Dispatches from Cairo #3: Expectations vs. Reality

The third installment of my Dispatches from Cairo series is now posted on The Daily Organ.

A malaise has settled over Egypt’s population as the ever more complicated saga of how best to move towards democracy unfolds. As the politically-engaged debate increasingly ideologically charged issues of election law and the “continuing revolution”, large swathes of the population want nothing more than for elections to be held, and for life to go on.

Why Britain Should Vote “Yes” to Palestinian Statehood

A version of this article is posted on The Daily Organ.

As the U.N. Security Council’s vote on Palestinian statehood approaches, Britain, along with the rest of Europe, is keeping silent about which way it will vote, “in order to exert as much pressure on both sides to return to negotiations” according to Foreign Secretary William Hague. This statement is misleading, phrased as though responsibility for the failure of negotiations rested equally on both parties.

Syria: An Uncertain Road Ahead

This article is also posted under the title 'Syria: Growing Pressure on Assad to Stand Down Falling on Deaf Ears' on MidEastPosts.

Protesters in Syria continue to rally against President Bashar al-Assad, and his ruling Baath Party’s more than 40 year dominance over every aspect of Syrian society. On September 9th they came out onto the streets in the name of the “Friday for International Protection”, marking the first time a significant number have called for outside interference to shield them from the wrath of incumbent President Bashar al-Assad.

Dispatches from Cairo #2: Comment on Friday's Attack on the Israeli Embassy

The second installment of my "Dispatches from Cairo" series in The Daily Organ has now been posted.

Once again protestors in Egypt have hit the headlines, this time for their storming of the Israeli embassy late Friday night. The embassy protest was not the most well attended of the Friday protests, but sadly has garnered the most attention due to the ferocity and violence of its attendees, and the fact that it led to the withdrawal of the Israeli diplomatic mission almost in its entirety, leading to fears of a complete breakdown in diplomatic relations. While it seems that the situation has been salvaged, this sinister new development has caused a distraction from the movement to get the revolution back on track, the aim of “The Friday of Correcting the Path”.

New weekly column: "Dispatches from Cairo" in The Daily Organ

I am now writing a weekly column for The Daily Organ entitled Dispatches from Cairo. It will consist of short updates on my impressions and insights regarding events in Cairo as they unfold, as well as offering occasional social and cultural commentary on this fantastic and varied city. The first, introductory, installment is posted below:

Despite hearing rumours that events in Tunisia in December 2010 were threatening to spill over into the rest of the Arab world, when I moved out to Egypt in January I little expected that within a matter of weeks I would be chanting for the fall of a dictator of 30 years, and learning that washing my face with Coca Cola was the best way to reduce the stinging effect of tear-gas.

Engaged Voices and MaestroConference: Social Media and the Next Arab Spring

I recently took part in an online interactive conference organised by Engaged Voices and MaestroConference about social media and the Arab Spring. The discussion centred around ways individuals in Western countries could engage constructively with initiatives in the Arab world, and how social media and other tools could be used to support social movements.

There will be a second conference on the 20th of October, and I highly recommend that anyone who is interested sign up to participate. For more details visit Engaged Voices' Facebook page.