Egypt at a Crossroads

Last Friday I attended a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the Egyptian crackdown on non-governmental organizations.  In December, the Egyptian government raided the offices of several NGOs within the country and is now prosecuting representatives from these organizations.  The government claims that the organizations were not registered to be in the country and that they were receiving aid from non-Egyptian organizations.  Four presidents from American NGOs affected by the raids testified at the hearing, including the International Republican Institute, National Democracy Institute, Freedom House, and the International Center for Journalists. 

The witnesses were questioned about how their organizations were affected by the government raids and the charges being brought against them.  Lorne Craner, of the International Republican Institute, said that members of his organization were interrogated for hours by Egyptian officials.  Some of the NGOs said their offices were sealed so that they are no longer able to use the facilities and most had documents, computers, cash, and other goods confiscated.  The witnesses agreed that their organizations have never received treatment like this before.  While no formal indictments have occurred, charges are being brought against 16 Americans.

The organizations also addressed the Egyptian government's allegations. Joyce Barnathan, of the International Center for Journalists, affirmed that her organization and others were not receiving foreign funds.  All of the witnesses pointed out the transparency of their work in Egypt.  They described a "Catch-22" process, where organizations tried to register to be compliant with the law but were never approved or denied. The speakers further expressed concern that their organizations were being targeted by Egyptian Minister Faiza Aboul Naga in an effort to prevent U.S. influence in the country.  While this is one theory, there are many proposed reasons as to why Egypt would target NGOs within the country. 

The incident is a major red flag for the prosperity of democracy in Egypt.  The Arab Spring brought in new hope, but the Egyptian military has been holding on to too much power within the government.  These raids have cut off the ability of NGOs to reach out to the Egyptian people.  This matter must be resolved in order to ensure the continued success of NGOs not just in Egypt, but worldwide.   When discussing possible solutions, many members of Congress have suggested that foreign aid to the Egyptian military be cut.  Another suggestion made was working with the U.N. to resolve the dispute.

In a recent visit to Cairo, Sen. John McCain reported that representatives from Egypt and the United States are working through this issue.   A swift and diplomatic negotiation between the two countries is undoubtedly the most favorable solution.