The story of each year begins again on Monday. The state mobilises all forces to deal with those who dare and try to commemorate the January revolution. The … is preparing to commemorate the anniversary and the forces of … is preparing to ignite the revolution again. Other powers are trying to prove that the revolution was a huge mistake and a fourth power is trying to hold the stick from the middle.
I could not name any of those powers since I am still concerned about putting names and categorising things. I still do not know who represents Egyptians, who is telling the truth, and who is deceiving them. Frankly, I am still worried I might be one of those trying to deceive and plot against the people or one of those who seek attention by talking sweetly of my patriot feelings.
The Ministry of Interior is still trying to restore its dignity lost in January 2011. The regime still seeks more control, as the Brotherhood did before. It wants to convince the people it works for their welfare.
Meanwhile, the Brotherhood is still trying to regain the legitimacy they lost voluntarily after they deceived the people, the same people who had trusted them and did not vote for Ahmed Shafik. The people await someone who can convince them they deserve their loyalty, after all statues of symbols have crashed on the rock of truth.
The same story is being retold every year: the government on high alert, the Brotherhood spreading rumours on social media, supporters of the regime telling horrifying lies about the Muslim Brotherhood, and supporters endlessly repeating slogans.
The anniversary comes and passes leaving us waiting for the next one. Between each anniversary and the next, the streets of Egypt become the sight of political posturing. It sees attempts of internal and external forces to influence the Egyptian politcs and fills the ears of the people and the regime with things to disrupt them from reaching the ultimate goal of the January Revolution: Bread, Freedom, and Social Justice.
The truth is that none of those goals have been achieved. There is a determination to collectively punish the Egyptian people who participated in that revolution, which aimed to put back the country in the eroding hands of its people. The revolution however did no good but to those working in sovereign authorities. Their grip and influence increased, as well as their income and living standards.
The truth is that we were wrong many times. And that is why we have reached this situation now. The regime governing us has no clear vision. The opposition is unable to balance between supporters and opponents. The aspirations of the youth who dreamed of a new Egypt are still nothing but aspirations.
The truth is that we have not taken any steps to preserve the rights of the youth, to support them in the face of the state’s mistakes. The truth is we have not taken any steps to raise awareness among the youth, to integrate them into the society and raise the awareness of the community.
We left many of them to walk back depressed and full of frustration to see the country as it is now. We left the pro-Al-Sisi media to control the minds of the people, abnegating their job to defend the people’s right to a decent life.
The truth is that those who have ideas and dreams for the nation have fled real life and embraced social media to send their messages, forgetting deliberately or mistakenly. There is a whole generation that does not know how to deal with the internet; this generation still prefers reading newspapers to looking at a small screen.
Those who rule have no vision and choose to ignore voices other than their blind supporters. Those who call themselves sons of Mubarak still blame the rebels and the revolution for everything, even if they oppose their beloved Al-Sisi himself if it will lend credence to their vision. The opposition is still as weak as they could be and the people no longer trust anyone.
