One skill I am proud of having acquired during my four years of career life is how to manage my budget. I have mostly been underpaid, but I have also convinced myself that it doesn't matter because I do not have many expenses anyway, and if ever I shall be in need I have a ceiling above me and enough food in the fridge. Provided by my bankers provided by nature, of course, mom and dad.
Seeing the pattern in which my salary has increased, stayed steady or plummeted in these years, I am amazed. I unexpectedly have an affluence of money on me during the time I most need it. I remember a couple of years ago when I had to take a lot of expensive medications and I remember clearly that I didn't borrow from my parents any of their costs. I also had enough money to buy a mobile phone and share in my laptop. Say I didn't need this money at this time, I would have spent it foolishly. And if I didn't have it, I would have been miserable. Praise the Lord.
However, in recent months I've been inexplicably intent on calculating every penny that comes and goes. I have taken a new interest in Mathematics, probably my most hateful subject for me as a child, young adult and adult etc. Whenever I am, and at all times I find myself reaching out to a calculator (at one time begging for one at a hypermarket. The woman I asked turned out to be a foreigner and could understand naught, gratefully) and calculating one thing or another, either how much I will save, how much the raise might be, any surprising bonuses (how I can actually calculate a surprise bonus is beyond me, so don't ask), birthdays, travels etc.
As a rule I now save 20% of my stable salary, and 50% of bonuses if I don't need the money. I hurry off to the bank and stack it there before I venture to City Stars or any of the glitzy places where you usually empty your pocket and your soul and fill your carrying bags. Having reached this pact with myself, I still spend hours on end every day calculating, calculating, calculating. I now understand why wealthy people have heart attacks and depression. It's not that I am worried or care too much about making more money, but for some reason I am obsessed with it. I wonder if this is contradictory. I am saying I do not care because I have this strict policy of avoiding consumerism and stacking my shelves with trendy clothes, shoes, accessories and make-up I know I will not use. Not only will I not use them, but also I do not really need them. It's tiring, I should do the Maths once a month on average, not thirteen times a day. But I'm probably just avoiding what I should be doing: working.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Quarter life crisis - Part One
She: I want to plan your 50th surprise birthday party.
I: Why the 50th?
She: I don't know. Because it will be such a big day.
I: Why the 50th?
She: I don't know. Because it will be such a big day.
I: I think my 40th will be a lot more fun. I will either be married with children and depressed, or unmarried and depressed, so I will adopt a two-year-old girl and a stray dog.
Are you balady?
One of the most thorough analyses of Egyptian society that I have come across lately, from an old post by Sarah Carr:
I gradually learnt that the factors determining balady status include language, wealth, education and appearance. Thus someone who only speaks Arabic may be balady, but not if this person is my grandmother, because we are an excellent family, Amnesiac. If however he only speaks Arabic and he is a plumber, he is almost certainly balady. If the same plumber happens to have got lucky and accumulated wealth he is probably still balady and worse still ‘nouveau riche,’ and one determines this by looking at his shoes and his wife. In contrast if the son of a very rich man does nothing but go to the club everyday and knows mostly nada about nada he is still not balady because he speaks English and comes from good-breeding. Wealth is not a conclusive determinant of balady-free status because the family might be intellectuals, which means that at some point in their family history someone’s father had a full library but an empty bank account: members of these families will almost certainly never be balady. Education is important too: State universities are generally frowned upon, private universities are acceptable, and having attended AUC at some point virtually guarantees that the individual in question is not balady. A university education abroad (in western Europe or the US) means that the individual in question both has money and speaks another language and is decidedly not balady - though not if through his own brilliance he is there on a scholarship and his family live in Boulaq. Observance of one’s religious obligations is necessary and good, but excessive piety/religious conservatism is not, because it may indicate an uncultivated mind.
I gradually learnt that the factors determining balady status include language, wealth, education and appearance. Thus someone who only speaks Arabic may be balady, but not if this person is my grandmother, because we are an excellent family, Amnesiac. If however he only speaks Arabic and he is a plumber, he is almost certainly balady. If the same plumber happens to have got lucky and accumulated wealth he is probably still balady and worse still ‘nouveau riche,’ and one determines this by looking at his shoes and his wife. In contrast if the son of a very rich man does nothing but go to the club everyday and knows mostly nada about nada he is still not balady because he speaks English and comes from good-breeding. Wealth is not a conclusive determinant of balady-free status because the family might be intellectuals, which means that at some point in their family history someone’s father had a full library but an empty bank account: members of these families will almost certainly never be balady. Education is important too: State universities are generally frowned upon, private universities are acceptable, and having attended AUC at some point virtually guarantees that the individual in question is not balady. A university education abroad (in western Europe or the US) means that the individual in question both has money and speaks another language and is decidedly not balady - though not if through his own brilliance he is there on a scholarship and his family live in Boulaq. Observance of one’s religious obligations is necessary and good, but excessive piety/religious conservatism is not, because it may indicate an uncultivated mind.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Not in the name of Islam!
People who claim to speak or act in the name of Islam often tarnish it the most. I cannot find any explanation for the punishment of a Sudanese woman for committing the unthinkable crime of wearing pants. Nowhere in Islamic Sharia should women be flogged for wearing pants. Some Sudanese "Sharia Court" has simply invented its own code of ethics which are as unislamic as can be and decided to rip apart the skin of a woman for wearing pants! Every Muslim should be indignant ... what gave them the right to act out such a barbaric act in the name of Islam?
Even the punishment that should be imposed on fornicators or adulterers according to Islam can only be carried out if they have been caught red-handed by four witnesses. And not any witnesses, witnesses who believe in God ... Now do any couple who decide to get laid actually do it in a place where they can get caught by four believers? No. And what does that mean? This punishment is more of an intimidation than anything else. What actually happens, sadly, is that a woman's relative kills her right away if he simply suspects she has had an affair with someone. This is incredibly unjust.
The punishment for fornication or adultery should not be related to the Sudanese woman, because she is not accused of these crimes. Still, for some incomprehensible reason, the so-called court in which so-called Muslims have handed down the "adultery" punishment!
It's disgusting and it's enraging. I have recently accepted that democracy is a huge myth, but does the alternative really have to be full-blown idiocy and cruelty?
Even the punishment that should be imposed on fornicators or adulterers according to Islam can only be carried out if they have been caught red-handed by four witnesses. And not any witnesses, witnesses who believe in God ... Now do any couple who decide to get laid actually do it in a place where they can get caught by four believers? No. And what does that mean? This punishment is more of an intimidation than anything else. What actually happens, sadly, is that a woman's relative kills her right away if he simply suspects she has had an affair with someone. This is incredibly unjust.
The punishment for fornication or adultery should not be related to the Sudanese woman, because she is not accused of these crimes. Still, for some incomprehensible reason, the so-called court in which so-called Muslims have handed down the "adultery" punishment!
It's disgusting and it's enraging. I have recently accepted that democracy is a huge myth, but does the alternative really have to be full-blown idiocy and cruelty?
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
One Day in the Life of a Common Cold Patient
It was inevitable. Friday was a mad day of nursing and rushing around the house, caring for the ill. By night I had started to feel the cold approaching. The upside is, however, I experienced an exceptional form of astral projection.
On Saturday it was official. I was going to be interred for a few days. My throat began to sore, like a hundred tiny people scratching endlessly inside it, and wouldn't be expelled by spits or drowned.
On Sunday I succumbed to my fate. I suddenly woke up at 7 am, wandered around the house unbelievingly and attempted to read. A few hours later I sank into sleep, or so the clock says.
This must be what delirium is. I can see a twitter homepage, but I am much larger than life; I have devised a way to be able to view people's direct messages. AG and HA have similarly been able to hack one another. I try to concentrate on their argument but the page is violently spinning. I hold on to the lap top, but it is still spinning and my attempts at espionage failed.
I woke up and changed my place of sleep. I am in a dark room, alone, and I suddenly see a black figure emerging among the furniture before it disappears. I trace it again with a human partner, but we lose it. I wake up and hurry to my mom and dad's room, but it's locked. I go back to my bed, and to my horror, find myself on the bed. I rush back to the room and shriek in terror. My mom and I look at an eyeless Haifaa Wahby. IT'S NOT BLOODY FUNNY.
I think of ways to spend the day, and find refuge in music. But I can't wake up. This must be the biblical Limbo where evil souls are exposed to extreme torment to eternity, when you can neither sleep nor stay awake.
The midnight radio offers an acceptable remedy, and I listen half-willingly, thinking of how I could possibly be on my feet in a matter of hours for work. True, it must be a terrible sin I am being purged of, for around this time, my bones began to ache. As if a hundred people have smashed my skeleton using axes and left it by the roadside, not even bothering to bury it.
Just around the time I begin to sod off at the effect of painkillers, I wake up to a terrible domestic quarrel. I keep imagining what to say to absorb their anger, and all my other-worldly attempts converge at someone storming out of the house. What an anti-climax. During the half-hour sleep, though, the tissue papers have made a competition as to which of them should be most worthy of my attention. Each roll of paper spins itself, and rolls on its upper edges naughtily. Though the screams have been silenced now, I am fully awake again until 4 am. In a blink the clock ticks 6, and I sit bolt upright. I retain my calm expression whereas deep down I have enough anger at the forces of destiny to burn down the world in one blow.
On Saturday it was official. I was going to be interred for a few days. My throat began to sore, like a hundred tiny people scratching endlessly inside it, and wouldn't be expelled by spits or drowned.
On Sunday I succumbed to my fate. I suddenly woke up at 7 am, wandered around the house unbelievingly and attempted to read. A few hours later I sank into sleep, or so the clock says.
This must be what delirium is. I can see a twitter homepage, but I am much larger than life; I have devised a way to be able to view people's direct messages. AG and HA have similarly been able to hack one another. I try to concentrate on their argument but the page is violently spinning. I hold on to the lap top, but it is still spinning and my attempts at espionage failed.
I woke up and changed my place of sleep. I am in a dark room, alone, and I suddenly see a black figure emerging among the furniture before it disappears. I trace it again with a human partner, but we lose it. I wake up and hurry to my mom and dad's room, but it's locked. I go back to my bed, and to my horror, find myself on the bed. I rush back to the room and shriek in terror. My mom and I look at an eyeless Haifaa Wahby. IT'S NOT BLOODY FUNNY.
I think of ways to spend the day, and find refuge in music. But I can't wake up. This must be the biblical Limbo where evil souls are exposed to extreme torment to eternity, when you can neither sleep nor stay awake.
The midnight radio offers an acceptable remedy, and I listen half-willingly, thinking of how I could possibly be on my feet in a matter of hours for work. True, it must be a terrible sin I am being purged of, for around this time, my bones began to ache. As if a hundred people have smashed my skeleton using axes and left it by the roadside, not even bothering to bury it.
Just around the time I begin to sod off at the effect of painkillers, I wake up to a terrible domestic quarrel. I keep imagining what to say to absorb their anger, and all my other-worldly attempts converge at someone storming out of the house. What an anti-climax. During the half-hour sleep, though, the tissue papers have made a competition as to which of them should be most worthy of my attention. Each roll of paper spins itself, and rolls on its upper edges naughtily. Though the screams have been silenced now, I am fully awake again until 4 am. In a blink the clock ticks 6, and I sit bolt upright. I retain my calm expression whereas deep down I have enough anger at the forces of destiny to burn down the world in one blow.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Traffiphobia
I have lately taken the conscious decision not to learn driving and therefore never to drive around Cairo for the sake of the barefoot children and the beautiful furry creatures in the streets.
I never really found driving any titillating at all in a city where the average speed has dropped to 20 kph on most roads. I look around and wonder how there are so many cars and too much poverty. And when you look inside cars, there is only a driver and four empty seats, which creates a traffic mess. Of course, this wouldn't have been the case had there been decent public transportation. But public buses are either too crowded, too late, or too full of perverts. These reasons are undeniable, but there's a deeper lurking reason yet. Most middle-class and upper-class Egyptians wouldn't use public transportation as it would seem demeaning and scandalous. It's like descending the social scale, somehow, because you don't get to pay using a Visa card.
