Towards a Culture for Accountability: A New Dawn for Egypt

Phoenix International Law Review, Vol. V, Issue 1, 2011

39 Pages Posted: 19 Nov 2011

See all articles by Mohamed A. Arafa

Mohamed A. Arafa

Universidade de Brasília (UnB); Cornell University - Law School; Alexandria University - Faculty of Law; Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law

Date Written: May 1, 2011

Abstract

That Egyptian civil society, across generational, religious, gender, and economic lines and without a charismatic leader, has been able to organize itself at the grassroots level in the face of a strong regime evidences people-power. Public order, security, and stability has deteriorated during the past two decades with an increase in the crime rate and other forms of abuses of power by individuals as well as thugs and small criminal bands, which the police have left somewhat unchecked.

The army is held in high esteem by the people because in the last 30 years it has never acted against the people. To prevent manipulation during the investigations and trials, the Egyptian Attorney General ordered the arrest and freezing of assets of a number of persons under investigation for corruption, bribery, profiteering, and money laundering. Further, some institutional reforms have taken place, like the Individual Investigations will be conducted by the Attorney General to determine how corruption turned into money laundering and how the Egyptian economy is now left holding the bag for what could amount to billions of dollars.

The Mubarak regime, like its predecessors, the Nasr and Sadat regimes, had a military and political establishment. Under Mubarak, no one knows exactly how much it grew because its operations, budgets, and profits were secret. This entire sector of the economy was not only beyond civilian control, it is secret, not taxed, and its undisclosed profits are distributed by the military establishment as the senior leadership sees fit. It lay outside of any type of accountability, not subject to any operational control, enjoying free from import and export duties, and even the public does not know that many of their consumer goods originate from the military.

The five main concerns and goals of the Egyptian people are regime change emphasizing the notion that people should govern themselves, democracy, justice (including socio-economic justice), human and civil rights guarantees, and the rule of law. Their slogans are “Enough is Enough: Kefaya”, “Public Wants Regime Falling Down: AL-Sh‘ab Youreed Isqat AL-Nizam”, and “No More Nickel, No More Dime, No More Money for Mubarak’s Crimes.” The Egyptian people have been influenced by American and Western ideals and values reflected in the U.S. Constitution, but they are particularly affected by similar Islamic values and principles. The Mubarak Ex-Regime understands that these popular goals must be met.

Keywords: Egypt, Revolution, Hosni Mubarak, Demonastrotors, National Democratic Party (“NDP”), Regime, Democracy, Corrupt Police Power, Massive Farud, Rule of Law, Human Rights, Muslim Brotherhood, Banks, Temporal Constitutional Declaration, Abrogated, Islamic Sharie‘a

JEL Classification: Z00

Suggested Citation

Arafa, Mohamed A. and Arafa, Mohamed A., Towards a Culture for Accountability: A New Dawn for Egypt (May 1, 2011). Phoenix International Law Review, Vol. V, Issue 1, 2011, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1933620

Mohamed A. Arafa (Contact Author)

Universidade de Brasília (UnB) ( email )

Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro
Asa Norte
Brasília, Distrito Federal 70910-900
Brazil

Cornell University - Law School ( email )

Myron Taylor Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-4901
United States

Alexandria University - Faculty of Law ( email )

Moustafa Mousharafa Street
Soter
Alexandria
Egypt

Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law ( email )

530 West New York Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202
United States

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