Seriousness in Syria

The situation in Syria has no doubt escalated beyond what anyone  imagined: it’s been nearly a year since the rioting began, and yet the al-Assad Regime is still in place. What makes the situation even stranger is that no one is stepping in to help.

When the situation in Libya got ugly-i.e., Gaddafi refused to go out in peace (and instead went out with a definitive  bang)-NATO stepped in and gave the rebels a little assistance. France was all up in arms (literally) to save the plebians of Libya. The situation in Syria is just as dire as that in Libya was, or so one would think: the majority want the president out. The despotic, nepotistic president refuses, and rains bloodshed on his people, calling them “terrorists.” But, with the exception of the Arab League’s “peace talks” which were an utter failure, no one is gearing up to arm the rebels this time.

Why not? With more than 9,000 deaths since the rioting began, what’s happening in Syria is a massacre. Al-Assad clearly doesn’t believe in democracy, and it is a shame and a sham to call him “president;” he is a dictator, not a president. Where did the Middle Eastern “presidents” of old (Ben Ali, Gaddafhi, Mubarak, Al-Assad et al.) got the idea that to be called president meant a lifetime of service, unopposed, unchallenged? Why won’t Al-Assad just let it go? Even if he was able to squelch the Syrian National Council, he would never be favorably received by any decent government ever again, and if said governments had any ounce of honor they’d sanction Syria until Al-Assad submitted. Oh wait, but that hasn’t worked so far!

The main reason Al-Assad is probably still sitting in office is because he has no real physical threat-that is, war-from  the outside world. I am in no way suggesting that the poverty-stricken West or any other country (except maybe the wealthy Gulf states, in act of penitence) should go to war against Syria; war and violence are never the answer. But since the rebels will never stop fighting, the least the world could do is offer up money and/or arms.  Sanctioning and public shaming don’t seem like they will work, unfortunately (look at Iran); and as a result, the citizens of Syria are put at risk as their country falls into ruin.

Perhaps the West is afraid of Al-Assad’s downfall. The once-promising Arab Spring has never looked so unpromising now. With the exception of ringleader Tunisia who seems to have pulled itself up to acheive the goals of it’s revolution, Egypt has (as I have so “lovingly” documented) been a disaster; Libya likewise. And with protesters on the move in Bahrain and even Saudi Arabia, the West is no doubt nervous about further overthrows. An interesting excerpt from a CNN article says:

“The Alawites [minority sect that Al-Assad belongs to] remain an important component of Syria, and will continue to enjoy the same rights as other citizens as we build one nation of Christians, Muslims, and other sects,” an SNC statement declared. “The regime will not be successful in pitting us against one another. We are determined to unite our society, and the first step is for us to extend our hand to our Alawite brothers and sisters, to build in Syria a nation governed by citizenship and the rule of law.”

This statement from the Syrian National Council sounds promising, not to mention very democratic, but recent history has proved that sectarian violence has not ended with the overthrow of a dictator. Post-Gaddafhi, those who were loyal to the leader were taunted, harassed, even executed; loyals even recaptured Gaddhafi’s hometown. Post-Mubarak, Christians in Egypt have  suffered just as much, if not more, as the police also disappeared from the scene. People without a  strong figurehead, apparently, would rather fight with each other than find a solution.

The situation in Syria continues. Rebels and innocent Syrian bystanders alike, including world-class journalists such as Marie Colvin, continue to die. When is the world going to step in and say that enough’s enough? Or better yet: why can’t Al-Assad just give it up?

Links:

1.

Syria says referendum results coming Monday; vote punctuated by new violence

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/26/world/meast/syria-unrest/index.html?hpt=imi_c2

A “Code Red” in Egypt

Due to internet problems, I have not been online in almost a week. Today is my last day in Egypt; I will return home tommorow. So much has happened in Egypt that it is hard to know where to begin.

Because I am now pressed for time, I would like to share with you a bulletin about what has been going on in the streets of Egypt, along with links to interesting articles concerning the matter.

