Farewell to the Pharaoh

Quick Facts About Egypt: Established in 3100 B.C. Egypt today has a population of approximately 79 million. Its people speak Arabic and 99% are Egyptian. The country staged its first modern revolution in 1919 and established independence in 1922. Continued instability due to remaining British influence led to a second revolution in 1952 and the creation of the Egyptian Republic in 1953.

What went On In Egypt?: Protests started on Tuesday, January 25, when -- inspired by the successful revolution in Tunisia -- thousands began taking to the streets to protest poverty, rampant unemployment, government corruption and autocratic governance of President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled the country for 30 years. These were the first protests on such a large scale in Egypt since the 1970s. The Egyptian revolution is also referred to as the Egyptian Protests, Days of Rage, the Papyrus Revolution and the Lotus Revolution

The revolt in Egypt was not just about getting rid of authoritarian leaders and dictators. It was also about ending economic injustice and exploitation. Egypt has witnessed a number of protests in the past five years. Demonstrators clearly showed that they were defying the restrictions of political activism and breaking through the fear barrier. One by one, the lines of communication that connected Egypt to the 21st century shut down. Twitter, Facebook, and eventually all Internet access were cut off; text messaging became impossible, and then millions of mobile phones went silent across the country.

Like the European revolutions of 1848 and the uprising against Stalinism in 1989, the Egypt revolt has rejected fear. An insurrection of suppressed ideas, hope and solidarity has begun. In addition, the Egypt uprising still represents only the beginning of a continuing wave of instability that is sweeping the region and will not subside by temporary economic measures.

The deterioration of economic conditions is the catalyst for the unrest. It's not so much the political unrest, it's more about unemployment and food prices and these sorts of things. All of that is coinciding also with the real establishment of this incredibly large young cohort in the Egypt, the population is very much weighted to people within [the ages of] 15 and 30. All of these things sort of coalescing at the same time have created quite a volatile situation in Egypt that are poor, that are quite populous and have quite ageing leaders and that's a consistent thing we see in Egypt.

I strongly believe that dictatorship brings nothing good for its citizens, the same thing monopolies does by bringing miserable effect to customer. Let’s not forget that every revolution needed martyrs. Those people who would sacrifice their own life for the sake of greater goods. May god bless all of them.