Unexpected Turning Points: Violent clashes at Midan Tahrir, Army clearing the square
Today thugs showed up in the morning around 10 am, then retreated again, only to appear again around 2 pm in order to attack with stones those protesters who now for weeks had been camping out in the Middle of the Tahrir roundabout. In a short article by AlAhram Online a protester named Chaymaa Hassabo confirms what the foreigner had told me yesterday: "This is not the first time that we are attacked.“
Army does not prevent violence and evicts “inhabitants” from Tahrir
While the army reportedly separated protesters and counter-protesters and thugs at first, it was unwilling or unable to do so during the second attack. There is even reports claiming that the army joined the thugs in attacking the inhabitants of Tahrir (I think it is by now justified to call them inhabitants, and I am sure that the forced clearing of the square today felt to them like being evicted from their home). While reports on the armies concrete (non)involvement in the clashes there is unity in the various tweeds and news articles as for what followed the clashes (examples are AlJazeera and AlMasr AlYoum) without any further warning the army – who for several days now had demanded the protesters to leave the Midan – cleared the square with force, tearing down tents and forcing people off the roundabout's middle plateau. A youtube video captured the scenes. Allegedly the army even tore down the Midan's field clinic tent without caring for those injured who where still lying in the tent. The army's intervention earned them a condemnation by Amnesty International.
Inter-sectarian clashes leave several dead
Besides that the last two days have been overshadowed by deadly clashes between Muslims and Christians in Cairo. The spark that ignited the long-simmering fire of-sectarian clashes was an incidence in the South of Cairo some days ago. In a Romeo-and-Juliette like drama a Muslim and a Coptic father were killed, which led an enraged group of Muslims to set fire to the local church. While afaik the protests that erupted in a direct repsonses on Monday 7.March 2011 remained largely peaceful, clashes in Manshiyet Al Nasr, also known as the garbage city ended with the dead of 6 to 13 people. (The largest number comes from AlJAzeera's coverage, other news source's estimates mostly revolve around 10 to 11 people deaths. Again it is unclear which groups where involved in the violence and how the army responded.
Yet, there is cohesion as for the sad fact that the numbers of deaths were as high due to the disastrous (or: non-existent) medical supply in Manshiyet Nasr. If I remember right, the huge rockslide that happened some years ago and claimed way more lives then necessary due to the bad infrastructure and lack of rescue services, had also occurred in Manshiyet Nasr...
Ongoing fights and unrest feed into conspiracy theories
Al Masr AlYoum alleges yesterday's intersectarian clashes to a confrontation of Christians on the one and Salafists together with inhabitants of the larger area on the other side. As reported further protests and violence was observed there also today. Of course there's plenty of rumours and more or less plausible allegations (it would not be Egypt anymore if it was different): the breakout of violence is attributed to either the Muslim Brotherhood or Amn ElDawla.
The try to seize power this way, the latter try to uphold their power by scaring people into passivity and distract from the real battle ground... Usually I am trying my hardest to argue against any kind of conspiracy theory, yet, in this case one really has to wonder why and how various violent and worrying incidents would happen at the same time around various different issues and in various places. For many people here it is hard to grasp this sudden change of atmosphere, so no wonder they start to question which agenda could be behind this new wave of trouble.
Feeling of insecurity returns
Also for me the feeling of insecurity which had plagued me in the first days has returned. Of course yesterday's events might have done the larger share in this, simply because it made me alert to the fact that I am targeted here simply because of what I am: female. So of course, realizing that I am discriminated against and seeing how fast borders of moral and good manners can be torn down (funny enough in a country whose people, and in particular whose conservative faction, often claim to be superior to the West if it comes to morals and respectful behaviour..) does already render me less confident.
Yet, although a feeling of tension is in general again taking hold of people in Cairo. Besides the major clashes it is news of an increasing number of criminal incidents, ranging from robbers attacking school buses (sic) and abductions of AUC students to the looting of supermarkets, that cause people to worry. The assumption that Amn AlDawla is behind the sum of these incidents was substantiated by supposed secret documents allegedly found in Amn AlDawla buildings, indicating Amn AlDawla's involvement with the bombing of the Coptic Church in Alexandria on the 1st of January this year. AlAhram online published a long article explaining why it is Coptic and Women who become the preferred target of counterrevolutionary forces.
Wish to get out of the spotlight drives army's actions
Regarding the army one could come up with the following explanation: the armed forces to not interfere to protect protesters but rather help to escalate violence because they hope increasing unrest would prevent people from demanding a further prolonging of the transition period. It is very obvious that the army is eager to hand political responsibility over to someone else asap. Accordingly attempts to delay the parliamentary elections, demands to reform/rewrite the constitution from scratch NOW rather than after elections, as expressed by many continuous protesters collides with the army's interests. In case you wonder why the army is so keen on retreating from its powerful political position, let me share a friend's thought with you: as long as the military council is running the country's affairs, the army (usually a rather secretive institutions) is standing in the bright public spotlight of media attention and public scrutiny. If the army would stay where it is now, it was just a matter of time, until protester's and observers take on this institution and its workings. The army is the most influential economic player in Egypt and thus stands to loose a lot if the public starts to investigate more closely what their army is actually going...again it would only be a matter of time until people will claim that corrupt structures also in this institution fall and powerful people are held responsible. An insightful article of the NY Times might help to bolster this theory.
Geographically limited violence still leaves space for movement
Although tension is rising again, the acute violence and danger does until now only affect certain areas. Besides Midan Tahrir these seem to be the very poor quarters as well as the remote areas in the desert (like 6 October) and the deserted areas along the highways connecting the various parts of Cairo. So for me that means I avoided Midan Tahrir and the Nilebridges last night and today, instead taking the Metro to the station which is located in my hood. It is a densely populated area with fruitsellers, bakeries, supermarkets and akhwas open and crowded until past midnight, not very poor but also not rich enough to figure as looter's paradise. Yet, today I already received a text message from an Egyptian saying: „Take care try to dont go out again“.
Being intrigued by what might be behind this tiny peace of information I called him only to learn that there was shooting at Midan Tahrir. I had strong reasons to assume that there was some decent amount of exaggeration behind his warning and above that remembered the geographically limited extent that had characterised all the clashes and violence since Jan 25. Considering this together with the fact that I had very good reasons for leaving my house and heading to a different district of Cairo, I decided to largely ignore his well-intended advice. To my defence I want to point out that at least his warning made me change my choice of shoes. When heading to the Metro I substituted the girly ballerina ones with my usual sneakers, thinking I better get prepared for running fast if things get nasty. Just think of it: there's nothing more than stupid than dying in a revolution because you didnt wear the right outfight.
All safe for me, but the Midan is an entirely different story now
To cut an already lengthy story at least a bit shorter: I arrived safely in Heliopolis, was even able to change lines at Midan Tahrir without any problems, (meaning the situation under-ground differed markedly from the one upper-ground), the only unusual thing that crossed my way was a group of six men sitting in the women's carrier of the Metro (after the women were done with them, I bet they wished they'd been in Tahrir instead...).
Yet, there was others who were less lucky: at around 8.30 pm I spoke to a friend who had been on Tahrir day and night since Jan 25, thanks God he was fine and his group of friends I knew where ok, too, also he said that the streets of downtown where safe and calm, yet Midan Tahrir was a no-go area tonight. So we promised to each take care of ourselves and hang up. One our later he called me to tell me that a close friend of his had just died at the hands of the baltageya (thugs) at Midan Tahrir. This friend's wife is pregnant in the second months and till then noone had dared to deliver her the bad news.
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