Egyptian Revolt 2011-2013

               The Tunisian Revolution of December 2010, was the main cause that provoked the massive revolt in Egypt starting on January 25, 2011. The Tunisian revolution was an anti-government rebellion full of civil resistance and spontaneous protests, the causes being political repression and unemployment. Tunis and other cities in Tunisia burst with protests with demands to dissolve RCD, ruling party since 1956. The then Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali resigned, complying to the protests, and the then PM Mohamed Ghannouchi reshuffled the interim government to flush out any RCD members. Soon, he was forced to resign too. Observing this success against oppressive regime, Egypt soon started showing small signs of the outbreak of a big revolution.
               Hosni Mubarak, a National Democratic party member, dubbed as a modern-day Egyptian pharaoh was ruling Egypt since 1981, making him rule Egypt for a whopping 30 years, the most by any Egyptian President. The relentless police abuse, unemployment, electoral fraud, vote rigging and torture were cited as the reasons behind this revolution. Egyptians broke the deadlock, and resorted to self-immolation and started protesting before the Ministry of Internal affairs on January 25, 2011, National Police Day in Egypt. The following two days, civil unrest started in Suez, and pro-Mubarak activists stormed Tahrir Square in Cairo as military was deployed to control the situation.

               At the start of February, Mubarak announced that he would not step down, but remain in the office to oversee a government transition. This escalated protests, as the military tried to restore order. On February 11, 2011, Vice President Omar Suleiman declared Mubarak's resignation, and handed the leadership to the Egyptian Armed Forces. 

               The Egyptian Armed Forces dissolved the Parliament, suspended the Constitution as the protests subsided. The then Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik stepped down. The protests started off freshly again between May and July 2011, as protesters demanded immediate reforms, prosecution of ousted officials including trials of Gamal Mubarak and his father at Tahrir Square as well as Alexandria and Suez. Soon, they started demanding for the dismissal of the Armed Forces' Chairman Mohamed Tantawi as well as the governor of the Aswan province in the Maspero demonstrations. Military opens fire and starts using tear gas to control the thousands of protesters at Tahrir Square, epicentre of the revolution.

               Soon after, Hosni Mubarak and internal affairs minister Habib Al-Adli were convicted to life imprisonment. The Egyptian emergency law was lifted, and martial law was imposed by the military rulers. Two rounds of voting were conducted on May 24 and June 17 2012 which became the first Presidential election after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak.

               Muslim brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsi, the first Islamist leader of any Arab state, was sworn into office on June 30 2012.

               On November 22, 2012 Morsi granted himself unlimited powers to govern the country, without the review of the judiciary. Egypt erupted yet again as a record 14 million people hit the streets near the Presidential Palace due to Morsi's statement, demanding his resignation from office.

                Morsi, after his decision to expand his authority and suspend judicial interference, Morsi declared a national referendum on Egypt's 2012 Draft Constitution on December 15. Tanks were deployed outside the Presidential Palace and Tahrir Square, but the agitation did not subside. Anti-Morsi protesters, Pro-Morsi protesters as well as the security forces clashed in three-way skirmishes. Anti-Morsi rallies demanded rollback of the Constitutional Declaration. Egypt's stock market plunged by 10%, while the cities of Ismailia, Suez and Port Said became out of control with deadly clashes killing dozens every day.

               Meanwhile, Morsi used sheer brutality to counter the protests with the help of the riot police, who ruthlessly fired gunshots at the protesters. Online outrage, and demonstrations continued, as anti-Morsi people ransacked the Muslim Brotherhood's headquarters.

               On July 1 2013, the Armed Forces issued an 48-hour 'ultimatum' (final statement, which if rejected results in breakdown) to resolve the political crisis. But, Morsi and his supporters, refused to comply. As a result, on July 3 2013, General al-Sisi and Mohamed El-Baradei, leader of National Salvation Front held a meeting. On July 3, it was Mohamed Morsi was removed from power, and Adly Mansour was appointed as acting President.

               In the aftermath of the 'coup d' etat', pro-Morsi protests still prevailed and Islamist insurgents wreaked havoc in the Sinai peninsula. On July 8, 51 protesters will killed dead by security forces in a mass massacre. On July 27, enraged pro-Morsi agitators started protesting in Nasr City, Cairo. This resulted in the deadliest day in the post-Morsi period as over 120 got killed, and around 4500 severely injured. To make a long story short, Egypt is struggling and highly unstable, and what it needs, is a competent, and assertive leader.