A panel discussion with Timothy Garton Ash, Amr Ezzat, Amr Gharbeia, and Nora Younis, on the limits of free speech. AUC, March 15, 2012
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Published in Egypt Independent on March 12, 2012 When I worked as an assistant professor in the department for Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University, I often represented my department at the large freshmen fair which was organized at the beginning of each academic year to welcome new students and to walk them through the different departments, disciplines and activities available on campus. What really amazed me at this annual fair was the large number of student clubs and organizations, which reflected an extremely rich and diversified student life. These clubs did not have only artistic, cultural or social goals,…
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Published in Egypt Independent on March 6, 2012 During my student years at the American University in Cairo (AUC) in the early 1980s I used to work as an employee at the university library. This was by far one of the most enjoyable jobs I have ever had. On Saturdays, when no classes were held, but when the library itself was open, I used to be the supervisor of the whole library, and in this capacity, I would come at ten in the morning and leave at eight at night. Like many quirky librarians (I suspect), I would spend these…
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Published in Egypt Independent on February 26, 2012 The trial of 43 pro-democracy activists, including almost 20 US citizens, on the charges of working illegally in Egypt, has left many puzzled and bewildered. Over the past two weeks, US diplomats, congressmen and military generals have been shuttling between Cairo and Washington in a frantic attempt to figure out what lays behind this sudden move and to secure the release of the charged US citizens. And while many Egyptians seem to have bought the official line that this was a long-overdue move aimed at subjecting foreign NGOs to local legislation and…
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An interview with the BBC Radio 4 The World Today program one day after the Port Said Massacre in which 72 people were killed. (Egypt part starts at 07:34 and my contribution starts at 12:39.) This video clearly shows the police forces on the pitch standing idly doing nothing to control the crows.
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Published in the New York Times on February 1, 2012 The economy has always been the Achilles’ heel of the Egyptian revolution. “Bread, freedom and social justice” has been one of the slogans of the revolution, but the revolutionaries failed to translate this slogan into specific proposals that could rejuvenate the economy and improve the lot of Egyptians. Indeed, since the revolution broke out on Jan. 25, 2011, millions have been suffering economically. As a result of the precarious security situation, foreign investors have been wary of coming to Egypt, local businesses have been reluctant to pump in more money,…
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Published in Egypt Independent on January 25, 2012 Of the many slogans chanted by millions of protesters during the 25 January uprising, “The army. The people. One hand.” was the only one I couldn’t bring myself to say. This partly stems from my academic study of the history of this military and finding out how much Egyptians suffered when they were dragged to serve in Mehmed Ali’s army. But one does not need a PhD to find out that the army — any army — is a conservative institution by nature, and that a revolution — any revolution — poses…
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Published in Egypt Independent on January 17, 2012 A few weeks ago, Egypt’s transport minister opened the new Cairo train station, also known as Ramses Station or Bab al-Hadid Station, following renovations that lasted for several years and which cost LE170 million. With much media fanfare the minister was quoted as saying he was proud of all the effort that went into the project and that Cairo can now boast of a train station that rivals the best in Europe. Upon visiting the station myself, however, I was shocked with what I saw there. The so-called renovations are nothing but…
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Published in Egypt Independent on January 9, 2012 The human body has been front and center of this revolution since the early days of its outbreak last January. Even though the leading slogan of the revolution, Bread, Freedom and Human Dignity is abstract and does not make explicit reference to the human body, it is the 30 dark years of torture, hunger and ill-health inflicted on the bodies of Egyptian men and women under Mubarak’s rule that give this slogan meaning and resonance. In the last weeks of 2011, women’s bodies have emerged as a nexus for many of the principles…
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Published in Egypt Independent on January 3, 2012 When I heard that the Institut d’Egypte was set on fire on Saturday, 17 December, I did not hesitate to go there and see the tragedy for myself. It was terrible indeed. There were flames of fire coming out from the corners of the collapsing building, the smell of smoke was hovering over the place, heavy and stifling, and demonstrators were shouting slogans against the regime that has not fallen, and against the police and the military council. My phone had not stopped ringing as many of my friends were calling to…
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