Over the past few days, I have watched a peaceful country filled with peace-loving people turn from dismay to protest. Despite those attempting to incite chaos, the Egyptian people maintained dignity and decency.
In a country of 85 million, perhaps several hundreds of thousands or maybe a few million are publicly demanding their right to freedom and justice. Many more agree and are supporting the protest from behind the scenes through the provision of food, water, supplies and medical attention. What a statement of camaraderie. Few countries in the world have citizens who have shown a passion for justice and yet self-restraint in the face of a revolution as the Egyptians have show in the past week. Yet there are many more just struggling to survive and feed and these faces, the majority of Egyptians, you may never see, but they suffer just the same because of the strain of increased poverty.
Equally, I have never seen so many worried faces at a Davos convention as the challenge Egypt brought to the geopolitical forefront. To multinational business and world leaders everywhere, Egypt is a deal maker and the interruption of Egypt is a deal breaker as the markets did attest.
America benefits from the amiable political relationship with Egypt. America's own oil supply peaked in the early 1970's and since then we've been steadily importing. Currently, the US imports 67% of our petroleum much of it passing through the Suez canal. Israel too has benefited from having a peace accord with Egypt for the past thirty years. Businesses and leaders need a peaceful, stable Egypt. How can you feel calm when you struggle daily to feed yourself and your family.
Today, Mubarak announced that he will leave office, but not right away. He will instead transition away in the next seven to ten months. Yet the damage that has been done over the past week in Cairo and around the country may take years to repair given Egypt's challenged infrastructure. The employment was already high, but some individuals were able to supplement their income via tourism as taxi drivers and tour guides to name a few areas. These industries have suffered and will suffer for years to come because of disruptive forces which tried to turn the tide to violence. It was the steadfast focus on peaceful assembly and unified action that prevented mass looting and further violence for now.
Egypt is a survivor, but at whose expense. The infrastructure of roads, agriculture, energy, industry, transportation and manufacturing was neglected before the protests. Currently, the system is severely stressed. Meager government subsidies of food have stopped. Families rely on each other while they can, but the petroleum is limited, food and other basic supplies are meager; not being delivered and people still have to eat. Many of the banks are closed and people have no work to return to because their business or transportation was destroyed in the fury of vandalism.
Of those 85 million Egyptians, we may have seen 1 or 2 % protesting, This unseen mass of around 83 million individuals, people like you and I, must maintain their basic needs of food, water, shelter, and livelihood however small. Right now Egyptians are being squeezed to survive on little to nothing. Interestingly, in the same week Davos attendees paid a small sum to attend an annual conference to meet, greet, and benefit their businesses. Davos; a multi-million dollar opportunity was not established to drop even a dime toward the Egyptian citizen's nonetheless; wouldn't it be excellent if this year, they set a precedent and donated money to help the people of Egypt. It would be a small miracle. Miracles are possible; you just never know.
So where is the money to help the Egyptians rebuild their world?
If it is true that Hosni Mubarak has 40 billion tucked away, the Egyptian infrastructure could surely benefit from most of this money. Perhaps Mr. Mubarak will consider giving back to the people. Then again, "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle." Then again, you never know. Let's wait and see because Mubarak may have a change of heart. It would be a small miracle and miracles are possible
The people need to have the infrastructure restored and if the world citizens can help one another through all sorts of disasters, perhaps we can unite once more to help Egypt as the international geological community did 60 years ago when it saved priceless Egyptian artifacts before Lake Nasser was filled.
For the past week, the whole world saw Egypt demand freedom and justice despite her suffering. Now Egypt is watching the world and taking note of how we will respond to her in this; her hour of need.
In a country of 85 million, perhaps several hundreds of thousands or maybe a few million are publicly demanding their right to freedom and justice. Many more agree and are supporting the protest from behind the scenes through the provision of food, water, supplies and medical attention. What a statement of camaraderie. Few countries in the world have citizens who have shown a passion for justice and yet self-restraint in the face of a revolution as the Egyptians have show in the past week. Yet there are many more just struggling to survive and feed and these faces, the majority of Egyptians, you may never see, but they suffer just the same because of the strain of increased poverty.
Equally, I have never seen so many worried faces at a Davos convention as the challenge Egypt brought to the geopolitical forefront. To multinational business and world leaders everywhere, Egypt is a deal maker and the interruption of Egypt is a deal breaker as the markets did attest.
America benefits from the amiable political relationship with Egypt. America's own oil supply peaked in the early 1970's and since then we've been steadily importing. Currently, the US imports 67% of our petroleum much of it passing through the Suez canal. Israel too has benefited from having a peace accord with Egypt for the past thirty years. Businesses and leaders need a peaceful, stable Egypt. How can you feel calm when you struggle daily to feed yourself and your family.
Today, Mubarak announced that he will leave office, but not right away. He will instead transition away in the next seven to ten months. Yet the damage that has been done over the past week in Cairo and around the country may take years to repair given Egypt's challenged infrastructure. The employment was already high, but some individuals were able to supplement their income via tourism as taxi drivers and tour guides to name a few areas. These industries have suffered and will suffer for years to come because of disruptive forces which tried to turn the tide to violence. It was the steadfast focus on peaceful assembly and unified action that prevented mass looting and further violence for now.
Egypt is a survivor, but at whose expense. The infrastructure of roads, agriculture, energy, industry, transportation and manufacturing was neglected before the protests. Currently, the system is severely stressed. Meager government subsidies of food have stopped. Families rely on each other while they can, but the petroleum is limited, food and other basic supplies are meager; not being delivered and people still have to eat. Many of the banks are closed and people have no work to return to because their business or transportation was destroyed in the fury of vandalism.
Of those 85 million Egyptians, we may have seen 1 or 2 % protesting, This unseen mass of around 83 million individuals, people like you and I, must maintain their basic needs of food, water, shelter, and livelihood however small. Right now Egyptians are being squeezed to survive on little to nothing. Interestingly, in the same week Davos attendees paid a small sum to attend an annual conference to meet, greet, and benefit their businesses. Davos; a multi-million dollar opportunity was not established to drop even a dime toward the Egyptian citizen's nonetheless; wouldn't it be excellent if this year, they set a precedent and donated money to help the people of Egypt. It would be a small miracle. Miracles are possible; you just never know.
So where is the money to help the Egyptians rebuild their world?
If it is true that Hosni Mubarak has 40 billion tucked away, the Egyptian infrastructure could surely benefit from most of this money. Perhaps Mr. Mubarak will consider giving back to the people. Then again, "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle." Then again, you never know. Let's wait and see because Mubarak may have a change of heart. It would be a small miracle and miracles are possible
The people need to have the infrastructure restored and if the world citizens can help one another through all sorts of disasters, perhaps we can unite once more to help Egypt as the international geological community did 60 years ago when it saved priceless Egyptian artifacts before Lake Nasser was filled.
For the past week, the whole world saw Egypt demand freedom and justice despite her suffering. Now Egypt is watching the world and taking note of how we will respond to her in this; her hour of need.
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