Alexandria, Egypt, January 21, 2013 – Two years after Egypt’s revolution began an overwhelming majority at a free speech forum here said the country was sinking under the weight of deepening political and religious divisions.<\/p>\n
The mostly-young audience, attending the latest session of the New Arab Debates at the Main Hall of the world-famed Library of Alexandria, voted 83.3% in favour of the motion: “This House believes Egypt is becoming dangerously divided and intolerant”.<\/p>\n
Speaking for the motion, lawyer Ghada Shahbender<\/a> from the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights said she worried that the current Islamist-dominated administration was using the same tactics as former President Mubarak to stay in power.<\/p>\n “Egypt is divided between those who want prosperity and development for all, and those who want power, personal fame and gains only for themselves. Anyone who does not see that is the proverbial ostrich with its head buried deep in the sand,” she said.<\/p>\n Shahbender said several regressive forces had borrowed the “intolerant and extractive” Wahabi brand of Islam from Gulf Arab monarchies to continue with “the marginalization of youth and women, of anyone who opposes them or was born into a different religion”.<\/p>\n She added: “Once in power, they were more interested in the call to prayer in parliament than in a motion for a minimum wage.”<\/p>\n