In any discussion of Egypt, it is important to remember that the country has a wonderful past which was closely tied to its belief in the Afterlife. The Egyptians believed in more than 20 gods and goddesses, and each one had its own role in the creation of the world, making the sun come up everyday and offering protection. So, it was the population's duty to recognize and worship them. Another belief was to mummify the body to preserve it for the Afterlife. The Pyramids were built for the pharaohs to house their mummified remains for "eternity".
The River Nile also retains a key role in the daily life of Egypt. It is the longest river in the world and its name was quoted on the Pyramids, the great temples and in tales of mummies. "In fact, for thousands of years, the River has made life possible for hundreds of thousands of people and animals, and has shaped the culture we today are only beginning to truly understand"*.
The Arab Spring is the name given to a series of revolutions and protests that occurred in the Arab world between 2010-2012. For many years, dictatorships controlled not only the social life of the population but also the political and the economical aspects.
In the case of Egypt, the President's name was Hosni Mubarak. The protests in the country ran for 18 days. Right at the beginning, the government attempted to eliminate the nation's Internet access because the social media networks were helping the population to organize the protests. President Mubarak dismissed his government and trasferred his power to the Armed Forces of Egypt.
Now, there are 13 Egyptian candidates that will stand in the poll for President on 23 and 24 May. The candidates fall into categories of former regime figures, Islamists and independents.
The big difference between the Egyptian revolution in the Arab Spring and the other countries was that Egypt's protests were largely unarmed. However, this report shows a new wave of violence has already resulted in at least 20 civilians being killed in Cairo at a protest near the Ministry of Defence.
"Opposition to the SCAF (Supreme Council of Armed Forces ) has built up steadily since it assumed Mr Mubarak's presidential powers in February 2011. The council has been accused of stifling dissent by killing protesters, detaining critics and undermining the youth and civil society groups which led to the uprising." Some reports state that the attack was made by civilians, angry at the sit-in, which began on Sunday. The sit-in was a protest from the supporters of a Salafist preacher barred from competing in the election.
*http://www.touregypt.net/egypt-info/magazine-mag05012001-magf4a.htm
**http://www.sis.gov.eg/En/Story.aspx?sid=1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17859639"Opposition to the SCAF (Supreme Council of Armed Forces ) has built up steadily since it assumed Mr Mubarak's presidential powers in February 2011. The council has been accused of stifling dissent by killing protesters, detaining critics and undermining the youth and civil society groups which led to the uprising." Some reports state that the attack was made by civilians, angry at the sit-in, which began on Sunday. The sit-in was a protest from the supporters of a Salafist preacher barred from competing in the election.
*http://www.touregypt.net/egypt-info/magazine-mag05012001-magf4a.htm
**http://www.sis.gov.eg/En/Story.aspx?sid=1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring
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