On the eve of the one-year commemoration of Egypt’s uprising, U.S. Institute of Peace fellow Robin Wright spent ten days in Cairo interviewing the new spectrum of political players, from the protesters camping out at Tahrir Square to the new Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi Members of Parliament as well as former al-Jihad extremists released from decades in jail.
On the eve of the one-year commemoration of Egypt’s uprising, U.S. Institute of Peace fellow Robin Wright spent ten days in Cairo interviewing the new spectrum of political players, from the protesters camping out at Tahrir Square to the new Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi Members of Parliament as well as former al-Jihad extremists released from decades in jail. Over the next five months, a special committee will craft a new constitution and then Egypt will go back to the polls to elect a president—technically the final phase of the transition to democracy. Wright filed this report from Cairo:
Egyptians are increasingly skeptical that the military will fully turn over their behind-the-scenes power covering everything from legislation to foreign policy. It also reportedly has control, directly or indirectly, of up to one-third of Egypt’s economy. And it wants immunity from prosecution of human rights abuses since the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak. Hundreds have died and military courts have prosecuted 12,000 civilians, according to Human Rights Watch. So passions run deep.
The January 25 commemoration of the uprising will reflect the growing internal divisions. The protesters have called for demonstrations to demand the military’s ouster from politics. Cairo is festooned with new graffiti against the Supreme Council for the Armed Forces. To preempt the opposition, the military has declared a national holiday to commemorate its role in ousting Mubarak. Savvy about street sentiment, the newly powerful Muslim Brotherhood has appealed to its followers to come out in honor of the “martyrs” who died during the uprising. The anniversary will be full of rival passions, but so will the months ahead as rival factions struggle among themselves to create a new political order in the constitution and also struggle with the military about allowing civilians to rule mighty Egypt.
Wright encountered many types of Egyptians on her travels. She captured dozens of images, some of which are included below in an album of the "Faces of Cairo." Wright is a joint fellow at the US Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson Center.
The Faces of Cairo
Explore Further
- Watch Robin Wright discuss Egypt's recent elections
BBC News, January 17, 2012 - The Arab Awakening
As the dramatic events of the Arab Spring turn to the more mundane yet vital work of governance, constitution writing and peacebuilding, USIP is on the ground, bringing its unique brand of action and expertise to the effort.
