The role of United States was always important. And everybody– calculation about the political picture in my country. It was important from Mubarak regime, from the Egyptian military, from the opposition, from the Muslim brotherhoods, from average Egyptians. It´s important true, because you know that United States is playing an important role. We know that the United States is giving our government $2 billion a year to support this regime.
We know that United States have a specific– direct interest in– the Palestine and Israeli´s conflict. We know that United States have freedom agenda. And the welcome democracy countries more than non-democratic countries. So it was not– not surprise for the average Egyptians that George W. Bush talk in his speeches about Egypt and about Cairo and about human rights violation there.
It was not surprise for us that Condoleezza Rice came to Cairo and speak inside the American University very close to the Tahrir Square. It was not a big surprise to been invited to President Obama´s speech inside Cairo University, which is a very known organization to all Egyptians. That´s a very important indirect messages that– the American people, American leaders, is really, really interested of what´s going on in Egypt. From 25th of January till the 2nd or 3rd of February the government of United States brought a lot of consideration to the long relation with Mubarak regime. Make a lot– made a lot of political calculations for the situation.
They didn´t want to support a revolution. They didn´t know who made it exactly. They didn´t want to appear as they are– pro the revolution. As they are against Mubarak. As they are not supporting him anymore–and that was a very–we on Tahrir Square. You are waiting for such a support. It didn´t come. It didn´t deliver in the right time. It deliver a little bit late. And that´s somehow disappointed.
But I remember in Tahrir Square, a group of American activist– I don´t know them. I don´t know names. But I know that they are Americans. They came to Tahrir Square. (LAUGH) I will never forget this moment. They came to Tahrir Square wearing– tee shirts says that they are peace group. American peace group. And they are supporting the revolution. They came with tons of flowers.
And in the same moment out the square, the TV of the previous regime was saying that this revolution is supported by international forces. This people who I don´t know who are they till now, I hope they see me– risked their lives, just to deliver us flowers. And show that there is American citizen, average American citizen– supporting what we´ve been doing. They came, deliver the flowers (BRUSHES HANDS) and leave. I will never forget this. Believe me.
Ahmed has extensive experience as an organizer and trainer in international programs for human rights education. He has served as a media adviser and director of media observation in a national campaign for monitoring elections in Egypt sponsored by USAID. He has also been a trainer for projects sponsored by the Norwegian Human Rights Fund, such as Supporting NGOs and Right to Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion and Combating Propaganda for War. He is the founder of various organizations: Liberal Youth Seminar sponsored by New Civic Forum, Knowledge Club, and Free Youth Association sponsored by Al JEEL Center for Youth and Social Studies. Currently, Ahmed is the Director of the Andalus Institute for Tolerance and Anti-Violence Studies and the director of EGYPT 1st online internet radio.
With a history dating back to the 10th millennium B.C., Egypt has long played a central role in the Middle East. Egypt is the largest Arab nation and has an influential voice in Arabic and Middle Eastern culture. Egypt has a diverse economy, but has struggled to create sustained economic growth and opportunities for its population of 84 million people.
The country has little experience with representative democracy. From 1956 to 1970, President Gamal Abdel Nasser ruled Egypt with a strong hand, nationalizing the Suez Canal and taking the country into conflict with the new state of Israel. Upon his death, Anwar al-Sadat became president. Together with other Arab nations, Sadat launched the October War against Israel in 1973. In 1979, Sadat signed a groundbreaking peace treaty with Israel.
From Sadat’s assassination in 1981 until the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, Egypt was governed by President Hosni Mubarak. For all of Mubarak’s time in office, and for much of the time since his resignation, Egypt has been under “Emergency Law,” which allows the government to suspend constitutional rights, including limiting political activity and restricting free speech. Emergency Law also allows the government to use summary arrests against political opponents.
For four successive terms, Mubarak was reelected in referenda without an opponent. In 2005, under domestic and international pressure, Mubarak proposed a constitutional amendment to allow Egypt’s first multicandidate presidential elections. Because the amendment would have imposed severe restrictions on the eligibility of opposition candidates, opposition groups boycotted the vote. Mubarak claimed to have won the September 2005 presidential election with an official 88 percent of the vote, amid widespread allegations of fraud and vote rigging. The main opposition leader, Ayman Nour, was subsequently prosecuted by the government for forging signatures on petitions and was sentenced to five years in prison, provoking protests from the United States and other democratic countries.
Following the example of the Tunisian Revolution, large protests swept Egypt in early 2011. The military, led by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), withdrew its support of Mubarak. On February 11, 2011, Vice President Omar Suleiman announced that Mubarak had resigned. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) headed by Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi then assumed power in Egypt. SCAF dissolved the parliament and suspended the constitution.
In November 2011, Egypt held parliamentary elections that were reportedly fair and democratic. In June 2012, Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi was elected President, in part because liberal and secular forces failed to coalesce around a single candidate. Morsi’s popularity declined as he declared his orders immune from challenge, removed judicial review processes, and was accused of taking steps towards the implementation of Islamist policies. Conflict arose between those supporting Islamist policies and those seeking a more liberal and secular government. Protests occurred throughout his presidency until Morsi was ousted by the military in July 2013. Muslim Brotherhood leaders were arrested and their camps and offices raided. Until new elections are held, a SCAF-installed provisional government led by acting President Adly Mansour is in control.
In its most recent report, the independent watchdog group Freedom House classifies Egypt as “partly free.” On its scale where 1 is the most free and 7is the least free, Egypt earned scores of 5 in both the civil liberties and political rights categories.
See all Egypt videos