While people across the Midwest sit trapped in their homes, buried under “snowmageddon,” people in Egypt are facing a much more serious and violent conflict.
On Jan. 25, anti-government protesters began demonstrating across Egypt, unhappy with President Hosni Mubarak and calling for democracy. These demonstrations followed 10 days after Tunisian citizens overthrew their government, and other demonstrations have broken out across the Arab world – mainly in Algeria, Yemen, Jordan and Sudan.
Over the past week and a half, Tahrir Square in central Cairo, Egypt’s capital, has been filled with protesters demanding a change
in government.
Although these protests have generally been peaceful, violence broke out on Wednesday as pro-Mubarak demonstrators faced off against their opposition. Molotov cocktails were thrown into the crowd and some protestors rode horseback through the square. This unrest continued on Thursday when gunfire broke out in the square. Egyptian Internet was shut down on Sunday.
Throughout the conflict, the United States and the United Nations have been calling for a transition government to take over for Mubarak, and opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei , a Nobel laureate, called for Mubarak’s peaceful resignation as soon as Friday. Mubarak has said he will not run for re-election.
As people around the world watch the events unfold on their TVs and Twitter feeds, Dr. John Calvert, associate professor of history, said there is an historical significance.
“This is probably one of the most important moments in 21st century Middle Eastern history,” Calvert said. “This is a moment when Egyptians and other Arabs are taking their destinies into their own hands. We have this spontaneous drive by millions of ordinary Arabs to finally assert their humanity, demand their rights.
“Never before have we seen an entire Arab population stand up and insist on their rights.”
Although for many this conflict seems sudden, the underlying problems that led to the demonstrations have been going on for years.
“It appears that basic economic issues are important here,” said Dr. Erika Moreno, a professor of political science. “Rising food
prices – a problem in many parts of the world today – as well as unemployment and inequality all played a role.”
For many, the 30 years under Mubarak have been anything but happy. Calvert, who specializes in the modern Middle East, said the Tunisian example most likely paved the way for demonstrators in Egypt.
“Egypt is an authoritarian bureaucratic regime,” Calvert said. “The upward mobility of Egypt’s young people has been blocked. They have no real future to look forward to, very little economic opportunity. Marriage [is] out of reach for many young Egyptians. Their political rights are limited—The Tunisian example demonstrated to Egyptians what was possible. I don’t think this revolt in Egypt just appeared out of nowhere.”
Although it may be hard for Creighton students to see how events thousands of miles away affect their daily lives, Moreno said she wants students to know this could have consequences for all U.S. citizens.
“We live in an interconnected world,” Moreno said. “Even though it sounds simplistic, events in faraway corners of the world do impact our lives—Trouble in Egypt means trouble for the world.”
Calvert also said he wants students to understand what this could mean for the United States’ impact on the Middle East in the future.
“The U.S.-dominated order of the Middle East is collapsing,” Calvert said. “I think Washington is very afraid of what will happen if Mubarak were to step down. Will American interests in the region be preserved, be
looked after?”
Another aspect of the demonstrations in Egypt is the threat to the archaeological heritage of the country. When most people think of Egypt, they think of the pyramids and mummies. Will these artifacts still exist in the coming weeks and months?
“Often when you have extreme things like regime change or social unrest or even economic crises, it can all lead to accidental or intentional damage to ancient sites, objects and museums,” said Dr. Erin Averett, resident assistant professor of art history.
“The main concern with Cairo is that it’s the capital. The protests really broke out in the heart of Cairo at [Tahrir] Square, which is really the heart of the capital. The main archaeological museum is also right off of that Square.”
Averett said that as of Saturday, Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt’s supreme council on antiquities, had announced that the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities was secured by the army. Although some vandalism had occurred inside the museum, the worst damage happened in the gift shop.
What archaeologists are now worried about, Averett said, is damage to archaeological sites still being uncovered. All 24 national museums have been secured, but places that do not hold large tourist interest are not being protected.
As the developments in Egypt unfold, it is hard to tell what will happen next. Calvert wants students to understand, however, that whatever happens will lead to a different Middle East.
“This isn’t about us. It’s about them, the Arab people,” Calvert said. “We had basically stood in the way of democracy in the Middle East. We had not aided and abetted democratic transformation in the region. It’s interesting that the Egyptians were not inspired by the United States but by Tunisia, the Tunisian example, almost despite the United States.”
Information about the demonstrations courtesy of cnn.com.