In Egypt's Political Turmoil, Middle Ground Is The Loneliest
Egypt is quieter these days. Protests against the ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi have subsided for now — although a Muslim Brotherhood-led alliance is calling for marches and civil disobedience Friday even as the military-appointed interim government retains a firm grip.
Yet, Egypt remains deeply polarized. And the middle is a lonely place to be.
Some of the young revolutionaries who led the 2011 uprising against the regime of Hosni Mubarak feel they are back to square one, battling authoritarian forces on both sides.
At 9 p.m. on a recent evening, Aalam Wassef stands on his balcony and bangs a spoon against a pot. The noise echoes in the neighborhood but no one else returns the clattering sound.
The video artist and activist yells "Masmouaa," the Arabic word that means "to be heard."
“ I don't trust anyone. If I say anything about the Muslim Brotherhood, people say all the bad things about them. If I praise the government, then I'm a remnant of the old regime. So even if I have faith in someone I can't voice my opinion.