Stand together

Ibrahim Nafie predicts that 2005 will be a watershed year

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Most analysts agree that last year was dominated by violence and bloodshed, regionally and internationally. In last Friday's article, I said that the world looks forward to less mayhem in 2005. I also mentioned that Egypt was not spared the bloodshed. The Taba bombings gave us a bitter taste of the horror that has taken grip of the world. And yet 2005 saw the beginnings of comprehensive political, economic and social reform in Egypt. The next few years will see a consolidation of this reform, in accordance with a mature Egyptian vision combining change and stability and without losing sight of the interests of the poor. Reform and change matter, but the pace of reform matters even more.

Reform needs to be quick and decisive. But speed must not turn into haste for then the safety and stability of the country might be threatened. Knowing the cautious course charted by President Hosni Mubarak we can be assured that reform will be conducted in a balanced manner. This is how we do things in this country. This is how we avoided the turmoil that gripped other countries when they failed to balance reform with security and modernisation with stability.

In recent years Egypt has addressed a host of problems. It has faced regional and international upheavals and remained on an even keel. The world has been buffeted by waves of terror that have traumatised Eastern as well as Western societies. Yet there have also been examples of regional cooperation. The EU has accepted ten new members and is coming close to bringing the entire continent of Europe -- which sparked two world wars in the first half of the 20th century -- under its wing.

2005 will see the nation vote in a presidential referendum. A new government will be formed and parliamentary elections will be held. All this will usher in a new phase. Unlike in the past Egypt will no longer focus on immediate matters. We will focus instead on the future.

This year will see more steps taken towards economic reform. Parliament will debate tax and tariff laws. Further actions will be taken to attract foreign and Arab investors. Measures will be introduced to tackle the side-effects of reform, especially inflation and unemployment. Economic plans will be formulated with a view to increasing individual income, both directly and indirectly.

The current government is capable and trustworthy. It has carried out ground- breaking measures and set the stage for economic recovery. The government has been six months in office and in this short time has made a tangible impact on the economy. We need to view its work from a long-term perspective, though the fruits of its work will begin to be felt by the average citizen within a matter of months.

The referendum on the presidency is crucial to the country. We all know that President Mubarak has for the past two decades spent enormous effort on consolidating regional stability. Mubarak has intervened at crucial moments to spare the Arab world and the region from catastrophes triggered by sudden developments and reckless policies. He has tirelessly defended the rights of the Palestinian people, done much to clear the Arab atmosphere and stood by Arab countries in their time of need. Mubarak has won the respect and appreciation of world leaders because of his efforts to prevent military confrontations and contain crises that could have led to regional wars. The Egyptian president has worked hard to pave the way to ending the occupation of Iraq and transferring sovereignty to the Iraqis, as was evident during the Sharm El-Sheikh conference on Iraq.

Domestically, President Mubarak's achievements are there for all to see. Thanks to his diligent efforts the country has succeeded in renovating its infrastructure. With improved roads, bridges, communication and electricity supply networks the country can now accommodate increased population and economic activity.

Politically, the president has succeeded in implementing democracy in a manner that suits the specific needs of our society. Our approach is one that only countries with historic and cultural weight can pursue. Rather than imitate others we have applied general rules in a way that suits us. Egypt has struck a balance between reform and security, modernisation and stability. This formula has been inspired by Mubarak's personality, by his gradual approach and his disdain for adventure and recklessness. While inspired by the interests of the Egyptian people it ignores domestic pressures exerted by certain groups as well as the external pressures applied by major powers.

The reform and modernisation taking place in this country are the outcome of an exclusively Egyptian vision, one the president has developed without being influenced by extreme and fanatical forces or by pressure coming from other countries. Thanks to Mubarak's awareness of the specific nature of the Egyptian experience and his moderate style the coming phase will see major changes introduced. One of these involves amending the Egyptian constitution. I am not divulging any secrets by writing that the amendment of the constitution will take place in the period following the presidential referendum in September.

President Mubarak is leading an all-out process of change and trying to achieve progress on various fronts. He will be explaining, in the coming period, his political and economic plans. He will also present his views on what has been achieved so far and what is yet to come.

Mubarak's plans emanate from a vision of multi-faceted progress. But the implementation of this vision is the responsibility of each of us. We are not mere bystanders; we must participate with full conviction and perform our duties.

Some of us are not participating in the national effort. Some of us are attempting -- knowingly or unknowingly -- to obstruct the course of progress and harm national unity and security. I will mention here the manner in which some people treated a singular case in the most sensational way. The people I am referring to dealt with the issue of the Abu Al-Matamir woman in such a manner because they wanted their moment of fame, or needed to increase the circulation of some newspaper. At home and abroad there were those who welcomed this opportunity to poison the atmosphere, inflame emotions and undermine the Egyptian tradition of national cohesion, a tradition that has survived throughout our modern history.

Regardless of differences and the occasional controversy I would urge all Egyptians to stop dabbling in this issue. We must discover the true identity of those who fuel sedition so that we may unmask them and confront their insidious ideas and evil intentions.

I am shocked by how far some people have sunk. I am shocked to see how some people overlook Egypt's entire history to focus on a single event and give it significance. Islam does not win anything from the conversion of a Coptic woman, and Christianity does not lose anything by that conversion. Islam and Christianity are major religions with over one billion followers. If you want to think of something that matters think of the fall out left by the recent tidal wave in Southeast Asia. In Indonesia alone 100,000 people were killed in the disaster.

We are all Egyptian, and national unity has grown stronger under the leadership of President Mubarak. This much everyone knows. There may be outstanding problems, and these will be tackled with our long-standing tradition of tolerance and moderation, not through sedition and turmoil.

Our national unity is not up to those with personal and sectarian axes to grind. Sedition and sensationalism are not permissible. The fire of sedition, if it spreads, will spare no one. The losers will be Egypt and the Egyptians. The winners will be the enemies of the homeland.

We are going through a crucial phase on the road to progress. This phase requires us to stand together and back efforts to modernise. Egypt must come first. Everyone should stand behind the national revival. Let's get ready for a massive national effort, an effort that is already underway and will pick up speed once the referendum on the presidency is held. Let this be a landmark in Egypt's bid to become an advanced industrial nation, a country with a model political system, a model that will inspire others who are trying to answer questions on the relation between economic development and democracy, on gradualism and on reconciling political and economic development to the specific traits of a certain society.

We have to continue working for success. After all the efforts President Mubarak has made, after all the policies the current government has introduced, we will not allow anyone to stop our march or tamper with the dreams and ambitions of our great nation, a nation that has endured much and that deserves to take its place among the region's best. Let Egyptians stand together. The goal is in sight.