The revolution is not over in Egypt, \u00a0and all the objectives are not yet realised and may well not be, but Egyptians are rightly proud of the way that the 25th January revolution was conducted.<\/p>\n
A foreign news reporter friend of mine who covered the whole period in Tahrir Square said that it was one of three best events he had covered in his long career. \u00a0\u00a0His next assignment was Tripoli, followed by Benghazi.<\/p>\n
I met him in a hotel bar on his way back from Benghazi a week ago. \u00a0‘How did the Libyan experience compare’? I wanted to know. \u00a0This is what he said:<\/p>\n
Tripoli two months ago is very different to the city now. \u00a0Then he could slip the minder and get into Zawiyah through back roads, and find Libyans in opposition – but he could see that it put them in danger, the security men moved in fast and ominously. \u00a0Now journalists there are confined to the hotel, unless heavily escorted to pre-selected places.<\/p>\n
The conflict in Libya is nastier. \u00a0Increasingly the rebels are taking prisoners and giving hospital treatment to regime soldiers, \u00a0but it was not always the case. \u00a0Emotions understandably run high with deaths of old people, women and children from grad rockets fired into homes and snipers deliberately targeting – especially in Misrata.<\/p>\n
The most attractive trait he treasured though was the honesty, generosity and, \u00a0strange to say, innocence of the Libyans he met in Benghazi. \u00a0 Somewhat isolated from the world in these decades, there is little world-weariness and cynicism. \u00a0 They have a taste of freedom in their mouth and they want to savour it for the rest of their lives and those of their children.<\/p>\n
Current events in the Middle east demonstrate that indeed the Egyptians (and Tunisians) have much be be proud of. \u00a0 Other regimes though perhaps take note that the departing president and their families are being called to account now.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The revolution is not over in Egypt, \u00a0and all the objectives are not yet realised and may well not be, but Egyptians are rightly proud of the way that the 25th January revolution was conducted. A foreign news reporter friend … Continue reading