Most of them never came since Jan 25^th to the square and now they want to claim that they own this country. I tried to talk with them about liberalism, and that it is freedom within the boundaries of society and that this is actually what Islam is calling for. They insisted that liberalism is total freedom and these people want to bring gays and adultery into the country and that I don’t understand liberalism. I was trying to convince them that people need to open their minds to understand things. They kept on the notion that Islam is the right way. My argument that is actually a highway that allows for diversity and differences and that people need to broaden their mind to ideas and to 1400 years of human development in many fronts. The crowd grew and thinned around me until I was left with a young man from the Muslim brotherhood and an older gentleman. They were trying to convince me that I should say that my ideologies is Islam, while I insisted that I am a liberal socialist and that I believe in the development of humans to understand new concepts that don’t go against the broad boundaries of the religion.

I decided that it is time for me to leave, I had no place in this crowd and was disappointed I took time away from family to join in this event and this is what it turned out to be. I am starting to hate the revolution that allowed such people to come out of their caves, and be in public. Although my liberal ideologies make me resist this notion, but I am finding it very difficult to stand firm against these thoughts. I need to work hard to resist going to conclusion that I should call for SCAF to hold on power and use the old regime’s approach with these groups to put them back where they were. My other thoughts was that this is probably their full size, they got all their numbers out in Tahrir square and they are about that much in the community. How big is their influence? is something to see in later events, if this nation is given another chance which seems like a weak possibility in the sense that we will not be given a chance to go to democracy.

I walked into the area of those who have camped out for weeks in front of the Tahrir government office and found it again with a different distribution of people. Some of those limited number of people that I was used to see where resting in and around the tents, but the Islamist were again all over the place. Where did they come out from and why now, what is going in their minds to come and take what a nation has paid dearly for. 

The only positive of the day was as I was leaving, I went down the metro gate in front of the Tahrir office building and saw a display of photographs of the revolution. It brought memories of days I cherish that I have lived through and saw firsthand.

First time to feel uncomfortable in Tahrir

I went to Tahrir square several times since the afternoon yesterday, and every visit was rather different in its specifics but overall uncomfortable in many fronts.

Tawrah Tawrah ba3d el3asr

My first visit was in the Afternoon on the Friday, somewhere between the hard core who attended the Friday prayer in the square and the evening dwells who have nothing else to do and go for an evening walk in the square. The crowd wasn’t as significant as my previous visits on Fridays, a few thousands, here and there making the square look empty and allowing the street vendors to be visible beyond doubt in the square. A few stages were active and I noted the relative presence of “Alnassereyn” (amazed that they actually still exist especially with a younger crowd). They were talking about the value of Nasser and how things he said still need to be implemented in modern days. Despite being a socialist at heart I believe that these ideologies have long gone and even the core values that were being preached are not one of a changing time. The crowd looked different, despite the presence of young people who looked like they have a message to say there were a few people who definitely looked out of context. As I was entering, I was welcomed with respect as usual and kindly asked for ID and to check my bag (had my camera along for the day) but noticed a guy and a lady in a galabeyah who looked from the slums of town were entering and I overheard her complaining of the people I the square that they are interfering with the normal life of Egypt. They didn’t seem like they are there to voice their opinion in a civilized manner. Not denying anyone to express their opinion, or be in any part of the country but if you are really against this why are you there? Shouldn’t you be voicing your opinion somewhere else? 

In any case I continued to walk around and saw people here and there debating things, some of them were more heated than others and people seemed to be on the edge on many cases, an attitude that was more common in Egypt outside of the square.

On several occasions I heard people calling on the downfall of Almosher”, and despite that I can’t claim I am totally against the idea whole heartedly, but understand that there are different priorities in the near future we need to focus on and work together on, which made me not overly excited. I spend a short while in the square and decided to leave to another commitment I had before sunset.

Evening of Entertainment and strange moments

I returned to the square in the evening, and as expected there were more evening dwells in the square. Upon my entry I noticed no one was really talking politics, except for a small stage one guy with a microphone and speaker who had footage from the disassembled National Party’s last convention, he was talking about how resources were misplaced in Egypt and advocated a better distribution of wealth. He had dismal people attending to him. The only stage that was happening was one that had a group from Upper Egypt singing praise to the prophet and that had people engaged. I walked around and came across a puppet show in the space in front of the Tahrir governmental office building. Kids where there and it seemed like a talent show for kids. I also noticed a sort of quarrel in the middle of the tents in front of the Tahrir building, could make much what was it all about or who is who but it was a sight I have never noticed amongst the activists calling the square home. As I walked back out I also noticed people doing art work on the pavement, solidifying this notion that it was an entertainment evening rather than a revolution. The general feeling was that this was a rundown unclean flee market with no one selling or buying any useful stuff.

