Elections in Egypt: the retransmitted truth

For: Maria Ferreira (text and photos)
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«Smithers: I'm afraid we have a bad image, Mr.. Citizens see him as some kind of ogre.
Burns: I should crush them and eat their bones!». The Simpson.

1. The day begins at nine in the morning. Twitter and camera in hand I am about to tour Cairo to find out what happens beyond the unclear information circulating on the internet. We all know by now that elections are won by Al Sisi, no excitement or suspense. The other candidate, Hamdin Sabahi, parece estar colocado para poder justificar las palabras «democracia» o «libertad».

2. At 10 some tweets are published reporting an explosion without injuries in The Mahalla El Kubra. During the day some news channels claim that it is false information. Others assure that it is true. I can't help but think that the truth today does not exist as such, it is a construction that has to be filmed, and what does it say Baudrillard, takes place only in its retransmission. What happens then when the evidence is contradictory? What happens when everything can be true and false at the same time? Is reality perhaps a great cat of Schrödinger, being able to be alive and dead at the same time?

The truth today does not exist as such, it is a construction that has to be filmed

3. I visit various polling stations in Shoubra, Tahrir, Zamalek, El Zahir and Heliopolis. The atmosphere that reigns in the streets is one of joy. Cars whistle and flag out the windows. People greet and give flowers to the military who fill the streets. Women dance and celebrate. A young girl, who takes photos with his mobile, he looks at me and says: «Déjalas que disfruten, son las últimas elecciones que van a celebrar».

I approach one of the women who has posed smiling for me, and I ask him if he thinks that elections really have a choice. Answer me no, but they don't want freedom, they want the man who has managed to oust the Muslim Brotherhood from power and who has managed to treat them for what they are: terrorist.

People greet and give flowers to the military who fill the streets. Women dance and celebrate

While I let myself be infected (a bit) for the collective joy, I think Al Sisi is playing as planned: Politics, beyond a management of the economy and power, is going to impose one truth over another, and for this it is necessary to tag the enemy. Once this enemy is identified, se anula, accused and publicly declared dangerous. This is what Al Sisi has done with the Muslim Brotherhood and the liberal group of the 6 of April. Has used violence and repression as a political weapon, or at least that's what a group of a dozen young people defend who vote for Hamdin Sabahi and share their ideas with me. They also tell me about political repression, and of the 21.317 arrests that have taken place from June to December of last year, according to Thawra Wiki.

End the day with rumors of explosions that have not been confirmed. It's exhausting trying to find something real

4. In the afternoon the parties continue, Al Sisi supporters comment that turnout is high. I ask if there is official data and they point me to the streets. In Kerdasa a protest by the Muslim Brotherhood begins and Mohamed Fathy, belonging to the group that overthrew Morsi, Is murdered. In one of the polling stations, one of the men belonging to Hamdin's party in charge of checking that the elections are legal found an irregularity and wanted to report it to the military, had a fight with one of them and was arrested. One of Hamdin's group's lawyers tried to defend him and was beaten and arrested.. All a sample of freedom.

5. They declare tomorrow as non-working due to the high abstention on this first day. End the day with rumors of explosions that have not been confirmed. It's exhausting trying to find something real. I look at the pictures and see the joy of the people and I think happiness is sustained by the desire to be happy, not by the facts.

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Comments (1)

  • JLB

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    Interesting. And how hard. They don't want freedom because they don't know what it is. Or because they are afraid. By when will real democracy in Africa?
    Thank you and congratulations on your article..

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