With power struggles continuing between various factions in Egypt, and the fate of the country uncertain, Egyptian expatriates in the Kingdom are equally divided about the direction of their country.
Some argue that President Muhammad Mursi should have been allowed to continue because he was democratically elected, while others say he was removed because he was a divisive figure and has done nothing for the country.
Regardless of their political affiliations, all Egyptians agree they want safety and security for themselves and their country.
Husain Abdul Ghafoor, an Egyptian accountant at a private firm, said: “During the Jan. 25 revolution, I was in Tahrir Square. At the time we had very clear demands, we wanted an Egypt governed by civil, not military authority. As long as the ruler assumes power through the ballot, in honest elections, we do not care who he is. Any attempt by the military to regain control is unacceptable.
“Leaders of political parties keep saying that they will bow only to the will of the people. They are ignoring, however, the will of a large majority that brought Mursi to power. In so doing, these leaders are pitting themselves against the people, and this will certainly cost them.
“I can see that the president’s last speech may have irritated many people in Egypt. But this does not mean that he should be asked to leave.”
Shireen Jamal, an Egyptian residing in Jeddah, says Mursi should leave office “because he really achieved next to nothing during his presidency. He also failed to lead the nation. I believe there are people who are benefitting from what’s going on in Egypt. For Egypt to return to normal, President Mursi must leave, by peaceful means.”
Referring to the clashes between various Egyptian groups after he became president, she said: “This could lead to civil war. We are Egyptians first and foremost. We are neither ‘Brothers’ nor ‘Christians.’“
Imad Abdul Raziq said Egyptians have long been dreaming of democracy and genuine elections. However, “as soon as they got an election in which millions of Egyptians went to the ballot box, they turned on themselves. What they are doing against President Mursi is self-defeating. It’s undemocratic. We are waiting for a plan from the military that details the steps of how Mursi will leave office.
I hope that he can take his chance. During his term he did have some achievements. They were small but he had them all the same,” he said.
Mostafa Bayyoumi, an engineer, said that there was “a media conspiracy in Egypt. But what can we do? We are far away from home. Our only way of communication is through TV screens. The least that we can say about the media is that they have their own agenda,” he said.
“I do communicate extensively with family and friends back home. They assure me that the situation is stable. But they tell me that the media concentrates on certain areas and not others. This is a sign that there is a certain dissolution of security. This is a political mess,” he said.