Most of my friends and colleagues drive, and they're always going on about how nerve-wrecking, back-breaking and heartbreaking driving is. I am usually easily offended, so I can as well do away with more stress, thank you very much.
Instead, I just like to hop in taxis. I have always hated taxi drivers and viewed them as bloodsucking mosquitoes until I read Khaled El-Khamissi's larger than life book; Taxi. It was a total paradigm shift. The book does not make any attempt to either disparage or glamourise them, it simply chronicles incidents that are real to the point of smacking you in the face. So, following the author's footsteps, I would sometimes engage in a chit chat with drivers, waiting to hear an unembellished truth about any given subject. Of course I also started the conversation once because the driver was a Jason Statham look-alike.
It is annoying to have to beg for ten taxis to take me home though it is ridiculously close to work, but I will be buying my comfort and instead enjoy watching the comic Egyptian streets in every ride. Moreover, I have acquired a hint of fierceness through the years, which should make taxi rides safer.
I never really found driving any titillating at all in a city where the average speed has dropped to 20 kph on most roads. I look around and wonder how there are so many cars and too much poverty. And when you look inside cars, there is only a driver and four empty seats, which creates a traffic mess. Of course, this wouldn't have been the case had there been decent public transportation. But public buses are either too crowded, too late, or too full of perverts. These reasons are undeniable, but there's a deeper lurking reason yet. Most middle-class and upper-class Egyptians wouldn't use public transportation as it would seem demeaning and scandalous. It's like descending the social scale, somehow, because you don't get to pay using a Visa card.
Most of my friends and colleagues drive, and they're always going on about how nerve-wrecking, back-breaking and heartbreaking driving is. I am usually easily offended, so I can as well do away with more stress, thank you very much.
Instead, I just like to hop in taxis. I have always hated taxi drivers and viewed them as bloodsucking mosquitoes until I read Khaled El-Khamissi's larger than life book; Taxi. It was a total paradigm shift. The book does not make any attempt to either disparage or glamourise them, it simply chronicles incidents that are real to the point of smacking you in the face. So, following the author's footsteps, I would sometimes engage in a chit chat with drivers, waiting to hear an unembellished truth about any given subject. Of course I also started the conversation once because the driver was a Jason Statham look-alike.
It is annoying to have to beg for ten taxis to take me home though it is ridiculously close to work, but I will be buying my comfort and instead enjoy watching the comic Egyptian streets in every ride. Moreover, I have acquired a hint of fierceness through the years, which should make taxi rides safer.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
The Sysiphean Challenge
You would think that after all the massive protests, national and international outcries against torture in Egypt, the torturers would recoil, or at least think twice before plucking out someone's fingernails, repeatedly beat him to death and dump his body in a lake.
What with the excrutiating pain poor Ahmad Shaaban must have felt before meeting his bitter, untimely end. What with the mad cruelty, insane brutality Egyptian police are exceptionally capable of.
What is the use of tweeting, of blogging about it? What is the use of pulling up a Facebook page in his name, with hundreds of thousands of members? What is the use of protesting? It will all fall out of place again. We are just pushing the weight of justice up a long, winding hill, only to fall back, crushing us after taking that much effort.
We only ever speak up to escape shame. To chase away an ever elusive hope of never having to wake up to news of police brutality. To save ourselves the embarrassment of not speaking up.
I wish I hadn't lived to this day.
What with the excrutiating pain poor Ahmad Shaaban must have felt before meeting his bitter, untimely end. What with the mad cruelty, insane brutality Egyptian police are exceptionally capable of.
What is the use of tweeting, of blogging about it? What is the use of pulling up a Facebook page in his name, with hundreds of thousands of members? What is the use of protesting? It will all fall out of place again. We are just pushing the weight of justice up a long, winding hill, only to fall back, crushing us after taking that much effort.
We only ever speak up to escape shame. To chase away an ever elusive hope of never having to wake up to news of police brutality. To save ourselves the embarrassment of not speaking up.
I wish I hadn't lived to this day.
Monday, November 08, 2010
Marriages Gone Wrong
Having witnessed at point-blank range varying levels of stupidity when it comes to getting married, I am compelled to write a blogpost, to console myself above anything else. I have learnt, among other unfortunate things during my twenty-something years that people are capable of actually ruining their lives and then look back and blame it on everyone except themselves.
Stupid Friend 1 got married to someone who had, during their so-called relationship, demeaned her and her family. He happily went on with his life when they broke up, but she kept calling him, and calling him, and begging him to marry her, risking to give many of her legal rights in the process. She went ahead and married him eventually, and for the sake of my sanity I won't try to imagine how there life will be like.
Stupid Friend 2, no REALLY Stupid Friend 2, already noticed during her engagement her beau's shortcomings, so did her dad, but they went on with the marriage anyway, akin to Really Stupid Friend's bizarre behaviour and off-the-handle mood swings. Not surprisingly, her mood swings turned to tornadoes after marriage, and she's now back in her dad's home, with a hapless child in tow.
Despite the different circumstances in which both marriages took place, I can see a similarity between them; a desparate avoidance of social stigma. It is a shame to be unmarried, so I could just throw myself in any pitfall, better than ending up alone. I cannot understand their mindsets. Whatever happened to common sense? How can ruining you life, and bringing into the world an innocent fatherless child be so common? I know, it's always desire. Even where they do not want to admit this, they were just seeking sexual gratification. Of course I am not disparaging this, I am just wondering what they thought they'd be doing for the rest of their lives when sex would no longer be fun.
I have heard someone say this over the radio and I will keep remembering it in case my friends' stupidity becomes contagious. Loneliness is better than bad company. Looking at my friends' choices now, I thank the gracious heavens that I am single. And if no one should prove worthy of my company, I know that I have enough self-confidence and sanity to do everything which marriage and lactation does not allow me.
Stupid Friend 1 got married to someone who had, during their so-called relationship, demeaned her and her family. He happily went on with his life when they broke up, but she kept calling him, and calling him, and begging him to marry her, risking to give many of her legal rights in the process. She went ahead and married him eventually, and for the sake of my sanity I won't try to imagine how there life will be like.
Stupid Friend 2, no REALLY Stupid Friend 2, already noticed during her engagement her beau's shortcomings, so did her dad, but they went on with the marriage anyway, akin to Really Stupid Friend's bizarre behaviour and off-the-handle mood swings. Not surprisingly, her mood swings turned to tornadoes after marriage, and she's now back in her dad's home, with a hapless child in tow.
Despite the different circumstances in which both marriages took place, I can see a similarity between them; a desparate avoidance of social stigma. It is a shame to be unmarried, so I could just throw myself in any pitfall, better than ending up alone. I cannot understand their mindsets. Whatever happened to common sense? How can ruining you life, and bringing into the world an innocent fatherless child be so common? I know, it's always desire. Even where they do not want to admit this, they were just seeking sexual gratification. Of course I am not disparaging this, I am just wondering what they thought they'd be doing for the rest of their lives when sex would no longer be fun.
I have heard someone say this over the radio and I will keep remembering it in case my friends' stupidity becomes contagious. Loneliness is better than bad company. Looking at my friends' choices now, I thank the gracious heavens that I am single. And if no one should prove worthy of my company, I know that I have enough self-confidence and sanity to do everything which marriage and lactation does not allow me.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Random virtues of growing up
With age comes confidence, at least to most people.
1) Yesterday I passed randomly by some government employees. As usual they were eating lebb. (For shame, what does lebb mean in English? Pulp?) I said salamo aleko but then I looked again, not because I was offended they were fusing leisure with supposed work, but because I usually get the where-are-you-going question. They soon burst into laughter, probably out of embarrassment. Now winding back to ten years ago, I would wonder what the hell is wrong with my t-shirt, or the way I walk, or my salamo aleko, and walk home in tears.
2) You realise that Titanic is also about gender inequality, class conflict and major script failures on the part of Cameron, and not just the touch-me-in-steamy-car love plotline.
3) The more you lose people through death or other more cruel means, the more you appreciate who you have now.
1) Yesterday I passed randomly by some government employees. As usual they were eating lebb. (For shame, what does lebb mean in English? Pulp?) I said salamo aleko but then I looked again, not because I was offended they were fusing leisure with supposed work, but because I usually get the where-are-you-going question. They soon burst into laughter, probably out of embarrassment. Now winding back to ten years ago, I would wonder what the hell is wrong with my t-shirt, or the way I walk, or my salamo aleko, and walk home in tears.
2) You realise that Titanic is also about gender inequality, class conflict and major script failures on the part of Cameron, and not just the touch-me-in-steamy-car love plotline.
3) The more you lose people through death or other more cruel means, the more you appreciate who you have now.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
أكتوبر شهرك...تمتعي بصحتك
أحد الأنشطة التي تنظمها وزارة الصحة المصرية أو بعض المنظمات غير الحكومية هي "السباق من أجل الشفاء وهو سباق يقام بالقرب من منطقة الأهرامات ومن المفترض أن هدف السباق هو زيادة التوعية بسرطان الثدي.
وجدت أحد دعاوي هذا السباق في مقهى راق، وتحتوي الدعوة على مكان وتوقيت السباق وكيفية الاشتراك إلا أنها لا تحتوي على أي معلومة صغيرة كانت أو كبيرة عن سرطان الثدي والفحص الدوري وكيفية الوقاية منه، أي أن على من تريد نشر التوعية أن تسدد قيمة الاشتراك في السباق وتشترك فيه وإلا فلا يوجد وسيلة أخرى سهلة لمعرفة سبل الوقاية من هذا المرض، وهو المفترض أنه الهدف من السباق. كما أنها وسيلة طبقية إلى حد كبير، فهذا المقهى لا ترتاده سوى نساء من شرائح اجتماعية ميسورة.
على عكس هذا الأسلوب للتوعية، وصلت إلي بطاقة تصممها منظمة الصحة العالمية عليها الشريطة الوردية الشهيرة وبها إرشادات سهلة وبسيطة:
إذا كان عمرك من 20 إلى 40 عاماً، أجري فحص الماموجرام مرة كل ثلاث سنوات
أما السيدات فوق سن الأربعين فعليهن إجراء الفحص مرة كل عام
وجهاز الماموجرام متوافر في مراكز الأشعة الخاصة (للأسف فقد سألت في بعض المستشفيات الحكومية فوجدت أن الجهاز إما معطل أو يتطلب الكشف بعض الإجراءات المطولة والزيارات المتعددة) ويبلغ تكلفة الكشف في المركز الذي سألت فيه 250 جنيهاً
تذكرن يا عزيزاتي أن هذه التكلفة زهيدة للغاية مقارنةً بتكاليف العلاج
وأن الكشف الدوري ما هو إلا وسيلة للاطمئنان أنك بحالة جيدة، لذلك فهو في الغالب مصدر ارتياح أكثر من كونه مصدر قلق
تمتعن بصحتكن...وواظبن على الكشف الدوري
وجدت أحد دعاوي هذا السباق في مقهى راق، وتحتوي الدعوة على مكان وتوقيت السباق وكيفية الاشتراك إلا أنها لا تحتوي على أي معلومة صغيرة كانت أو كبيرة عن سرطان الثدي والفحص الدوري وكيفية الوقاية منه، أي أن على من تريد نشر التوعية أن تسدد قيمة الاشتراك في السباق وتشترك فيه وإلا فلا يوجد وسيلة أخرى سهلة لمعرفة سبل الوقاية من هذا المرض، وهو المفترض أنه الهدف من السباق. كما أنها وسيلة طبقية إلى حد كبير، فهذا المقهى لا ترتاده سوى نساء من شرائح اجتماعية ميسورة.
