Ramsco's Women Empowerment Initiative Recognized Among Top BRICS Businesswomen Practices for 2025    Egypt, Elsewedy review progress on Ain Sokhna phosphate complex    Gold prices end July with modest gains    Pakistan says successfully concluded 'landmark trade deal' with US    Egypt's FM, US envoy discuss Gaza ceasefire, Iran nuclear talks    Modon Holding posts AED 2.1bn net profit in H1 2025    Egypt's Electricity Ministry says new power cable for Giza area operational    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Italian defence minister discuss Gaza, security cooperation    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Nile dam with US senators    Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism    Health minister showcases AI's impact on healthcare at Huawei Cloud Summit    On anti-trafficking day, Egypt's PM calls fight a 'moral and humanitarian duty'    Federal Reserve maintains interest rates    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    Rafah Crossing 'never been closed for one day' from Egypt: PM    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Egypt, Oman discuss environmental cooperation    Egypt's EDA explores pharma cooperation with Belarus    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Tahrir revolutionaries dig in for battle

CAIRO: Secular activists in Egypt were outflanked in recent parliamentary elections by Islamists, but they say they are digging in for a long battle with the ruling military leadership.
The secular, pro-democracy movement —a loose coalition of leftist youth campaigners and intellectuals — was instrumental in bringing down the 30-year regime of Hosni Mubarak in February.
Three weeks ago, they again occupied Cairo's Tahrir Square — the cauldron of the anti-Mubarak uprising — to press for the resignation of the interim military rulers who took power when the former dictator stepped down.
Though unsuccessful with their main demand in this second wave of demonstrations, they helped mobilize tens of thousands and forced the ruling junta to issue a new timetable for handing power to civilian leaders.
The first stage of parliamentary elections, which wrapped up last week, saw the liberal parties routed — Islamists won at least two thirds of the vote — but activists say they will remain the guardians of the "revolution" spirit.
This means ensuring the ruling generals do not renege on their promises to hand over full power in the long-term and keeping up pressure in the short-term for an end to military tribunals and other abuses.
"It was not the final chapter," said leftist activist Hossam El Hamalawy, of the second phase of anti-military protests in Cairo in November which led to at least 43 dead and thousands of injured.
El Hamalawy said that the last protests showed that discontent with the military was growing and could increase if the new parliament proves unable to solve the country's problems once elections finish in March.
"The generals raised the expectations of the people with this parliament. Thousands will descend on it to solve their problems, problems that it can't solve. There will be further disillusionment," said El Hamalawy.
"Taking to the street would be the only way," he said.
Hamalawy points to the fact that the revolutionaries can mobilize large numbers of people now as a counterweight to the military — something that was impossible during the authoritarian years of the Mubarak regime.
"In November you had hundreds of thousands take part in an uprising against the junta, that is a huge step forward," he said.
Mona Seif, an early campaigner against military trials of civilians, says she is not worried by the lag between the activists and the wider population as shown by the election results and public criticism of the Tahrir activists.
"Revolutionaries are by definition two steps ahead of other people," she said.
For now, however, the secular liberals portrayed as elitist and out of touch by their opponents are on the margins looking in.
The two main powers set to shape Egypt's immediate future and its uncertain transition to democracy are the military and the Islamists, particularly the once-banned but hugely influential Muslim Brotherhood.
The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party has emerged as the leading civilian power broker in the country, with more than 36 percent of the vote for parties in the first round.
It had inadvertently helped spark the five-day November revolt, which followed a mass protest it led to call for a timetable for civilian rule, but it later distanced itself from the clashes.
Its popularity compared with activists who spearheaded the revolt against Mubarak was to be expected, said Rasha Azab, a dissident journalist and campaigner against military rule.
"We don't promise people heaven. We don't have the resources to find them employment in our projects, as the Muslim Brotherhood does," she said, referring to the group's extensive social work programs.
Faced with the Brotherhood's roots and networks formed over decades, the revolutionary activists stand little chance of competing, other observers say.
"The January (revolution) youth have no roots in country, where about 40 percent are illiterate," said analyst Antoine Basbous, the director of the Paris-based Observatory of Arab Countries.
"They are influential among the urban elite who surf the internet, but face the Muslim Brotherhood who have been there for 80 years," he said.


Clic here to read the story from its source.