I can say officially that Tahrir Square is back after almost 2 years. Last friday's marches and protest were just a preparation for yesterday 27/11. It was a Tuesday afternoon, in the middle of the week yet the people who joined the several marches or went directly to the square were in thousands.
Since Moubarak had stepped down, there were celebrations, protests, demonstrations.. some were big but not big enough. I didn't go to Tahrir in the 18 days of revolution but I did afterwards several times. Mainly the morning after Moubarak's end and it was really celebration, 2 more times during summer for one reason or another, during Mohamed Mahmoud clashes last year (it was really a big one), and 25th Jan this year (big marches but the square was full of Ikhwan celebrating the revolution opposit to all other political parties as the SCAF was still in control at that time).
Some of the protests were huge, but I felt there was something missing that i couldn't identify cos I was not there during the revolution to compare with and this is what i discovered yesterday.
It is uniting against one cause, against injustice, regardless of who you are or what you believe in. It's singing the national anthem song with one voice and one heart. It's listening to people like Hamzawy, Khaled Ali, Ziad El-Elemy, Ala El-Aswany, Gamila Ismail talking about Egypt and not political parties or personal gains, even if you agree or disagree with them on other issues.
I joined the march from Mostafa Mahmoud in Mohandessin. It took us couple of hours to reach Tahrir Square. It was a huge one, with drums and slogans. The side of the road were we marched was empty while the other sides with traffic. Majority of people in cars were cheering us and didn't mind to be stuck for a moment till we pass. People from shops or in their homes cheered us while passing in front of them. We were a mix of young and old, girls and boys. I even saw an old women dressed in black like the lower/middle class marching with us, limping with a stick. Another bearded guy holding a sign sayig Morsy doesn't represent me and a totally veiled woman (monakaba) chanting agains the president.
People were chanting from their heart, expressing their anger against what's happening in the country.
For those who are wondering why now we are in the streets, the revolution didn't end. At least the 3 main demands "Bread, Liberty, Human Dignity" are not yet satisfied. We have been in struggles since 2 years now. we've been pushed into different directions, away from the main problems we should deal with. The referendum divided people into 2 parties, and it was a big mistake by the SCAF cos if we had focused on writing a new constitution before electing a president, we wouldn't have been in trouble now. We focused on trials for killing protestors which were in vain and didn't start with reforming the police and national security (or whatever its name is now). We focused on giving adjectives to people like islamists, salafists, liberals, socialists, communists without thinking of how to all unite for the sake of a better Egypt. We focused on election battles, who will vote for who, who will win but not on what those elected will actually give to the people... and it's Egypt who is loosing.
Finally the 2 major issues, the commiteeof writing the constitution and the last announcement by the president giving him ammunity for all decisions already taken or to be taken and full ammunity to the commitee writing the constitution triggered the alarm, we don't want one person to rule above all. Our fight is for freedom and dignity. Our fight is to give back the rights of people, the living and the martyrs. Our fight is to treat all Egyptians the same without discrimination and i talk here about all kind of discrimination (gender, sexe, religion, political, believes.....).
Those who voted for Morsy were promised a lot of things, none was achieved. The current government is following the same rules as the old regime. The people may have changed but the system we fought against is the same. This is why we are in streets. It has to stop. We left the square once thinking our job is done but we were wrong. We must continue the fight till the end.
It doesn't matter if you were pro or against revolution before. It doesn't matter if you went in the square or not, participated in marches or not... but believe me, don't wait too long to be part of the change cos it might be too late. If you want Egypt to be as you believe it to be, you have to fight for it or else accept the consequences. I was too afraid to go to the streets during the revolution days but after it was all over I regretted it. I might not be as brave as those who actually risk their lives but at least I try to do whatever I can. I learned during the last 2 years that nothing comes without effort. You have to work hard to obtain it and even harder to keep it, no more sitting in a bubble or a corner.
And the revolution continues....
Since Moubarak had stepped down, there were celebrations, protests, demonstrations.. some were big but not big enough. I didn't go to Tahrir in the 18 days of revolution but I did afterwards several times. Mainly the morning after Moubarak's end and it was really celebration, 2 more times during summer for one reason or another, during Mohamed Mahmoud clashes last year (it was really a big one), and 25th Jan this year (big marches but the square was full of Ikhwan celebrating the revolution opposit to all other political parties as the SCAF was still in control at that time).
Some of the protests were huge, but I felt there was something missing that i couldn't identify cos I was not there during the revolution to compare with and this is what i discovered yesterday.
It is uniting against one cause, against injustice, regardless of who you are or what you believe in. It's singing the national anthem song with one voice and one heart. It's listening to people like Hamzawy, Khaled Ali, Ziad El-Elemy, Ala El-Aswany, Gamila Ismail talking about Egypt and not political parties or personal gains, even if you agree or disagree with them on other issues.
I joined the march from Mostafa Mahmoud in Mohandessin. It took us couple of hours to reach Tahrir Square. It was a huge one, with drums and slogans. The side of the road were we marched was empty while the other sides with traffic. Majority of people in cars were cheering us and didn't mind to be stuck for a moment till we pass. People from shops or in their homes cheered us while passing in front of them. We were a mix of young and old, girls and boys. I even saw an old women dressed in black like the lower/middle class marching with us, limping with a stick. Another bearded guy holding a sign sayig Morsy doesn't represent me and a totally veiled woman (monakaba) chanting agains the president.
People were chanting from their heart, expressing their anger against what's happening in the country.
For those who are wondering why now we are in the streets, the revolution didn't end. At least the 3 main demands "Bread, Liberty, Human Dignity" are not yet satisfied. We have been in struggles since 2 years now. we've been pushed into different directions, away from the main problems we should deal with. The referendum divided people into 2 parties, and it was a big mistake by the SCAF cos if we had focused on writing a new constitution before electing a president, we wouldn't have been in trouble now. We focused on trials for killing protestors which were in vain and didn't start with reforming the police and national security (or whatever its name is now). We focused on giving adjectives to people like islamists, salafists, liberals, socialists, communists without thinking of how to all unite for the sake of a better Egypt. We focused on election battles, who will vote for who, who will win but not on what those elected will actually give to the people... and it's Egypt who is loosing.
Finally the 2 major issues, the commiteeof writing the constitution and the last announcement by the president giving him ammunity for all decisions already taken or to be taken and full ammunity to the commitee writing the constitution triggered the alarm, we don't want one person to rule above all. Our fight is for freedom and dignity. Our fight is to give back the rights of people, the living and the martyrs. Our fight is to treat all Egyptians the same without discrimination and i talk here about all kind of discrimination (gender, sexe, religion, political, believes.....).
Those who voted for Morsy were promised a lot of things, none was achieved. The current government is following the same rules as the old regime. The people may have changed but the system we fought against is the same. This is why we are in streets. It has to stop. We left the square once thinking our job is done but we were wrong. We must continue the fight till the end.
It doesn't matter if you were pro or against revolution before. It doesn't matter if you went in the square or not, participated in marches or not... but believe me, don't wait too long to be part of the change cos it might be too late. If you want Egypt to be as you believe it to be, you have to fight for it or else accept the consequences. I was too afraid to go to the streets during the revolution days but after it was all over I regretted it. I might not be as brave as those who actually risk their lives but at least I try to do whatever I can. I learned during the last 2 years that nothing comes without effort. You have to work hard to obtain it and even harder to keep it, no more sitting in a bubble or a corner.
And the revolution continues....
