FRA approves establishment of five new firms for investment fund management, SME financing    Sukari Gold Mine showcases successful public–private partnership: Minister of Petroleum    Egypt's Environment Minister attends AMCEN conference in Nairobi    Egypt considers launching national platform to mobilise green financing for private-sector industrial transformation    Egyptian, Belarusian officials discuss drug registration, market access    Egypt's ARC, Italy's AICS sign deal to boost wheat production    Gold prices edge higher on July 16th    Egypt stocks hit record highs in 2025 as reforms fuel rally: Cabinet    Egypt condemns Israeli strikes on Lebanon, Syria    Syria says it will defend its territory after Israeli strikes in Suwayda    Pakistan names Qatari royal as brand ambassador after 'Killer Mountain' climb    Health Ministry denies claims of meningitis-related deaths among siblings    Egypt's Health Min. discusses drug localisation with Sandoz    Egypt, Mexico explore joint action on environment, sustainability    Needle-spiking attacks in France prompt government warning, public fear    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt, France FMs review Gaza ceasefire efforts, reconstruction    CIB finances Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show redevelopment with EGP 963m loan    Egypt's PM urges BRICS to prioritise peace    Greco-Roman tombs with hieroglyphic inscriptions discovered in Aswan    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's GAH, Spain's Konecta discuss digital health partnership    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    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    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    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    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.



Keeping Egyptians in check
Published in Daily News Egypt on 25 - 11 - 2013

A 16 year old boy, the son of an acquaintance, went to attend the Ghana-Egypt match dressed in an Al-Ahly t-shirt and holding a fireworks stick. The boy watched the match, left and was taking a cab when the police arrested him, charging him with participating in Mohamed Mahmoud clashes. Why is this alright? Because we are on a war on terrorism! We should all accept this and live with the fact that our sons and daughters can be taken anytime anywhere and be charged with anything. If you utter a word, loud, vulgar, aggressive voices from the TV screen will deafen you with the war on terrorism horror.
We start asking, "What war?" and then we are slammed with news headlines:
"Police officer killed by unknown gunmen"
"One officer dead in fight with ‘militants'"
"Officer killed combating terrorism"
"Military funeral for dead officer"
"Soldier injured in Sinai"
Going off headlines in Egyptian news these days, one would be forgiven for thinking the country is swarming with terrorists.
First, let me be clear that I am in no way belittling the tragedies of the deaths of the police officers or the army soldiers; I am merely trying to put things in perspective in an attempt to make some sense of the reality of the situation.
The atrocities committed in the past few months against the security apparatus in Egypt call for a strong response. The violence displayed in the Kerdasa and the Aswan police stations are staggering examples of the viciousness of Islamists trying to regain power over the country. But let's be fair here; even though there are armed factions that should be fought, Egyptians are not at war as the media portrays the situation.
Now, as tragic as it is, in the past, the death of a police officer or the injury of a soldier would not have made front page news or "Breaking" on TV channels' news tickers, unless they were very high-ranking officers. Otherwise, this type of news would run in the inner pages of Crime inside the papers, and would not even make TV news briefs. The label "criminal" would have been used instead of the current favourite: "terrorist".
Simply put, what's happening now is that the ordinary Egyptian sees this news and assumes that Egypt is drowning in a swamp of terrorists.
This is then coupled with the other type of news:
"28 Muslim Brotherhood supporters arrested after clashes"
"Students sentenced to17 years in prison for violence acts"
"Clashes erupted during Morsi supporters protest"
After reading news of dead officers and soldiers, along with the above news, the Egyptian citizen is kept in check, without paying much attention to the fact that "clashes" meant "rock throwing" and violent acts meant breaking a window. I am not saying that these are peaceful demonstrations; all I am saying is the reaction is disproportionate, and the media demonisation of the "other camp" is becoming ridiculous. There is wide gap of difference between criminals committing crimes and terrorists with guns crying "Jihad" on the streets, a distinction that seems to slip the media's mind.
By launching a "war on terrorism", in four months the state has managed to kill almost 2,500 civilians and armed factions obviously retaliated viciously, but the media is having a field day portraying every Morsi supporter as an armed terrorist. We see thousands on the streets protesting, but had each one of them been armed as the media would like us to believe, the country would have already plunged into civil war.
Had the media given Morsi supporters their time on air, they would have been exposed to be as ridiculous and irrelevant as they really are. When they had their time in the media during Morsi's rule, they fell in no time at all. Why not play the game this way, and not by misleading the public?
Somewhere between the two extremes of portraying Morsi supporters as terrorists or as victims lies the truth.
The most successful creator of propaganda in modern history, Adolph Hitler, said, "By the skilful and sustained use of propaganda, one can make a people see even heaven as hell or an extremely wretched life as paradise." Since 30 June, Egyptians have been subject to brainwashing by propaganda; almost all known media manipulation and propaganda techniques are put to play. And by all means, Egyptians are falling for it.
Now, because of such media coverage, a horrendous Protest Law has been passed allowing police to use birdshot to disperse a demonstration, and the public is not objecting. Because of the media, innocent people are getting detained and sent to torture chambers without any response from the public. Because of the media, people will vote Yes on a constitution they did not read.
However, in spite of the systemic media manipulation of public opinion, one day this will all blow up and Egyptians will not take it anymore. They will not tolerate seeing their 16 year old dragged to detention, beaten up, tortured and thrown in jail for no reason but the state's war on terror manufactured by the media. The "Wag the Dog" trick doesn't last long when it hits home.


Clic here to read the story from its source.