Global Eyes: Nasr City, Egypt

This essay was written as an extension from an MLK piece, "Letter from Birmingham Jail".

I know it's a little outdated because I wrote it during the summer 2013 when the incident happened but I never got the chance to upload it.

Prompt: Read your local newspaper for several days, collecting articles about a
controversial subject that interests you. Using information from the articles take a position
on the issue, and write an essay supporting it. Be sure to document all material you borrow
from your sources.

 

Chaos in Egypt

By Katy Zou

A country that does not seek to separate its religious and military interests from its political aspirations will surely find itself in failure and chaos. The American constitution has shown that separation of religion and political party militaries places order in the governmental structure, ensuring well representation and fair representation for the people. The ongoing power changes and violence brewing in Egypt resulted in strong adherence of politics to the Islam faith and the militarist self-interests meddling with politics. As hard as Egypt struggles to convert herself to a democracy, this cannot be done if certain aspects of interference continue to influence government politics. The Egyptian military, in order to restore order, should not interfere with politics to support their own self-interests or harm peaceful protesters.

The Nasr City protesting event is a prime example of unregulated control of the military. Peaceful protestors in Cairo were massacred like herds of animals when the plan was originally to disperse them peacefully and guarantee safe passage. The specific death toll is uncertain but about more than 400 lay dead and thousands wounded. Doctors, family members, and people attempting to help the injured were shot with snipers and rifles as well. The lack of enforcement power and failure to carry out the actions promised by leaders of the military resulted in the death of hundreds and furthermore muddled the complications in Egypt.

The peaceful protestors who stood ground in Nasr City had every democratic right to be there. Egypt is not a democracy. However, Egypt should realize that democracy or not, violence should not be enacted on peaceful protesting; it can erupt in civil disorder. With the ever-increasing complications of the Egyptian political affairs, unnecessary violence increases as well. The question of whether the military or the protestors opened fire first but either way, the peaceful should not have been killed. It is the duty of the police to protect the people, not kill them. It is the duty of the police to protect the rights of the people, not strip them away. The police force, or military, should stay out of the political sphere of influence, keeping it one sole job as to protect its citizens.

Egypt is in a current disorder of unpredictable chaos and violence. The protectors of the people are killing the people and interfering in politics, greedy for power. In this time of violence and discontent, the best solution would be to protect the opinion of the masses, the opinion of the people. In order to restore the peace, the military must consume itself to protecting the people and remain neutral in politics.

Sources

1.       Coker, Margaret. "Egyptians Brace for More Bloodshed." Wall Street Journal 16 008 2013, A1. Print.

also on webpage: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324139404579014371839426440.html

2.      Entous, Adam, Carol E. Lee, and Julian E. Barnes. "U.S. Treads Lightly as Crisis Deepens." Wall Street Journal 16 008 2013, A1 &A7. Print.

Also on webpage: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323455104579015171553352730.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_LEFTTopStories

3.      Abi-Habib, Maria. "Vicious Backlash Shakes One Egyptian Town." Wall Street Journal 16 008 2013, A6. Print.

Also on webpage: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324139404579015061439067186.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_LEFTTopStories

4.      "America's Interests in Egypt." Wall Street Journal 16 008 2013, A12. Print.

Also on webpage:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323639704579012864220982826.html

5.       "The storm before the storm." (2013): n. page. Web. 19 Aug. 2013. <http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21583718-bloody-confrontation-streets-cairo-damaging-development-and-could-be>.

6.      Mohamed, Feisal G. "Egypt in Crisis: Ten Observations." Dissent. (2013): n. page. Web. 19 Aug. 2013. <http://www.dissentmagazine.org/blog/egypt-in-crisis-ten-observations>.

7.      Trew, Bel. "They Struck Us Down Like Animals." Foreign Policy. n. page. Web. 21 Aug. 2013. <http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/08/14/they_struck_us_down_like_animals_muslim_brotherhood_violence_egypt?page=0,1>.