All the predictions have been put to shame. The secret of the Egyptian revolution is our democratic values. Therefore, we will continue to meet the requirements.
(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
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Nawal El-Saadawi is a physician, author, feminist and one of Egypt's leading intellectuals. She has been jailed for her opinions under both Sadat and Mubarak. She has been writing exclusively for Ny Tid since June 2009.
Every Friday, some of the world's leading freedom of expression advocates write exclusively for the weekly magazine Ny Tid. Our Without Borders columnists: Parvin Ardalan (Iran) Irshad Manji (Canada), Nawal El-Saadawi (Egypt) Elena Milashina (Russia), Orzala Nemat (Afghanistan) Martha Roque (Cuba), Blessing Musariri (Zimbabwe) Tsering Woeser (Tibet) Malahat Nasibova (Azerbaijan) and Nyein San (Burma).
Cairo, Egypt. The Egyptian people have regained their confidence!
This happened after Hosni Mubarak resigned as president on February 11 and fled the country. This is in spite of all the spasmodic, ridiculous and sad attempts to stop the revolution, both open and hidden, both domestically and abroad.
Mubarak and his associates threatened us with hunger, chaos and bloodshed to secure their own and their supporters' positions of power. But the revolution won out because the people stood together. Gender differences, religious disagreements, racism and class divisions imposed on us by the patriarchal class system since the days of slavery were erased.
The revolution was successful due to good organization and awareness, a national historical sense of responsibility and a people who were fully prepared to sacrifice their lives. The entire Egyptian people rose up in defense of freedom, dignity and national independence. Men and women from all classes, ages, faiths, and professions were united in one thought for a peaceful people's revolution.
This power, from millions gathering in a revolutionary consciousness, is so much more powerful than the weapons of the tyrannical regime.
The power is greater than police forces, the army and media propaganda – which was spread in an attempt to blackmail the rebels and spread divisive rumors on behalf of the presidential couple Hosni and Suzanne Mubarak and Minister of Information Anas el-Feki (Ministry of Information and Culture was led by First Lady Suzanne Mubarak , together with both ministries, state committees and non-governmental organizations).
These have carried out deliberate slander by filming and falsifying images of the rebels and the revolutionaries, in order to portray them as traitors and agents of foreign powers. I had a strong belief that a people has the strength to overthrow kings, a belief based on reading history – but it has been something completely different to experience the revolution day by day, minute by minute.
Power to the young
One of the slogans of the revolution was: "Rule the government", but has the government really fallen? What I see now is that the head of government has fallen, but the body still stands. The same structure that was built by Mubarak before he retired.
The demand now is a new transitional government that must consist of people who have participated in the revolution, who are committed to creating real security in the country – who will not only grab billions for themselves. People who do not tolerate corruption and dictatorship. Half of the ministers in the new government should consist of young, mature and conscious people, both men and women.
I met many of them at the Liberation Square (Tahrir Square). A large number of them are competent young people with high education and experience from many different disciplines. Why should they not be allowed to be part of the transitional government and the committee to change the constitution and the laws that regulate state and family affairs? And other committees that will change the whole system, from home to street, education and culture, media and values - both moral, social, political and economic.
The Egyptian revolution, which overthrew the head of state, may lose its strong, unifying force if we now return home to the couch. No, it must continue with the same power and unity – until the people govern themselves, because that is what is true democracy.
The military has agreed to this, and they assure that they will hand over power to the people. But the people of Egypt want a timed plan from the army for when the baton will be passed on to a civilian government, which will consist of all layers of the people. Not just for one social group, or one party, but representatives of the whole people, without distinguishing between the citizens on the basis of gender, religion, class or anything else. The revolution will have sure guarantees that our demands will be met, without compromises or postponements.
Breastfeeding mother received food
The People's Revolution obviously has the courage and kindness of the Egyptian people. This was the secret behind the steadfastness of the people who have stood on the Liberation Square from January 25 until today. A people who have suffered from hunger, unemployment and the abuse of power by the police. Without fear of hunger and threats, entire families slept in tents on the site in the cold and rain.
On Bloody Wednesday, February 2, both boys and girls joined the youths in the hunt for the camels and horses, which Mubarak's men sent in to break the revolution. I saw them ready to catch three horses, which were tied at the entrance to the square. One of the boys, a 13-year-old, told me that they could not ride the camel because it was so high.
The revolution obviously has the people's true character strength and sincere values. There has not been a single theft while bags and valuables have been lying openly both inside and outside the tents. None of the young women have been harassed, and all share the meager food available. I saw a young man give away his ration to a woman who was carrying a small baby. He said she needed the food more than him, because she had to be able to breastfeed the baby, who was crying from hunger.
I saw little girls and boys clearing and organizing garbage disposal, latrine building, and transporting the wounded. They wrote poems, played and sang. This is the secret behind the power of the revolution. It will continue until we have reached all our goals. It is not enough that Mubarak has fallen. The goal is not to change the system's face outwards, but to stretch the legs under the feet it is standing on and overturn the whole body.
The revolution has revealed that the Egyptian personality is firm and unyielding, not as cowardly as Mubarak, his wife and their exclusive elite want it to be. Our first lady has in all the years made all the elite hypocrites bow their heads to her. But now we see how quickly the writers and the elite are out to slaughter Mubarak – after he has fallen. Their good words about the revolutionary youth suddenly border on sanctification. That they do not feel ashamed of the obvious hypocrisy!
My presidential candidate
Imagine that the people have already forgotten what they wrote yesterday, and the awards they have received from Mubarak for their texts. It should be said that one of them will have removed her name from the prize, otherwise she will change her name herself. She will no longer be one of those who support the leader's cultural oppression and censorship of criticism.
The revolution has revealed the face of the hypocrites. The socially conscious Egyptian youth recognize them and expose them if they try to hide behind a cover of literature and philosophy with new faces. Or if they try to present themselves as candidates for the new government without being elected by the young people who took part in the revolution, without suffering from unemployment, poverty and oppression.
No – one of the poor young men or women who witnessed a brother, sister or friend sacrificing his blood on the Liberation Square will become president of the New Egyptian Republic.
