‘Once back in Cairo, Tahir Square will be my first stop’

Mass demonstrations at Cairo’s Tahir ‘Liberation’ Square and former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s subsequent departure has glued millions of people across the world to their television screens. Although they were in the Netherlands, Omar Mohamed, Aly Nour and Rasha Elkheshin felt the revolution ‘into their bones’.

Marloes van Amerom

What was it like being in the Netherlands during the turmoil?

Omar: Hard! Fortunately, we could join the demonstrations in The Hague.

Aly: I could hardly sleep for the first three days. I was worried and just wanted to be there. But Rasha had it particularly difficult.

Rasha: One of my brothers is an army colonel and was located on the square. I could not always get through on the phone to my family to get assurance he was ok. Meanwhile, I had to finish my Masters. Fortunately, my supervisor was very supportive.

Aly: Many ITC lecturers followed the news nearly as fanatical as we did and inquired about the welfare of our families. All in all, the ITC people were pretty fantastic.

University populations are often at the forefront in revolutions. How about Egypt?

Aly: Not especially. Three years ago there were also protests in Egypt, but these tended to be organized within one sector or interest group. Students were just one of many groups. Even within universities, protests were scattered and divided among students, university professors and scientists. Only this year protesters merged into one big community, spurred on by the earlier events in Tunisia.

What are important positive aspects of the revolution?

Omar: Political freedom.

Rasha: Ministers are now held accountable, which is great.

Aly: The Egyptian revolution also worked wonders for dismantling people’s prejudices. The events of 9/11 created strong perceptions of Muslims as terrorists. At customs checks, I felt always singled out. This has now changed. An Egyptian friend of mine was even cheered by Italian custom officers when he passed the border, with everyone congratulating him and paying respect to Egyptians’ courage and their zest for democracy and freedom.

Rasha: In Egypt perceptions also changed. Many expected an uprising one day that would come from the poor, uneducated masses. For that reason, they feared events would turn highly violent, really uncivilized. The opposite actually happened. The poor were the first to clean up the streets, arrange the traffic and more. Political activists may have sowed some first seeds, but the revolution was truly a people’s one.

What are remaining challenges?

Omar: Mubarak’s regime was based on divide and rule. We need to maintain national unity.

Aly: We will never reach anything if Muslims and Christians split apart, which I feel the former corrupted regime is trying to achieve right now. But we really are one, which is why the revolution succeeded: Christians protected Muslims from the police during their Friday prayers; while Muslims returned the favor on Sundays. Apparently, some Christians even joined the Friday prayers.

Why did this happen?

Omar and Aly: Individuals were thinking and feeling: ‘You are my brothers and if you will be killed, I do not want to live either.’

Rasha: Perhaps it is easy to stir up trouble because of the remaining poverty. Thanks to corruption and patronage over forty percent of Egyptians live below the poverty line. Quick economic reform is needed.

Aly: Fortunately, the new government has taken important steps to reclaim Mubarak’s stored away billions.

Rasha: And the brain drain is getting reversed. Thousands of Egyptian scientists living abroad are now returning. I also want to contribute to my country’s development once I am back in Cairo but not after visiting Tahir Square first (laughs).

What about former and continued Mubarak supporters among Egyptian students? Have they run into trouble?

Omar: Not really.

Aly: I think that some of the people who initially supported Mubarak did it for financial reasons, to get grants. You had initially students in Egypt ‘spying’ on Facebook for the government during the revolution, for that very reason. And I guess some feared chaos. Now that that did not happen, most are just very relieved.

Rasha: I know one student who still supports Mubarak. Fine. He is entitled to his opinion, as we are to ours. After all, that’s what democracy is all about.

Omar Mohamed and Aly Nour: ‘Maintaining the democratic momentum is imperative.’ (Photo: Gijs van Ouwerkerk)