على عكس هذا الأسلوب للتوعية، وصلت إلي بطاقة تصممها منظمة الصحة العالمية عليها الشريطة الوردية الشهيرة وبها إرشادات سهلة وبسيطة:
إذا كان عمرك من 20 إلى 40 عاماً، أجري فحص الماموجرام مرة كل ثلاث سنوات
أما السيدات فوق سن الأربعين فعليهن إجراء الفحص مرة كل عام
وجهاز الماموجرام متوافر في مراكز الأشعة الخاصة (للأسف فقد سألت في بعض المستشفيات الحكومية فوجدت أن الجهاز إما معطل أو يتطلب الكشف بعض الإجراءات المطولة والزيارات المتعددة) ويبلغ تكلفة الكشف في المركز الذي سألت فيه 250 جنيهاً
تذكرن يا عزيزاتي أن هذه التكلفة زهيدة للغاية مقارنةً بتكاليف العلاج
وأن الكشف الدوري ما هو إلا وسيلة للاطمئنان أنك بحالة جيدة، لذلك فهو في الغالب مصدر ارتياح أكثر من كونه مصدر قلق
تمتعن بصحتكن...وواظبن على الكشف الدوري
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Khaled Said Trial Update
Today Sally Sami tweeted live from the third session of the trial of Khaled Said's murderers. Eight witnesses gave their testimonies, including Amaal, wife of the building porter where Khaled was beaten to death, a crucial witness, Khaled's brother and two friends of his. One of the friends admitted that he used to smoke weed and other drugs with Khaled, whereas the other friend who was there when Khaled died confirmed that said suspects beat him to death.
There has been a focus, or so I noticed, on the claim that Khaled was an addict, and that the puzzling story of Khaled swallowing a packet of drugs may be true. Sadly, this is yet another indication that the policemen will recieve a light sentence, if any at all, because they killed a "drug addict". Judges may actually think it is acceptable for police forces to crack open a "junkie's" jaw. One more paradigm that Egyptains have just GOT TO do away with, that addicts are bloody criminals who deserve to die. Add mental health patients, religious minorities, girls in tight jeans, and you know Egypt is on its way to become a Nazi nation.
Meanwhile pro-police protesters continued their farcical protests outside the court, yelling at witnesses "You Jews!", and telling Khaled's family members they're dogs.
The three elements seem to complete the farce that has become Egypt, the pro-police protesters, the police and the judges. The trial was adjourned to 26th of November.
There has been a focus, or so I noticed, on the claim that Khaled was an addict, and that the puzzling story of Khaled swallowing a packet of drugs may be true. Sadly, this is yet another indication that the policemen will recieve a light sentence, if any at all, because they killed a "drug addict". Judges may actually think it is acceptable for police forces to crack open a "junkie's" jaw. One more paradigm that Egyptains have just GOT TO do away with, that addicts are bloody criminals who deserve to die. Add mental health patients, religious minorities, girls in tight jeans, and you know Egypt is on its way to become a Nazi nation.
Meanwhile pro-police protesters continued their farcical protests outside the court, yelling at witnesses "You Jews!", and telling Khaled's family members they're dogs.
The three elements seem to complete the farce that has become Egypt, the pro-police protesters, the police and the judges. The trial was adjourned to 26th of November.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Updates from Egypt
Allow me to be too lazy to write separate posts about each of the important incidents that have taken place in the land of wonders.
The highly anticipated Tuesday 21st of September, Abdin square, or rather a dumpster-turned protest scene. The People's Democratic Movement for Change (Hashd), a leftist movement, called for this protest against the expected presidential-succesion in Egypt. News spread that whoever ventured close to the palace was immediately arrested. So a couple hundred of honest people decided to stand on said dumpster and started chanting anyway. Of course, every now and then protesters were attacked. The most horrifying moment was, though, when we suddenly found a march of fellow-protesters coming toward us. Due to my length, I don't know what happened. But suddenly the whole 200 ppl, backed by 2000 soldiers, were rushing towards me, and I was jolted out of the security cordon. A few tense minutes passed before security forces rearranged themselves and the cordon was large enough to include both groups.
I estimate the protesters to have been around 400 to 500, but it is not only about the numbers. Photos of Gamal Mubarak's photos burning were widely circulated and chants accusing Mubarak senior (oh, man. we actually have to start telling them apart) of trading Jerusalem for his son were shouted. It is the effect of the photos and videos posted that also carries defiance. We do not want to be ruled by Mubarak junior. We do not want to have sham elections no more. We do not want to be ruled by a bunch of businessmen who eat up most of Egypt's wealth and leave the bones for the workers. Or, for that matter, a bunch of businessmen who are able to drown a thousand and thirty four people and manage to flee the country, never to be held accountable. Gamal Mubarak's rule only means more unfair distribution of wealth, more thuggery, more unsaftey, more autocracy, more people dying of torture or negligence. We are already rolling down a steep hill, and Gamal Mubarak will be our rock bottom.
September 22nd, October Courthouse. Judges order the policemen, whom Shadi Maged accuses of torturing him, to be arrested. Reminder: I did assert that this is the land of wonders. So this court order may or may not mean that they're in jail now.
September 25th, second trial of the murderers of Khaled Said. Same silly attempt to intimitade pro-justice protesters. Police gathered a number of thugs, or informers, or random ppl who were bribed to protest for the police. Trial was adjourned to the 23rd of October.
I cannot even imagine how his family must be feeling now. Always hanging their hope on justice, only for justice to be deferred, or hushed, or obliterated.
The highly anticipated Tuesday 21st of September, Abdin square, or rather a dumpster-turned protest scene. The People's Democratic Movement for Change (Hashd), a leftist movement, called for this protest against the expected presidential-succesion in Egypt. News spread that whoever ventured close to the palace was immediately arrested. So a couple hundred of honest people decided to stand on said dumpster and started chanting anyway. Of course, every now and then protesters were attacked. The most horrifying moment was, though, when we suddenly found a march of fellow-protesters coming toward us. Due to my length, I don't know what happened. But suddenly the whole 200 ppl, backed by 2000 soldiers, were rushing towards me, and I was jolted out of the security cordon. A few tense minutes passed before security forces rearranged themselves and the cordon was large enough to include both groups.
I estimate the protesters to have been around 400 to 500, but it is not only about the numbers. Photos of Gamal Mubarak's photos burning were widely circulated and chants accusing Mubarak senior (oh, man. we actually have to start telling them apart) of trading Jerusalem for his son were shouted. It is the effect of the photos and videos posted that also carries defiance. We do not want to be ruled by Mubarak junior. We do not want to have sham elections no more. We do not want to be ruled by a bunch of businessmen who eat up most of Egypt's wealth and leave the bones for the workers. Or, for that matter, a bunch of businessmen who are able to drown a thousand and thirty four people and manage to flee the country, never to be held accountable. Gamal Mubarak's rule only means more unfair distribution of wealth, more thuggery, more unsaftey, more autocracy, more people dying of torture or negligence. We are already rolling down a steep hill, and Gamal Mubarak will be our rock bottom.
September 22nd, October Courthouse. Judges order the policemen, whom Shadi Maged accuses of torturing him, to be arrested. Reminder: I did assert that this is the land of wonders. So this court order may or may not mean that they're in jail now.
September 25th, second trial of the murderers of Khaled Said. Same silly attempt to intimitade pro-justice protesters. Police gathered a number of thugs, or informers, or random ppl who were bribed to protest for the police. Trial was adjourned to the 23rd of October.
I cannot even imagine how his family must be feeling now. Always hanging their hope on justice, only for justice to be deferred, or hushed, or obliterated.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
My name is Wild at Heart and I'm not going to say I'm not a terrorist
In the manner of the movie My Name is Khan (and I am not a Terrorist), the rhetoric of many Muslims around the world has gone like this;
I am veiled but no I am not oppressed.
I am a Muslim but hell no I don't oppress women.
I believe in Allah but I don't flay camels alive
etc etc!
It is as if these Muslims are incessantly apologising for a crime they have never committed. They have grown up to feel, or have been somewhat forced to feel, that they are ALL guilty until proven otherwise. That is why they should continuously deny a crime that no one would accuse them of if they had not brought it up!
Dear Muslim, stand tall and stop saying sorry for the mistakes of others.
Dear non-Musilm, you can simply read one line of the Koran before stereotyping others;
I am veiled but no I am not oppressed.
I am a Muslim but hell no I don't oppress women.
I believe in Allah but I don't flay camels alive
etc etc!
It is as if these Muslims are incessantly apologising for a crime they have never committed. They have grown up to feel, or have been somewhat forced to feel, that they are ALL guilty until proven otherwise. That is why they should continuously deny a crime that no one would accuse them of if they had not brought it up!
Dear Muslim, stand tall and stop saying sorry for the mistakes of others.
Dear non-Musilm, you can simply read one line of the Koran before stereotyping others;
"Do not transgress for God likes not transgressors"
Al-Baqara 190
Al-Baqara 190
صدق اللي سماه عيد التحرش
كنت متوقعة إن يحصل تحرشات جماعية في العيد السنة دي، بقى لنا أربع سنين التحرشات الجماعية مقررة علينا وبقت خلاص زي الأكل والشرب والنوم كده، وماتوقعش ليه؟ إيه اللي تغير من 4 سنين؟ ولا حاجة؟ الشرطة اللي هي أحد الأسباب الرئيسية لحالة الفوضى كانت مشغولة بتعتقل أعتى مجرمي هذا العصر اللي هم النشطاء السياسيين
يا حلاوة يا ولاااااااد العيد فرحة فعلاً، سايبين العيال يتحرشوا بالبنات وماسكين تنكيل في النشطاء، هم دول اللي بياخدوا مرتباتهم من ضرايبنا، أنا مش عارفة أقول إيه فعلاً، أنا قلت كل اللي ممكن يتقال، بس مش عايزة أي جحش من هنا ورايح يقول لي إن التحرش ليه علاقة بالكبت الجنسي - كتير من اللي بيتحرشوا لسة مابلغوش أساساً، ولا أي جحش تاني يقول لي البنات هم السبب و90% من المصريات محجبات، ولا أي خرتيت يقول لي إني ببالغ أو إن الموضوع مش سيء زي ما أنا متخيلة
اتفضل إلبس ست يا روح أمك منك له وإبقى قابلني لو عرفت تمشي مسافة عمارتين من غير ما تسمع تعليق أو حد يبص لك بصة غير بريئة أو يعمل نفسه بيتكلم في التليفون مع حد وتبقى عارف إنه بيتكلم عليك
جتكوا القرف كلكوا تستاهلوا جمال يدوس على راس اللي خلفوكوا
وساعتها إن شاء الله هكون مت بالنقطة أو سبت أم البلد دي
يا حلاوة يا ولاااااااد العيد فرحة فعلاً، سايبين العيال يتحرشوا بالبنات وماسكين تنكيل في النشطاء، هم دول اللي بياخدوا مرتباتهم من ضرايبنا، أنا مش عارفة أقول إيه فعلاً، أنا قلت كل اللي ممكن يتقال، بس مش عايزة أي جحش من هنا ورايح يقول لي إن التحرش ليه علاقة بالكبت الجنسي - كتير من اللي بيتحرشوا لسة مابلغوش أساساً، ولا أي جحش تاني يقول لي البنات هم السبب و90% من المصريات محجبات، ولا أي خرتيت يقول لي إني ببالغ أو إن الموضوع مش سيء زي ما أنا متخيلة
اتفضل إلبس ست يا روح أمك منك له وإبقى قابلني لو عرفت تمشي مسافة عمارتين من غير ما تسمع تعليق أو حد يبص لك بصة غير بريئة أو يعمل نفسه بيتكلم في التليفون مع حد وتبقى عارف إنه بيتكلم عليك
جتكوا القرف كلكوا تستاهلوا جمال يدوس على راس اللي خلفوكوا
وساعتها إن شاء الله هكون مت بالنقطة أو سبت أم البلد دي
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Egyptian Police on Trial for Torture, Again
The "usual" item of news is, a group of policemen decided to randomly stop a young man called Shadi Maged in the street and check his IDs. They told him to accompany them to the police station, which he refused, simply because he was not accused of any crime. Of course they started hitting him and kidnapped him to the station, where he was repeatedly beaten and abused for ten whole days. He would pass out under torture, only to come about and be tortured again. He told the prosecutors what happened, but even this did not save him. The policemen falsely accused him of theft and drug possession. After months of ordeal, threats and detaining him with his wife and toddler for four days, he was finally released.