As I was back at the monshedeen of the evening a crowd flocked moving out of the square. The guy at the stage mentioned that we should remain in the square and shouldn’t follow people outside. At least he said if people wanted to go they should make sure that we don’t leave the square. The crowd was apparently heading out to Almagless elaskary, a notion I understood later. As I was departing I still had my camera handy and a group of young men asked me to take their photo, no clue why and how they would ever get it from me, but solidified my feeling about what this crowd was about.

Resisting Curiosity

I was meeting an old friend who was visiting Egypt in Mokatam, and as we were deciding to leave news of unrest in Abasseyah was unfolding on TV, I was curious to know what was happening first hand. My mind was resisting the notion, based on my last experience with curiosity, but finally out powered and drove towards that part of town. I couldn’t really get into the action and got blocked out in many entry points by police and couldn’t get a good grasp of things after a while I decided to head back to Haram where I was spending the night. I tried to get information on TV or on the web but it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Elmagless Elaskary and Elislamyeen

I spent some time listening to a phone call by Hassan Elrouny, a member of the military supreme council, to a morning TV show. His contributions didn’t make sense and he was going all over the place. He was making ridiculous claims at time and sending accusations all over the place.  My polite comment was to stop all this BS and all the lies, be a man and say what you really intend to do, to break a possible unity of this nation to make sure that the people stand against each other and get their way in the end. I also saw a rerun of a talk show with some of the Islamyeen who were at Alfath mosque beye7lefouh be7ayat elmagless elaskarry, and really got disgusted with what they were saying and how people who claim piety are more hippocratic than the old regime. After a while I made it out togo to Tahrir square.

Eerie feeling in the square

I visited Tahrir past midday approaching the square by subway. As I left the station I wasn’t greated by any security troops from the square as usual and found myself in the middle of a somewhat empty square. This time around the most notable (although not too many) were the tourists and foreigners talking photos and walking through. The square looked empty and nothing was happening. Only a few people were gathered closer to Omar Makram with a smaller gang of bearded men and covered women asking for reform of Alazhar. The square looked as a place with no owner, empty and more like a sudden void, despite the people going in and out of the Tahrir government office building and the people here and there under a tent. I think that it is time to recollect things and probably retreat to come back again and take the place over. My only concern is with all what is happening now if the 6 April activists leave they might be a target for the system as it stands and have to face it individually.

I find myself again baffled by what is the right path now, and how to get this revolution back on track to achieve what we aspire too. It is becoming more difficult to find the good from the bad and to find a working formula for getting us out of this slump, not sure how long we will depend on the absolute stupidity of the system in place to get people back on the same side of the river (although some people have a foot on both sides, namely those who claim they are talking with the power of God).

Ecstatic about “reviving the revolution spirit”

I was really trilled and delighted on Friday noon once I made it into Tahrir square. Walking across Kasr Elnil bridge and seeing the check points organized by the protesters welcoming us and apologetic for having to check IDs and frisk us down for unwanted material brought a lot of happy moments. I suddenly started to feel a sensation of comfort and a lot of memories. It was preceded with a feeling of righteousness as I saw the weather since earlier in the day and how after a very hot and challenging sunny day on Thursday, cloud cover allowed more people to join and gave me a sense of peace that there is a force greater than all that wants this to happen. It was a blessing that was unexpected. As I walked into the square I was happier with the turnout of the day, there were numbers that were far more than I imagined and that reminded me of Jan 25^th, when I was expecting somewhere around 1000 people only to show up and was amazed at the numbers that walked then from Mostafa Mahmoud. I felts a great amount of internal pleasure and peace and hope of a better future ahead. Also the fact that the magnitude dwarfed the image of several political movements that have elected to be against this day even more and that their loss continues to grow day by day and that they resist to learn lessons of history.

"Go Egypt Go"

One other thing, realized a little more than despite my denial I have some emotional side to me, and that certain things can easily trigger a rush of emotions that I can't control.

Cairo ICT

Dropped by Cairo ICT today, nothing technical much to report other than the usual stuff and wouldn't bother to chat about that, but what really delighted me what that it actually happened. Despite all the events and that we are running in turbulence in general in Egypt merely organizing such an event and having it run without problems was a good sign. It is amazing how this country is one that holds itself strongly and firmly and has a genuine resistance to violence and wrongdoing. I have been advocating that compared to other places that have witnessed smaller events Egypt remains to be a safe place and that all we hear about is far less than what could have happened elsewhere in the globe. Riots in LA and after mass of Katrina had far more violence and lack of law and order than the Egyptian revolution. The only thing that I dreaded was the weather, it was HOOOOOOOOOOOT and if tomorrow is anywhere close to this (Forecast has tomorrow with the peak of this heat wave) the protest will not go well and the forces of nature would stand against reviving the revolution spirit