This article attempts to translate an article written in Arabic by Alaa Abd El Fattah, an Egyptian political activists, who was recently release by SCAF (the military junta that runs Egyptian currently). He was arrested on bogus charges during the Maspero (Egypt’s Media building) events in which over 30 Egyptian were killed by SCAF.
His article was written in Q&A format:
Q: Why are there young Egyptians protesting by the Interior Ministry?
A: Because they are angry at the continues state sponsored murder of young Egyptian without accountability.
Q: What are they planning on doing?
A: No ones know, not even them. They are full of anger due to these senseless murders by the police.
Q: Why don’t they go protest in Tahrir?
A: Because that never brought justices in previous instances.
Q: Why don’t YOU tell them?
A: Tell them what? You want me to lie to them with empty rhetoric's? If you have a better solutions say it.
Q: No one wants blood.
A: The Ministry of interior, which kills us isn’t waiting for us to go to it. They are kidnapping us in daylight and killing us in front of cameras during soccer games.
Q: So what exactly they want?
A: We want “bread, freedom, social justice, and dignity.” We want justice for the one who were murdered by the state. We want to understand why are senior citizens are making decisions for the young ones in our society while the young ones are writing their well.
Q: Okay, but what do they want right now?
A: I don’t know. This isn’t an ordinary demonstration with demands. They are asking for the head of SCAF, can you bring him to them?
Q: So why did they leave Tahrir? Tahrir is big enough.
A: Tahrir is no longer “big enough.” Tahrir is full of undercover cops and thugs taking advantage of the mass gathering. All this while the Muslim Brotherhood show up with their own demand, which goes against public opinion while appeasing SCAF their new found leader. How can you not see that?
Q: Okay can you at least have them leave now?
A: NO I cannot and I doubt anyone can.
Q: So you cannot make go leave, you don’t know why they are there they why are you standing with them?
A: Because the revolution taught me to never stand against someone who’s willing to take a bullet to the chest while demanding his right, the one who stands up against authority, the one who seems like an underdog but he’s really a champion. Because I was taught the wound of a bullet doesn’t hurt as much as the wound of betrayal by those elected to represent us. I cannot leave the place where I others are being wounded, arrest, or murdered. If you cannot understand that then I cannot help you.
Q: What should I do now?
A: Just don’t attack the protesters and participate in the state sponsored attack campaign on the protesters by repeating their lies and calling the protesters foreign agents, thugs, and irresponsible. They young ones have nothing left except their well after they have lost friends, siblings, dreams, eyes, legs, spirit, their favorite soccer team, Tahrir, even their revolution. All they have is their well. The ultimate well these young ones have is their ability to decide how they are going to die or how they will live.
Q: Yes, but I want to do something positive?
A: Then join them. This way you would know first hand the affects of the tear gas or how it feels to be hit with pellets. Or volunteer in one of the make shift hospitals or distribute food to the protesters.
Q: But I’m not into confrontation?
A: Then join the other protesters who stand in human chains with messages to the public, or the ones that hold public showing of videos exposing the military human rights violations (kaziboon), or the local neighborhood watch that protects their neighborhood. The most important thing is that you must participate.
Q: Till when?
A: Till the regime topples.
His article was written in Q&A format:
Q: Why are there young Egyptians protesting by the Interior Ministry?
A: Because they are angry at the continues state sponsored murder of young Egyptian without accountability.
Q: What are they planning on doing?
A: No ones know, not even them. They are full of anger due to these senseless murders by the police.
Q: Why don’t they go protest in Tahrir?
A: Because that never brought justices in previous instances.
Q: Why don’t YOU tell them?
A: Tell them what? You want me to lie to them with empty rhetoric's? If you have a better solutions say it.
Q: No one wants blood.
A: The Ministry of interior, which kills us isn’t waiting for us to go to it. They are kidnapping us in daylight and killing us in front of cameras during soccer games.
Q: So what exactly they want?
A: We want “bread, freedom, social justice, and dignity.” We want justice for the one who were murdered by the state. We want to understand why are senior citizens are making decisions for the young ones in our society while the young ones are writing their well.
Q: Okay, but what do they want right now?
A: I don’t know. This isn’t an ordinary demonstration with demands. They are asking for the head of SCAF, can you bring him to them?
Q: So why did they leave Tahrir? Tahrir is big enough.
A: Tahrir is no longer “big enough.” Tahrir is full of undercover cops and thugs taking advantage of the mass gathering. All this while the Muslim Brotherhood show up with their own demand, which goes against public opinion while appeasing SCAF their new found leader. How can you not see that?
Q: Okay can you at least have them leave now?
A: NO I cannot and I doubt anyone can.
Q: So you cannot make go leave, you don’t know why they are there they why are you standing with them?
A: Because the revolution taught me to never stand against someone who’s willing to take a bullet to the chest while demanding his right, the one who stands up against authority, the one who seems like an underdog but he’s really a champion. Because I was taught the wound of a bullet doesn’t hurt as much as the wound of betrayal by those elected to represent us. I cannot leave the place where I others are being wounded, arrest, or murdered. If you cannot understand that then I cannot help you.
Q: What should I do now?
A: Just don’t attack the protesters and participate in the state sponsored attack campaign on the protesters by repeating their lies and calling the protesters foreign agents, thugs, and irresponsible. They young ones have nothing left except their well after they have lost friends, siblings, dreams, eyes, legs, spirit, their favorite soccer team, Tahrir, even their revolution. All they have is their well. The ultimate well these young ones have is their ability to decide how they are going to die or how they will live.
Q: Yes, but I want to do something positive?
A: Then join them. This way you would know first hand the affects of the tear gas or how it feels to be hit with pellets. Or volunteer in one of the make shift hospitals or distribute food to the protesters.
Q: But I’m not into confrontation?
A: Then join the other protesters who stand in human chains with messages to the public, or the ones that hold public showing of videos exposing the military human rights violations (kaziboon), or the local neighborhood watch that protects their neighborhood. The most important thing is that you must participate.
Q: Till when?
A: Till the regime topples.
