عربى

اكتب اول بوست عربى ليه قبل ساعات من الذكري الأولي من ثورة ٢٥ يناير. و أعرف جيدا ان هناك الكثير للأسف لن ينزلو الي ميادين مصر أو سوف ينزلون "للأحتفال" بعيد الثورة كما دعا عواجيز المجلس العسكرى. فقررت أخاطب هؤلاء.

اذا كنت ممن يريدون الاحتفال فأرجوك هات معاك حاجه تمسح بيه نعل جزمتك علشان هيبقي دم شهداء كتير عليها. اما اذا كنت ممن يجلسون فى البيوت فأرجوك لا تزعج الرجال الذاهبون للميدان فمن المعروف عند خروج الرجال لجلب الصيد للصغار ان لا يزعجهم احد.

شئتم ام أبيتم يا معشر حزب الكنبه الحريه قادمه فاقل ما تفعل ان تنزل حتى تحفظ ماء وجهك. رحم الله شهداء مصر

Egyptian planned protest in Chicago USA

Nubia

The topic of this post may seem out of pattern for the previous posts I’ve written. However, the reason behind it would make you change your mind. One of the main reason I started this blog is simply the lack of justice and equality in Egyptian society and the greater Middle East. This pattern of institutionalised inequality & injustice, in my opinion, was started in the 50’s & 60’s decades of the last century when Arab countries gained their independence from European colonial powers. As country after country gained its independence military dictators came to rule their countries under the guise of “Arab Nationalism”.
Egypt was one the first of the Arab countries to gain complete independence of England. A military qua against Kind Farouk of Egypt, that was passed on as a revolution of the people, brought punch of inexperienced military officers to power. On the helm of these officers was Gamal Abd ElNasser (Nasser). And this is where the connection to today’s events come in. What Nasser started in the 50’s is was still going on in Egypt till today. Military officers running the country. In the process not realizing that you cannot run a prosperous society with Military orders that aren’t negotiable.
The way I see it everything that is wrong in Egypt today is due to what Nasser planted 60 years ago. The one man decision for everything in public and even private life. Whether right or wrong it must take place. If you object you end up in jail. And of course his fellow officers that he installed in every Egyptian institution, even private enterprises he nationalized, didn’t object. They all went from punch no body to head of institutions with huge monthly salaries and political clout.
So much of Egyptian society suffered from Nasser and his successors one sided decision. The Nubian people, however, suffered even worse. One of Nasser’s “national projects” was the High Dam on the Nile River. At first, the Dam seems like a great idea. It would generate electricity stop the flooding and many other benefits. I’m not here to discuss the pluses and minuses of that decision but rather highlight the suffering of the Nubian people because of this decision.
The Nubian community in general suffered from marginalization from the authority in Cairo. But they also suffered division because Nasser didn’t want to bother negotiating with the British while departing from Egypt regarding the historical connection Egypt has with Sudan. Britain was dragging its feet by negotiating departure from Egypt and Sudan as both countries were seen as one and were under Egypt’s monarchy as one country. Nasser abandoned Sudan so he could control Egypt. By doing so he drew Egypt’s southern boarder through the Nubian community. As a result, he created an Egyptian Nubian community and another in Sudan.
In 1968 the Nubian community was directly affected by the High Dam project as it was forced to relocate by Nasser’s administration as their community was in the path of what became Lake Nasser. The relocation in of its self isn’t bad as this does happen in many countries. What makes it special in the case of the Nubian people is that they were forced to move. Apox. 50,000 Nubian on Egypt’s side were displaced and an estimated total of about 150,000 between the two communities in Egypt and Sudan.
the Egyptian government’s official story is they were properly notified and well compensated for their relocation. However, Nubian people will tell of a different story. Not all of them were financial compensated and the ones who did it wasn’t enough. After all how much would you ask to be paid to be uprooted from your homeland that your people lived in for thousands of years. The other-side to this decision was the fact that Nubian land is now under Lake Nasser water ending any chance for discovering any archaeology their ancestors left behind. To be fair, the Egyptian government did give special permission to archaeologists to search for Nubian archaeology in the area, but they were given limited time and eventually ran out of time before properly concluding their search.
Another cultural disaster the Nubian community suffered was during British colonisation of Egypt. The British had built a smaller dam on the Nile in 1902 close to where Nasser erected the High Dam that caused damage to the Nubian fertile land. As a result, the men left their villages in search of work and went as far north as Alexandria. This became the norm that no one was left in the villages for extended periods of time except women and children who couldn’t keep up with traditional Nubian festivals and other traditions. Generation after generation of this culture erosion caused for many of their traditions to be forgotten.
I don’t know if the misery of the Nubian people is the result of bad luck, racism, or arrogance by those in charge of Egypt in the past 100 years. Certainly the Nubian people are known to be mild mannered, very hospitable, and middle of the road when it comes to religion. What I do know is that unfortunately all of the injustice that has befallen the Nubian people would be recognized in the new Egypt.

Reasons to celebrate the Egyptian Revolution

Reasons to celebrate the Egyptian Revolution
First of all this is not my original work rather I’m translating this from a post on FB on one of the April 6th movement pages.

