DAY 12 - FREE EGYPT!
SYNOPSIS: After returning from Abu Simbel I witnessed some of the spontaneous street scenes celebrating the disposal of Mubarak. The images for this post are from Cairo's Tahrir Square last week.
There was bad news this morning in Abu Simbel - the much anticipated TV address by Mubarak had brought nothing. He was going to stay! What is wrong with this man?!
I took a micro-bus back to Aswan and all my plans here got derailed. On my way to the Internet I started to talk to captain Macdee, ran into two more tourists - one from GB, the other from the Czech Republic, and it looks like we will be hiring a feluka to head up North starting Monday. The two of them need another day in Aswan and one in Abu Simbel and I need a break. I am fighting a sore throat - let's hope that's all, and a cold. Too much going on lately, not enough sleep...
Instead of proceeding to the internet, I went out with Captain Macdee to look at his boat when the honking in town started: in unison, non-stop. Some exciting news was out and as I got into town there was no question about what it was - people were smiling, spontaneous crowds gathered in excitement, dozens of people piled up on pickup trucks, waving flags, driving up and down main street. Traffic came to a standstill - Egypt is free! It was dark and photography was difficult, but I filmed a few of these excited crowds.
Three hours later than planned I finally was on my way to the Internet and talked to a few people on the way. "This is the day I have been waiting for, for 30 years!" - a shop owner told me. "Now the work starts" - another chimed in. So many people here want democracy and a secular state, free of American handouts, free to decide what they want. Egypt is a strong country. It is a rich country, too. Yes, they want the same democracy we have and a secular state. They do not want to be puppets of the west any longer. But will these people of the "middle" who started and carried this revolution be strong enough? Will they be able to put forth a candidate who can lead this country? This revolution surely is not over and people here know it. Will ultimately the fear of the west, the fear of an Islamist takeover, come true? Again, this is not just a fear of the west - don't underestimate what people here are aware of - but only the future can tell what will come of all this.
With all the uncertainties ahead, today there is nothing but joy, smiles, dancing, honking, waving flags!
Sure, there are those who are not rejoicing - I talked to a few of them (see Day10), but they seem to be quiet, at least in Aswan. I can not even express my relief, that things have gone this far this fast. 18 days and some 300 people dead is most likely one of the shortest revolutions in history. May the death of these 300 not be in vain. As one person put it - that is a small price to pay for such a large country. 300 too many, but 300 for a good cause. Shema and her friends will be safe from persecution, the journalists and those of us who have been photographed by infiltrators of the regime will be leaving the country without retribution. In Shahallah!
Go Maat!