Jamal Elshayyal

America: An enemy of democracy?

As the Egyptian uprising enters its third week, many are wondering just who exactly will come out on top in this battle for the Arab world's most populous nation.

This time last week, it seemed that the millions of pro-democracy protesters who took to Egypt's streets had delivered a knock-out punch to the autocratic, American-backed, military regime of Hosni Mubarak.

One week on, however, and Mubarak remains in power.

How and why?

How is it possible for a president to withstand pressure from millions of people taking to the streets day in day out for 14 consecutive days? How has Mubarak been able to absorb widespread criticism for the murder of more than 300 innocent civilians and the injuring of thousands?

Viva la revolution? Let's not get ahead of ourselves

The events in Tunisia have taken the whole world by surprise. An Arab people demonstrating, rejecting repression, revolting en masse and overthrowing a corrupt, despotic dictator.

And the best part of it, without any foreign help or intervention. Who would have thought?

And although many members of Ben Ali's repressive regime remain in positions of authority and at large in Tunisia, this "revolution" has mesmerised the entire Middle East.

Presidents and kings from Rabat to Riyadh are shaking in their thrones. What has happened to the Arab people? Who has taught them all of a sudden to demand their rights? Where has this unshakeable resolve to reject suppression come from?

And don't be fooled by the insincere support for "the self determination of the Tunisian people" coming out of Western capitals.

From Washington to Paris, leaders are asking themselves how did they not see this coming.

Power of the people versus people in power!

For those who've been following the parliamentary elections in Egypt, Sunday's poll lived up to their expectations.

Violence, vote rigging, police intimidation and widespread chaos. It was an epic show of democracy in Mubarak's Egypt.

Those who thought this would be a political contest, or a race between candidates based on respective political programmes, would have been bitterly disappointed.

However, the events that unfolded on Sunday, particularly in the city of Mahalla - though violent in nature - were, in my view, a glimmer of hope for the future.

In Mahalla, and at every polling station I visited, local residents gathered at the polling station to monitor the ballot boxes.

How to rig an election before a single vote is cast

Elections are usually an exciting time for a country. They're an opportunity for the people to express their concerns about the issues that matter to them most and a chance for citizens to hold politicians to account.

They're meant to be the purest single exercise of democracy, freedom of speech and expression.

Not in Egypt.

In this country that has technically been ruled by the military for over 50 years, and presided over by the same man for more than three decades, democracy has a different meaning.

A nation that has been ruled by emergency law for 30 years is bound to have a different understanding of freedom of speech.

It is fair to say that there is no way the scheduled polls on Sunday will be free or fair, that is because they have already been rigged before a single vote has been cast.

This blog is an attempt to try and shed some light on the obstacles being faced by Egyptians in these elections.