Egypt~
in the aftermath of furore and exhilaration,
the picture shaken, a rosy regard for the main ruling force in Egypt, the army, becomes inevtitable; wishful thinking protective of an effusive and genuinely pure uprising, to blot out the otherwise unbearable unease.
When dictators are propped up and
supported so is the country's army; the Egyptian army is now viewed as a
ruling unit independent of the ousted dictatorship but how independent
is unclear. Egyptians without leadership, formations of youth groups
with varying and at times conflicting agendas strive for radical
change; all the while however, necessarily subjugated to the military
rule which is now the gathering force.
The apparent stance of the army was never
a straight-forward one. It would be rational to assume the army is
always either overtly or covertly dictated to. Its funding is crucial.
The military will naturally obey step by step whatever is advocated and
outlined, whatever the circumstances. If a military force has backed up a
certain regime it is unlikely to be dispersed or weakened when the
regime crumbles. Soldiers are specifically trained to do as they are
told and not to think for themselves. Any soldier who disagrees with
the outlined strategy automatically risks facing inevitable ultimatums.
As for the soldiers' seniors their motivation is intricately enmeshed
with the overall fringe benefits; chief and eminent positions are
conditionally attained. Cognizance not necessarily shared with those
under their command. Individual integrity is rarely, if at all,
independent of the general framework of the army's structure. The
paramount objective for the army is to preserve its basic skeletal
strength. That is its duty.
But most significantly: Whoever funds has puppet control.
It would be more than a little naïve to
think that reform will just happen. Sadly and inevitably backlash is
palpable. The unleashing of hard-core criminals demonstrates the extent
of insidiousness involved. Every lunge towards change is counteracted
by some discernible hindrance. This can only denote the regime, referred to as 'former', is indeed still ostensibly prevalent.
Those individuals who were either ousted or feel presently under
threat of being overruled have no intention of changing their ways but
do have options unlike the majority of impoverished populace. The fact
that Mubarak left office was only ever symbolic at best. There are
those who imbued him with power, some who have no intention of exiting
the covert yet luxuriously furnished seams of corruption they occupy.
Rather Egypt were to crumble than their ill-gotten gains be
scrutinised. Obscene affluence glares out vividly amidst broken
pavements & broken spirits.
Reform is an uphill struggle. With no
police force offering security the only answer is 'vigilantism' and
that cannot be risk free. And yet, alongside such complications the
tides of change have nevertheless furnished many Egyptians with a
new-found sense of identity, a sense of national pride and a sense of
accountability as contributing members of a society. These are valuable
assets, once apportioned not lightly relinquished. Nothing
is certain; there is no clear target to propel towards. Democracy is a
concept that at best can only be semi-realised and even in countries
where it is prominently more present its validity would soon expire
without a people's aspiration & their willingness to test its
boundaries.
Egypt will never be the same as it was
before the popular uprising. This lists high on every individual's
chart of aspiration. Something to cling onto with hope. However
undercurrents are severe and the tide is high; up a river without a
paddle, confusion and bewilderment every step of the way. Corruption is
indeed on many a level and intricately woven into the fabric of society
on a varying scale; some of it is 'a way of life', nothing more. The
relatively recent profusion of unaccountable wealth establishing itself
in all aspects of society is highlighted by a similarly recent
impoverished multitude of a nation; a contrasting anomaly in the wake
of the uprising's high expectations and idealistic aspirations.
The fabric of an endgame has yet to unfurl itself.
There are no guarantees, no terms and
conditions, no small print, however every ounce of integrity and
resolve could prove crucial and a necessary prerequisite for a brighter
future.
Among laypeople, speculation varies vastly. Covert scenarios, conspiracies and orchestration appear to be manifold so that confusion rather than clarification is the overriding predicament. Some believe thugs are a natural progression of an anarchic and misguided protest movement while others believe they are simply armed forces in civilian clothes or stripped to their underwear. Furthermore, there is a growing clash between imported extremism and regular folk. Egyptians of all generations are used to diverse cultural backgrounds co-existing peacefully in their communities but there now appears a growing rift in that very rooted ideology. Some believe it is due to Islamist extremism while others are convinced the divide is enforced through plain and simple funding. Perhaps it would be equally fair to say that many believe the two are not necessarily separate and that furthermore they can be exploited and used to turn the tide back to 'old regime'.
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