[View the story "Did Egypt's youth movement backfire?" on Storify ]Did Egypt's youth movement backfire? After revolution, young Egyptians say little has changed. Storified by The Stream · Thu, Feb 07 2013 10:07:23
Egyptian youth face a
bleak economic outlook , with high unemployment figures. This video explains the persistence of these problems after the fall of former president Hosni Mubarak's government:
Egypt: Youth Unemployment Risingunitednations
Youth movements utilising social media were a
major factor in the 2011 overthrow of Mubarak. The April 6th Movement was one such group:
April6thAJstream
During the transitional period between Mubarak's ousting and Mohamed Morsi's election, youth groups presented a united front as "The Coalition of the Youth of the Revolution" in their negotiations with the SCAF (Supreme Council of the Armed Forces), which ran the country in the interim. The group
disbanded after Morsi's election. Here is one of their many calls for unity among the nation's youth from the transitional period:
We are all working as a one unit for EgyptCoalition Of Youth Revolution
Police brutality was one of the issues that
galvanised youth action two years ago. Recent
violent clashes have prompted new protests from youth groups across Egypt. The April 6th Movement
organised a march to demand "retribution" for slain protesters. This video features a call to action from the father of Gaber "Jika" Salah, who was killed during a protest:
والد الشهيد جابر صلاح "جيكا" | Message from the Martyr Jika's fathermosireen
A big march just passed from Talaat Harb st. chanting '' We're all Gaber Jika'' and on its way to #TahrirMK مريم
A Tumblr user posted photos of the march:
mostafa7md: جابر صلاح طلقات خرطوش مباشرة فى الرأس والصدرthe funeral of Gaber Salah "Jika", who was critically injured in clashes near Cairo's Tahrir Square last weekheadgirl
Despite their continued activism,
pronounced rifts have appeared between Egypt's once-unified youth. A group calling themselves "
Black Bloc " has emerged, advocating the use of force against government security forces in defence of protesters. Here is a Black Bloc video announcing their intentions:
البيان الأول . بلاك بلوك مصرBLACKBLOCKREV
While Black Bloc's ranks have been growing
online and
off , other Egyptian youth have criticised the group's endorsement of violence and expressed worries that they might be used to delegitimise peaceful protests:
This black bloc is just trouble even if they have good revolutionary intentions but it definitely will be used against the revolutionGigi Ibrahim
The formation of a group like the "Black Bloc" is a natural result of events in #Egypt. I expect more groups like that, which worries me.Bassem Sabry باسم
Frustration among youth is palpable and calls from youth group leadership to resist violence are not always effective. In a recent protest over activist
Mohamed el-Guindy's death from injuries sustained from alleged police torture, many young Egyptians did not heed calls for calm from youth leadership:
Tanta activist tells me ElGuindy's mother requested protestors do not clash w/police last night. 100s of kids fought police last nite anywayErin Cunningham
So long as the police resists change and restructuring, violence against them is inevitable and understandable. Don't blame the people.Abdallah Hussein
As Egyptians grow concerned with the plight of youth and the direction of youth movements, they increasingly doubt the future of their still-young revolution:
@AJStream The youth fails to analyse the current conditions in Egypt. It fails to understand how a system of a country works.Fatima Ansari
@AJStream seems so. They are more unaware of their future than they were before. I believe the revolution did not have a long term focuskarl njoroge
@AJStream without direction and vision since last government system collapsed..Bella Mohamed
@ajstream 2011 agitation was valid but now i think protests are becoming habitual for Egyptians.ShακY