The unusual item of news is, Shadi refused to let the abuses go unquestioned. He identified the names of three high-ranking policemen who were involved in his torture and decided to file a lawsuit against them. The first session was on September 1st, and it was adjourned to the 22nd of the same month.
This means that Egyptian police will witness quite an embarassing week this month. On the same week, precisely on the 25th of September, the second session in the high-profile case of the murder of Khaled Said takes place.
I'd like to point to a detail that may seem secondary. In the case of Khaled Said, the policemen behind bars until now are low-ranking policemen whom witnesses saw beat Khaled to death. The high-ranking policeman, Ahmad Othman, who reportedly ordered the attack, somehow avoided being accused. He gave the prosecution a silly alibi of being on a vacation the night Khaled died, as if he could not order the killing by mobile phone. In the case of Shadi, however, all of the defendants are high-ranking policemen, which may make it more difficult to make them pay for forever traumatising an innocent man.
Both judges and policemen are elitist. In recent years, poor or middle class Egyptians have been the overwhelming majority of targets of torture and abuse. Judges pass more severe sentences against poor people. For instance, a boatman received a ten year sentence when his crumbling boat capsised and killed a bunch of girls, whereas powerful businessman Mamdouh Ismail recieved a fleeting 7 years when one thousand and thirty four people died in the February 2006 Ferry disaster, a sentence he will not even do, having easily escaped soon after the disaster. Similarly, policemen most probably mistreat people from the working class or underprivilidged people. I cannot imagine Hisham Talaat Mustafa being mistreated at any point during his detention.
This is why I implore upon everyone reading this post to blog about Shadi's case, link to this post on your twitter and or Facebook accounts or to the original story in Arabic, attend the second session, do something. Anything. This case has got to be known, for visbility is one way of attaining power.
The unusual item of news is, Shadi refused to let the abuses go unquestioned. He identified the names of three high-ranking policemen who were involved in his torture and decided to file a lawsuit against them. The first session was on September 1st, and it was adjourned to the 22nd of the same month.
This means that Egyptian police will witness quite an embarassing week this month. On the same week, precisely on the 25th of September, the second session in the high-profile case of the murder of Khaled Said takes place.
I'd like to point to a detail that may seem secondary. In the case of Khaled Said, the policemen behind bars until now are low-ranking policemen whom witnesses saw beat Khaled to death. The high-ranking policeman, Ahmad Othman, who reportedly ordered the attack, somehow avoided being accused. He gave the prosecution a silly alibi of being on a vacation the night Khaled died, as if he could not order the killing by mobile phone. In the case of Shadi, however, all of the defendants are high-ranking policemen, which may make it more difficult to make them pay for forever traumatising an innocent man.
Both judges and policemen are elitist. In recent years, poor or middle class Egyptians have been the overwhelming majority of targets of torture and abuse. Judges pass more severe sentences against poor people. For instance, a boatman received a ten year sentence when his crumbling boat capsised and killed a bunch of girls, whereas powerful businessman Mamdouh Ismail recieved a fleeting 7 years when one thousand and thirty four people died in the February 2006 Ferry disaster, a sentence he will not even do, having easily escaped soon after the disaster. Similarly, policemen most probably mistreat people from the working class or underprivilidged people. I cannot imagine Hisham Talaat Mustafa being mistreated at any point during his detention.
This is why I implore upon everyone reading this post to blog about Shadi's case, link to this post on your twitter and or Facebook accounts or to the original story in Arabic, attend the second session, do something. Anything. This case has got to be known, for visbility is one way of attaining power.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Partly an Orphan
My uncle passed away. I saw him last after he underwent a major surgery which proved to be futile anyway. His frail organs of 72 years just could not withstand being operated on. He recognised me, and made an enormous effort to reply and smile at me. Throughout the days he was terminally ill, I was in some strange state of oblivion. I always knew there was possibility he wouldn't make it, but I opted to ease my conscience by believing that he would. When the news finally came, it was a strange sort of expected heartbreak.
No matter how many people I lose to death, I make the same mistake over and over again; I take them for granted. I have become a major sloth with nothing as tempting as love, friendship, money or an attractive job to move me to action. I have always loved my uncle, I have always felt comfortable enough to talk to him about my personal life where possible, but for some reason I never did. The storm of grief is not simply about never being able to talk to the deceased again, but to have a grain of fear in my heart that I could have visited him more often. I had the time, I had the money, I had the love, but I only saw him three or four times a year on average. He lived 15 minutes away. Instead, I have created a very intricate Facebook profile, stalked people who do not know I exist and spent hours calculating how much money I need to save to get a new winter coat. I have been kind to him, as kind as my cold heart allowed, but never kind enough.
He has gone now where I can't follow, though he did follow me briefly on the night he died. In my dreams he was sleeping in a glowing bed with my grandma, I kissed his forehead but he didn't respond. I will never forgive myself for not giving him more of my time and attention. I deserve all the grief I feel now after this catastrophe. And if death is not a catatstrophe, nothing is.
No matter how many people I lose to death, I make the same mistake over and over again; I take them for granted. I have become a major sloth with nothing as tempting as love, friendship, money or an attractive job to move me to action. I have always loved my uncle, I have always felt comfortable enough to talk to him about my personal life where possible, but for some reason I never did. The storm of grief is not simply about never being able to talk to the deceased again, but to have a grain of fear in my heart that I could have visited him more often. I had the time, I had the money, I had the love, but I only saw him three or four times a year on average. He lived 15 minutes away. Instead, I have created a very intricate Facebook profile, stalked people who do not know I exist and spent hours calculating how much money I need to save to get a new winter coat. I have been kind to him, as kind as my cold heart allowed, but never kind enough.
He has gone now where I can't follow, though he did follow me briefly on the night he died. In my dreams he was sleeping in a glowing bed with my grandma, I kissed his forehead but he didn't respond. I will never forgive myself for not giving him more of my time and attention. I deserve all the grief I feel now after this catastrophe. And if death is not a catatstrophe, nothing is.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
دليل المدون الناشط للتصوير وخدمة فلكر
إذا كنت زي حالاتي مدون ناشط وزي حالاتي برضو لا تفقه شيئاً في تكنولوجيا المعلومات لازم تقرا دليل حسام الحملاوي للتصوير في الوقفات الاحتجاجية وتحميل الصور على موقع فليكر
Saturday, August 21, 2010
أعمل إيه لو عربية مشيت ورايا في الشارع؟
شكل من أشكال التحرش الجنسي اللي احنا البنات لازم ناخد نصيبنا منه كل يوم هو التحرش بالعربيات، الواحدة بتبقى واقفة أو ماشية لا بيها ولا عليها تلاقي راجل قد أبوها راكب عربية فارهة ويزمرلها أو يقف لها أو حتى يقول لها "تيجي ساعة وأديكي 2000 جنيه؟" زي ما حصل لواحدة صاحبتي قبل كده، المواقف دي بتبقى صادمة والواحد تفكيره بيتشل عشان كده جات لي شوية أفكار ممكن نعملها لو اتعرضنا لموقف زي ده، بس قبل أي حاجة لازم نتفق إن مفيش موقف ممكن تاخديه هيبقى نتيجته السلامة 100%، لكن في رسائل غير مباشرة لازم توصليها للمتحرش:
1) بشكل عام حاولي تمشي عكس اتجاه العربيات في جميع الأحوال، وده سهل لو الشارع اللي ماشية فيه واسع واتجاهين.
2) لازم تاخدي موقف، عشان لو كملتي مشي المتحرش والناس اللي في الشارع اللي احتمال يقفوا جنبك مش هيقولوا إنك خايفة أو مكسوفة أو مطنشة، هيقولوا مبسوطة.
3) لو ماشية مع اتجاه العربيات ولقيتي عربية مبطأة جنبك لفي وإرجعي على طول وعدي الشارع وإمشي من غير ما تبصي للعربية بس تبقى متابعاها بطرف عينك عشان تشوفي هو ماشي إزاي.
4) لو الموضوع طول والطريقة التانية ماجابتش فايدة، لازم تاخدي خطوة أكبر، أقفي وإعملي نفسك بتتكلمي في التليفون مع والدك أو أي ولد وأوصفيه له الموقف، أنا بقول مثّلي الموضوع ده لإن في أغلب الأحيان الموضوع مش حيحتاج تدخل أطراف تانية وتبقى خناقة وضرب إلخ.
5) لو الموضوع طول زيادة واضطريتي تردي على الكلام ماتشتميش وردي بحسم "سيبني في حالي" أو "أنا حاجيبلك أخويا يتفاهم معاك" أو "إنت شايفني إيه" كده يعني.
6) نصيحة برضو في جميع الأحوال، شيلي معاكي برفان أو سبراي مزيل للعرق، قبل كده كنت في شارع مضلم شوية ولقيت واحد واقف لي تحت الشجرة، طبعاً خفت وماعملتش أي حاجة غير إني طلعت الاسبراي من شنطتي وبينتهولوه، غالباً خاف منه وماعمليش حاجة.
1) بشكل عام حاولي تمشي عكس اتجاه العربيات في جميع الأحوال، وده سهل لو الشارع اللي ماشية فيه واسع واتجاهين.
2) لازم تاخدي موقف، عشان لو كملتي مشي المتحرش والناس اللي في الشارع اللي احتمال يقفوا جنبك مش هيقولوا إنك خايفة أو مكسوفة أو مطنشة، هيقولوا مبسوطة.
3) لو ماشية مع اتجاه العربيات ولقيتي عربية مبطأة جنبك لفي وإرجعي على طول وعدي الشارع وإمشي من غير ما تبصي للعربية بس تبقى متابعاها بطرف عينك عشان تشوفي هو ماشي إزاي.
4) لو الموضوع طول والطريقة التانية ماجابتش فايدة، لازم تاخدي خطوة أكبر، أقفي وإعملي نفسك بتتكلمي في التليفون مع والدك أو أي ولد وأوصفيه له الموقف، أنا بقول مثّلي الموضوع ده لإن في أغلب الأحيان الموضوع مش حيحتاج تدخل أطراف تانية وتبقى خناقة وضرب إلخ.
5) لو الموضوع طول زيادة واضطريتي تردي على الكلام ماتشتميش وردي بحسم "سيبني في حالي" أو "أنا حاجيبلك أخويا يتفاهم معاك" أو "إنت شايفني إيه" كده يعني.
6) نصيحة برضو في جميع الأحوال، شيلي معاكي برفان أو سبراي مزيل للعرق، قبل كده كنت في شارع مضلم شوية ولقيت واحد واقف لي تحت الشجرة، طبعاً خفت وماعملتش أي حاجة غير إني طلعت الاسبراي من شنطتي وبينتهولوه، غالباً خاف منه وماعمليش حاجة.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
إفتح يا سمسم باب التعذيب في مصر
من ساعة قضية خالد سعيد ما اتعرفت وآلاف شاركوا في الاحتجاج ضد بلطجة الداخلية، صفحة كلنا خالد سعيد وأنا اسمي خالد سعيد على الفيسبوك عمالين يقلبوا القديم على الجديد من جرائم النظام المصري وظهر فيديوهات ووقائع تعذيب ماكانتش معروفة أو اتعرفت في حدود المدونات واتنست. مش بس كده مستخدمي فيسبوك اللي مش نشطاء كمان بدءوا ينشروا فيديوهات فيها جرائم ترويع ارتكبها النظام المصري في الكام سنة اللي فاتوا مافرقش فيها بين رجل عجوز وسيدات وأطفال، اللينك ده فيديو لقيته امبارح وأول مرة أشوفه ماعرفش الكلام ده كان إمتى، واضح فيه قوات الأمن بتستعين بمئات البلطجية ماسكين عصيان وبيضربوا راجل عجوز لحد ما وقعهوه على الأرض وكسروا عربية راجل تاني حاول يتدخل.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/video/video.php?v=107258555995478
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/video/video.php?v=107258555995478
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Khaled Said's Killers Trial Adjourned
The details of today's session are well and objectively detailed here, but I can't be objective about it.
