All Eyes on Egypt

Written on 1/29/11

While sitting in a smoke-filled narghile café in the Old City of Damascus where locals were sipping on green tea, playing backgammon and watching a Syrian soccer match on t.v., something quickly caught the attention of everyone present. The events in Cairo that unfolded in real time on the television screen captured the attention of not only everyone in the café but also of the entire city. While walking back to my hostel I could see that nearly every shopkeeper equipped with a television was glued to the broadcast of the protests in Cairo and throughout Egypt. The uprisings in Cairo, Suez, and Alexandria were ubiquitous.

The ongoing protests, which evolved from minor demonstrations to full-out clashes with police and the military, exhibit the impact of various media in the Arab world. Word of the recent uprising in Tunisia spread like a wildfire throughout North Africa and the Middle East, and it served as a contagion to not just Egypt but also Jordan and Yemen. Satellite broadcasts carried live footage into millions of Arab homes while the use of social networking and cell phones provided a way for the masses to organize in unprecedented numbers. These tools played a major role in planning, executing, and sustaining effective demonstrations as well as attracting the world’s attention. The web certainly has its limitations and the catalyst that some expect to spread throughout the region is unlikely. The long term implications, however, could be very important because people are becoming increasingly empowered to assert their opinions about topics not usually discussed publicly.

AS SYRIANS SEE IT

Shivering from the cold night air in the traditional open courtyard back at the hostel, I had the opportunity to ask some Syrians about their perceptions as the protests became violent. I was quite surprised by how forthcoming they were about their opinions, which were emphatically on the side of the demonstrators. “Mubarak has had nearly 30 years,” one said, “and the country is still a mess. How long does it take,” he asked. Those willing to speak up expressed a feeling of empathy with the Egyptian people and lamented about their troubles. They said that the people had a right to express their thoughts and ask for change when necessary.

Thinking about Syria and similar issues it shares with Egypt—high unemployment,  poverty, increasing inflation and a lack of free speech—I cautiously breeched the topic of the progress made under Bashar al-Assad over the past ten years since he became president. The discussion on Syria was brief, as I was hesitant to delve too deeply into taboo subjects, and generally went in the direction I expected it would. Assad should be applauded for his efforts, the hostel workers agreed, and the country is on the right track. To no surprise, there was no mention about the major problems here. I suspect that as I develop relationships with locals I will be in a better position to enquire about political, religious, and social issues.

The following night at Café Domino (one street over from the biblical Straight Street) where news of the uprising in Egypt was on the television, my waiter said that the Egyptian people had every right to speak up about their dissatisfactions. Feeling more confident, I asked him of the situation here. “Yes,” he acknowledged, “Syria has a lot of issues, but President Assad is taking the necessary steps.” He said, “Look around you. Everyone is happy.” Judging from the discussions I’ve had, most people do seem to be quite content. Smiles greet you around every corner and welcomes and “more welcomes” are offered everywhere I go. I haven’t seen a single homeless person (yet) and have been approached only once or twice by someone pleading for money, which is in stark contrast to Morocco. I do wonder if what people tell me is genuine—considering the salience of secret police and what’s been written about Syria’s lack of free speech—but whereas Egypt’s problems create hardships for millions, Syria’s appear (so far) to be at least tolerable. I’m sure that I will be exposed to a different side of Damascus the longer I stay. But I can say that most of the things people envision when they think about this beautiful country: terrorists, abductions, bombs, etc…—they are wrong. A region should not be defined by the actions of only a few.

The same waiter at Café Domino asked me about Americans’ perceptions of Syria. I was honest and he understood. The biggest thing to which he expressed an objection was America’s disapproval with Syria’s ties to Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. He said that the Syrian government is playing the U.S.’s game of politics. The West allies against the Middle East, he said, and has done so since or before the Balfour Declaration in 1917. To prevent marginalization and isolation, he argued, Syria must look out for itself and cultivate relationships. He expressed much hope that the recent arrival of America’s ambassador to Syria, the first since 2005, will improve the U.S.-Syria relationship immensely.

My hope is that we, Americans, seek to learn the truth about other people in all countries. As my number of travels and explorations increase, I see more and more that content in Western media and in school (k-12) does not match up with facts on the ground. Others have often extended their hands to the U.S., so why not reach out and open our minds. Perhaps it would lead to better policies and a better way of life for them as well as us.