Egypt: "It is not for those representing outside powers to be dictating who we give our backing to"

Mubarak's Regime Cannot Satisfy the Demands of Egyptians
We hope our popular, young, peaceable, democratic movement is allowed to develop a vision of how Egypt can be run
by Ahdaf Soueif
Ahdaf Soueif is an Egyptian short story writer, novelist and political and cultural commentator
February 1, 2011

The events of this past week prove what many of us have believed for a long time: the Egyptian people do not deserve the regime that has been visited on them for the last 30 years. We want Mubarak and his clique to go, and what happens after that will be a question for the people as a whole. There is no one group leading the protests. Everyone is insistent on that. Instead, the young people providing most of the energy and organisation behind the protests come from across the political and social spectrum and they are in touch with respected public figures who are giving their expertise.

The cry from the protesters is for free and fair elections, and for a representative government to be formed. We will also need the space to debate the reforms to our constitution that need to happen: for example, does Egypt need a presidential or a parliamentary system? We will be looking to the expertise of our senior judiciary and those politicians who are still respected.

We want our politics to be inclusive, not exclusive. So it is right, for example, that the Muslim Brotherhood is represented alongside everyone else. It is not for those voices representing the traditional outside powers in this region to be dictating who we can and cannot give our backing to.

Where will all this lead? No one can give a specific answer. But what we hope is that our popular, young, peaceable, democratic, grassroots movement is allowed to develop a vision of how our country can be run for its people and their friends. In order to frighten America and Europe, the regime is saying this is the work of Islamists. But it is not; it is beyond party. This is the young people of Egypt seizing their future.

Read the full article at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/feb/01/ahdaf-soueif-mubarak-regime-egypt


Ahdaf Soueif

about events in Egypt. They will make decisions about themselves for themselves...

Standing up for human rights and democratic freedoms (what Egyptians are demanding) is not dictating to them what form of government and economy they should have.

The alternative is to continue support for dictatorial regimes (except for Iran of course) in the entire Arab world.

soon become what Egypt is now...this country is getting worse everyday and the rethugs are going to bring our country down for their war lords the corporations..I cannot see how the repugs around our country can't see what is going on..it will hurt them just as much as us...