“Egypt now is an army that has a country”, Yahia Hamed

Squeeze his hand firmly and does not hesitate to say hello to deliver your card: Minister of Investment of Egypt reads next to a small red, white and black flag with a golden eagle in the middle. Yahia Hamed led the investment portfolio during the government of Mohamed Morsi, ousted in a coup on July 3, 2013. Since an arrest warrant from the Egyptian authorities, he fled to Turkey. He claims that Egypt is not a country with an army, but it is the Army that has a country.

Yahia Hamed recalls with some pride how he ended up in politics. In college, where he studied English and French philology, he joined several citizens movements. “It was a time when you could not do anything. Everything was forbidden and could stop you for no reason for anything. Anywhere, “explains while drinking tea.

It was one of the first members of the Egyptian Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), where he began work three years ago, just during the revolution that ended Hosni Mubarak. “We wanted more freedom and youth fighting for it,” he explains. And still, today, defending the same ideas. “We believed in the path to democracy and young people today are demanding in the streets,” he says. But it was during a Masters in Public Administration (2003-2004) where he realized the true “manipulation” and “corruption” that exceeded the previous military government. “The regime [ Mubarak ] definitely abused everything.”

With a look that, at first, would not be the image of a Muslim Brother – wearing a perfectly pressed suit, tie, cufflinks and shiny glasses for near – Hamed visit Spain to denounce the government ” traitors ” occupying the Executive of the African country since last July. He is accompanied by a delegation of five Egyptian experts in human rights, international relations.. that as this minister or former minister – in – practice, living in exile.

Hamed, with three children aged 10, eight and three years living almost 1,500 miles away from Egypt, is concerned about the situation in the country. Tourism – a fifth of the economy has fallen ” 65% since November 2012,” and adds that “40 % of citizens live under the poverty line.”

And although the government says Morsi ” was wrong in many things,” criticizes the absence of individual rights. “I do not know where the president stopped. No access to lawyers or family visits, “explains indignantly. The former Minister of Investment, the second youngest in the history of Egypt – confessed fear for life and limb of the last – and only legitimate for him president. ” Oppression goes far beyond what you can imagine,” he says.

When asked about the possibility of another leader to resume the work of imprisoned Morsi, Hamed responded with surprise: “Was not Nelson Mandela 27 years in prison?”

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Posted by Shakira Subhani on May 14 2014. Filed under Middle East. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.