Egypt Tends to Liberty

For the first time in decades demonstrators could break the security siege and run together in the streets of Cairo without any planed direction, says Yasser Khalil.

8-2-2011 Middle East Online

A lot of Egyptians cheered when they heard that some of the most controversial leaders of the National Democratic Party (NDP) - including President Hosni Mubarak's son Gamal - have resigned in the 12th day of the Egyptian uprising. Today Egypt is close to change more than any time before. Which direction Egypt is going to? My guess is that it's going to liberty.

May the developments of that revolt are important and can give some indicators about where Egypt will go after Mubarak. In the morning of January 25 2011 - which activists named it "the Day of Anger" - I went to the Syndicate of Journalists (Down Town – Cairo) aiming to join the unique day that meets the annual Festival of Police.

Down Town streets were nearly empty, a few number of police soldiers beside the presidential palace of Abdeen, and a lot of police vehicles and soldiers in Tahrir square. No demonstration in front of the syndicate as it was expected.

When I asked some colleague journalists: will you join the demonstrations if organized? No one said yes, except one, they were managing to cover them, and they expressed their fears because of the strict threats that the Ministry of Interior declared.

After a short time we heard about two demonstrations, one of them was squeezed by police inside the Syndicate of Lawyers, the second was in front of the High Court which has dozen of protesters and hundreds of police men surrounding them, we joined this one, it was frustrating as usual till the surprise happened.

Tens of people were watching the protest on the other side of the street, and the police was blocking them. Suddenly, one of the protesters started to chant "1.. 2.. where are the people of Egypt" and all of us were repeating after him, an unexpected behavior happened; the people who were watching the demonstration pushed the soldiers and tens of them crossed the street and came to join us.

For the first time in decades demonstrators could break the security siege and run together in the streets of Cairo without any planed direction, police forces tried many times to control the march, all the demonstration was chanting in shaking voice "Freedom, Freedom", it was the main demand of all of us. The same streets that we used to walk in seemed more beautiful, the air was full of freedom smell.

Now no political group can claim that the upheaval as its own. The gap between protesters and opponent groups manifested when the opposition leaders decided to ease their demands and start talks with the prime president Omar Suleiman, while tens of thousands of Muslims and Christians were praying in Tahrir square (Cairo) for the martyrs of that uprising, and insist that Mubarak has to resign. The link between opposition and citizen is nearly broken.

To continue our way towards democracy and freedom, it's important that broken links have to be fixed; the liberal figures have to go to the protesters and everywhere in Egypt to promote their visions for modern Egypt where people can live in equity, justice, dignity and have the right of expression without any fears.

Muslim Brotherhood has given good indications that they are open minded and can understand the situation of Egypt, and they promised that they will not run for presidency.

Here are two evidences that Egyptians tend to liberty when they live in real freedom. The first: in Facebook and Twitter, the liberal voices are nearly dominating. The second: in the current protests, the vast majority of participants are liberal and have no ideologies.

However it's like a race between different powers and visions to win the citizens who became the main power in Egypt after the Lotus Uprising.

Yasser Khalil is a researcher and journalist from Egypt.