Egypt faces itself!

Much can be said about what is happening in Egypt these days, particularly the sectarian violence that took place on Sunday, and which claimed the lives of a number of Egyptians of different backgrounds. However what must be stressed and reiterated is that the time has come for the Egyptians to take a long hard look at themselves. Egypt has a lot of problems, and the sad thing is that the solutions to these problems are extremely difficult to implement. The reason for this is the absence of a sense of leadership, at all levels. Post-Mubarak Egypt is no less dangerous than Mubarak-era Egypt, as the voice of reason is absent, whether we are talking about the media, politics, religious platforms, or even the arts. There are fundamental problems in Egypt; the greatest of which is complex issues being viewed in a simplistic manner, and such issues being dealt with according to emotion, rather than [national] interests. Egyptian Prime Minister [Essam Sharaf] is speaking about “hidden hands” whilst Pope Shenouda III denounced those he described as “infiltrators” as well as the Egyptian media. Since the ouster of the Mubarak regime, we have also heard warnings against “remnants” of the foreign regime. The question that must be asked here is: if everybody is aware that there is a danger – whether internal or external – that is threatening Egypt, then where is the voice of reason? Why aren’t [national] interests being put first? Why don’t the Egyptian people acknowledge that their problems existed prior to this current post-revolutionary period, and therefore the Egyptian scene requires a modicum of reason, and for [national] interests to be prioritized? The most important [national] interest that must be protected in this regard is Egyptian unity, particularly as everybody – reports, statements, and organizations – are all warning that Egypt is on the verge of economic collapse, without anybody responding to this. As the degree of uncertainty between Egyptians is so great, everybody must be aware that the ship they are fighting to gain control of will be on the verge of sinking should this fighting continue. The issue in Egypt is not one of “infiltrators” or “remnants” or “hidden hands”, this is a purely Egyptian issue. The Muslim Brotherhood, for example, is divided amongst itself, between the hawks and the doves, between the youth and the old guard, whilst there are other figures who defected from the mother organization. Following these warnings with regards to the Muslim Brotherhood, the Salafists came out in a manner that shocked the Egyptians, and now we see the Copts appearing on the scene in an alarming manner. This is not all, for the Egyptians must also ask themselves: how many youth [political] parties have been established today, and what is the extent of the contrast between such parties? When we add the role of the media in Egypt to all of the above, we can clearly see that the situation in Egypt is truly terrifying. Of course, there is another problem that may further complicate an already complex situation, namely the Egyptian army’s involvement in the political scene and struggle, as well as the sectarian conflict taking place in the country. This is something that is dangerous for the Egyptian army, as well as the Egyptian state and people. The army today must be the guarantor and ruler of Egypt, not a side [in any political conflict]. Therefore it is in everybody’s interests today for a civilian presidential council to be established to stand between the Egyptian people and the army in order to govern this transitional period and allow the Egyptian army to return to its barracks and fulfill its mission as the guarantor for the completion of the political process in Egypt, not a side [in the political process], which is what is happening today. The role of the army is to guarantee the security of the Egyptian state, protect its institutions in this regard, in addition to protecting Egypt’s borders from any foreign plots or incursions. Therefore, it is up to Egypt’s intellectuals to choose; either to protect a state that excelled in the art of coexistence and leadership, even under colonialism, or become partners, God forbid, in the destruction of what has long been safe-guarded!