• 22:52
  • Thursday ,15 March 2012
العربية

Ask Egypt, what does she want in the new Constitution?

By: Dr. Adly Anis

Article Of The Day

00:03

Thursday ,15 March 2012

Ask Egypt, what does she want in the new Constitution?

 Everybody is playing tug of war on the Constitution. Signs of selfishness appeared when they talked about choosing the committee that will draft the Constitution; religious parties are demanding that it should be from the People’s Assembly and Shoura Council members (as Islamists represent the majority of it), women want to represent 50 % of it, Copts want 15%, and so do other minorities, unions, and etc.

This reminds me of a mother who sat among her children who were debating and arguing about which gift they should present on mother’s day, all of them love and appreciate her, but they forgot to ask her: what kind of present do you want or prefer! Hence, what if we ask Egypt about what she wants in her new Constitution? To die are men, while Egypt will remain. Let’s imagine her answers in the next lines... 
 
First, I want to remain united and undivided. Since Mina unified me, many people have tried to invade me and divide my lands, but my children prevented them, like Mentuhotep in 2065 BC.  As well as Kamose, Ahmose, and others. And like my sons did in the war of liberation of 1973. So, let your belonging be to me and not for any other country, trend or thought. I want you to be Egyptians above all.
Second, I want freedoms to be kept. Don’t make prisons in my land to suppress them. I don’t want any of my children to lose his freedom or live in a prison, I want my sons and daughters to enjoy freedom of religion, worshipping and building houses of worship. Do not forget that the first call for unification was on my land by my son, Akhenaten. 
 
Third, Take care of learning and education, and spend on it generously as much as you can. By education Egypt will be a developed country, as it builds the human element which is greater than any other Construction or buildings in the world. Education is the reason behind building an advanced country... Shame on you that your mother, Egypt, remains such undeveloped country, after my land had embraced the first school in the world when Amenhotep III has built houses of life to spread education, fine and applied arts!
Fourth, let social justice be among you, all of you are my children, I love all of you, I do not want any of my children to be hungry or poor. I want all of you to work as one hand in order to increase the national income and raise the standard of living. You shouldn’t all be at the same level, but there should be a minimum and maximum. Do as my children did in the sixth century BC, where Amenhotep I issued a law to prevent forced labor and put standards to achieve fair wages and incentives, so his title was “The just”. 
Fifth, Do not oppress my daughters, or underestimate them. You cannot forget the role of women in family and society throughout history, since the beginning of the Pharaonic era till the modern. I can’t forget the role of women who defended Egypt in all forums, even the military! For example, the role of Queen Ahhotep I, the wife of the King Seqenenre; the queen who gave a lot throughout her life, arranged my affairs when she was the guardian of her son Kamose after the death of her husband. And helped Ahmose at the beginning of his reign, and leaded some campaigns against the Hyksos, and her medals and military honors were found in her coffin. My history is full of such great women like Hatshepsut and Nefertiti, the wife of Akhenaten, who stood next to her husband while he was making social and religious reforms. Many of them lived during the Ptolemaic, Roman, Coptic and Islamic eras. So take care of my daughters!