April 2011 - Centre for Civil Society - University of KwaZulu-Natal

course in Egypt, where detainees are routinely held without trial or access
to legal representation.
WHAT IS THE PRESENT ROLE OF EGYPT’S MILITARY?
Under the guise of ‘reform’ at the state level, the military has further
embedded itself within Egypt’s newly appointed cabinet. When asked
about the elevation to vice president of Omar Sulieman, Egypt's former
chief of intelligence and Mubarak’s right-hand man, Rizk told The Africa
Report that ‘Egyptians understand this for what it is. It represents no
change. As soon as the announcement was made, protestors began
chanting against Sulieman, identified as a man of the regime.’
The military has been portrayed by international media as sympathetic, or
even protective of the protestors. But very little is known about who
controls the armed forces.
Egypt specialist Joshua Stacher of Kent State University recently told CNN
that ‘the military's refusal to act is a highly political act which shows that
it is allowing the Egyptian regime to reconstitute itself at the top and is
highly, utterly against the protesters.’
But will the US listen? If the military is the power backing the regime, and
is financed annually to the tune of $1.3bn by the US government – the US's
second largest aid recipient in the world, after Israel – who is responsible
for Mubarak's dictatorship?
According to Na'eem Jeenah, executive director of the Johannesburg-based
think tank Afro-Middle East Centre, ‘the whole notion that we've been
exposed to recently of these soldiers as benevolent protectors is a myth. In
the lower and middle ranks, there is certainly potential for soldiers to
switch sides. But it has been a move by those on top to provide a good
image of the military, and those from below, who want to win over the
soldiers. Some thought it was a great thing when the cabinet was
dissolved, but what we're really seeing is the removal of business people
and the entrenchment of the military, to ensure that they have the control
in the new government.’
Jeenah told The Africa Report that the military had long been in control of
key sectors of the country's political economy. In his view, it has ‘a well
designed plan to pace the process and timing of change, to secure the
army's role in government and the economy.’
‘Once the sun sets,’ said Jeenah, ‘the army will go in and clean up the
protestors.’
Even without its figurehead, the Mubarak machinery will be able to ensure
the continuation of the same repressive and brutal tactics. Social media
can act as the watchdog, when and if the Egyptian government allows it,
but who in Egypt will respond to the watchdog?
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