EGYPT’S president Hosni Mubarak has ruled the country for nearly three decades and if the recent violence against Coptic Christians is not contained, it is likely that his government’s stability will be severely undermined.
Coptic Christians have a long list of grievances against Mubarak’s government. They say national unity is threatened by the spread of religious fundamentalism among the country’s Muslims.
The New Year suicide bombing at a church had all the markings of al Qaeda, a force whose presence the Mubarak government has consistently denied. The spread of religious extremism against Christians in the country could increase the chances of Mubarak dissolving parliament and calling for elections this year.
The media too has been quite stinging in its attack on the government. After riots broke out in Cairo immediately after the church bombing, political commentators, opposition leaders, politicians and others called Mubarak to take urgent steps to protect the lives and properties of Christians in the country.
Writing in Al Masry Al Youm, an independent newspaper, Magdy el-Gallad said: “The regime fooled us for many years with the illusion of ‘stability’. We neither progressed nor has our situation remained stable.”
Public opinion is divided about the effectiveness of Mubarak’s rule. He underwent surgery in Germany last year and has appeared weak for several months afterward. That triggered speculation that he may soon step down.
However, a few others close to government authorities deny this and say that he has no intention of giving up power. His son, Gamal, is tipped to be his successor in case Mubarak decides to quit.
To his credit, Mubarak appeared hands on in tackling the situation arising out of riots. Billboards displaying the crescent moon and the cross, symbols of both faiths, appeared across the country even as radio stations played out pop songs calling for unity. He appeared on national television and called for peace in the country.
However, his critics see all these actions as a cosmetic effort. In their opinion, Mubarak has to do much more if he has to retain credibility among the nation’s minorities and hold on to power for some more time.
