BY MATT LECH
lechma@mnstate.edu

On Feb. 1, over a million Egyptians flooded the streets of Cairo in an attempt to force out President Hosni Mubarak, who has held the position since 1981. Among those wishing for Mubarak to leave Egypt is MSUM computer science student Ahmad Elghazaly, a 25-year-old from Cairo.

The demonstrations in Egypt are a response to the anti-democratic, corrupt and inefficiency of the government.

“They feel we can change things now,” Elghazaly said.

In a speech on Feb. 1, Mubarak said he intended to stay until his term was over in September. When asked if he thought Mubarak could hold onto power for a few more months, Elghazaly said, “Months? No, I don’t think so, it could be a few days. If he doesn’t step down in the next few days, he will be forced out.”

Past elections have been criticized for corruption, with the alleged results showing Mubarak to have gotten over four-fifths of the vote. “It’s like (that) every time,” Elghazaly said.
Elghazaly has never voted in an Egyptian election himself. His cousin, he said, tried 15 years ago.

“In Egypt,” Elghazaly said, “you have to go to the police station to get an I.D. to vote. When he tried to do that, he was told that he had already voted.”
It is unclear what will happen if Mubarak does leave.

“That’s a problem,” Elghazaly said, “We don’t know who can take Mubarak’s place.” According to Elghazaly, the priority now is simply democracy. “(Democracy) is what they are asking for now,” he said.
Concerns that Islamic groups, like the Muslim Brotherhood, will seize power once Mubarak leaves are overblown, according to Elghazaly. “The Muslim Brotherhood is not a big part of it,” he said. He also said to “not always connect Islam with terrorists.”

President Obama has declined to call for Mubarak to leave but did recommend that he listen to the Egyptian people, a stance Elghazaly agrees with.

“I think it is better that he didn’t say that (Mubarak must leave), it is better for the people to decide,” he said.

To read more from this writer, view his blog at mattlech.blogspot.com

Tags: cairo, dragons, egyp, egypt, lech, moorhead, MSUM, mubarak, student

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