Fraud, a part of a people\'s culture

Fraud, a part of a people\'s culture
By: Osama Hafez
Cheating became a part of the Egyptians' culture. It is wide spread between students to the extent that you cannot find anyone sees it is wrong. The majority of them is one of three; cheater, ready to cheat or keeping silent.
Teachers and parents, or most of them, do not tell their children not to do that or disapprove the act if done.
Some teachers do that themselves or allow students to do it. It happens repeatedly that a headmaster or manager of a school comes to tell a student the answers or ask a teacher to do that for the sake of a friend or a colleague.
Cheating reached al Azhar itself, the religious institution which is supposed to forbid the wrong.
The teacher who helps students cheat is the good one who cares about the interest of children while whoever refuses to do that, which is rare, is a complicated person who never cares about students. The latter may be excluded from supervising tests or he may be beaten after the end of the exam.
Cheating became a part of the culture of a collapsing people and I can claim that forging the results of the parliamentary elections became a part of that people's culture also.
The second round of the Egyptian parliamentary poll uncovered such a fact. It exposed many of those who claim "impartiality and transparency".
It is expected from the ruling party to fraud because it was well established in the minds of rulers, since Nasser's era, that the ruling party must keep the majority of seats even by forgery.
Ordinary people, media and thinkers condemn election's fraud even before voting. They see the process and seek help from the east and west to rescue them from the forging government.
The first round ended by a landslide victory for the Democratic National Party. this made the opposition very angry.
The loser candidates of al Tagamo' party and their supporters were in rage and asked the party's leadership not to run the second round of votes. However, the party's head "Refaat al Said" didn't respond. It seems he had another plans. In the second round he accepted the false results which made his party for the first time win six seats.
Al Wafd party aspired to win 20 to 30 places. It was shocking to know that it only won 2 seats. Immidiatly after the disappointing results, the head of the party announced withdrawal despite the angry candidates who were waiting for the second round.
The party withdrew but its candidates didn't. They won seven seats over the dead body of impartiality and transparency.
The Muslim Brotherhood didn't get any seats. The group decided not to run the second round and all the members agreed except one.
This person was expelled after many attempts to convince him to adhere to the group's decision.
The same happened to small parties like al Ghad, al Masry and others.
It was unexpected from Dr. Moustafa al Fiqi to accept the membership of such a council. He was criticized by many people.
The last elections exposed every one. It was clear that the ruling party is not the only corrupt body. There are many personalities who condemn fraud but if they have the opportunity, they will do it.
I can claim that fraud became a part of a people's culture. 1952 revolution made people acquainted to forgery. The majority of the Egyptian citizens don't go to votes for they know the results will be cheated.
Translated and revised by: Fatima Suleiman
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