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Egypt The Aftermath of Camp David and the Assassination of Sadat
The Camp David Accords brought peace to Egypt but not
prosperity. With no real improvement in the economy, Sadat became
increasingly unpopular. His isolation in the Arab world was
matched by his increasing remoteness from the mass of Egyptians.
While Sadat's critics in the Arab world remained beyond his
reach, increasingly he reacted to criticism at home by expanding
censorship and jailing his opponents. In addition, Sadat
subjected the Egyptians to a series of referenda on his actions
and proposals that he invariably won by more than 99 percent of
the vote. For example, in May 1979 the Egyptian people approved
the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty by 99.9 percent of those
voting.
One of Sadat's most remarkable acts during this period was
the so-called Law of Shame, which was drafted at Sadat's express
instructions. Among the shameful crimes punishable under this law
were "advocating any doctrine that implies negation of divine
teaching," "allowing children or youth to go astray by advocating
the repudiation of popular, religious, moral, or national values
or by setting a bad example in a public place," and "broadcasting
or publishing gross or scurrilous words or pictures that could
offend public sensibilities or undermine the dignity of the
state." Offenders could be barred from public life or from
engaging in economic activity or managing their own property;
they could be condemned to internal exile or prohibited from
leaving the country. The Law of Shame was approved in a
referendum by 98.56 percent of the electorate. This was
remarkable since there was widespread opposition to the law,
which was denounced as "an act of shame."
In May 1980, an impressive, nonpartisan body of citizens
charged Sadat with superseding his own constitution. Their
manifesto declared, "The style in which Egypt is governed today
is not based on any specific form of government. While it is not
dictatorship, Nazism, or fascism, neither is it democracy or
pseudodemocracy."
In September 1981, Sadat ordered the biggest roundup of his
opponents since he came to power, at least 1,500 people according
to the official figure but more according to unofficial reports.
The Muslim Brotherhood bore the brunt of the arrests. The supreme
guide of the Brotherhood, Umar Tilmasani, and other religious
militants were arrested. Sadat also withdrew his "recognition" of
the Coptic pope Shenudah III, banished him to a desert monastery,
and arrested several bishops and priests. Also arrested were such
prominent figures as journalist Mohamed Heikal, and Wafd leader
Fuad Siraj ad Din. Sadat ordered the arrest of several SLP
leaders and the closing of Ash Shaab (The People)
newspaper. A referendum on his purge showed nearly 99.5 percent
of the electorate approved.
On October 6, while observing a military parade commemorating
the eighth anniversary of the October 1973 War, Sadat was
assassinated by members of Al Jihad movement, a group of
religious extremists. Sadat's assassin was Lieutenant Colonel
Khalid al Islambuli. The conspirators were arrested and tried. In
April 1982, two of the conspirators were shot and three hanged.
Whereas a number of Western leaders, including three former
United States presidents, attended Sadat's funeral, only one
member of the Arab League was represented by a head of state,
Sudan. Only two, Oman and Somalia, sent representatives. In Egypt
43 million people went on with the celebration of Id al Adha, the
Feast of Sacrifice, as if nothing had happened. There were no
throngs in the streets, grieving and lamenting, as there were
when Nasser died. In the Arab world, Sadat's death was greeted
with jubilation.
Data as of December 1990
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