By Ayman Abdel Wahab Reports about foreign funding didn't seem to be particularly sympathetic to civil society. And comparisons between civil society and protest movements seemed to miss the point altogether. What many tend to forget is that civil society groups have done a lot for the economic and social welfare of this country, thus promoting stability and alleviating some of the worst instances of suffering. Are civil society groups political by nature? The answer is no. Many civil society groups don't have a particular interest in politics. And others are only interested in political matters insofar as those intersect with their work in human rights or other forms of advocacy. For most civil society groups, democracy is not a priority. Indeed, many civil society groups do not follow democratic procedures within their own ranks. A quick look at the topography of civil society groups shows that not all subscribe to civil values and or human rights. This is not an accusation; it is just a fair statement, one that we need to keep in mind as we assess the chances of reaching a modicum of consensus in society at large. I've heard many people say that civil society should become a major player in reform. This may be easier said than done, and perhaps not always desirable. We need to understand that the extent of political, cultural and economic changes we need in this country outstrips the capability of civil society groups. In fact, judging by the torrent of accusations rights groups have been facing, one wouldn't wish the same fate on the rest of civil society organisations. It is easy to accuse people of corruption just because they receive foreign funding. It is easy to accuse people of treason just because they communicate with foreign organisations. We have already seen civil society groups accused of easing the way for foreign intervention and being in the hire of foreign agendas. Such accusations are politically motivated. Some are made by people who are against democracy and the civil state. So far, I haven't seen any serious attempt to map and categorise civil society groups, to diagnose their problems, and to evaluate this performance. We need research, not trumped up charges. * The writer is head of the Civil Society Research Unit at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.
