CAIRO - Egypt is undergoing dangerous surgery for removing a cancerous tumour but without the use of any anaesthesia. This is the idea that came to my mind while following the developments in the country during the last few days, especially at the very beginning of the ‘revolution'. Citizens were very enthusiastic about these protests suddenly breaking out that shook all parts of the country and not just Al Tahrir (Liberation) Square in central Cairo. They couldn't believe their own eyes seeing tens of thousands of young people scaling the high fence of fear that successive governments had created in hearts and minds of the Egyptians. When the number of the protesters on the Cairo streets exceeded one million and likely could have doubled or tripled if the State had not taken the decision of suspending different means of transport to the capital, citizens continued to support their young people. They had brought the country to a full standstill in a way that Egyptians had not experienced in a long time. When the Egyptians were betrayed by the police being withdrawn from the streets and all corners of the country by the end of "Friday of Anger" on January 28, they started to feel highly insecure. This was prompted by the suspicious emergence of thugs and criminals roaming the streets looting private and public properties and setting fire to different places and governmental installations. Even with this sense of insecurity, the Egyptians continued to enjoy the euphoria of getting rid of their illness, despite the severe pain they were suffering because of their wound. Like any other wound, it is subject to infection by harmful germs, but with the good care of all honest parties, Egypt will recover and the wound will be healed and the country will restore its strength. All that we should care about now is to continue protecting this wound (the revolution) from any possible contamination caused by the embattled regime and its ruling party or by the group of former beneficiaries who would be affected by the ending of this era of Egypt's history. What we should do in the process is to start stitching the wound and launch wide dialogue as the ideal strategy to make a fresh start without causing more losses to the national economy and security. We should pre-empt those intending to depict the protesters as irresponsible barbaric youths. Then the time will come when we reach the post-surgical stage and have to follow all possible procedures to prevent the recurrence of the malignant tumour, which, if it happened, would be deadly to the national spirit. The young people who led this courageous revolution should start moving on to the second stage, namely negotiation with the new State officials and present their demands. They should then proceed to the most mimportant stage of taking up political work and not just by vitally participating in any coming elections and ending this state of laxity long adopted by the majority of people. They should also form a political party of their own reflecting their opinions and vision of development of Egypt. These young people should remember howAl-Wafd (delegation) Party first came to life in 1919 as a direct result of the revolution of that year, in order to realise that it is time to have a new party with an appropriate name reflecting their movement, such as New Youth. They have revived the Egyptian patriotic feelings in the hearts of all citizens, Muslims and Christians, and should enforce their presence on the political scene in place of the old ineffectual parties that accepted playing the role of the extras in political life. It is no exaggeration to say that Egypt after January 25 will be totally different from Egypt before that date because of the youth who gave the Egyptians a lesson in being positive and giving up laxity and fear and vitally taking part in the decision-making process. After removing this bad tumour that was implanted and grew in its body, Egypt should restore its strength and position after having the necessary recovery time that we hope won't be long.
