I Emphasize That Egyptian People As A Whole Are Not Deceitful Nor Cunning

Translated by Yasmine Mohamed 
Reviewed by Mariam Essa

My brothers,

When I see you and hear your voices, my morale rises. You are not outsiders to me. I have lived among your class and I first mingled with the soldiers who truly represent the people in their nature and reality. Within them, I saw the kindness and sincerity of the Egyptian people in the truest form.

The Palestine War allowed me to see how the ordinary soldier, who owns nothing in this country, yet sacrifices everything, both little and great. I felt that these soldiers redeemed me with their lives. They were dying not for personal gain, reward, or glory, but because they embodied the authentic essence of this country; its kindness and dignity.

I would like to emphasize that the Egyptian people as a whole are not deceitful or cunning, as some claim and try to portray them. These accusations are as far from the truth as the sky is from the earth.

In reality, such traits exist only within a small group that monopolizes the country’s wealth and sustenance. As for the goodness of the Egyptian people, seen across all classes, including workers, farmers, and employees. The love that some deny exists, it is, in fact, real despite what others say. Envy, hatred and malice exist only among a limited group that exploited the people for its own interests.

Another quality distinguishes the Egyptian people: resilience in the face of hardships. If another nation had gone through what Egyptians have endured, it might have collapsed. But here, strength remains hidden and ready to emerge at the right moment; to say to every traitor: “Stop, we are here and we will not allow deception or exploitation to return once more.”

My brothers,

There is a hateful and rejected idea spreading these days, calling for the use of violence and severity, claiming that this revolution should be a “red revolution” because the country only responds to fear, not respect. But what is this “country”? Who does it consist of? It is you, me and all of us. Would you accept such a description for yourselves? Certainly not. I believe we are a kind people, and we must forget these colonial ideas that were instilled in us by the British.

This does not mean we should leave the country in chaos. There are indeed some capable deceivers and misleaders, but their traits must not be attributed to the whole society; otherwise, it becomes a stain on all of us. The corrupt and deceitful are a minority and should be treated as they are treated in all nations and religions. You must believe with me that there is much goodness in this country and many souls naturally inclined to kindness. From this, we can build a strong nation that stands against every deceiver and prevents exploitation. This is the foundation upon which the July 23 Revolution was built.

When the revolution began, forces were controlling the country’s resources, supporting colonialism and corruption and preventing the people from taking their rightful place. Anyone who called for equality was silenced. Farmers were kept as servants to feudal lords and workers were treated as tools in the hands of capitalists. Our revolution aimed to destroy these destructive forces so that the people could claim their rights.

Indeed, we have succeeded in abolishing the monarchy and ending the domination of money over governance. I assure you that reactionary forces will only reach their goals through deception and manipulation. But the people have become more aware, as we saw on March 29, when they rose, felt their dignity and freedom, and stood and firmly said to the reactionaries: “Stay still”. On that day, the people were able to defeat the reactionaries.

I urge you to remain alert, as these forces will try to exploit your kindness to mislead you, as they have done many times before.

Save your enthusiasm for the coming days so that if they attempt to deceive you, you will be ready and your revolution will not fail. When we sparked the revolution, we faced extremely difficult conditions and many destructive forces. But now, praise to God, those challenges have been overcome.

We are building a nation for everyone. As a leader, I am responsible for the future of each individual and group. We aim to provide work for all. Do not think only of yourselves, but of your homeland, your brothers and your children. Now we feel the essence of being citizens, each of us having a rightful place in this country.

We began to feel our right to live and this marks the beginning of true development brought by the revolution. From this day on, ownership of the revolution has passed from the army to all citizens. It is no longer the revolution of the army or the Free Officers; it is now the revolution of the entire people. The revolution of your fathers who struggled for a long time and now the people are responsible for protecting and defending this revolution.

From this moment, the struggle starts between reactionary forces and the people, because the revolution belongs to the people. These forces are not fighting the revolution’s leaders, but the people themselves, because the responsibility has been entrusted to you. Reactionaries refuse to let each of you take your place. In the past, they exploited you and controlled your earnings, while opportunists controlled your livelihoods.

I tell you: reactionary forces will not surrender easily. They will try to take us backward and they will rely only on deception and manipulation. So be cautious. God be with you.

Peace be upon you

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Speech of President Gamal Abdel Nasser at the Suez Governorate Workers Delegation 4/6/1954