Egyptian Ruling Class Divides and Conquers

[Seth]

It seems the junta is using a time honored tactic to keep workers from solidarity with one another.


At Least 23 Killed as Egyptian Troops Attack Protesting Christians (http://news.antiwar.com/2011/10/09/at-least-20-killed-in-egypts-christian-riots/)

Junta Demands Christians 'Show Restraint' While Urging Citizens to Attack Them




Christian protests starting in the southern city of Luxor were quelled by the governor, but riots broke out in the capital city of Cairo today, leaving at least 23 people dead (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/09/us-egypt-copts-clashes-idUSTRE7981Q220111009) and another 160 wounded (http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/10/10/58434451.html) as military forces moved against Coptic Christians.
http://news.antiwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/egypt.jpgThe protests began over the destruction of a church is Aswan, which was destroyed when the governor declared it to be illegally built (http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/report-19-killed-as-egypt-christians-police-clash-1.389021). The move fueled anger among the nation’s Christian minority, which has long been convinced that the junta is persecuting them.
That was when demonstrators marched on a Cairo TV station, a move which the junta answered by driving military vehicles into the crowd, crushing several people and sparking a full-fledged riot.
The state media has since broadcast demands urging “honest Egyptians” in Cairo to take to the streets and save the junta from the Christians, which by evening led to gangs of Islamists taking to the streets chanting “the people want to bring down the Christians. (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/10/world/europe/deadly-protests-over-church-attack-in-cairo.html)“

[MarxSchmarx]

I especiallly like the use of the phrase "junta" to describe the present Egyptian government, which is 100% acccurante and not at all used in the media for absurd reasons. TThat is what it is, and right now it enjoys a bit more legitimacy than the previous government, but already we are seeing deep cracks in that among the Egyptian people themselves.

I think these recent demonstrations and crackdownsa are indications that the revolution cannot conent intself with symbolic victories like the trial of Mubarak, but there needs to be a core of people willing to see this through. Easy for me to say as I am not Egyptian, but those of us not on the ground can at this point only counter the prevailign western narrative that Egypt has been "set awwwriiight" by pointing out that =it is precisely a junta eerily like Burmas that currentlyu calls the shots in Egypt.

[Os Cangaceiros]

There are reports that the "Muslims vs Christians" narrative is over-stated, and that there are actually a lot of Muslims who've defended the Coptic Christians during these recent clashes.

One thing that's for certain, though, is that the security forces are pretty much acting like a paramilitary goon squad against the Christians, in conjunction with the Islamists.

[Le Socialiste]

The recent wave of workers' strikes, occupations, and demonstrations throughout the country has clearly shaken the resolve of the Egyptian ruling class in its drive to cement its authority over the country. Mubarak's departure has done much to embolden Egypt's working-class; its success lies in the organization of all urban and rural workers into a revolutionary body that transcends the political and ideological line of the political-financial and religious elite. If, however, the ruling-class makes inroads in dividing the people along purely spiritual and theological lines the latter will find it increasingly difficult to attain what they sought with Mubarak's "overthrow".

[Seth]

Egyptians Chant "Muslims Christians Are One"

kmUuxymOimk

[Os Cangaceiros]

I was going to post this in the Egypt Newswire thread, but I guess I'll post it here too:


So it's happened again: Egyptian Christians have been killed and the ether is ablaze with talk of "sectarian violence" and the absence of "law and order". And that's exactly what the ether is being set up to do.

This latest outrage, leaving 25 people dead, is yet one more episode in the dirty drama we hoped our revolution would pull the final curtain on. It beggars belief that it continues, and that it elicits the same obsolete responses.

We now know a previous massacre, the bombing of the Church of the Two Martyrs in Alexandria in December, in which 21 were killed, was the work of Mubarak's ministry of the interior. It was beyond sickening that a government would kill its citizens in an attempt to turn them against each other – and Muslims flocked to stand with their Christian friends at Christmas mass.

Now, we live Sunday's murders and again this was no sectarian violence. This was the army murdering 25 citizens – with 310 still injured. It seems clear that the soldiers believed they were being attacked by Christian protesters. And it's also clear that they were set up to believe this. State TV issued a call for Muslims to "protect the army" – then three broadcasters dissociated themselves from TV "policy". So who is setting this policy?

etc

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/oct/10/attack-on-egyptian-christians-not-sectarian?CMP=twt_gu

Of course right-wing media in the USA is lapping up the sectarian violence narrative...never-mind the fact that America supports the most reprehensible Salafist regime on earth, Saudi Arabia.