Egypt: A year on and still unresolved?

“The only thing we’ve achieved is knowledge. The regime is still the same but the players have changed. Instead of Mubarak we have the military and instead of the NDP [National Democratic Party] to support Mubarak we have the Freedom and Justice Party to support the military. We know how deep the corruption goes now. We haven’t been able to really get at the core of it but we’re fighting it.” – Wael Eskandar, a blogger and writer for Al-Ahram

It is exactly one year since the Egyptian revolution began, and only the banners have changed.

This time last year thousands of Egyptians shocked the world when they took to Cairo’s Tahrir Square.

Fast forward 365 days, and the iconic square is packed again on the anniversary of the start of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

While some celebrate, many are not euphoric and continue to demonstrate.

Protesters have flocked, yet again, to Tahrir Square, calling this time for the next phase in the political development of the most populous country in the Arab world.

The slow pace of democratic reform has angered many activists who say that nothing has really changed, accusing the military of hijacking the revolution.

“We’re not the NDP, that is completely unfair; we’re elected by the people in fair elections. There is not a single thing we have in common with the NDP. We are going on a democratic process both inside and outside the party, and the people have chosen us. We should look to the future and apply the state of law.” – Nader Omran, the co-founder of the Freedom and Justice Party

Meanwhile, Hussein Tantawi, the head of the ruling military council, addressed the nation on the eve of the Egyptian revolution’s one-year anniversary.

He promised to lift Egypt’s decades-old emergency law and to release around 1,900 people convicted in military trials.

So what comes next for the Egyptian revolution? What do the people want exactly? And has their revolution still not succeeded in overthrowing the old guard?

Inside Story, with presenter James Bays, discusses with guests: Wael Eskandar, a blogger and writer for Al-Ahram newspaper; Nader Omran, a member and co-founder of the Freedom and Justice Party; and Sharif Kouddous, a correspondent for Democracy Now!

“Many are hoping that members of the Supreme Council are held accountable for crimes they have committed … for the killing and blinding of protesters, for the jailing of 12,000 civilians in military trials. These are the key issues and everyone is expecting the Muslim Brotherhood to not allow the Supreme Council [a] safe exit, and which if it happens will upset a lot of people.” Sharif Kouddous, a correspondent for Democracy Now!