As noted in this post, the murderers should face more severe charges, I do not know who is responsible for this, but it's probably the prosecution. Thankfully, Khaled Said family's lawyers asked the charges to be changed to premeditated murder, but it doesn't necessarily mean they will. I mean, what fucking bullshit is this? Someone has died here, someone has been beaten for a tortuous twenty minutes and smeared after his death, and in return his killers, IF convicted, may face only three years?? One reason why many Egyptians are frustrated from their lifelong government is that not only does the government purposefully kill and/or starves them, but the judicial system is not always reliable, because it belings to, uhm, the government!
As noted in this post, the murderers should face more severe charges, I do not know who is responsible for this, but it's probably the prosecution. Thankfully, Khaled Said family's lawyers asked the charges to be changed to premeditated murder, but it doesn't necessarily mean they will. I mean, what fucking bullshit is this? Someone has died here, someone has been beaten for a tortuous twenty minutes and smeared after his death, and in return his killers, IF convicted, may face only three years?? One reason why many Egyptians are frustrated from their lifelong government is that not only does the government purposefully kill and/or starves them, but the judicial system is not always reliable, because it belings to, uhm, the government!
Monday, July 26, 2010
بدء حملة للدعاية لجمال مبارك
عزيزي القارئ، ماذا ستفعل إذا استيقظت يوماً ووجدت السيد جمال مبارك وقد تولى مقاليد الحكم في مصر؟
1- حازورق وأموت
2- حأنزل مظاهرات ويا قاتل يا مقتول
3- حاستنى أشوف يمكن الأوضاع تتحسن؟
1- حازورق وأموت
2- حأنزل مظاهرات ويا قاتل يا مقتول
3- حاستنى أشوف يمكن الأوضاع تتحسن؟
Sunday, July 18, 2010
وقفة احتجاجية في ذكرى أربعين خالد سعيد
تقديم المخبرين للمحاكمة مش كفاية، وعشرات المظاهرات شارك فيها آلاف مش كفاية، الوقفات مستمرة طالما أسباب الظلم موجودة
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Khaled Said's Murderers Detained
Update: So it's official, Khaled Said's killers will go to trial.
More to come as soon as news is available.
---------------------------
Alexandria prosecution ordered today Khaled Said's killers to be detained. Investigations will probably take long, but in any case you wouldn't want to set high expectations. They were charged with "illegal detainment" (!) and "the use of excessive force" (!!), instead of beating to death, or even premeditated murder. The good thing is the uproar which followed the case, probably one of the reasons it didn't sink into oblivion.More to come as soon as news is available.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Police Brutality in Beheira
In light of the murder of Khaled Said, independent daily newspaper Al-Shorouk is highlighting more and more examples of alarming abuses committed by the Egyptian police, here is a summary of another story:
Al-Nadeem Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims published the outcomes of the fact-finding committee investigating the continuing abuses committed by security forces against El-Beheira farmers. A senior State Security officer bought their land from someone who doesn't own it, and insisted that his contract is authentic even though the farmers have authentic contracts themselves.
The farmers have been continuously terrorised since the beginning of this month. The first attack was on the 7th of June at 4 am. Armed policemen came upon the Shehab family homes, beat up their women and terrorised the whole village in an attempt to force them to give up their land.
A number of women were detained including Ilham Riad, wife of Gaber Shehab. She reports being beaten up and was hospitalised in Damanhour Hospital. She is currently suffering haemorrhage dangerous enough to make her lose her baby.
Twenty four hours later, another force trespassed the farmers' land and destroyed the corn fields in order to make it difficult for the prosecution to examine it and prove that it belongs to the farmers. The farmers are also accusing a member of parliament of conspiring with the police to destroy and steal their land, and that he previously stole a huge piece of land and sold it to the same SS officer.
The police officers performed their third raid at noon on the same day; 8th of June. They smashed the farmers' irrigators to push them further more.
Farmers bought this land in 2000, and the SS officer bought it "again" from a different contractor in 2009 and has been abusing his position and power since then to force them to give up their land.
View original (Arabic)
Al-Nadeem Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims published the outcomes of the fact-finding committee investigating the continuing abuses committed by security forces against El-Beheira farmers. A senior State Security officer bought their land from someone who doesn't own it, and insisted that his contract is authentic even though the farmers have authentic contracts themselves.
The farmers have been continuously terrorised since the beginning of this month. The first attack was on the 7th of June at 4 am. Armed policemen came upon the Shehab family homes, beat up their women and terrorised the whole village in an attempt to force them to give up their land.
A number of women were detained including Ilham Riad, wife of Gaber Shehab. She reports being beaten up and was hospitalised in Damanhour Hospital. She is currently suffering haemorrhage dangerous enough to make her lose her baby.
Twenty four hours later, another force trespassed the farmers' land and destroyed the corn fields in order to make it difficult for the prosecution to examine it and prove that it belongs to the farmers. The farmers are also accusing a member of parliament of conspiring with the police to destroy and steal their land, and that he previously stole a huge piece of land and sold it to the same SS officer.
The police officers performed their third raid at noon on the same day; 8th of June. They smashed the farmers' irrigators to push them further more.
Farmers bought this land in 2000, and the SS officer bought it "again" from a different contractor in 2009 and has been abusing his position and power since then to force them to give up their land.
View original (Arabic)
Saturday, June 26, 2010
In Support of Victims of Torture, Egypt Stands Strong
It will take a long time to process the public scene in Egypt yesterday. Whereas it is true that protests are no longer novel events in Egypt and that the country has been rife with protests for many reasons ranging from political reform to pay rise or even an unfair manager taking over a public hospital, rarely before have hundreds, perhaps thousands of Egyptians decided to publicly grief for the same reason. And it is no trivial reason such as losing World Cup qualifications; to protest brutal murder of Khaled Said at the hands of the police, and torture victims in general.
The Alexandria protests in which public figures such As ElBaradei, Noor and Sabbahi participated (or actually called for, can't tell) were massive. The location of assembly, Sidi Gaber, had been turned into a closed military area. Thousands of riot police were present and even tanks! Now, the Ministry of Interior knows quite well none of the protestors is armed with a knife, let alone machine guns. So the scene of tanks was quite bizarre as well as funny, and some protestors reportedly responded by taking pictures beside tanks and waving the victory sign. A scene from the occupied Palestinian land.
What I want to focus on, however, are the ensuing silent protests which took place in at least eight different cities. The protests have been announced online, particularly on Facebook. It was not one event planned by a certain movement or person. They were multiple events, in multiple places created by a Facebook page for Khaled Said. No one knows the administrator of the page. He or she just asked participants to silently protest in the downtowns of the cities wearing black. The "rules" also included not chanting or holding banners. And so they did, brilliantly organic they were. The young people particpating wanted to protest, but didn't want to get into scuffles or get detained. Not that all people who are unjustly detained are protestors, but so it goes. These revealing protests come after a long time of believing that no matter what we do, no one will listen, nothing will change. But blimey I can see change with my own two eyes seeing yesterday's protests. The Egyptian regime has generated a stubborn generation who swore to stand up against injustice, clearly realising that you do not have to be a political activist to be tortured. And since they didn't know the person calling for the protest, they don't always need a leader. All they need is to witness injustice. The number of Egyptians who are willing to sacrifice their personal safety is increasing, and one reason for this is, again, realising that you are not safe if you "walk next to the wall" as we say. Their act in this context may I say is an act of self-preservation. The regime has been pushing too hard, impoverishing us and slamming us if we as much as utter a moan of pain. They should have seen this coming.
Whereas this public outcry may not necessarily push towards a fair sentence for Khaled's murderers and a change of this system of torture all in all, especially given last Wednesday's phony autopsy report, it signals again a change of public attitude towards regime crimes. You wouldn't hear of a similar reaction 10 or 15 years back, when all our sources of information was government-controlled. But now torture is difficult to hide, and in this incident in particular Khaled's broken skull is screaming at us to stand strong against it.
The Alexandria protests in which public figures such As ElBaradei, Noor and Sabbahi participated (or actually called for, can't tell) were massive. The location of assembly, Sidi Gaber, had been turned into a closed military area. Thousands of riot police were present and even tanks! Now, the Ministry of Interior knows quite well none of the protestors is armed with a knife, let alone machine guns. So the scene of tanks was quite bizarre as well as funny, and some protestors reportedly responded by taking pictures beside tanks and waving the victory sign. A scene from the occupied Palestinian land.
What I want to focus on, however, are the ensuing silent protests which took place in at least eight different cities. The protests have been announced online, particularly on Facebook. It was not one event planned by a certain movement or person. They were multiple events, in multiple places created by a Facebook page for Khaled Said. No one knows the administrator of the page. He or she just asked participants to silently protest in the downtowns of the cities wearing black. The "rules" also included not chanting or holding banners. And so they did, brilliantly organic they were. The young people particpating wanted to protest, but didn't want to get into scuffles or get detained. Not that all people who are unjustly detained are protestors, but so it goes. These revealing protests come after a long time of believing that no matter what we do, no one will listen, nothing will change. But blimey I can see change with my own two eyes seeing yesterday's protests. The Egyptian regime has generated a stubborn generation who swore to stand up against injustice, clearly realising that you do not have to be a political activist to be tortured. And since they didn't know the person calling for the protest, they don't always need a leader. All they need is to witness injustice. The number of Egyptians who are willing to sacrifice their personal safety is increasing, and one reason for this is, again, realising that you are not safe if you "walk next to the wall" as we say. Their act in this context may I say is an act of self-preservation. The regime has been pushing too hard, impoverishing us and slamming us if we as much as utter a moan of pain. They should have seen this coming.
Whereas this public outcry may not necessarily push towards a fair sentence for Khaled's murderers and a change of this system of torture all in all, especially given last Wednesday's phony autopsy report, it signals again a change of public attitude towards regime crimes. You wouldn't hear of a similar reaction 10 or 15 years back, when all our sources of information was government-controlled. But now torture is difficult to hide, and in this incident in particular Khaled's broken skull is screaming at us to stand strong against it.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Protests Against Torture All Over Egypt
The scene today in Alexandria, Cairo, Damietta, Port Said, Munufiya, Assiout, Menya, Tanta, Mansoura, Fayoum is exhilirating. I will let the photos I have stolen from all over twitter and facebook speak for themselves. One last thing though: there IS hope for Egypt!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
ملف أحمد زكي بدر - الصفحة الثالثة
وزير التعليم وعدوي اللدود ذو العقلية الأمنية اللي ماتخرش المية ناقل المراقبين بتوع الثانوية العامة من محافظة لمحافظة لأول مرة في حدود علمي، أكيد طبعاً عشان "يمنع الغش" على أساس إن المراقب ممكن يبقى عارف حد في محافظته فيسيبه يغش...بغض النظر عن إن المراقب بياخد ملاليم بمعنى الكلمة وبيسافر طبعاً في مواصلات مهينة مش في الأسباني...في أسبوع واحد يا حرام 3 مراقبين فيصوا في الحر وماتوا...شفتوا الفرن اللي كنا فيه في القاهرة يوم الاتنين والتلات؟ تخيلوا بقى في الصعيد الجو كان عامل إزاي...مش عارفة إيه المنطق اللي بيقول إن الواحد لو سافر برة محافظته مش حايسمح للطلبة إنهم يغشوا...في حد يخللي راجل عجوز عنده 58 سنة طافح المر طول عمره يسافر في نار جهنم دي لمجرد إن في احتمال، احتمال يعني، إنه يعرف طالب في لجنته ويسمح له يغش؟
اللي ماعندوش ضمير في محافظته مش حيبقى عنده ضمير في أي داهية وهيسمح للطلبة برضو إنها تغش، يبقى ليه شحططة الناس الغلابة؟ عجبني فعلاً رد فعل المذيعة ريم ماجد امبارح على برنامج يلدنا لما قالت مش كفاية الظروف البائسة اللي الناس دي عايشة فيها، كمان مخليهم يموتوا بالطريقة دي، وتعويض إيه اللي الوزير دفعه لأهل المتوفى، بتعوض مين عن مين؟
صحيح هو فار ومات؟ ده بني آدم كان مظلوم في وزارتك ومات وذنبه في رقبتك يا وزير.
