Discussions in the social media, on Facebook and Twitter, show that people vary widely in the way they regard Egypt’s revolutions. The 25 January Revolution witnessed protests of a magnitude not seen since 1919. This is relevant to our current situation, for it was the 1919 Revolution that forced the country to change course with the introduction of the 1923 constitution, which diminished the power of the monarchy and laid down the foundation of what became known as Egypt’s liberal era. The 25 January Revolution may have been a popular one but it soon gave rise to scepticism, especially when SCAF was in power. As SCAF accused revolutionaries of accepting payment from foreign countries and political Islam began to steamroll its way to power with the March 2011 referendum on constitutional amendments, many accusations were traded. Some complained that the 25 January Revolution had dismally failed to achieve its goals of bread, freedom, social justice and dignity. With a president in power who belonged to a group known to honour blind obedience over any semblance of freedom things soon got worse. The problem with political Islam is that its followers believe society should be run by the ahl al-hal wal aqd (Sunni theologians), a reference to the small community of elders, army chiefs and theologians who were the traditional leaders of Muslim societies. It is not a concept that dovetails easily with the freedom for which people took to the streets on 25 January 2011. During its year in power the MB made no effort to espouse social justice but stayed on the course set by earlier Mubarak governments. Dignity was squandered when Morsi promulgated the November 2012 constitutional declaration, a move that was immediately followed — on Wednesday 5 December — by clashes in front of Al-Ittihadiya palace. In the course of the clashes MB members killed and tortured political activists. This was the point at which many people realised the MB had turned its back on the 25 January Revolution and was intent on creating its own despotic regime.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Oct 2013 17:40:10 +0000