Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Egypt Revolution: Wael Ghonim's interview that moved me to tears


Part 1:
Video Subtitles courtesy Alive in Egypt

Around the world, nothing is more difficult than attempting to change status quo. Wael Ghonim, a marketing executive with Google, out of love for his country Egypt, starts a Facebook page 'We Are All Khaled Said' to support change for the better in the autocratic rule back home. Ends up anchoring tens of thousands like-minded Netizens in cyberspace and becomes target of the Egypt's security forces. He is kidnapped, blindfolded, put in confinement for 12 days. After his release, he heads straight to a TV channel and delivers this mind-numbing interview.


The emotional interview depresses and ironically reminds how the Egypt youth face the same treatment youth in other countries, say India/Pakistan/China, get when they demand political change.


Firstly, they have to answer which foreign spy agency/foreign hand is behind their protests. Then they have to answer who is financing their mobilization activities, their food, their placards! Again they would be accused of serving some political group's agenda. They would be accused of being mislead and getting incited by some vested interests. Of course, irrespective of the fact that the youth is just being idealistic, they would be dubbed traitors and subjected to extra-constitutional confinement and torture. 


Wael says in a moving statement in the interview - "Right now, We are in a time that if someone has good intentions, he’s made out to be a traitor. You know why? People think that bad is the norm." Here are 5 parts of the Interview. We cant help but join Wael in the sorrow, especially when he weeps while seeing the photos of killed youth.

Part 2: Press the "CC" button in the video to turn the sub-titles on


Part 3:
Part 4:


Part 5:  Press the "CC" button in the video to turn the sub-titles on

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Having seen this interview just before you blogged, I can't help but identify with this guy, helplessly hoping that its about time the youth of our country too partake in a similar movement against the rampant corruption we're witnessing today - be it 2G spectrum scam or S-band scam or what not.Its utterly disgusting for me to watch what today's India is going through in the disguise of democracy/bureaucracy, et al - pathetic !

Konatham Dileep said...

Amar,

Thanks for posting this. The videos brought tears into my eyes too.

How similar our situation is!

Working for the same company as Wael Ghonim is, I can't help but draw parallels...

Just said...

@ Dileep,

The similarity is striking. Crony capitalism + power = Autocrats/Plutocrats. Everyone in same boat.

@ Prasad,

The feeling is very much there in the youth here. But India is not as homogeneous as Egypt. And we have no single hate figure like Mubarak. There are far too many complex issues. The operation greenhunt aimed at robbing trillions of dollars of public wealth. the daily scams through legislation and bureaucracy,. Plutocrats have gained debilitating power bending and breaking rules and laws for themselves. Telangana struggle is one such struggle to challenge plutocrats. And people, from every section, are marching on streets like in Tahrir square. We have to understand and support them.