The 2011 Egyptian Revolution

On January 25, 2011 a popular uprising took place. It was of a peaceful nature and comprised demonstrations, marches, blocking main arteries, and labor strikes. It started in Cairo, spread to Alexandria, and eventually to many other parts of Egypt. Millions of protesters from all walks of life participated.

The demonstrators demanded the overthrow of the Mubarak regime, and the departure of Mubarak. They also had numerous demands, some of them were: an end to police brutality and the secret police; the lifting of the emergency laws that have existed for decades; the right to have free elections and to enjoy freedom of speech; an end to the existing frightful corruption; and the establishment of a government that can address the high unemployment, the low wages, and the food price inflation.

I said that this revolution was of a peaceful nature. This is true up to a point, for there were casualties. Up to 840 deaths were reported, and over 6,000 individuals were injured. The police ceased to function and looting took place on a large scale. Neighborhoods had to devise ways of protecting themselves.

The upheaval started in Tunisia, spread to Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, Jordan, Syria, and Libya.

Western governments expressed great concerns over these unexpected developments. At the time of this writing the situation is still grave; what can happen next in this crucial part of the world is still very much an open question.

Back to Egypt. Mubarak dismissed his cabinet and appointed as Vice-President the former Head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate, Omar Suleiman. All to no avail. Egyptians wanted nothing less than the departure of Mubarak.

On February 11, 2011 Mubarak stepped down, and retired in Sharm-El-Sheik. Power was transferred to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. The Junta headed by Mohammed Hussein Tantawi announced on February 13 that the constitution would be suspended, that both Houses of Parliament would be dissolved, and that the military would rule for six months until elections could be held. The prior cabinet would continue to function as a caretaker government until a new one can be formed.

Quo Vadis Egypt? At the time of this writing (2011) nobody really knows.

Sources

1) BBC ON THIS DAY/7/1952: Egyptian army ousts prime minister http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/September/7/news id_3074000/3074069.stm

2) The Egyptian Revolution and its Lessons/Carib 101.com http://caribflyer.com/carib/the-egyptian-revolution-and-its- lessons/

3) Egyptian Revolution of 1952 – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_Revolution_of_1952

4) Gamal Abdel Nasser http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/gamal_abdel_nasser.htm

5) For the Love of Egypt: When Besieged Palestinians Danced Al-Jazeerah: Cross-Cultural Understanding Opinion Editorials April 2011 Ramzy Baroud http://www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion/VoEditorials/2011/April/4/o/fortheLoveofEgyptWhenBesiegedPalestiniansDanced

6) Ariel Sharon: Yom Kippur War http://www.lycos.com/info/ariel-sharon–yom-kippur-war.html

7) Camp David Accords September 17, 1978 http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace%20Process/Guide%20to%20the%20Peace%20Process/Camp%David%20Accords

8) LESTER PEARSON & THE SUEZ CRISIS – SUMMARY http://www.suezcrisis.ca/summary.html

9) 2011 Egyptian Revolution – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_Revolution_of_2011

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