Facebook campaigns are not enough to trigger political reform in Egypt by Zuzana Zelenakova

Egypt is calling for a change, obviously. However, it becomes evident that political reform cannot be achieved solely through Facebook and other Internet sites. And so the Internet campaigns lose tractions as they fail to transform into real movements outside the virtual domain. Many are convinced a desired change could come with one man, Mohamed ElBaradej, the former head of the UN nuclear watchdog. He acquired about one million supporters through Facebook, however, he failed to address this kind of campaign or do anything about it, and so it gradually died out. There is only one week left before a parliamentary election that National Democratic Party (NDP) is expected to! win once again and no one truly believes an online campaign could offer sufficient support to a unified opposition movement. "There are (labor) strikes happening on the ground but has the organized opposition managed to interact with them or not? Unfortunately, I have to say, the opposition's performance has been largely dismal," said blogger Hossam Hamalawy. Although Facebook was viewed as the trigger in case of 2008 protests against rising prices and low wages and subsequent clashes with police Hamalawy says it was not credited rightfully. "It was people on the ground not connected to Facebook who rioted...in Mahalla," he said. "The Internet can just provide a platform for solidarity with that movement on the ground." All in all, it cannot be denied that "The internet has revolutionised political life in Egypt“, as Kamel al-Sayyid, a politics profesor at the American University in Cairo, said. "It's a tool enabling opposition groups, particularly those who are subj! ect to suppression by the government, to communicate with thei! r member s and co-ordinate activities." However, also this medium has its limits as of 80 million population only 13 million are Internet users.

related story (sgx18639): http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101121/tc_nm/us_egypt_election_...

by Zuzana Zelenakova for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is com! mitted to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.