ولو عايزين نتكلم بصراحة بقى، الوزير لما كان ماسك رئيس جامعة عين شمس ربنا ما يعودها أيام كان بيبعت العمال "يوصوا" على طلبة معينة، بيدخل العامل على الأساتذة في الكنترول ويقول بالنص رئيس الجامعة موصي على الاسم ده، والكلام ده أنا بقوله على مسؤوليتي، وللقارئ العزيز يتخيل هو يقصد إيه بمعنى التوصية.
ماتجيش بقى بعد التاريخ المشرف ده تنقل الناس الغلابة منعاً للغش، لو موظف معين اتعرف إنه بيسمح للغش المفروض هو لوحده يتعاقب - والطلبة طبعاً - لكن نظام العاطل في الباطل ده حرام.
فرحت جداً لما عرفت إن أسرة الضحية/المتوفى الأول قررت تقاضي الوزير، ولحد ما المراقبين يتعتقوا من الوزير ربنا يستر عليهم.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Autopsy Report of Khaled Said's Body
The autopsy report of Khaled Said's body came out today, a load of crap as expected. It claims, again, that he died of asphyxia after swallowing a cannabis "cigarette". It adds that the trauma to the skull has been caused by beating or hitting the head against a hard surface, but that it is not the cause of death(!!!)
Bloggers who have been following the case are beyond enraged.
There is still a silent protest next Friday, and probably more protests will break out if the Ministry of Interior and its allies in the field of forensic medicine try to close the case.
Bloggers who have been following the case are beyond enraged.
There is still a silent protest next Friday, and probably more protests will break out if the Ministry of Interior and its allies in the field of forensic medicine try to close the case.
رئيس مصلحة الطب الشرعي يتهرب من عم الشهيد خالد سعيد
معتز الدمرداش كان بيتصل بالسباعي رئيس مصلحة الطب الشرعي وكان عم الشهيد خالد سعيد على الخط التاني، السباعي قال الكلام اللي اتنشر وعم الشهيد رد عليه وقال له إنت عملت أشعة على الجثة؟ أنا دكتور أسنان بقى لي 40 سنة وعايز دكتور يقول لي منظر الفك كده عادي؟ معتز حاول يرجع تاني للسباعي لقى الخط مقطوع.
عاجل: تقرير الطب الشرعي أثبت وفاة خالد سعيد بالاختناق
التفاصيل هنا
بس أنا مش فاهمة يعني إيه؟؟؟؟؟ حتى لو التقرير صحيح كده أثبتوا إنه اتضرب ولا إيه؟
وكده الشهود حتبقى شهادتهم ليها قيمة ولا لأ؟
حد محامي أو دكتور يفهمنا إيه المتوقع بالظبط...في أمل إن اللي قتلوه يتحاكموا ولا نسيب أم البلد دي؟
بس أنا مش فاهمة يعني إيه؟؟؟؟؟ حتى لو التقرير صحيح كده أثبتوا إنه اتضرب ولا إيه؟
وكده الشهود حتبقى شهادتهم ليها قيمة ولا لأ؟
حد محامي أو دكتور يفهمنا إيه المتوقع بالظبط...في أمل إن اللي قتلوه يتحاكموا ولا نسيب أم البلد دي؟
Cruel Summer
I will likely spend a most cruel summer. One friend who had been staying temporarily in Egypt is going back to his country for good, another friend is getting married and will be spending a good part of the summer away, and a third is also spending a month abroad. I am left with the stabbing pain of departure, which none of the so-called social networks or words in an email will be able to cure. I will have to spend lonely mornings in bed marvelling at the swiss breakfasts and espressoes we had together, walk the busy streets of downtown alone, see my friend's face here, and hear a comment he made there. There is something absolutely viscious about relationships as you know that no matter what, all relationships end, sometimes leaving you wondering why it started in the first place. You keep trying to convince yourself that it may evolve into another kind of bond, but in reality all you are left with is memories of a past that is impossible to replay.
Monday, June 21, 2010
فيديو مظاهرة أمس من أجل خالد سعيد وضحايا الشرطة
مظاهرة احتجاجاً على مقتل خالد سعيد تهز أرجاء القاهرة from Wild at Heart on Vimeo.
أخيراً وبعد طول عناء وسهر وحاولات مستميتة على بلوجر وفيسبوك ويوتيوب ثم أخيراً فيميو
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Anger Rising in Egypt After Police Brutality Incidents
Another angry day in Egypt.
Hundreds of protestors gathered in downtown to protest brutal murder of Khaled Said at the hands of Egyptian police. What was initially planned to be a protest in Tahrir changed into a march throughout downtown streets. Protestors cheated the at least 20 Central Security trucks full of maybe 600 poor, underfed conscripts prepared to crush them to death. Instead, they started to gather in a busy market area hundreds of metres away and started an angry march, of course untouched by policemen! When one or two policemen ventured to snatch ppl away, they were easily outnumbered.
I recorded the scene in disbelief, as the march continued from a narrow street to bigger ones until we were actually in the heart of downtown. No policeman or soldier was in sight. People outside the march were in disbelief too, and their reactions ranged from just looking on, randomly and briefly joining us, supporting us with thumbs up, or recording us. I tried to apologise for a taxi driver for the traffic jam we created, but he responded kindly and was totally understanding.
Everyone secretly wondered when the police crackdown will start. A golden 15 minutes passed before plainclothed policemen started gathering helplessly. You know them by the look even though they're not in uniform. Smug, moustached, mean-looking. We reached Sherif St when violent clashes began...we were surrounded on one side by only one line of soldiers, but among us were many plainclothed policemen. It was totally chaotic and people were being pushed everywhere. For a moment I didn't know where to go and moved to the pavement when I found a policeman screaming at us to go away. We were around 20 ppl on the pavement, only two of whom were among the protest. I heard roaring sounds, and actually looked back to make sure they were made by people not hyenas or lions. A guy I don't know was beaten by said policeman but later managed to run away, just as everyone of us was instinctively running in alleys, while being called names by policemen I thankfully couldn't make out. I jumped into a tiny mosque and collapsed. For a whole hour and a half I couldn't got out, made some calls and knew that there have been arrests and that until writing this post, the rest of protestors were still at the press syndicate to demand release of all detainees.
Most recent protests have been immobile. Protestors would chant in a planned area and be cordoned off...but todays protests for Khaled Said was somewhat out of police control and more in the heart of the city, instead of side streets. The location of the protest is dramatic, and one reason for the success of today's protest is that it managed to be a march, with non-members getting the chance to know the reason, and express how they feel, however shyly.
On another note, autopsy report of Khaled Said's body is bound to come out this week. In fact, the report may determine the cause of death, but may not necessarily prove that he was beaten to death. It is left for the witnesses to stand their ground, and bring justice for Khaled.
Hundreds of protestors gathered in downtown to protest brutal murder of Khaled Said at the hands of Egyptian police. What was initially planned to be a protest in Tahrir changed into a march throughout downtown streets. Protestors cheated the at least 20 Central Security trucks full of maybe 600 poor, underfed conscripts prepared to crush them to death. Instead, they started to gather in a busy market area hundreds of metres away and started an angry march, of course untouched by policemen! When one or two policemen ventured to snatch ppl away, they were easily outnumbered.
I recorded the scene in disbelief, as the march continued from a narrow street to bigger ones until we were actually in the heart of downtown. No policeman or soldier was in sight. People outside the march were in disbelief too, and their reactions ranged from just looking on, randomly and briefly joining us, supporting us with thumbs up, or recording us. I tried to apologise for a taxi driver for the traffic jam we created, but he responded kindly and was totally understanding.
Everyone secretly wondered when the police crackdown will start. A golden 15 minutes passed before plainclothed policemen started gathering helplessly. You know them by the look even though they're not in uniform. Smug, moustached, mean-looking. We reached Sherif St when violent clashes began...we were surrounded on one side by only one line of soldiers, but among us were many plainclothed policemen. It was totally chaotic and people were being pushed everywhere. For a moment I didn't know where to go and moved to the pavement when I found a policeman screaming at us to go away. We were around 20 ppl on the pavement, only two of whom were among the protest. I heard roaring sounds, and actually looked back to make sure they were made by people not hyenas or lions. A guy I don't know was beaten by said policeman but later managed to run away, just as everyone of us was instinctively running in alleys, while being called names by policemen I thankfully couldn't make out. I jumped into a tiny mosque and collapsed. For a whole hour and a half I couldn't got out, made some calls and knew that there have been arrests and that until writing this post, the rest of protestors were still at the press syndicate to demand release of all detainees.
Most recent protests have been immobile. Protestors would chant in a planned area and be cordoned off...but todays protests for Khaled Said was somewhat out of police control and more in the heart of the city, instead of side streets. The location of the protest is dramatic, and one reason for the success of today's protest is that it managed to be a march, with non-members getting the chance to know the reason, and express how they feel, however shyly.
On another note, autopsy report of Khaled Said's body is bound to come out this week. In fact, the report may determine the cause of death, but may not necessarily prove that he was beaten to death. It is left for the witnesses to stand their ground, and bring justice for Khaled.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Egyptians Silently Protest the Murder of Khaled Said
It is a scene I have personally never witnessed before following the myriad of catastrophes that befell Egyptians. Answering a call on Facebook to organise silent protests in Cairo and Alexandria following the gruesome murder of Alexandrian Khaled Said at the hands of policemen, hundreds have taken to the streets silently, dressed in black. They did not necessarily know each other and were mostly non-activists. This is another sign of the spirit of discontent rising in Egypt for many reasons, the last of which was police brutality. It is proof that discontent is not voiced by "a few, outlaw activists" as our government prefers to refer to them, but by virtually everyone in this country ruled by Mubarak and his consort.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The Murder of Khaled Said: Egypt's Waking Nightmare
During the late hours of Sunday the 6th of June, two police informers stormed an internet cafe in the coastal city of Alexandria. The attack left Khaled Said, a 28-year-old man dead.
At that point, the crime could have not made headlines, and could have gone unquestioned like many other police torture crimes in Egypt, but a picture of an innocent-looking, premortem Khaled and another of his body showing a swollen, badly bruised face and mangled jaw, were circulated on the internet, particularly Facebook, like wildfire.
Luckily for systematic torture victims, unluckily for the Egyptian government, the picture sent shockwaves across Egypt, and internationally as well. Amnesty International was quick to urge Egypt to investigate the brutal killing of Khaled. Word was out on AlJazeera too, the Egyptian government's bitter enemy, if you may. On Thursday a group of activists demonstrated in front of the Sidi Gaber police station, the station which sent the informers and where reportedly a police officer oversaw the killing. Puzzling news was spread of an acquittal of the informers and an accusation of protesters of "insulting a government body."
The reasons for the gruesome murder have been questioned, but to date there is no confirmed explanation. The few eye witnesses present first said that the informers asked Khaled roughly for his ID and wanted to search him. When he protested and asked about their search warrant, they tied him up, beat his head against a marble shelf, dragged him out of the cafe and continued beating his head against an adjacent iron door. They then took his lifeless body to the police station for a few minutes, only to return and leave it in the crime scene. Another more popular story was circulated, according to which Khaled had a video dating to late 2009 showing a police officer and a group of informers distributing money and weed after capturing them from a dealer.
