Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is to address Egyptians within hours, and statements by some government officials suggest that Mubarak intends to announce his resignation, although other official statements suggest otherwise.
If Mubarak resigns, have the protesters won?
If Mubarak resigns, then in one sense the protesters have won, because the departure of Mubarak was a central unifying demand of the protesters.
However, it is obvious that all this sacrifice and protest wasn't simply about the fate of one man. The demand for Mubarak's departure has been a symbol of a larger demand: the demand for democracy. All this sacrifice, all this protest, was not intended to bring about the replacement of Mubarak with a Mubarak clone. Still less, obviously, are protesters looking for a military coup or martial law, two other scenarios which are the subject of considerable speculation today.
Thus, there is much more to watch for when Mubarak and other Egyptian officials speak today than whether Mubarak resigns from office. Will Mubarak or other Egyptian government officials announce reforms that will put Egypt on a path to democracy?
"All your demands will be met today," Gen. Hassan al-Roueini, military commander for the Cairo area, told demonstrators in Tahrir Square today.
Four key demands have been constantly lifted up by protesters and opposition parties which are essential for a credible transition to democracy: ending the arbitrary detention and harassment of journalists, human rights activists, and peaceful demonstrators, and freeing those who have been detained; ending the state of emergency; allowing free electoral competition in elections; and restoring full judicial supervision of elections.
End arbitrary detentions and release those detained: some reports have put the number of people arrested in Egypt since massive protests began on January 25 at more than ten thousand. Obviously, so long as journalists, human rights workers, and peaceful protesters are being arrested without charge, Egypt is not on a path to democracy.
End the state of emergency: in 2008 the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights called the emergency law "the main source for violations against human rights," noting "a close relationship between the declaration of a state of emergency" and a pattern of routine torture. The emergency law allows the government to arrest people without charge, detain prisoners indefinitely, and limit freedom of expression and assembly.
Guarantee electoral competition: under current Egyptian law, a candidate for President would need 250 signatures from Egypt's lower and upper houses and municipal councils, all of which are overwhelmingly dominated by the ruling party. Thus, under current law, the ruling party has an effective veto over who can run against it.
Restore full judicial supervision of elections: in 2007, the Mubarak government abolished full judiciary supervision over elections, which had served as a minimum guarantee against fraud.
Some of these reforms could be implemented immediately. Others might take more time, but so far the Egyptian government has not yet even stated an intent to implement them.
Without these reforms, any "orderly transition" in Egypt is likely to be a transition not to democracy, but a transition to dictatorship under a different face.
The Egyptian government - and its Western backers - must ultimately be judged according to whether these reforms take place, regardless of what Mubarak or other Egyptian officials may say tonight.
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Jim Wallis: The Egyptian People Have Changed the World -- It's Their Turn to Lead
Jason Erb: Ensuring Egypt's Victory By Repealing Emergency Laws
David Ropeik: Egypt: The Universal Desire to Control Our Own Lives
Bruce Feiler: When Pharaoh Falls: Six Lessons from the Exodus for Egypt Today
The West did not install Mubarak. He is not our puppet, the suggestion is insulting to Egyptians. As a US citizen, I am not responsible for democracy in Egypt. The US gives Egypt $1.8B annually in aid, and we have threatened to cut it. That's our only legit leverage, all else is foreign interference. Mubarak can't tell Obama to step down either. We are no more responsible for democracy in Egypt, then Egyptians are responsible for it in the US.
The Arab world has never had a democracy, in 4000 years, it's not the fault of the West. That's despite the fact that both they and the West had Athens as a model. (And note that Iran is Persian, not Arab). They had kings, caliphates and dictators. They either liked it that way, or were too cowed to shed the blood that we, France and others did to get our democracies.
Stop pushing victimization, this is a matter of personal responsibility.
Likewise to every other oppressive regime.
Beware any other solution, it's likely to be a sham.
Israeli's have demonstrated over and over again to their Arab neighbors that a Democratic society with a capitalist economy will return wealth to those who want to work to own it. Arab, Muslim societies have essentially rejected these principles and only those with oil have achieved any level of prosperity for their citizens. Neither we, nor the Israeli's could have done much more to demonstrate the way.
Similarly, Mubarak had the option to move his country forward (with or without US help) and declined. The people sat there for 30 years while the current generation came of age. Whatever drove Mubarak and his people during that time is their business, and short of war or at the very least instability, we really had no say then and still don't now. The Egyptian people need to take their country back.........in their case, it's from the Republicans! They've just got to stamp out the lies, the corruption, and the self-serving rule-base, and replace them with something that works for 'all the people' instead of the few.
Obama should not worry too much about Israel and her fear rather than stand up for the American values and our principles and reputation in the world. He has last chance to come out and fully support Egyptians and provide all political, financial and military help to become a free and fair democracy in the Arab world. Also, he should tell very clearly to the remaining Arab autocrats to learn a lesson and start democratic process at once or get ready to be humiliated like Mubarak. Also, being a lone supporter and provider of Israel, he should tell Israel to take a deep breath and rather than waiting any longer to get better deal, make a just, fair and genuine peace with Palestine and all Arabs NOW or may lose much more in coming years. Time is right for Obama too to be in the history at the right page.
1. Drafting a new constitution
2. The right to set up newspapers and open television and radio stations without a prior permission
3. Putting the minimum wage of 1,200 Egyptian Pounds into effect
4. The right to set up political parties, by notification
5. The right to set up associations and unions, by notification
6. Acheiving a real autonomy and independence for national newspapers and television and radio stations, through new legistlation and the reformation of companies, establishments of ministries
7. Cancelling the national service in the police force
8. Ending the security clampdown on telecommunications and the internet
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/02/10/egypt-a-list-of-demands-from-tahrir-square/