Is Egypt back to normal after the revolution? It depends on how you define normal, says Dena Rashed After the resignation of former president Hosni Mubarak last Friday and the attendant celebrations across the country, new waves of protests have taken place across Egypt, this time in major institutions and factories. While some of those involved in these protests had joined forces with the masses in Tahrir Square in the last days of the stand-off between protesters demanding the toppling of Mubarak and the regime, some were waiting to see the outcome of the revolution before committing themselves. For anyone living in Egypt over the past few decades, it is easy to see that the change has not only affected the country's political life. People in general have seen their lives changed by recent events, with emotions often running high. Some people are optimistic, while others are in a state of worry, even anxiety, and business has not got back to normal by any means. Protests starting last Saturday across the country involved workers at the ministries of health and aviation and at various banks, communications agencies, the state atomic agency, Al-Azhar Hospital, public transportation and even the police. Staff at the Egyptian TV and Radio building threw one of the managers of the institution out of the building, where he was saved by the army, and there has been unrest at the newspapers Al-Ahram and Al-Gomhouriya. At Al-Ahram, staff called for the ousting of the editor-in- chief for alleged bias during the 18 days of the revolution, while staff at Al-Gomhouriya demonstrated for better pay and the removal of the paper's board members. While many of the workers protesting are complaining of low rates of pay, others are demanding that they be given employee status with full benefits instead of their current status as contractors. Other workers have called for family members to be appointed to the companies they work in, ironically reproducing the accusations of nepotism made against the former regime. Demands for the removal of the heads of public institutions, as well as the counsellors and staff appointed over the past two years, have also been made. One bank employee, working in the second-largest bank in Egypt for decades, said that older employees had been unjustly treated, notably as a result of the hiring of a new generation of consultants. "We have 80 of them, and one of them is a dentist in ordinary life. Only a fraction of them are good for the bank, and they are paid millions per month between them, far more than the regular employees. There has been a lot of frustration over the past two years, and people have decided that enough is enough," she said. Some of those protesting were former employees who have taken the chance to protest since they were fired, she admitted. "Although such people were justifiably discharged, they think that now is the time to mingle with those who are protesting against low salaries. It is all very confusing, but bank workers need decent pay if only because they work around money all day." Another manager at the same bank, this time from the younger generation and the new members of staff, said that people protesting against the new hires did not always see the complete picture. "I have been working in this bank everyday for the past year from eight in the morning to eight in the evening. I am highly qualified, and the people I represent have been of real benefit to the bank. Many of those protesting against our salaries are not as qualified. They are not decision-makers, have no command of other languages, and are not presentable. They spend hours on the phone and only six hours working." "Instead of under the old system, where 10 people would sign a paper for fear of taking any risk, like the other new managers I take risks and bear responsibility because I know what I am doing." Such tensions at state-sector banks reflect what is happening in other government institutions around the country, where years of frustration among workers are now being directed at board members. However, there is no magic wand available that can clear up years of favouritism, unclear policies, unjust pay and problems with training and retaining employees. As a result of such disputes, the Higher Council of the Armed Forces (HCAF) that is now in control of the country called on all Egyptians in its communiqué no. 5 last Monday to play their appointed roles in helping to end the strikes and industrial disputes. Continuing strikes, it pointed out, would further harm the nation's economic prospects and security. While the demands of many of the strikers are being met, it seems likely that a new culture of protest has now set in in Egypt. According to psychiatrist Ayman Ammar, while workers have been feeling a sense of injustice for years, it is only now that they have understood that protesting may be one way of remedying it. "This is especially the case where there are no real labour unions or syndicates, or where there is a minister, such as Aisha Abdel-Hadi, who has a reputation for not delivering. As a result, people feel that they have to take things into their own hands," Ammar said. Ammar said that only public-sector banks had thus far experienced difficulties. "The ABC of running a bank is that you take care of your workers. So, the disputes are not really about managers getting more money than workers, but rather about workers not feeling that they belong and not being counted as assets." At present, he said, many people may be acting out of emotion rather than logic, and the prevailing feeling may be one of "let's get what we want". Ammar also points out that people have previously felt marginalised in the country, and it is certainly true that in the past many unqualified people may have been hired to senior positions as a result of nepotism or corruption. Some people will gain in the present situation, he said, while others will continue to lose, often as a result of no fault of their own. When it comes to general attitudes, it seems that a filtering process is now going on among those that are pro or against the revolution. A list of those who were against the revolution has been circulating, and this includes many public figures, as well as ordinary people. For Ammar, this list is at least in part a result of popular fascination with celebrity figures, and there is undoubtedly an element of revenge. Reham Ismail, 32, a planning and performance manager at an IT company, said that she saw people around her divide into three categories. "Some of those who took part in the protests now have the feeling that they are untouchable, and their voices are getting louder and more aggressive. Some of those who supported the change, but did not necessarily demonstrate in Tahrir, are thinking positively, starting initiatives to help the economy and the underprivileged. There are also others who are sad about what happened and do not want to communicate with others." While an optimistic spirit is in the air, many people worry about the future. The bank manager interviewed by Al-Ahram Weekly is optimistic about the future, while Ismail said she was concerned about where the country was going, while also supporting efforts to help people find new roles for themselves in society. Discussions continue, but the easiest way to start an argument is to sympathise with Mubarak. For Ammar, people will not tolerate those who express sympathy for him. "In the light of the young people who died in the demonstrations, sympathy with Mubarak means taking a side not a point of view, and in this case it means siding with injustice." For others, including Ismail, things are not about Mubarak anymore. "I was not in Tahrir, but I am in favour of change. Whether Mubarak stayed for another six months or not, change was coming anyway. And change is about more than removing the layers of corruption in this country." Egypt is still not back to normal. Schools and universities have not reopened, though this is expected on Sunday, and mothers like Amira are worried about sending their children back to school next week, wishing that the police would go back onto the streets to guarantee security. People have become calmer, though, she says. "I hope the whole thing won't turn out to be a kind of camouflage, with life returning to what it was before the revolution." Some 13,000 prisoners have been re-arrested thus far from the 23,000 who escaped over recent weeks. The police are back, but not at full capacity, and tourism in particular has not recovered. People are trying to get back to their normal lives, though this is difficult with the curfew still in place from midnight to six in the morning. However, Ammar perhaps speaks for many when he says that what Egyptians were living before 25 January was an abnormal life, since living a normal life means living in dignity. "It would be amazing if we could all live in a civilised way from now on," he said, "though I think we should be worried about the agendas of some neighbouring countries that may try to disrupt our peaceful transition."