One of the Lions that Gaurd the Oct. 6 bridge. Can Egypt rise up again like the lion, and resume it's pride and dignity?

• Top officials barred from Traveling Port Said, a large city on the Mediterranean, was the scene of more than 70 deaths as violence broke out at a football match. Fans stormed the field, attacking the players and then each other. While watching the coverage on TV a million questions ran through my head: what possessed them to attack the players? What possessed other spectators to join in the melee? And furthermore, why didn’t the police try to control the scene? Footage shows them just idly standing, not even trying to stop the rioting. The scene was, to quote my husband, “like crazed animals being released from a cage:” men were just running across the field, not for any purpose such as to run for safety or even to join in the fight; they just ran as though they were at a track meet, or, as an American friend who was over at the time for dinner said, “As though it was their dream to run across the soccer pitch.” Since then, massive protests have erupted throughout Egypt, leading to only more deaths, and top officials in Port Said have been banned from traveling out of the country as they face inquiries as to how this tragedy could have happened. There is talk of conspiracy on the terms of the government/police/military, but from what I can see, it was just a bunch of people rioting for no good reason.
• Fire in Cairo Stadium On February 1st, a fire broke out in Cairo Stadium during a football match (Zamalek vs. Ahly) after officials learned of the fighting in Port Said. Although this article states that the fire was due to a “circuit failure,” videos (youtube) showed hooligans setting off fireworks and running around along the track that surrounds the field. Cairo Stadium is just minutes away from my flat in Nasr City, and I watched the news coverage on TV with utter horror because, yet again, the police on hand seemed to do nothing to control the scene and, furthermore, the acts of the fans were just unbelievable. Fireworks are dangerous and should only be used in a controlled setting. Using them in a public place such as a stadium is poor judgement, and once again, people were both killed or injured in the incident. Personally, for everyone’s safety, I feel that fireworks should not be bought by the public! (This is one NY state rule that I agree with!)
• Gunmen rob HSCB in New Cairo This article includes the link to the video that was shot of the masked gunmen robbing the bank; what I’m curious about is, who filmed the robbery? Some bloke was just looking out the window with his camera and spotted the incident, or was he in on it? What’s disturbing about this incident is that it was one of several robberies throughout Egypt in the past week; similar robberies were also held in the resort town of Sharm al-Shiekh, where two European tourists were killed by Bedouin gunmen.
• Americans Kidnapped by Bedouins 2 Female American tourists were kidnapped for ransom by a Bedouin tribe, according to this article not for money but for the release of political prisoners. I do believe that they have since been released, but seriously: if Egyptians ever want a single tourist (tourism is a vital part of the Egyptian economy) to come back to Egypt, they need to rethink all of this protest and violence. Kidnapping is a surefire way for your country to be on the “Travel advisory” that the TSA puts out; even I, as a ardent traveler with a love for adventure, would not attempt to go to a country on this list!

The result of this week of terror? People have done what they do best here in Egypt: taken to the streets in their anger and frustration. Violence begets violence: more people are dead as a result of the protests. But shouldn’t mourners, those who lost a loved one in these events, be at home, grieving, and not stampeding the streets? Part of me believes that the robberies-for there were many more than the two that I just mentioned-were more than coincidence; after all, nothing like this has happened in the whole past year since the revolution, and now we have all this mayhem in just a week’s time.  I don’t want to believe that the stadium tragedies were the SCAF’s/police’s fault, because it would just show more gross error on their part and surely they would be smart enough (one would hope, but then again, in the past they have proved wrong) to realize that instigating these tragedies would only make the public hate them more. Part of the blame surely rests in the bloody hands of the average Egyptian who participated in the Port Said riots, or the mayhem at Cairo Stadium, and that means, sadly, that they only have themselves to blame.

