Polarized Egyptians get a third option
Concerned over polarization in the country and alienated by both sides in Egypt’s struggle for control, several hundred young Egyptians recently formed what they call the “The Third Square,” a reference to two other Cairo squares where masses from opposing sides have held mass rallies.
Banker Moatassem Gaballah, a Third Square member, said at their recent rally that the group was formed by young Egyptians who felt they were not being represented got together to make their voices heard.
“We didn’t like what we saw in Egypt lately, and we don’t want there to be the false impression that Egypt is only divided into two groups, those who favor the army or who favor the Muslim Brotherhood — we are against both,” he said. “They’ve created a space where the original attitude of the revolution expresses itself, where the aims of the revolution are remembered. They’re keeping an ember alive,” Ahdaf Soueif, an Egyptian novelist endorsing the campaign, told the Reuters news agency.
Fellow activist and singer of Egyptian band Eskenderella, Samia Jahin, added, “Maybe there’s only a few of us tonight. But soon you might hear of another group like ours in another square.”
Third Square demonstrators filled most of Sphinx Square in Cairo’s Mohandesin section earlier this week, shouting slogans vilifying the army and the Muslim Brotherhood.
They were referring to both the former and current heads of Egypt’s armed forces and to clashes near the Raba’a Mosque between Mursi supporters and Egyptian security forces, where over 70 demonstrators were killed.
The Third Square demonstrators also chanted against the United States and President Barack Obama for not backing the Egyptian people, shouting: “Barack, oh son of the people, shame on you.” Some held banners reading, “Down with all traitors, the military and the Brotherhood,” and “Stop the return of Mubarak’s state,” referring to loDuring Mursi’s one year of rule, poor management of resources and a sudden fuel crisis led to increasing criticism of the government. “We should put the Muslim Brotherhood on trial (for this) and they should be brought to justice without violation of their human rights,” Maher said.
He added that he joined the Third Square movement because he didn’t like what the army did by favoring one party over the other, their closing of TV channels and their attacking protesters with live bullets. “We have a peaceful battle with the military. The revolution we know was for a civilian ruler, and not a religious one,” he said.
• This article was written for The Media Line.
Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News' point of view
