The Position of the Revolutionary Socialists on the National Dialogue

Statement by the Revolutionary Socialists

We have closely followed the political scene in recent days since the announcement of the start date of the national dialogue after a year of preparation and planning. We have also observed the welcome of some political parties, movements, and human rights organizations, while others have hesitated to participate and questioned its usefulness. It is worth noting that the national dialogue is taking place a year before the presidential elections, which elements within the government, due to Arab and international pressures, want to present differently from previous elections, allowing a limited margin for selected opponents.

No one can deny the current dire political and economic situation we have reached due to the state’s repressive policies and the impoverishment of a broad segment of society. The economic crisis and the current state of silent widespread anger, which could at any moment turn into widespread popular protests, will push the regime towards more repression.

The current predicament is not hidden from the ruling authority either. Therefore, different political parties and movements have called for a societal dialogue that resembles a staged performance, aiming to present alternatives to exit the crisis with quick measures for political and economic reform and to project a democratic image of the ruling regime.

However, what happened does not correspond to the participants’ wishes in the dialogue. We have not witnessed any breakthrough in the political and economic scene; on the contrary, the opposite has occurred. Economically, on the same day the dialogue was launched, the government raised the diesel price by 14%, significantly impacting transportation costs and, consequently, the prices of goods. Diesel is the most influential fuel type on inflation due to its use in agriculture and transporting goods.

Politically, journalist Hassan Al-Qabbani and Karama Party member Nagwa Khashaba were arrested on the same day the dialogue was launched and were released by the end of the day as a clear message from the regime to weaken and embarrass the participants in the conversation from civil movements and parties and to clearly announce the regime’s intention to make decisions unilaterally without anyone dictating its terms. This was also made evident the day after the dialogue convened when several relatives and supporters of potential presidential candidate and former MP Ahmed Tantawi were arrested just for announcing his candidacy, a blatant confirmation that there is no real intention for any change or reform.

The image that the Egyptian regime is trying to project of itself is nothing but a false mask. The public space remains closed, freedom of the press and expression remains non-existent, and tens of thousands of detainees stay in prisons. This is expected from a regime that derives its legitimacy from repression and a security grip. Any dialogue that may yield positive results starts with a statement from the authority and is designed by its associates to exclude certain parties and specific topics, such as issues related to the constitution, foreign policy, and strategic national security, from the dialogue, as if they are non-negotiable topics from the outset. This is the same authority that closed the public space nearly ten years ago, blocked press sites, repressed political parties, and arrested anyone who criticized its policies. The dialogue here is unequal, and the current climate does not guarantee the consequences for those who accepted to participate.

We stand against the regime’s repressive and authoritarian policies and reject the national dialogue and similar initiatives that take place in this general climate and under the authority’s conditions for dialogue, which render it meaningless or beneficial, becoming merely a tool to beautify the regime’s image before the international community. We strongly reject being drawn into the dream of change that the ruling authority adopts and directs according to its terms and rules.

Any claim of a breakthrough in the current political scene, amid ongoing arrests, closed public space, and repression of the press and media, is nothing but an illusion until thousands of political detainees are released, enforced disappearances are ended, those released are left without fear of retribution or re-arrest. The policies of price hikes and burdening the working class with the economic crisis that has harmed millions of Egyptians are stopped. Opening political life to parties and movements to exercise their constitutional right to participate and lifting these restrictions does not require dialogue but a decision from those with the power to make decisions.

This battle necessitates the formation of a united front with civil movements and opposition political parties. However, the civil movement itself must immediately review what is called the national dialogue and rally around unified demands to save the people from the political and economic disaster they are in and not engage in a farcical performance that has no purpose or benefit.