Our Man In Cairo - Waiting for Mubarak to die
Here’s a joke about politics. A man climbs the Kaaba during Ramadan (for Muslims, the Kaaba is the nearest point to heaven). He won’t come down unless Hosni Mubarak (the Egyptian President) comes in person to ask him. The authorities call Mubarak, and he arrives. Mubarak says, “son, come down from there.” The man says that Mubarak has to come up first. As soon as he does, the man lifts him up and yells to the sky “take him!”
Traditionally, Egypt had local Imams they could go to if they had political problems. The Imams had great power in the establishment. When this model was replaced by Western parliamentarianism, it was unclear to Egyptians how they would interact with the government. Political activism is alive in Egypt, but there is a cultural drag on it because of this history.
However, what is really stifling Egypt at the moment is Mubarak. Several years ago presidential elections were held. Mubarak was opposed by Ayman Noor. Originally Noor was a stooge of Mubarak’s that they picked to put on a show of having another candidate, but he rebelled and actually tried to win the election. For his pains he was put in prison for forging signatures - but how many signatures did Mubarak forge? Given that there was no real opposition to Mubarak you could argue that the entire election was forged.
Egypt is waiting for Mubarak to die.
Who comes after Mubarak? I ask that from time to time. No one has any idea, and most people don’t care. They don’t have anyone in mind who would be any better. There is a real sense that the government here is irresponsible and unresponsive to the needs of the people, so people ignore the government as best they can.
On the other hand, people here get excited when you mention Obama. Egyptians were shocked when he said that Jerusalem would be the capital of Israel. This statement got hardline Israeli hopes too high, and alienated Palestinians before discussions ever began. Even so, Obama’s emphasis on foreign aid rather than continued warfare makes people hope that he will bring a change to the world. One thing is clear: a globally popular American president will certainly mean social progress in Egypt. The psychology of it is simple - if Egyptians feel less oppressed by America, they will be more open to personal freedom. Until then they will keep their women in one kind of veil or another.
Before I came here I didn’t have much respect for the Law, but now that I’ve tasted chaos I can appreciate things like traffic laws. People tend to ignore laws here in Cairo. Seat belts cost money. Stopping for red lights costs money. Recently, however, the government has been enforcing certain traffic laws. The announcement was made three months ago, and the laws came into effect just two days ago. In those two days 15,000 people have been punished for breaking traffic laws. The leading infringements are speeding and straddling lanes. People have been fined for not having seat belts or not having them on. People have been fined for asking the driver in the car next to them for directions while both cars are speeding down the street at top speed. (I have seen taxi drivers get change for a 100 pound note this way). People are being fined for driving down the street with the door open, which is quite common for minibuses (like an SUV, but used for public transportation). Rather than having a sign telling you where the bus is going, these people leave the door open and have their younger cousin lean out yelling the destination.
Even now the increase in safety and ease of travel is noticeable. I personally have witnessed taxi drivers wearing seat belts for the first time, and they even have one for me. People have slowed down. The government has actually done something for its people, which feels strange.
People in troubled times turn to religions. On the other hand, as Bukowski says, “There are no saints in a foxhole.” The youth sell drugs in the streets. Prostitution is run out of bars and from mobile phone numbers. Many of the prostitutes here in Cairo are from Sudan. Many a “good Muslim” has no problem paying these African women for sex. The Muslim Brotherhood, usually so meticulous in its fight against moral corruption, tolerates places like The Africaner where black flesh is on sale.
Usually the government is led by the rich elite. The upper layers of Egyptian society speak English & French, and have degrees from Europe, which unlike the local degrees actually signify a real education. They smoke hashish all day long. They have free sexual relationships. They have abortions and vacations in Crete. They take their women to America to give birth so that they gain dual citizenship. They act like European landlords who own a shitty property they somehow have to make money from. It serves them quite well for the country to drug itself, to Islamicise itself, and to devour the flesh of young Sudanese women.
They joke about how, if riots break out, the Americans will be evacuated, the French will be evacuated, the English will be evacuated - but who will evacuate the rich Egyptians? Instead of planning their retreat to Europe or the US, perhaps the rich and powerful should commit themselves to the well-being of their countrymen - it might make the rioters less likely to slit their throats.
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