THE death sentence awarded to former President Mohammed Morsi marked the climax of the Egyptian drama. The spirit of the Arab spring has been crushed by the Military court. The expectations of the people stridently articulated at Tahrir Square in Cairo in January 2011 have more or less melted away. True, the tyrannical rule of President Hosni Mubarak was brought to an end and he was put in chains. But Mohammed Morsi who took over also proved that he was not the answer to the people’s prayer. He is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood which is associated with Islamic fundamentalism in the Arab world. He soon came to be known as a modern day Pharaoh who introduced draconian legislation which was cruelly oppressive to minority communities, especially Coptic Christians. His referendum which he won was not contested by the Opposition. He was the first democratically elected President of Egypt but his governance proved to be a fake democracy. The end came soon. The military took over and Field Marshal Sisi enforced junta rule though he doffed his uniform and governed in the garb of a President. Turmoil continued. Hosni Mubarak was released. Mohammed Morsi was put under house arrest and as he tried to make his getaway from jail, he has now been sentenced to death. His fans are naturally on the warpath.
The western powers are in a tizzy. They had initially backed Morsi because he represented democracy. But as Islamic terrorism struck in Iraq and Syria antagonizing the West, it could not openly commit itself to support for the Muslim Brotherhood. At the same time, it cannot back military rule in Egypt. The economy in Egypt is shattered. Previously Egypt played a balancing role in the conflict between Israel and Palestine and also preserved peace in other Arab countries. When will it be in a position to assume that mediatory role?
