CAIRO: Now that the jubilation that followed the January 25 Revolution and the ousting of former President Hosni Mubarak has faded, Egypt faces serious challenges to its revolutionary gains, while the habits of long-entrenched corruption and control still manifest. A coherent timeframe for governmental transition in Egypt must be clearly and immediately set, as Egyptians see no indication of the ruling Military Council's intention to exit, despite repeated pledges that they will do so. Almost 8 months have passed since former President Hosni Mubarak stepped down in the face of unprecedented popular uprisings, and Egyptian activists have continued their struggle for dignity and transparency despite fading hopes. This Friday, protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square are targeting the nation's interim ruling government, the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), in a “Go Back to Your Barracks,” protest against the Military Council. Egyptians were initially overjoyed when Egyptian generals shepherded the country through the resignation of the former Mubarak regime, promising to be the “guardians” of Egypt's revolutionary achievements, and vowing to maintain order while Egypt transitioned to democratic civilian rule. The tactics of the former regime abound in post-January 25 Egypt, however, and goodwill has dissipated. The SCAF has refused to adjourn Parliament until next March. They have expanded the nation's abusive emergency laws, have imprisoned those who speak against them, and continue to extra-judicially try civilians in Egypt's military courts. Egypt's media remains under fire, with recent press gag orders, confiscated newspapers, and the shutdown of al-Jazeera's al-Mubashir Misr television station. Egypt's Coptic Christian population continues to suffer from attack as well, which has gone unpunished just as it did under the former Mubarak regime. Though Egypt's ailing economy has dampened some of the nation's capacity to change, there are concrete measures that the SCAF could take to assure a free and fair democratic transition for the nation, and protect the human rights and dignity of Egyptians in the meantime. Firstly, there is an acute need for a clear plan for a transition to civilian rule in Egypt. Last Saturday, Egypt's interim government and the Democratic Alliance (DA), a coalition of about 40 prominent political groups in Egypt, met together to discuss the status of affairs in Egypt. After much controversy, the schedule for Egypt's parliamentary elections is set, though a timetable for presidential elections is still under scrutiny. SCAF will not step down until a president is elected, they say, leaving their timetable for rule ambiguous. As it stands, elections for the lower house of the Parliament will begin on November 28, and will take place in three series of votes ending on January 3. Elections for the upper house will begin on January 29, and end on March 3. The first session of Parliament is set for March 24. The strange, prolonged timetable for elections, and intricate voting procedures have many worried that the SCAF hopes to usher in an incoherent and weak parliament, necessitating a stalled exchange of power. Furthermore, activists remain concerned that members of Mubarak's former ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) will once again flood elections, as they did for decades past. Looking forward to this possibility, activists have called for the reactivation of a treason law, which would set to ban former NDP members and those associated with the former regime from running for public office for the next ten years. The SCAF reported that it will “discuss” this possibility. In order to reassure Egyptians that they will remain true to their promises, the SCAF must use its authority now to halt the abusive and newly-expanded emergency law, end the practice of trying civilians in military courts, and ensure that those facing corruption charges in Egypt's court system are held accountable for the crimes they committed during the reign of the Mubarak regime. There is much that Egyptians can do for themselves in this time of transition as well. There is an acute need for a unified discourse on religion and governance, educational reform, economic renewal, and grassroots advocacy across the country. Egyptians must remain steadfast on their path to change. Despite setbacks, Egyptians are no longer fearful of their leaders. They know how to demonstrate, and have done so continuously to set their demands for change. They may look ahead towards those in Tunisia, who started their popular protests just one month before Egyptians. Tunisians are due to go to the polls on October 23 to vote for a temporary assembly, which will appoint a government and draft a new constitution. They may experience a democratically elected government almost one year before Egyptians. BM
