Egypt takes a step backward
Egyptian policemen and an armored army vehicle in Cairo Credit: AP
The belated admission by an Egyptian general that the military made "virginity checks" on women protesters calls into serious question the ability of the military to usher in a new, democratic Egypt. The reaction of the United States should be unequivocal and forceful condemnation.
Right after the March demonstration, Amnesty International alleged that the women had been beaten, strip-searched and subjected to other indignities, including the virginity test. But the military steadfastly denied it.
Now, a senior Egyptian general has admitted that the tests did occur. They were done, he argued, to protect the military from false accusations. "We didn't want them to say we had sexually assaulted or raped them, so we wanted to prove that they weren't virgins in the first place." His explanation is nearly as shocking as the atrocities themselves.
The general also argued that these women were "not like your daughter or mine." Wrong. They are exactly like our daughters: human beings who deserve better than to be violated simply for protesting peacefully. That's why we should all be feeling a righteous fury.
This event challenges the view that the Egyptian military is a respected institution that can guide that nation to a better future. Our government must protest the March actions and the subsequent lies -- and demand firm assurances that the military is not perpetrating this kind of horrific oppression even now.
