The Week in Egypt [April 26, 2014]

Catch up on the latest out of Egypt every week, with analysis, news updates, photos, videos, and more.

Quote of the Week

“Nothing has changed since [the 2011 revolt]. And the youth, they have lost hope, they were very naive…They thought the revolution would make corruption disappear overnight, but the same power relations are in place. And now the older generation believes they are against stability and security — that they just want to protest and write graffiti on walls.” –Ayman Zohry, a Cairo-based demographer

Egypt in the News

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On EgyptSource

In-depth

Exposing the Lives of Egyptian Families | Mohamed Khairat, Egyptian Streets

“The ambitious project started following another project ‘Caïropolis.’ Bieke and three other Belgian photographers, Harry Gruyaert, Zaza Bertrand and Filip Claus, were asked by Jan Beke to show what Egypt has become in the shadow of the revolution. However, there was a twist: the photographs were not to portray Tahrir Square, violence and protests, but the city of Cairo and its people.”

Perhaps the most important reason for continuing the project and exploring life behind the walls was to show a different side of Egypt.

“I find it important to show another side of Egypt, not what we see all the time on television,” says Bieke, pointing out that we often see violence, Tahrir Square and sit-ins, but not enough insight into the lives of Egyptians.”

The Candidate in his Labyrinth | Eric Trager, Foreign Policy

“The Brotherhood’s blood lust — as well as rising violence against police and military targets — has compelled many Egyptians to support a strongman like Sisi ever more ardently. But despite the ubiquity of Sisi posters and occasional sightings of Sisi-branded cookies and underwear, “Sisi-mania” is a myth.”

“To be sure, many Egyptians respect Sisi. They tout his ouster of Morsi in the wake of mass anti-Brotherhood protests and appreciate his calm, empathetic manner of speaking, which contrasts sharply with Morsi’s often laborious bombast. “Sisi comes from a [military] intelligence background, so he has a global vision,” Abdel Azim Farid, who chaired the local council in the Nile Delta village of Bagour for 17 years, told me. “I think his [presidential candidacy] announcement was very clear, and people will be happy to work with him.”
But time and again, Sisi’s supporters admit that they would have preferred a different candidate. “I wish he would stay as defense minister,” Farid said, before adding, “It doesn’t mean I’m not happy. I’m not against him.”

On Twitter: On the US Decision to send Apache helicopters to Egypt 

Video of the Week: What Do Egyptians Want from the Next President?

Former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s electoral released two videos this week. The first is less than a minute, featuring audio clips from Sisi’s speeches, together with a street sweeper saying that as soon as Egypt has a new, religious president, the country’s economy, tourism industry and more will improve. He, however, makes no reference to Sisi himself.

The second, entitled “What do Egyptians want from the next president?”, is a more elaborate undertaking. The video begins with scenes shot in iconic parts of Cairo: the Qasr al-Nil Bridge, Tahrir Square and Muiz Street. It takes the viewer to Mohamed Mahmoud Street, where three young men tell the camera they took part in the revolution to put an end to corruption and to protect the country’s institutions. Another man compares Sisi to Gamal Abdel Nasser. Throughout the video, we are taken out of Cairo – to Alexandria, Giza, and Upper Egypt.

It also gives a glimpse into a modest neighborhood, which is revealed to be where Sisi grew up, as his childhood friend and residents of Gamaleya speak about Sisi’s qualities as Egypt’s next president, his piousness and more. Only one woman appears in the video.

North Africa