In a late study-night in my dorm room in Cairo Khan hotel in downtown Cairo, Ahmed Diab, a fellow biology student, asked me what I thought of Mubarak and his regime. That was in 2008 just after my return from a study abroad program in California. I remember that the general state of mind of Egyptians was that no one was happy but we did not really have many options. I told Diab that I think people have to be respectful to the leadership. I told him that Egyptians are used to have one ruler and they like to follow than to lead. From my experience in Egypt, no one really cared much about politics, liberty, freedoms, or social justice.
Diab was taken aghast by my answer and he presented a very eloquent and persuasive argument for democracy, peaceful transfer of power and that countries are like humans in that they need to grow. The political system has always been patronizing and assumed that Egyptians need guidance like children. The children have grown and now they became teenagers and they are not happy with the house rules. They want to create their own future. Like many Egyptians, I was so indifferent to the political system and whatever was happening in Egypt. I just wanted to graduate and start my career and live my life. Diab made me feel he is not speaking for himself and that there are many that share his frustration and his will to make a real change . He was very charged and had a lot of build up of frustration, disappointment and fear.
After we graduated in 2010 Diab went to Europe to continue his studies in biological sciences. I started my career at one of the giant European multinationals. For new year’s eve I went to Aswan with an American girl I met at University. As we tossed our champaign glasses to celebrate the end of a very eventful 2010 on the rooftop of a local hotel in Aswan old market breaking news came off that a number of bombs exploded in a christian mass in the church of Saints in Alexandria. She was devastated by the images coming from the explosion site and I was gutted and angry. Of course El-Adli and his policemen blamed it on Islamists. The police miraculously arrested the people who did the attack in less than a week. One of the detainees was killed during interrogations and signs of torture were visible on his body and face. Weeks before that some policemen killed a young guy called Khalid Saed in Alexandria and claimed he chocked on a weed bag. My American friend would lose her father to a suicide attack later in Baghdad. Two events that changed her life forever. In the meanwhile, in Tunisia Ben Ali fled to Saudia Arabia after the Tunisians effectively paralyzed his regime by a series of peaceful demonstrations. The Arab spring began and there was no way back. Diab’s vision came true.
My friend Belal was the most excited by the news coming from Tunisia and he was following a facebook group called “We are all Khalid Saed” that called for Egyptians to go en mass in the streets in the 25th of January which is the police day to protest against the violence and systematic torture practiced by the police. As indifferent and pessimistic as ever I told him it is never going to happen. I did not even believe Belal himself would go. I have eye-witnessed him miss important business meetings and commitments just because he wanted to sleep a few hours more. In the early hours of the 25th of January Egyptians against all the odds took to the streets. Belal went, he woke up late, but he went.
I followed the news on facebook and twitter then the state ordered telecommunication companies to cut the internet. The state TV was showing what they wanted us to see which was silly, lame and utterly unbelievable. In the 28th of January I decided to go to Tahrir Square and see for myself what is unfolding. I went with a group of friends and we got stuck on October bridge on our way to downtown Cairo. Then we heared people running and screaming in the direction of Talaat Harb Square and Reyad Square. Then there was gunshots, camels, and complete chaos. The brave Muslim Brotherhood youth stood solid against the vicious attack by the police and Mubarak supporting thugs and it drew a lot of sympathy for the otherwise politically persecuted group.
In the days before the 28th of Jan my friends were expecting the police to use brutal force to suppress the protests. I argued that the numbers are huge and they cannot possibly shoot and kill so many people. My friends counter-argued that all they need to kill is just a few. I argued that there is no enmity between the protests and the police. All they are asking for is political reform and for human rights to be respected. In addition most of the police force is composed of “central security” who are young men with no political agenda doing military service and they would never shoot at their brothers and sisters. I was wrong.
After a few weeks of sit-ins and protests Mubarak stepped down and was arrested and trialed for corruption charges and giving the green light to use brutal force with protestors. During the few days I spent in the Tahrir Square everyone was positive, we were outlining a vision for the country we want and everyone seemed accepting and open-minded. The brotherhood betrayed the revolution and their own people and struck a deal with the military and Mubarak men and agreed on a transition period where the Supreme Council of Armed Forced (SCAF) would rule the country. The agenda was to enforce stability and resume life as usual. Only there was nothing usual or normal anymore in the Egyptian streets. In a very quick succession of events the true colors of the extremist, religious and narrow minded Egyptian society showed. Revolutionaries suddenly became traitors rather than liberators. Liberal and secular leaders became agents to western imperialism rather than enlightened intellectuals wishing to see Egypt in a better place. The people I met in the square disappeared. We, the liberals, became irrelevant.
On the Search for Home 