'ElBaradei'. Or, as he is now, tongue in cheek, coined ‘Baradise Lost’. With a television appearance he made in 2010, around the time Khalid Said was brutally killed by members of the Police force in Alexandria, I looked at him for the first time. I saw a man, middle-aged, of medium stature, encompassed by an aura of moderation; one that seemed to envelop his frame and tinge his physical aspects with a sedateness. Balding and unassuming, with spectacles accentuating an introspective streak. Measured in speech, yet not without certain flair. He seemed accompanied by a peacefulness, somewhat reminiscent of Mahatma Ghandi; an astuteness residing within the calm.
At a second glance, perhaps a small man, placid, composed and detached, innate charisma detectable but indirect.
This is what I saw.
Suffice it to say, i was intrigued and wanted to know more about him. I was soon to discover the jury was out. There were those similarly intrigued and there were those who to all intents and purposes felt more comfortable with dismissing him quite radically as a potential candidate for change.
At a second glance, perhaps a small man, placid, composed and detached, innate charisma detectable but indirect.
This is what I saw.
Suffice it to say, i was intrigued and wanted to know more about him. I was soon to discover the jury was out. There were those similarly intrigued and there were those who to all intents and purposes felt more comfortable with dismissing him quite radically as a potential candidate for change.
The uprising occured and almost as unexpectedly ElBaradei quite suddenly seemed to vanish, quite simply - disappear. Where and why were questions people could not quite decide upon answers to but suffice it to say suppositions were discrepant and contrary:
One was that he was too posh to care and that he had gone into hiding, a 'garden of Eden' privately owned. Another was that he had no choice but to disappear since his life was being threatened and he was therefore afraid for his life; another take on that being he had deliberately chosen to get out of the limelight since his death would not exactly serve any purpose. Perhaps the most bandied about was the allegation that he had been placed under house arrest whilst rumour had it he was biding his time so that he could put his assets to use when occasion called for purport of his presence.
2011 Egyptian revolution
Main article: 2011 Egyptian revolution (as pasted in Wikipedia)
The Guardian reported that ElBaradei has been mandated by the Muslim Brotherhood and four other opposition groups to negotiate an interim "national salvation government." However, BBC reports that the Muslim Brotherhood, the largest opposition party banned by Mubarak's regime, has not consented to the choice of ElBaradei as the representative of the opposition.
So after appearing in Ta7rir square why was this man of eminent reputation, one worldly recognised, suddenly no longer on the scene? Had the threats subdued his will to serve or had he been coerced into lowering his profile?
With editor's note in 'The Amira Nowaira daily’ we may have a clue to the beginning of some answers:
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