The freedom of religions, the hiyab, the "new" egyptian government, and the occidental culture...

Honestly, I don't like the news about something of the muslim culture in the occidental media. I believe that our occidental eyes cannot translate all details of this rich way of life.

I have written before about egyptian presidential elections, and for me everything was ok in this procedure, including its results. The muslim brotherhood won lawfully in my point of view and nothing can be said against it. (Transition procedures is a different matter, and in this sense, many things can be said to diverge from it).

But yesterday the world press brought a release talking about something supposedly "new" in Egypt: a woman newsreader wearing a hiyab, in a TV channel directed by the government. In many comments (in "El País", "Corriere della Sera", "The Guardian", including in the "liberal" brazilian press), people were arguing why this on TV, or the same argument about "the freedom of women" considering the strong religious regime in that country.

For us, it's really strange to see them with their costumes and habits. For me was kind of "shocking" to see them in Cairo with so many clothes. After many people were looking at me as if I was a real ET when I was wearing a simple t-shirt, I changed my clothes. And... so what? I had any kind of problems with that, and this opened to me many oppotunities to approach and talk to them (when they could speak English). Why we always argue other cultures if ours are not perfect for nothing?

Sorry for this rude words, but sometimes we should apply our fundamental rights as the freedom of religions for other too. The freedom of religions is guaranteed by the First Amendment in USA, by art. 5º in the Federal Constitution in Brazil, by the art. 16 in the Spanish Constitution... but this recognition is valid only for us? I don't believe that people in Egypt are angry with this. This is exactly their way of life, and although the fact that the use of the hiyab is only one of the possible interpretations of the Koran, I don't think it's a conflictive point between egyptian.

If we want a democratic world, it's time to apply our democratic speech. We have to stop trying to become the rest of the world more occidental like us...

Seriously.... is there something wrong with it? I don't think so...

Egypt and the distrust in the democracy

It is totally natural that the egyptians don't trust in these new democratic procedures to elect the next president. After so many years under Mubarak's command, it takes some time and it is quite acceptable the new popular movements which are taking place now in the country to argüe it.

Three losing candidates from the first round of Egypt’s presidential election say there were widespread irregularities in last month’s vote.

I can't say anything about second round's candidates (although the fact that, in my opinion, it's kind of strange to have Mubarak's supporters in it), but maybe I could ask if is legal or lawful trying to cancel the first round results just to investigate this. We had some suspicions about the procedures before, but it was removed in the first moments of the elections.

The worst thing which could happen now in Egypt is to extend more this democratic transition with no formed government. Considering that all candidates's appeals were refused by the Court, it's really difficult to accept some demand like this one.

Democratic transition has begun in Egypt!

After seeing the "arabic spring", we can follow the first democratic presidential elections in Egypt. The expectations are in only one direction: the massive participation of the society, maybe much more than in the last parliamentary elections celebrated.


On 11th may Egypt has held its first ever televised presidential debate. Two candidates of the 13 running took part of it: Former Arab League chief Amr Moussa and ex-Muslim Brotherhood member Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh. They showed up their views on religion and their experience in government. Considering 
the time that Egypt is walking to the democracy, the existence of a debate is something to celebrate as well.


Another thing really interesting (at least for me) is the electoral campaign. Limited by 1,3 million euros of expenditures, all the streets were full of electoral propaganda followed by incomplete laws about it. It's not necessary to say that the expenditure limit certainly has had no effects for candidates...


The polls indicate a second round between these two candidates, but there are other two possible candidates to run in the second round, Ahmed Shafiq (the last Mubarak's Prime Minister) and  Mohamed Morsi, member of other muslim movement with strong social support. It's important to say that there's a respectful part of the society who declared that they would vote for Shafiq, ignoring some past conection with Mubarak.


With the fear about the cleanliness of the elections, 14.000 judges will be responsible for the compliance with the electoral rules. Moreover, others 53 local NGO and 4 foreign organizations will follow all the process, including the Carter Center. All the observators are being protected by the army, considering the suspicious of violence, what fortunatelly didn't confirm. By now, the atmosphere is of tranquility. There were no early reports of vote-related violence and independent election monitors said they saw no major abuses.


With this political landscape, it's difficult to say something before Thursday... Better let them decide... Someone wants to bet?