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Mohamed 'Arafa

Abstract

The Egyptian civil society, across generational, religious, gender, and economic lines and without a charismatic leader, has organized itself at the grassroots level, evidencing the people's power in the face of a strong regime. Public order, security, and stability have deteriorated during the past two decades, with increased crime rates and other forms of abuses of power by individuals (e.g., thugs and small criminal bands), which the police have left somewhat unchecked. The people hold the military in high esteem because, in the last forty years, it has never acted against the general public. To prevent manipulation during the investigations and trials, the Egyptian Attorney General ordered the arrest and freezing of assets of several persons under investigation for corruption, bribery, profiteering, and money laundering according to the Egyptian criminal justice system (e.g., Egypt’s Penal Code). Further, after the Attorney General conducted individual investigations to determine how corruption turned into money laundering and how the Egyptian economy is now left holding the bag for what could amount to billions of dollars, some institutional reforms have taken place.

Like its predecessors—the Nasr and Sadat regimes—the Mubarak administration had a military and political establishment. Under former President Mubarak, no one knows precisely how much it grew because its operations, budgets, and profits were secret. This entire sector of the economy was not only beyond civilian control; it was hidden, not taxed, and the military establishment distributed its undisclosed profits as senior leadership saw fit. It fell outside of any type of accountability, was not subject to any operational control, and enjoyed free from import and export duties. The main concerns and goals of the Egyptian people are regime changes, emphasizing the notion that people should govern themselves, democracy, justice (including socio-economic justice), reforming human and civil rights, fighting corruption, and reviving the rule of law. Their slogans were kefaya (enough is enough), alSh‘ab youreed isqaat alnizam (the public wants the regime to fall down), and No more nickel, No more dime, No more money for Mubarak’s crimes. American and Western ideals and values reflected in the U.S. Constitution and—particularly—Islamic norms and principles have influenced Egyptian society. The current administration is entirely understanding that it must meet these particular goals.

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