Ainda Mona Seif, a jovem egípcia que nos falava do meio da Praça Tahrir

Há poucos dias, quando a escalada de violência irrompeu nas ruas do Egipto, Mona Seif relatava assim o cenário que ela e os restantes manifestantes viviam na Praça Tahrir. A franqueza emocionada com que descreveu, por telefone, o que a rodeava à jornalista da Aljazeera fez o seu testemunho correr mundo. Ao dar-se conta disso, num post que titulou "I was not brave, I was protected!", Mona escreve hoje no seu blog:

Whatever memories #Jan25 leaves me with, Wednesday night will be deeply carved in my memory.
When Al-Jazeera called, they couldn't pick a more intense, more dramatic moment to do so. Ambulance running in and out, people screaming and shouting, young men triumphantly facing their death, me crying helplessly and the sound of gun shots echoing in the background of all this.
The next day I found out that this call spread globally and won me many solidarity emails, tweets and calls. I wanted to respond to them all, I wanted to clarify alot of things but I was so angry. So angry at a world that stands by watching brave kids and men face death for the follies of a -should be dying- old man. So angry at people sitting warm & comfortable at home, condemning those in Tahrir, while they are sacrificing their lives for each and everyone of us.
I got many comments on how brave people like me are what makes revolutions happen. I have to clarify this: I was not brave, I was protected.
The battle extended over the night. It started with rocks & glass, moved onto Molotof cocktails , then there was gun fire. The army was there motionless, and at one point they even all went down and hid in their trucks.
I could never find the words to describe the bravery I witnessed that night. Hundreds of young & old men rushing unarmed to face the cowards hired by Mubarak's bastards, responding to gunshot with rocks, grabbing anything from the ground that could be used as a shield. You hear the gun shots, you see some of them falling, others rushing to carry them, Ambulance rushing in to take the wounded and the dead, as more rush in to the front line to face the same fate. If you hear loud prayers as they are carrying their comrades know that we've lost another one of us. All this as the army is watching, Mubarak is watching, the world is watching, and no one is stopping this.
The center of Tahrir square was safe. I could have stayed there to eat, sleep or even listen to music. I could have done all this and not even a flying rock could have harmed me, only because there were hundreds risking their lives out there for our safety.
When you are away from Tahrir square, listening to the stories about it makes it seem much more scary and terrifying than it really is. But when you are among bandaged people who wake up singing and chanting, kids running & playing, strangers offering you food and insisting you take it , strangers smiling at you as you greet them with "good morning", you would feel warm, hopeful, optimistic but definitely no fear.
That night made me fully realize, the Egypt I really want is that of Tahrir square. The people there are what Egypt is all about, and I am with them in whatever fate awaits us.