エジプトデモ―民主化宣言し流血避けよ

2011/01/29
--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 28
EDITORIAL: Egyptian turmoil
エジプトデモ―民主化宣言し流血避けよ

Demonstrations to try to force Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to step down are spreading across Egypt. There have already been several casualties in confrontations between demonstrators and the security police.
　エジプトでムバラク大統領の退陣を求める市民のデモが広がった。治安部隊との衝突で死傷者も出ている。

In Cairo, a clash occurred near the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities (Egyptian Museum), which holds the world-famous gold mask of King Tutankhamen.
　カイロで衝突があったのは、ツタンカーメンの黄金のマスクで有名なエジプト考古学博物館のそばである。

We are surprised at these uprisings in a place known in Japan as a tourist destination.
　日本人にも観光地として人気があるエジプトで、このような騒ぎになっていることは驚きである。

But the country has been under the thumb of Mubarak's authoritarian regime for three decades. Mubarak, a former military officer, has had five consecutive terms.
　しかし政治的には、軍人出身のムバラク大統領が５期３０年に及ぶ長期の強権体制をしいている国である。

Throughout that whole period, the country has been in a state of emergency, which was declared immediately after the assassination of President Anwar El Sadat, Mubarak's predecessor, in 1981. Citizens are not free to hold rallies, freedom of speech is controlled, and people who criticize the administration can be detained without an arrest warrant.
　１９８１年に前任のサダト大統領の暗殺直後に出された非常事態宣言が今も続く。そのため人々の集会は規制され、言論の自由も制限され、政権を批判すれば逮捕状なしで拘束される。

In parliamentary elections last fall, major opposition groups decided to boycott the elections halfway through the campaign because of blatant interference by the police in the electoral process.
As a result, the parliament is almost completely dominated by the ruling party.
　昨秋にあった人民議会選挙では、警察の露骨な選挙干渉によって、主要野党勢力が選挙を途中でボイコットし、与党が議席をほぼ独占している。

Egypt also faces an unemployment rate of nearly 10 percent, growing poverty, prices rising at nearly 20 percent a year and a widening gap between the rich and the poor. There is growing discontent at corruption among the leadership centering on the president.
　非民主的な体制に加えて、１０％近い失業率、年率２０％近い物価上昇で貧困や貧富の差が広がる。さらには大統領周辺の腐敗に対する不満も強い。

In Tunisia, demonstrations led to the collapse of an authoritarian regime and sent the president into exile. A similar situation is also developing in Egypt.
　市民のデモで大統領が国外に脱出して強権体制が崩れたチュニジアと似たような状況がエジプトにもある。

The people of Egypt are facing an even worse situation than the Tunisians.
　エジプトの民衆の窮状はより深刻である。

The per capita national income of Egypt, which has a population of 80 million, is only 60 percent of that of Tunisia, which has 10 million people.
人口８千万を抱えるエジプトの１人あたりの国民所得は、人口１千万のチュニジアの６割しかない。

Mubarak's term expires this fall.
　ムバラク大統領は今秋に改選を迎える。

There are rumors that he wants to hand over the presidency to his son.
息子への世襲のうわさもある。

However, there is strong criticism in Egypt of either the prospect of the 82-year-old president, who has had health problems, seeking re-election or of a nepotistic succession.
国民の間では、８２歳の高齢で健康不安を抱える大統領の続投にも、世襲にも批判が強い。

The Mubarak regime is at a critical juncture.
　このように見ていくと、ムバラク体制を取り巻く状況は、危機的と言わざるをえない。

Egypt has diplomatic ties with Israel and has a friendly relationship with the United States. It also serves as a go-between for Arab nations and a mediator in the Middle East peace process.
　エジプトはイスラエルとも国交がある親米国家で、中東和平やアラブ諸国間の仲介役、調整役でもある。

Political turmoil in this regional power could destabilize the whole Middle East.
そんな地域大国の政治的混乱は、中東の不安定化につながりかねない。

To prevent the situation in Egypt from getting out of control, bloodshed must be avoided at all costs. We must not have a situation in which security forces and police are aiming guns at their own people.
　エジプトを最悪の事態にしないためには、治安部隊や軍が市民に銃を向けるような流血の悲劇は何があっても避けなければならない。

The only way forward is for Mubarak to announce that he will retire when his current term expires. He must declare a free and democratic election to choose the next president.
　そのためには、ムバラク大統領が任期満了で引退を表明し、次の大統領を選ぶ自由で民主的な選挙の実施を宣言するしかないのではないか。

If the government uses force, Islamic terrorists will win the people's hearts.
　政府が暴力を使えば、イスラム過激派のテロが人々の心をつかむ。

If it treads a democratic path, it can win over Muslim moderates who support participation in elections.
民主主義による解決を進めれば、選挙参加を支持するイスラム穏健派を政治に取り込むことができる。

We want Mubarak to go down in history as the leader who introduced democracy to Egypt, not as the dictator who suppressed it.
　ムバラク大統領には民主化をつぶした独裁者としてではなく、エジプトに民主化をもたらした指導者として歴史に名を残してもらいたい。

Japan is one of the main providers of aid to Egypt.
　日本はエジプトに対する主要援助国の一つである。

The Japanese government should work with Western countries to persuade the Mubarak regime to make the right choice for its country and its people.
欧米諸国とも相談しつつ、国と国民の将来のために賢い選択をするよう働きかけたい。