Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic feast that comes the first day after Ramadan, is typically a festive day in Cairo. Families get together or take to the streets, there is insanely loud music everywhere, impossibly energetic kids run around in new clothes while their incessant firecrackers create the illusion of a war zone, and the television is filled with the familiar lighthearted material and some new releases. And there were indeed many of these regular features of the occasion yesterday, but it was all visibly more limited than usual, much more subdued. The gloomy mood is a result of a politically tumultuous Ramadan and also the tense anticipation of one particular event: whether or not the government will try to break up Cairo's two major pro-Mohammed Morsi sit-ins at the Rabia al-Adawiya and Nahda squares.
The act is largely seen by people as either an impending disaster or a decisive action worthy of celebration. It has been my personal experience that the second camp is more prevalent in Cairo. And with the recent round of international diplomatic mediation efforts officially declared as having “ended” without any noticeable breakthroughs, and with the government and media rhetoric becoming noticeably sharper over the past few days, many theorize that the break-up effort will perhaps take place within days.
Within the pro-June 30 camp, the debate over dispersing the sit-ins has been hotly divided. Those who want the sit-ins dispersed refer to supposed evidence of weaponry and acts of torture at the sit-ins. They believe that the lives of Rabia-area residents are becoming paralyzed, given the depth of the sit-in, on top of residents' alleged complaints of intimidation and assault. The Nahda Square sit-in has been at the heart of violent outbursts in this area, with each side naturally blaming the other for instigating events. Most of the media have staunchly supported breaking up the sit-ins, further fueling the passions of those adopting this side of the argument.
But it has been my argument that breaking up the sit-ins by force, despite the arguments voiced in support, would be overall a dangerous and counterproductive course of action, especially from the viewpoint of decision-makers in Cairo. If I were to assume their point of view for the rest of this argument, and not speak from a more neutral perspective or refer to debates on of freedom of speech, then here’s why:
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