No one can deny the efforts of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in maintaining the structure of the state since 30 June 2013, on both national and international levels. This is an indispensable introduction so those with bad intentions can do nothing. I will not talk more about those efforts so they would not turn into praise, which is something the president does not need.
However, there are those who deliberately turn the helm into politics and neglect or turn a blind eye to many things. They leave wounds unhealed. Those wounds can easily be treated in the beginning but can lead to amputation if left behind.
If we look at some of the events in the street now, we can clearly see that Egypt is going backwards. Hence, our call: beware Mr President.
The trouble of one actress with a police officer led to tensions between society and police. Another officer said all actresses are prostitutes. A belief spread among all officers due to the way they were raised. Therein lies the problem: the culture of police officers. So what is the solution? The solution is in the application of the law. They need to learn that. But now, the law is only imposed on certain people while others are ignored, even if it slightly different than in the past.
A harsh ruling was dealt to a group of Coptic children because of a video that did not even go viral. This makes us think that there are bodies in the government who work on their own for their own sake. The whole world is fighting the “Islamic State” (IS). Egypt was the only state to say “No” to atoning them. Worse, it jailed those who mocked it. God be with my country, for the president is far away from the state.
There is also the radicalisation of the state to satisfy a group of people who can only be satisfied when Egypt becomes another Syria, Iraq, or Libya. I cannot tolerate when an old artist comes out to say he will not allow actresses or singers to wear revealing outfits, without even giving us specifications of such dresses and who he will send to measure the length of dresses. It is a farce that must not be allowed at all in a state which taught the world civilisation. Mr President, your efforts are in vain. Beware; Egypt is going backwards.
There is also the problem between low-ranked police officers and doctors. I do not want to comment on it but I must ask why the law was not applied immediately. Gamal Abdel Nasser once said that trembling hands cannot build a state. Your government’s hands are not only trembling, they are paralysed.
All of these examples indicate that Egyptians themselves are trying to stifle Egypt. Egypt is moving slowly towards that. There seems to be a scheme to bring morality police to Egypt from the Gulf, although history proves Egypt does not need that.
I will not speak not about Islam Behiry or Fatima Naaot or even the head of the Christian school and the concerts the government claimed to be for devil worshippers.
All these crises are addressed but when it was too late. The growing tension proves that Egypt is going backwards. We cannot leave it up to the street to decide.
The answer is in imposing the law.
Charl Fouad El-Masry is a columnist and political analyst.