As this will most likely be my last post on Egyptian soil, I would like to give a bit of parting advice to the Egyptian people, specifically those who feel the need to roam the streets, protest and cause mayhem:

Be cool. Calm down. Ask yourself what you really want, and how it may be achieved. Go to a masjid and pray for hope, pray for an answer. The Koran itself  does not condone violence just for the sake of violence. Roaming the streets, throwing smoke bombs and attacking each other will not solve your problems nor your conscience. Your country was a magnificent center of civilization; let’s restore it to it’s former glory, so that all Egyptians can be proud to call themselves Egyptians. Inchallah, I will be back to Egypt many times over the course of my life, and I hope to find it in good hands.

S-L-M

Tahrir Square January 25 2012: A Year After

“To celebrate or to protest” seemed to be the question on people’s minds as they gather today, January 25th, in Tahrir Square to mark the 1-year anniversary of the Egyptian revolution and overthrow of Hosni Mubarak.  While some people find cause for celebration, others find reasons to be angry, as they accuse the military of not giving in to all their demands. As of now, 1 PM Cairo time, the protest has been peaceful, but I, like I’m sure many non-activist Egyptians, am holding my breath in wariness.

I drove through Tahrir Square on Sunday, 22 January after my husband’s visa interview at the American embassy (they approved him! To which I can only say, thank you God). It should be noted that the line of Egyptians waiting for an appointment for general visas snaked all the way down the avenue, which only proves that Egyptians are wary of their country’s future. Many of them, my husband said, were Copts, although I’m not sure how he could discern that just by looking at them.

Unlike the last time I saw Tahrir Square, back in July 2011, there was activity this time, and by activity I mean protesters. On one of the center circles of the square (surrounded by traffic) protesters had erected red tents and had gathered. It wasn’t crowded, but I was kind of happy to be in the car and not walking on the street. Apparently an activist was stabbed to death right outside  the justice building that day (see link below), which explained why there were several journalists gearing up in front of their cameras as people gathered to watch.

A man preparing food; after all, even Tahrir Square protesters need to eat.

Another man appearing to prepare food, which kills the stereotype that Arab men can’t cook for themselves (his “Boys Don’t Cry” shirt is amusing, I think).

Not sure what this tent was for., but there appears to be someone’s leg and boot coming out of the door. Perhaps it’s a bathroom? If only I could read the sign.

I love this photo. It was taken, of course, as we drove along in the car, and it appears as though the man on the moped is about to drive straight at us! Here you can see a series of Egyptian flags that were staked in the ground, as well as the Cairo Tower ever so faintly in the background. Red, black and white (Egyptian flag colors) were everywhere, as were people selling Jan 25 tchotchke memorabilia and little food stalls.

There is a lot to be said about the 25 January Revolution. In the year since it happened, frustrations have run high, more people have been killed, honor and respect have been replaced with animalistic barbarism and, overall, not much in the way of change has occurred. For me, personally, the Revolution meant having my husband’s visa case delayed, which is not something that I take lightly. The Revolution meant not being able to go outside in Egypt because my husband feels that it is “unsafe.” Had the Revolution not happened, I possibly might be in Egypt to stay, but it is impossible for me to live in a country that at any moment could spark into intense unrest.

Although I disagreed with the methods of both sides of the Revolution, it is here to stay. Whether the demands of the protesters are fully met within a week, month, year or many years, the people will have to deal with what they created. After all, this was the greatest example of a people’s choice, a people’s work, and a people’s unity. Egyptians need to stand unified, forget their differences, let go of the past while still honoring those who died for the Revolution, and charge ahead for democracy.

S-L-M

Links:

1. Bikaya Masr: “Egyptian Activist Stabbed to Death in Cairo”  by Mohammad Abdel Salam, Jan 22., 2012 http://bikyamasr.com/54604/egyptian-activist-stabbed-to-death-in-cairo/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=WordSocial

2. A very interesting wordpress.com site regarding the author’s personal take on the Revolution: http://legalrizk.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/january-25-revolution-a-year-in-review/#comment-3