The shameless Ministry of Interior issued a phony statement to explain Khaled's death. They said Khaled died of asphyxia after he swallowed a drug joint. Adding insult to injury (in this case brutal murder), they also spread rumours that Khaled, whose name literally translates to "immortal happy", was a drug junkie who escaped mandatory military service. In response, the certificate of the military service was scanned and widely circulated to show that the MOI's side of the story is a badly orchestrated spoof. People on twitter wondered how asphyxia can cause undeniable damage to the skull as shown in the picture. One twitter user, Wael Abd El-Fattah, sarcastically noted that Khaled actually died of Egyptian regime asphyxia. More importantly, even if he is a drug addict, what law or even logic is there which allows beating addicts to death?
The murder became the talk of the country and the virtual community. But activists decided to take it to the streets as well, not in front of the press syndicate, lawyers' syndicate, People's Assembly, Shura Council or Attorney-General's office as has been the norm in the past few years for most protests in Egypt, but in front of the MOI headquarters in Lazoughly. The in-your-face protest of around 200 people was predictably kettled. Downtown Cairo where the MOI is was "occupied by the police" as activists described it. Many activists were verbally harassed, beaten, injured and detained. Mobile phones and cameras were confiscated. They expressed a direct link between the Emergency Law which provides unlimited power to law enforcement authorities and the murder of Khaled. The Ministry has been described as "the ministry of torture", and protesters screamed for the killers to go to trial. Under Emergency Law and the systematic use of torture, any one of us could be Khaled, this was their claim. Apparently, the MOI had expected people to be too horrified by the picture to protest in fear of facing a similar fate, but was surprised by their resilience.
Hopes were hung on a not-very-reliable authority to bring justice to Khaled; the media. Saturday night satellite talk shows showed reports on the murder, but still focused mainly on the MOI statement. On Sunday night, the popular Ashera Masaan showed the video from the police station which allegedly caused Khaled's untimely death. Announcer Mona El-Shazly asserted that the video is authentic, but that it is a celebration of the capture of the dealer, contrary to other views which accused the police of distributing the money and the drugs. Frustratingly enough, El-Shazly did not show the other side of the story and did not report with Khaled's brother. She in other words acquitted the MOI of a corruption case in the eyes of millions of viewers as far as the video is concerned. However, she wondered if informers actually have the authority to arrest people, not to mention beat them up in such a brutal way. Mona's comment poses even more questions on the motives, making it even scarier that Khaled possibly died for no reason at all, not that any reason is acceptable. Instead of dedicating a time slot in her programme to the crime, she interviewed someone about the alleged hacking of AlJazeera world cup satellite transmission.
Newspapers were divided according to their very own allegiances. The government mouthpiece Al-Gumhuriya published yesterday a joke of an article by the editor-in-chief sarcastically describing Sunday protest as a "protest for a junkie." Interestingly, he "accused" the protesters of "gaining strength" from international "authorities." It is an unintentional, subconscious reference to the fact that Egyptian authorities, namely the Ministry of Justice, are often too weak to punish police criminals. Independent Al-Shorouq newsapaper, on the other hand, published balanced timely updates on the crime and the aftermath, as well as the pictures of both life and death, making it impossible for readers to buy the story of the Ministry.
As if it could get any worse, journalist Ahmad Ragab posted on twitter news on yet another death by torture in a police station. The details are all too familiar. Saber Abd El-Semei, 58, protested when informers tried to remove a kiosk for selling sandwiches. He was kidnapped and taken to Nasr City police station. His family found his body five days later in Heliopolis hospital. His daughter was told by the doctors in the morgue that he was beaten with a BB gun on his head until he died.
Ethical concerns were voiced about the spread of the picture of Khaled's lifeless body. Not only because it was probably published prior to his family's consent, but it is also a horrific, shocking picture, unwillingly seen by Facebook users and newspaper readers. The dramatic twist in the story is that, had the picture not been published, Khaled's murder might have received minimum to zero attention, not to mention legal prosecution. Unless families of victims and supporters speak up, this will be the case with Saber for example.
After five tense days of shock, anger and hurt, the first sigh of relief came when blogger and journalist Hossam El-Hamalawy, who was also injured in the Lazoughly portest, tweeted that family lawyers and prosecutors were then investigating the crime scene one day after the Attorney-General ordered the case to be reopened. Thankfully, the few witnesses were present as well to testify.
As expected there are calls for the stepdown of Minister of Interior Habib Al-Adly. Systematic torture in Egypt (as a republic) has been practiced since the fifties. The only development is that whereas in the past it was exclusive to political opponents such as the Muslim Brotherhood, now innocent people are not immune from it. Not even women and children are. It is a cruel regime that can only be cured by being uprooted. We are crushed under the weight of political oppression and poverty and vent out anger among ourselves. Nonetheless, a change of names is not the only answer. Egyptians need to know their self-worth and legal rights. We need to know that save for instances of war and self-defence, no one deserves to be physically assaulted. We now engage in scuffles over everything from a minor threat of a car accident to theft or burglary. Furthermore, even when victims of torture or their families insist on persecuting the police criminals, the sentences are often disproportionate with the harm done. Take the case of Emad El-Kebir, who was sodomised, beaten and humiliated, and in return his bully/policeman Islam Nabih received a fleeting three years in jail sentence and was not suspended from his job. In any case, it is left for the hands of a slow and frail justice system to lessen the brunt of torture in Egypt.
At that point, the crime could have not made headlines, and could have gone unquestioned like many other police torture crimes in Egypt, but a picture of an innocent-looking, premortem Khaled and another of his body showing a swollen, badly bruised face and mangled jaw, were circulated on the internet, particularly Facebook, like wildfire.
Luckily for systematic torture victims, unluckily for the Egyptian government, the picture sent shockwaves across Egypt, and internationally as well. Amnesty International was quick to urge Egypt to investigate the brutal killing of Khaled. Word was out on AlJazeera too, the Egyptian government's bitter enemy, if you may. On Thursday a group of activists demonstrated in front of the Sidi Gaber police station, the station which sent the informers and where reportedly a police officer oversaw the killing. Puzzling news was spread of an acquittal of the informers and an accusation of protesters of "insulting a government body."
The reasons for the gruesome murder have been questioned, but to date there is no confirmed explanation. The few eye witnesses present first said that the informers asked Khaled roughly for his ID and wanted to search him. When he protested and asked about their search warrant, they tied him up, beat his head against a marble shelf, dragged him out of the cafe and continued beating his head against an adjacent iron door. They then took his lifeless body to the police station for a few minutes, only to return and leave it in the crime scene. Another more popular story was circulated, according to which Khaled had a video dating to late 2009 showing a police officer and a group of informers distributing money and weed after capturing them from a dealer.
The shameless Ministry of Interior issued a phony statement to explain Khaled's death. They said Khaled died of asphyxia after he swallowed a drug joint. Adding insult to injury (in this case brutal murder), they also spread rumours that Khaled, whose name literally translates to "immortal happy", was a drug junkie who escaped mandatory military service. In response, the certificate of the military service was scanned and widely circulated to show that the MOI's side of the story is a badly orchestrated spoof. People on twitter wondered how asphyxia can cause undeniable damage to the skull as shown in the picture. One twitter user, Wael Abd El-Fattah, sarcastically noted that Khaled actually died of Egyptian regime asphyxia. More importantly, even if he is a drug addict, what law or even logic is there which allows beating addicts to death?
The murder became the talk of the country and the virtual community. But activists decided to take it to the streets as well, not in front of the press syndicate, lawyers' syndicate, People's Assembly, Shura Council or Attorney-General's office as has been the norm in the past few years for most protests in Egypt, but in front of the MOI headquarters in Lazoughly. The in-your-face protest of around 200 people was predictably kettled. Downtown Cairo where the MOI is was "occupied by the police" as activists described it. Many activists were verbally harassed, beaten, injured and detained. Mobile phones and cameras were confiscated. They expressed a direct link between the Emergency Law which provides unlimited power to law enforcement authorities and the murder of Khaled. The Ministry has been described as "the ministry of torture", and protesters screamed for the killers to go to trial. Under Emergency Law and the systematic use of torture, any one of us could be Khaled, this was their claim. Apparently, the MOI had expected people to be too horrified by the picture to protest in fear of facing a similar fate, but was surprised by their resilience.
Hopes were hung on a not-very-reliable authority to bring justice to Khaled; the media. Saturday night satellite talk shows showed reports on the murder, but still focused mainly on the MOI statement. On Sunday night, the popular Ashera Masaan showed the video from the police station which allegedly caused Khaled's untimely death. Announcer Mona El-Shazly asserted that the video is authentic, but that it is a celebration of the capture of the dealer, contrary to other views which accused the police of distributing the money and the drugs. Frustratingly enough, El-Shazly did not show the other side of the story and did not report with Khaled's brother. She in other words acquitted the MOI of a corruption case in the eyes of millions of viewers as far as the video is concerned. However, she wondered if informers actually have the authority to arrest people, not to mention beat them up in such a brutal way. Mona's comment poses even more questions on the motives, making it even scarier that Khaled possibly died for no reason at all, not that any reason is acceptable. Instead of dedicating a time slot in her programme to the crime, she interviewed someone about the alleged hacking of AlJazeera world cup satellite transmission.
Newspapers were divided according to their very own allegiances. The government mouthpiece Al-Gumhuriya published yesterday a joke of an article by the editor-in-chief sarcastically describing Sunday protest as a "protest for a junkie." Interestingly, he "accused" the protesters of "gaining strength" from international "authorities." It is an unintentional, subconscious reference to the fact that Egyptian authorities, namely the Ministry of Justice, are often too weak to punish police criminals. Independent Al-Shorouq newsapaper, on the other hand, published balanced timely updates on the crime and the aftermath, as well as the pictures of both life and death, making it impossible for readers to buy the story of the Ministry.
As if it could get any worse, journalist Ahmad Ragab posted on twitter news on yet another death by torture in a police station. The details are all too familiar. Saber Abd El-Semei, 58, protested when informers tried to remove a kiosk for selling sandwiches. He was kidnapped and taken to Nasr City police station. His family found his body five days later in Heliopolis hospital. His daughter was told by the doctors in the morgue that he was beaten with a BB gun on his head until he died.
Ethical concerns were voiced about the spread of the picture of Khaled's lifeless body. Not only because it was probably published prior to his family's consent, but it is also a horrific, shocking picture, unwillingly seen by Facebook users and newspaper readers. The dramatic twist in the story is that, had the picture not been published, Khaled's murder might have received minimum to zero attention, not to mention legal prosecution. Unless families of victims and supporters speak up, this will be the case with Saber for example.
After five tense days of shock, anger and hurt, the first sigh of relief came when blogger and journalist Hossam El-Hamalawy, who was also injured in the Lazoughly portest, tweeted that family lawyers and prosecutors were then investigating the crime scene one day after the Attorney-General ordered the case to be reopened. Thankfully, the few witnesses were present as well to testify.
As expected there are calls for the stepdown of Minister of Interior Habib Al-Adly. Systematic torture in Egypt (as a republic) has been practiced since the fifties. The only development is that whereas in the past it was exclusive to political opponents such as the Muslim Brotherhood, now innocent people are not immune from it. Not even women and children are. It is a cruel regime that can only be cured by being uprooted. We are crushed under the weight of political oppression and poverty and vent out anger among ourselves. Nonetheless, a change of names is not the only answer. Egyptians need to know their self-worth and legal rights. We need to know that save for instances of war and self-defence, no one deserves to be physically assaulted. We now engage in scuffles over everything from a minor threat of a car accident to theft or burglary. Furthermore, even when victims of torture or their families insist on persecuting the police criminals, the sentences are often disproportionate with the harm done. Take the case of Emad El-Kebir, who was sodomised, beaten and humiliated, and in return his bully/policeman Islam Nabih received a fleeting three years in jail sentence and was not suspended from his job. In any case, it is left for the hands of a slow and frail justice system to lessen the brunt of torture in Egypt.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
الأمن قتل خالد
تحذير: الصورة في رابط الشروق صادمة
من جريدة الشروق مخبرين قتلوا شاب في الإسكندرية ضرباً لمجرد إنه دافع عن كرامته
وطبعاً المحاميين وووكلاء النيابة مش فاضيين لنا عشان بيتخانقوا مع بعض
ليورمو بيقول إن في اعتصام دلوقتي قدام القسم
.......................................................
