A man walks near graffiti reading: "Leave Mursi , you
are a murderer" after clashes between riot police and protesters opposing
Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi, on Qasr el-Nil bridge, which leads to Tahrir
Square, in Cairo on 30 January 2013. (Photo: Amr Abdallah Dalsh -
Reuters)
On 28 January 2013, Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi delivered the
cities of Port Said, Ismailia, and Suez to the military establishment on a plate
of gold. When the president declared a state of emergency, it signaled the
army’s return to the political arena, its gateway: the Suez Canal
cities.
The media campaign against the Sinai can be deemed a success. News coverage caused residents of the Nile Valley to believe their region had transformed into Tora Bora. As such, justifications for deploying the military in its cities and streets were plentiful.
The Suez Canal, which is much more significant than the northeast borders of Sinai, is considered an integral part of citizens’ livelihoods. It’s also one of the most militarized of Egypt’s non-border districts, with the army exerting tremendous control over civil life.
From the view of military maps, Ismailia is a strategic point that links the
two sides of the canal. With the military control of Ismailia, the Nile Valley
would be separated from Sinai.
The military is now practically in control of three regions in Egypt; the
civil state has no sovereignty. Mursi’s move was a complex strategic mistake
that might cost him his presidency or, at the very least, many of his
powers.
The military is now confronted with the challenge of bringing order to the
streets of the canal and proving to the public that military rule is stronger
and safer than Brotherhood rule.
Theirs is a golden opportunity to promote their model on a wide scale in
reply to peoples’ needs for security. The announcement of a state of emergency
could be the beginning of the end of the Brotherhood rule in people’s
hearts.
This article is an edited translation from the Arabic
Edition.
The media campaign against the Sinai can be deemed a success. News coverage caused residents of the Nile Valley to believe their region had transformed into Tora Bora. As such, justifications for deploying the military in its cities and streets were plentiful.
The Suez Canal, which is much more significant than the northeast borders of Sinai, is considered an integral part of citizens’ livelihoods. It’s also one of the most militarized of Egypt’s non-border districts, with the army exerting tremendous control over civil life.
For example, the military intelligence headquarters
in Ismailia is a frequent stop of citizens in need of a variety of civil
licenses. Furthermore, the canal’s district is home to the largest number of
families whose members are officers and soldiers who settled in the area
following the 1973 war.
Mursi made a big mistake by declaring a state of emergency in the entire canal
district for 30 days. This move will only assist the military in its plans,
especially since Mursi gifted the military the governorate of Ismailia, the most
populated and diverse in the canal. This was despite the fact that the city did
not witness widespread clashes or street wars like in Suez and Port Said.
Uprooted Palestinian
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!
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