The case of the Sinai Peninsula is one that was long placed on hold by Egyptian authorities. It finally exploded some two weeks ago with the Rafah terrorist attack which left 16 Egyptian border guards dead.
Before I go into detail, and because what I intend to say will be distressing, let me first express my comfort with the work our armed and security forces are currently doing in Sinai, chasing the terrorists and demolishing the tunnels all along the Egypt/Gaza border. My satisfaction does not owe to the timing or initiative of the armed forces—this in itself is distressing—but owes to the fact that it echoes the storming wrath that overtook the Egyptian street in the wake of the Rafah attack. Egyptians felt their dignity and that of their armed forces, as well as the sovereignty of their State, had been insulted; the first wave of public wrath exploded during the military and public funeral of the guards.
I say with grief that political, presidential, military, and security authorities in Egypt are all to blame for the Rafah incident. Apart from the immature, revolting conspiracy theories propagated in the media or social media to justify or excuse the Egyptian failure in Rafah; it must be admitted that the matter goes far beyond the immediate event. It is the predictable outcome of criminal terrorist activity which was left to balloon, unchecked, in Sinai since before the 25 January 2011 Revolution; and which has, in fact, taken more than three decades to reach what it is today. The pretence then that the Rafah incident, on which I offer the following comments, came as a surprise can only give rise to bitter laughter.
• In answer to Israel’s warnings that an imminent terrorist attack was expected in Sinai and that, in light of that, Israeli tourists should directly leave the Peninsula; Sinai governor said the warning was the most recent Israeli conspiracy to abort the tourist comeback to Sinai.
• It was near-ridiculous that the chief of the Egyptian intelligence Major General Murad Mouafi, who was replaced last weekend, should declare that there were indeed reports of an imminent terrorist attack, but that the reports gave no clue to when or where that would occur. I see such a declaration as pitiful; did the intelligence chief have to be told when and where a terrorist attack would take place for him to take the matter seriously? As far as I know, any information that points to a possible attack should be sufficient to place on alert all the relevant parties.
• It was disgraceful, and a flagrant underestimation of Egyptians’ understanding, to require them to accept the official excuse of how the attack took place. It was claimed that all the members of the Egyptian border guard force at that point had left their positions unattended to eat a collective meal of iftar–the sunset meal that breaks the Ramadan fast. When that appeared preposterous, the account was changed to say they were holding collective Ramadan prayers. Both accounts, however, appeared to be unaware that positions should not be left unattended under normal conditions; how much more then under conditions that warrant high alert?
• Is it the fate of Egypt that authorities only move when it is too late? Why do not problems get nipped in the bud, instead of being left to get out of hand? In case of Sinai, did it have to take the public scandal and wrath at the painful death of 16 young guards for the armed forces to get moving? Some two years of official inaction in Sinai had already passed. Terrorism was able to find a firm foothold in Sinai; demonstrations were held there under black Islamist banners demanding a Sinai Islamist emirate, and the gas pipeline to Israel and the gas utilities in Sinai were blown up no less than 14 times. Did the authorities know nothing about the tunnels used to smuggle goods into Gaza, and did they not know that they these tunnels should have been demolished some 10 years ago? Instead of demolishing a few dozen of them then, our forces today need to obliterate close to 12,000, and at the peril of a harsh response from those who have a vested interest in what has grown to be a huge, lucrative business. These tunnels have now become a cornerstone of Gaza economy, and a vital artery indispensable for trade, whether or not legitimate; how do we expect those who benefit from their operation to respond to their demolition?
• It appears we are fated to forever hear from our political officials and economic experts of plans for reform and development in Sinai, that would work to bring prosperity to the Sinaians, correct any injustice that was inflicted upon them, and integrate them into the wider Egyptian body. Can these plans which we so often hear of in the wake of every disaster that occurs in Sinai ever materialise? Or will it have to wait for our grandchildren for them to see light?
WATANI International
19 August 2012