• The gas problem has NOT ended
• Non of the corrupt officials of the Mubarak regime stolen funds has been return
• Unemployment rate hasn’t been improved....maybe even increased.
• Non of the wounded from the revolution has been treated.
• Bread & propane tanks are still NOT available.
• Health care section is still underfunded
• Minimum wages hasn’t been increased yet prices have gone up.
• The thugs are still running free and the streets aren’t safe.
• Mubarak is still on a slow moving trial while those who murdered peaceful protesters are free.
• The lack of dignity or respect to the Egyptian citizen by his government
• The end of the transitioning period.

See there’s so much to celebrate on the anniversary of the revolution. And in case you haven’t noticed...I was being sarcastic.

Questions to SCAF

On my 32^nd birthday February 11^th, 2011 Mubarak, the 30 years ruler of Egypt, stepped down as its president and handed power over to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF). Just like many Egyptians I was beyond delighted. Finally an old dictator is gone and the road to freedom and democracy was opened. However, it was proven shortly after that, that SCAF was a major roadblock to achieving democracy let alone freedom.

One of the flaws in Egyptian cultures is seeing leaders as father figures. I think this is an inherit trait in us Egyptian we inherited from our Pharaohs ancestors who viewed the Pharaoh as a God. This was reflected in some Egyptians choosing to be blinded by SCAF’s massive efforts to block the changes demanded by the revolutions as a way not to “upset their father”. As a result, the country became split between those who support SCAF and purposefully turn a blind eye to its crimes against the revolution and those of us who called it as they saw it.

So instead of adding fuel to the fire, I figured let me ask SCAF some questions that if they answer it, it would help us all make better decisions. After all, the main problem with the old regime and all other regimes across the Middle East is the lack of feedback from our leaders so our people by default resort to conspiracy theories. Here are my questions to SCAF

1. Why did you not interfere to stop the thugs who attacked Tahrir Square starting January 28^th, 2011 that eventually lead up to what is publically known in Egypt as “The battle of the Camel”?
2. Why did it take such a long time and a lot of persistency in demand from the revolutionaries in Egypt to dismantle the ministry of the interior? Most specifically to what was known as “Amn El-Dawla” or Homeland security? And please don’t tell me that change it to “Amn Quomy” was a dismantle.
3.  The most important question is why are all the figures of the old regime are being tried in civilians courts while ordinary Egyptians that were accused of crimes since you came to power are being tried in military courts?
4. Based on the last question, why are there thousands of convictions in the military court and only El-Adly, former minister of interior, was the only from the old regime convicted of a crime that has nothing to do of what he did on the 18 days of the revolution?
5. In 2011 we had a record number of churches bombed or burned (4 total) without one person even arrested, why is that?
6. I know you’re “investigating” the Maspero incident where over 30 individuals were killed mainly Coptic-Egyptian, but why is the only demonstration that its organizers obtained a permit to protest were attacked by the army? I certain saw a lot of dead civilians and only one wounded soldier.
7.  Lastly, although I still have many more questions, why were the protesters in front of the Prime Minister’s compound attacked & killed? I know this building has 7 entrances and the protesters were only in front of 1 entrance so access to the building wasn’t blocked.

I know I will not receive any answers for these 7 questions or the many more myself and many Egyptians have so you see SCAF we don’t have any choice by to hate you and ask you to leave power. Arabs in general, Egyptians in particular are no longer little kids who will blindly listen to their father. We are adults now and we DEMAND to know and if you’re not willing to answer us we are not willing to put up with it.

ElBaradai is Gone!!!!!

Almost a year after the January 25^th 2011 revolution in Egypt, which resulted in toppling Mubarak and what the Egyptians thought his regime, Mohamed ElBaradai the presidential hopeful decided to withdraw from the Egypt presidential race on January 14, 2012. Although I’m a ElBaradai supporter I do agree with his position as it represented, in my opinion, a slap on the face of the Egyptian Supreme Council of the Armed Forces SCAF. 

SCAF was the hurdle Egyptians must overcome to achieve true democracy. However, the majority of Egyptians didn’t realize this fact till several months have gone by and in which SCAF strengthened its grip on Egyptian public opinion through biased media campaigns that tarnished the image of the young Egyptian revolutionists and made them into criminals. SCAF’s ultimate goal is to remain independent inside the Egyptian establishment without any checks or balances or answering to any civilian authority. In essence becoming the puppet-master and making the next Egyptian President and the already elected parliament made of Islamists its puppets. SCAF wants this while being away from the public as to avoid the public’s criticism when things go wrong.

Knowing all this ElBaradai refused to become a puppet. He had made it clear before he will not run for president under a corrupt regime. So although he didn’t accuse SCAF of being corrupt or a hurdle in the way of freedom and democracy to Egyptians, his video announcing his withdraw does send that message indirectly. He might have withdrawn from the presidential race, but didn’t withdraw from the Egyptian political scene.

I don’t worship individuals, but do hold respect for individuals who inspire me. And ElBaradai did inspire me and many other Egyptians and even those just concerned with Egypt’s wellbeing. You can see this event finally pushed me over the edge and got me to start blogging about my opinion of what goes on in my homeland Egypt and the Middle East. My blog is still under construction so bare with me as I get it up to speed J. The revolution continues!!!!!!!!