Everyone, from cab drivers and street sweepers to doctors and professors is depressed about the disastrous demonstration by the Copts on October 9th in which mostly Christian civilians were shot. The violence against both sides was caused by "unknown forces" still unknown to this day which doesn't say much about military intelligence.
One friend, a Muslim supporting the Coptic demonstration got roughed up. She said trained snipers fired on people from the roofs of buildings. A well-known leader/activist was killed.
Doesn't sound random to me.
Some Christians reactions to the military are surprising. Of course, they are officially and rightfully indignant but privately I have heard some criticize the demonstrators for massing at time of such political tension.
The country is becoming chaotic. Everyone is on strike and there really isn't money to meet their demands for a living wage. The police, many of whom are still in hiding and certainly not back on the streets, are now demonstrating against the minister of interior, el-Essawi, demanding he cleanse the ministry of the previous minister, Habib el Adly, a Mubarak loyalist.
Still, 73% of the population still supports the army. I guess when you haven't any other choice you back the one you have. As one friend said, "The relationship between the Egyptian people and the Army is like a wife and her husband. She knows he's unfaithful but she stays because of the children."
I'm afraid that sums it up.
Amal Sedky Winter, PhD
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