Popular committees emerged in Egypt in the spirit of community participation that characterized the revolution. A year and a half later, this form of activism is already on the verge of extinction.

Popular committees emerged in Egypt in the spirit of community participation that characterized the revolution. A year and a half later, this form of activism is already on the verge of extinction.

In a small café in Itsa city in Faiyum, members of one such popular committee were discussing the problem of throwing stones at the windows of a school in Gharaq Village, by students protesting the school administration’s decision to segregate female from male students.  The members agreed that some of them would accompany the police the next morning to discipline students, which is exactly what happened.

It is a familiar scene post-revolution. Some argue that popular committees, which embody community participation, are among the most significant achievements over the last two years.

They sprouted like mushrooms in all governorates under many labels, including rebel unions, youth unions and popular committees. They are local activist groups, which aim to contribute directly to raising living standards and political awareness within their narrow geographic territories through organizing awareness-raising and fundraising campaigns to pressure local officials, each according to their capabilities and available methods.

Their activities include distributing gas cylinders at their official prices during crises, monitoring subsidized-bread bakeries, helping the police and the army protect the high school examination committees, etc.

A year’s worth of experience

Such activities, which decreased after the revolution, entered a new phase with the presidential elections. In Faiyum Governorate, the Itsa center committee and its branches appear to be the only active initiatives out of tens of similar initiatives launched after the revolution.

Walid Abu Sarea, coordinator of popular committees in Itsa center, recalled his beginnings in the popular committees’ movement when he joined an association of activists from all the governorate’s areas. It was however a disappointing experience for him.

“I joined the movement with colleagues of mine to serve my country. Two months later, I found out that some people were only after leadership,” Sarea said. Conflicts over positions and the honor of meeting the governor were the most important concerns for the association, which lacked clear goals and a work plan.”

Issam Zahiri, a former member of Faiyum People Association, says Popular committees are often accused of being “politically immature”.  He believes that although they were a an important way of bridging the gap between the government and civil service and met citizens’ daily needs, popular committees suffered from their intellectually bewildered youth members, who lacked political experience.

Conflict with officials causes trouble

The main reason behind the declined importance, if not failure, of popular committees seems to be their fluctuating relationship with local authorities. It is true that this relationship sometimes results in a fruitful cooperation, like when members of Itsa center committee joined the police to protect the female students of the Gharaq School and the high school examination committees. 

Abu Sarea said that a lot of those who were enthusiastic at the beginning gave up because they became physically and financially exhausted due to the many insoluble problems caused by the officials’ negligence.