من جريدة الشروق مخبرين قتلوا شاب في الإسكندرية ضرباً لمجرد إنه دافع عن كرامته
وطبعاً المحاميين وووكلاء النيابة مش فاضيين لنا عشان بيتخانقوا مع بعض
ليورمو بيقول إن في اعتصام دلوقتي قدام القسم
.......................................................
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
التجربة 122
عندي أصحاب متدينين لكن مش نشطاء سياسيين وأصحاب نشطاء سياسيين ومش متدينين، عايزة أضربهم في الخلاط زي إعلان دولسيكا وأطلع ملايكة
Friday, June 04, 2010
السبت وقفة احتجاجية على الحصار وضرب أسطول الحرية
نرجو الحضور ونشر الدعوة
السكوت على حصار غزة خطيئة لا تغتفر
أعلنت الحملة العالمية لكسر الحصار على غزة 5 يونيو يوما عالميا للإحتجاج على الحصار وضرب أسطول الحرية
ويأتي هذا في الوقت الذي يتفنن فيه النظام المصري في
وضع العراقيل أمام حركة المساعدات والأفراد في معبر رفح
والحد من المواد المسموح بدخولها عبر المعبر
وهو ما يكشف زيف إدعائه بفتح المعبر
لنقف معا ضد الحصار الذي دمر غزة ويهدف لتركيع مقاومتها
من أجل فك الحصار على غزة ومن أجل فتح معبر رفح بشكل حقيقي
وتضامنا مع شعب فلسطين ومقاومته الباسلة وقوافل فك الحصار الشجاعة
نشارك أحرار العالم بوقفة احتجاجية غدا
السبت 5 يونيو، الساعة 6 مساءا
أمام نقابة الصحافيين
أفتحوا معبر رفح بشكل حقيقي
أفتحوا معبر رفح أمام قوافل المناصرة
تمرير التبرعات لقوات الإحتلال عبر معبر العوجة على أنها فتح للمعبر أكاذيب ساذجة لا تخدع أحدا
حركة كلنا مقاومة
Monday, May 31, 2010
حدث في شارع زغلول
واقعة تحرش جنسي وفعل فاضح في الطريق العام وأشياء أخرى من مدونة وأنا مالي
مش قادر أبطل أربط بين الهمج والصيع والبلطجية والحيوانات اللي ماليين الشارع والأمن اللي سايبهم وبيضرب في المعتصمين السلميين
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Aftershock
So my mum just told me "gatek el 2araf" because I refused to see a suitor who lives in UAE. I haven't tried living outside Egypt - but I can't imagine it. I can imagine staying for a few months, bearing disconnection from family, friends and familiar faces, only for a limited while. I am not one to think there is absoultely no hope in this country and that we should leave on the first one-way plane. Of course this may not be the only reason why millions of Egyptians have immigrated in the last fourty years. But many of my male friends have thought about it practically, and found out that by no means can they afford buying an apartment, a shabka (obligatory gold or diamond gift), bedrooms, living rooms etc when they earn say 200$ a month. I can't blame them and no one can, the air in Egypt smells of frustration.
Meanwhile, I am also thinking as unpractically as possible, and I believe that there is no way I can know a person well enough to get married to him through chatting or Facebook. And marriage is not a decision I am planning to be stupid about...it makes you or breaks you. The pressure from mum and dad has been on me ever since I graduated, and I know it will get more unbearble by the day. I am not going to tell mum I'm upset because first she knows it, and second I don't know if I'll be able to contain my anger. But I don't know what to do. I don't know how to handle the pressure in the coming years and at the same time strive to keep my sanity. Doesn't she realise that in this way she could one day push me to make a wrong decision? She prays to God and kneels to him tens of times a day, but still believes that I control who I am going to marry me, and specifically told me not to ruin my own destiny. I am not saying I have picked up proper matches in my life, but I am saying, please, don't make me feel like shit.
Meanwhile, I am also thinking as unpractically as possible, and I believe that there is no way I can know a person well enough to get married to him through chatting or Facebook. And marriage is not a decision I am planning to be stupid about...it makes you or breaks you. The pressure from mum and dad has been on me ever since I graduated, and I know it will get more unbearble by the day. I am not going to tell mum I'm upset because first she knows it, and second I don't know if I'll be able to contain my anger. But I don't know what to do. I don't know how to handle the pressure in the coming years and at the same time strive to keep my sanity. Doesn't she realise that in this way she could one day push me to make a wrong decision? She prays to God and kneels to him tens of times a day, but still believes that I control who I am going to marry me, and specifically told me not to ruin my own destiny. I am not saying I have picked up proper matches in my life, but I am saying, please, don't make me feel like shit.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
قيمة الفقير في مصر
بحسبة بسيطة يمكن حساب قيمة الفقير في مصر بالجنيه المصري
فإذا كان القتلى في صخرة الدويقة، اللي عاشوا طول عمرهم في فقر وسط التعابين والفران والزبالة لا ميه ولا كهربا ولا يحزنون، 119، حسب الرواية الرسمية يعني، ونائب محافظ القاهرة اتحاكم وأخد خمس سنين يا إما يدفع 5 آلاف جنيه كفالة
إذن 5000 ÷ 119 =
42 جنيه وشوية فكة
أما أيها المحترمين قاتل رئيس مباحث السويس، ولأن الأخير باشا ابن باشا، فأخد إعدام
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Democracy in Egypt
This is a cry of an Egyptian worker during the era of Mubarak, his colleagues and him have been in a sit-in beside the Egyptian Parliament for two weeks now in an attempt to ask the government to just do its job...Amonsito, their company, has been sold to an Adel Agha, and since then he has silenced the machines, drove the workers to the pavement and fled the country. The wrokers demanded either they reclaim their pensions or get back to work, neither of which the government did. Today, as workers tried to storm the police cordons and expand their protest, they were beaten and arrested.
This worker wants his message to be sent to the world via this video taken by Philip Rizk, so here it goes:
Philip Rizk: Could you tell me what happened?
Worker: Security forces faced us, the officers beat us up with their batons, we kept trying to hold back their blows...This is because of the committee...of course Hussein Megawer is a thief, so is Aisha Abd El-Hady the Minister (of Manpower and Immigration)...they are all a gang and have conspired with Banque Misr to steal the assets of this guy (Agha) which is estimated at 1.5 billion pounds, and our rights have been denied...they decided we deserve a 106 million pounds, they are all *thieves*; they want to give us only 50 million pounds but we refused. Hence the result (pointing to his fresh wounds). They are forcing us to accept this meagre offer and the security forces are directing them. We have been threatened and detained and we're expecting things to get ugly...but we're not leaving even if they shoot us. May they detain us all and put us behind bars...This is our country and we are its people...the cries for democracy are mere slogans. I hope my words reach the whole world, I hope the world knows how democracy is like in Egypt. We are only asking for our rights.
This worker wants his message to be sent to the world via this video taken by Philip Rizk, so here it goes:
Philip Rizk: Could you tell me what happened?
Worker: Security forces faced us, the officers beat us up with their batons, we kept trying to hold back their blows...This is because of the committee...of course Hussein Megawer is a thief, so is Aisha Abd El-Hady the Minister (of Manpower and Immigration)...they are all a gang and have conspired with Banque Misr to steal the assets of this guy (Agha) which is estimated at 1.5 billion pounds, and our rights have been denied...they decided we deserve a 106 million pounds, they are all *thieves*; they want to give us only 50 million pounds but we refused. Hence the result (pointing to his fresh wounds). They are forcing us to accept this meagre offer and the security forces are directing them. We have been threatened and detained and we're expecting things to get ugly...but we're not leaving even if they shoot us. May they detain us all and put us behind bars...This is our country and we are its people...the cries for democracy are mere slogans. I hope my words reach the whole world, I hope the world knows how democracy is like in Egypt. We are only asking for our rights.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Down the drain
I really want to write about some personal stuff, after all this is why this blog was started more than four years ago - but does it matter? Does it matter that I have been reading the same book for five months as part of my attempts to write an MA...does it matter that after two or three years of this mess I still can't control my sleeping disorders (neither can my shrink)...does it matter that I realised the guy I have been having a crush on for a year and a half is in love, nay, deeply in love, with someone else?
Does it matter?
Does it matter?
Monday, May 10, 2010
صور من شارع مجلس الشعب - الاثنين 10 مايو
النائب حمدين صباحي مع العمال
حد عارف مين رفعت شعيب ده؟ وقفني وقال لي أنا رافع قضية على أحمد عز تعويض 500.000 وقال لي حايقولولك خمسين ألف، بس الكلام ده غلطأحمد عز بيهدد الراجل ده بالقتل، والراجل رايح يتظاهر مع العمال ورسم اللوح دي
انضمام أهالي الدويقة إلى معتصمي رصيف مجلس الشعب!!
النهاردة كنت رايحة أصور عمال أمونسيتو والمعدات التليفونية اللي لسة معتصمين جنب مجلس الشعب والشورى سمعت صويت الناحية التانية وأول ما صورت لقيتهم ناس عايشين، أو بمعنى أصح مش عايشين في الدويقة وقالوا لي الكلام ده
اللي فهمته من واحد منهم بعد كده إن الحي طلعهم من بيوتهم يوم 29 أبريل ووعدهم إنهم ياخدوا بيوت تانية وهدم البيوت القديمة وراحوا يطالبوا بالبيوت النهاردة ماحدش رضي يقابلهم ومن ساعتها وهم في الشارع وخارجين يصوتوا ويلطموا ويشتموا في الحكومة وراحوا قعدوا على رصيف مجلس الشعب زي باقي العمال
سألتهم إذا كانوا حيفضلوا قاعدين قالوا مانقدرش عشان عندنا عيال سايبينهم لوحدهم
وكالعادة في وسط المواويل دي عربيات آخر موديل طالعة داخلة من المجلس وماحدش سائل لا في العمال ولا في الناس المتشردين
يا ريت الصحفيين والإعلاميين يسجلوا معاهم ويشوفوا مشكلتهم اتحلت ولا لأ
خصوصاً إن العمال رفضوا إنهم يقعدوا معاهم على نفس الرصيف وممكن الأمن ييجي يشيلهم في أي وقت ماحدش حيسأل فيهم ده إذا كانوا لسه موجودين
أرجو النشر
Sunday, May 02, 2010
من أجل حد أدنى للأجور
بنت عامل من البرلسالنهاردة المعتصمين كانوا غاضبين جداً، ومتحمسين جداً ومصممين على الاستمرار في الاحتجاج
عمال من شركات مختلفة ونشطاء ومدونين وصحفيين وإعلاميين ونواب مستقلين وأطفال وكبار السن وناس من كل جنس ولون اتجمعوا عشان يطالبوا بحد أدنى للأجور والمعاشات أو ينقلوا الاحتجاج لبرة شارع حسين حجازي
وصلنا الساعة 3 من شارع جانبي لقينا ميكروباصين مليانين عساكر في زي مدني وعربيات أمن مركزي
الهتافات كانت حماسية جداً وبيتهيألي بقت معروفة:
حد أدنى للأجور للي عايشين في القبور
قول يا مبارك يا مفلسنا إنت بتعمل إيه بفلوسنا
الغريب إن كذا مرة ألاقي الناس انفصلت عن بعض وكل مجموعة بتهتف في ناحية، حزب التجمع كانوا بيهتفوا في ناحية
والقيادات العمالية في ناحية تانية
واحدة من القيادات العمالية تبع إداريي التعليم بتقوللي إنها بقى لها 20 سنة بتشتغل ومرتبها 500 جنيه...وإن وزير من الوزرا لما اتكلم عليهم قال دول (مخازاناتية) عشان بيجيبوا للطلبة الكتب من المخازن!!!!!العدد كان حوالي 600 
دخلت العمارة اللي قدام الاعتصام لقيت ده مكتوب على الباب
دخلت العمارة اللي قدام الاعتصام لقيت ده مكتوب على الباب
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