While many Egyptians have spoken with their feet over the past two weeks, others think there are other roads to change, says Dena Rashed In the days after 25 January, two sisters got into an argument on Facebook about the protests taking place in Tahrir Square and how to resolve the current political crisis. As a result, one of them deleted the other from her account. The sisters are not pro- and anti-Mubarak, both being in favour of reform and greater democracy. However, they have nevertheless failed to communicate with each other. These two sisters are not alone, since they represent a wide array of Egyptians who have the same goal of attaining a better Egypt through other means besides protesting. Enji Abul-Einein, the sister who was kicked out of her sister's circle on Facebook, asks "why people who have different opinions from those of the young people in Tahrir are called pro-Mubarak? And why are people who are pro- Mubarak believed to be pro-NDP, or simple-minded, or paid LE200? Accusing people of such things is to fall into the same trap as that of those who accuse the young people of being manipulated from abroad, or having their own agenda. Why can't we all just be reasonable and stop accusing each other?" Another person who has chosen the middle ground, while at the same time believing in the spirit and role of the youth revolution is a 25-year-old banker, who prefers to remain anonymous. He took part in the protests held after 28 January, but thinks that Egyptians were split before the peaceful demonstrations on 25 January. After 28 January, however, the "Friday of Anger", people were not split, he says. "The momentum was really picking up, and it seemed there was no hope but revolution." While he says that he, along with others, was happy to leave the square after the president's speech on 1 February, since he felt that the speech had satisfied the protesters' demands, he also feels that a second split occurred when thugs attacked the protesters. He respects the people's right to continue protesting, but he thinks that it is time for the country to get back to work and for people to learn to trust each other again. "I understand why the protesters in Tahrir feel they cannot trust the government and the system, yet I for one do trust in economic reform and in our ability to get back on track again. I am happy with the current smooth transition of power, and I have not returned to the square for two reasons. First, I am worried about national security, particularly should a third party decide to initiate violence. And second, I am worried about the political uncertainty in the country that is making investors flee." The current lack of trust among the protesters could decrease were the government to move faster towards changing the constitution, he thinks. He has also chosen to discuss his opinions with his circle of friends, rather than to make them public. "Demonstrations should remain peaceful and should not infringe on others' right to work," he says. Since the Mugamma office complex in Tahrir Square remains closed to the public, it is difficult to see how the right of the protesters to demonstrate does not inevitably clash with others' right to work. This is one dilemma that Amr Ismail, a 33-year-old dentist who works in El-Gouna, cannot find an answer to. In the early days of the recent events, he wanted to go back to Cairo but could not for fear of his family's safety in the first few days of the curfew. Despite his agreement with the demands of the young people gathered in Tahrir Square, Ismail hopes, like many others, that a solution will be swiftly found. "I can't see how things will be resolved," he says. "However, we can't all be political analysts. People cannot just stay at home and do nothing but analyse the demands of the young people and the speeches of the president." While he supports people's right to stay in Tahrir Square, he also hopes that they will find a way of uniting their voices and handing their demands to a representative group that can then decide whether or not change is on its way. Ismail strongly believes that if this is a true revolution, it shouldn't be merely political and it should not only be about fighting corruption. Instead, it should have positive attitudes as well. "We should 'revolutionise' ourselves in our general attitude towards each other," he says. "There should be groups of people from Tahrir working to increase people's awareness of their rights. Respecting each other in the streets should be a part of our revolution." May El-Batran, chairperson of the People's Development Foundation and a pharmacist with a PhD in health policy, also in her early 30s, supports the demands of the protesters for change but also sees another dilemma. "I want change to take place in a structured manner that will make this revolution legal and give me the chance to elect the next president. I don't want to be rushed or pressured into this. I don't want to feel cornered. We should be given the time to listen to the presidential candidates. I want to be given options," she says. El-Batran understands the spirit of the young people, which, even if given to over-reaction, is purely intentioned. "If people think there is a chance for the regime to regroup, there is always a chance that tomorrow will be doom's day," she says, adding that it is time that the country's young people were given the opportunity to express themselves and to play a role in all aspects of the country's development. At the same time, El-Batran feels that they should understand that in this world there is nothing that is absolutely black or white, and certainly not in politics. In her opinion, demonstrations may not always be feasible, and though she would be prepared to show her support for the demonstrators by returning to Tahrir Square, she also feels that the legitimate demands of the young people are unlikely to be met by ousting President Mubarak. "He is a symbol of the country, and we need this symbol to ensure that the mechanism to elect a new president is a legitimate one. Mubarak's remaining in office for the rest of the present term would give us the time to work on a process that is both legitimate and orderly and would lead to the proper election of a new president." "There are only four months until the presidential campaigns, and people have to start developing their platforms, otherwise we will be rushed into a choice between the same candidates as before. We have to think carefully and strategically," she says.
