Egypt

Sphinx

Sphinx, by Nadia Ibrashi

 

I am older than your dreams, sired in the desert, born by the Nile,

hiding Egypt’s secrets in my hands. I was sculpted before time,

grazed generations of slaves, their lives bleached in scorching blaze.

 

Hail the glorious Pyramids. I’ve guarded them with a lion’s heart & man’s ruthless gaze.

I saw Moses & the Hebrews part the waterway, witnessed pharaohs fall, others raised.

Greeks, Turks & Romans invaded, my hands lean on their lost tongues & trails.

I whisper to constellations, searing suns & summer storms like a maze.

 

I am the Father of Awe. Tremble when I ask,

What has four feet in the morn, two in the afternoon, & three at eventide?

You fumble & I say:

 

I will outlive your sins. It is you who will go & I who shall remain.

Utilising Egypt’s diaspora

Ahram Online

According to 2017 census, Egypt’s population stands at nearly 95 million, plus an estimated 9.4 million living abroad. In addition to many other millions who left over many decades and never returned, so they are unaccounted for. 

Azza Radwan Sedky , Saturday 28 Oct 2017

 

My bet is that those 9.4 million, and the many others who have fallen through the cracks, are Egyptian by birth, schooling, and rearing. Yes, they lived much of their adult lives elsewhere, and yet, in spite of the distances and the miles, Egypt remains in their hearts, and they carry deep-rooted affection towards it.

Furthermore, these Egyptians gained more respect for and allegiance towards their homeland in the last few years. Egypt was and will always be in their hearts, but when they realised that it was about to disintegrate when the Muslim Brotherhood took over, they began to appreciate it further and to worry about it even more.

The emigrating phenomenon amongst Egyptians did not happen until the sixties of the last century. Egyptians were known to travel to study or visit other places, but they always returned. The exodus began, not only in dual citizens such as Greeks, Italians, Syrians, and Armenians who sought refuge and better lives elsewhere, but also Jews, and more often than not, Copts.

Then in the seventies, the educated Egyptians left. By the eighties, and mainly for economic purposes, Egyptians from all walks of life tried to find work elsewhere. It was a definite shift in paradigm.

Those who immigrated to other parts of the world, the US, Australia, and Canada, carried the same partiality and fondness for Egypt as the work seekers who went to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the Emirates.

Egypt rarely went after the support of outbound Egyptians. It was always up to the Egyptian diaspora to return and serve if they so chose. The Sir-Magdi-Yacoub and the Professor-Ahmed-Zeweil examples are many and deserve our appreciation, but Egypt should woo the Egyptian diaspora into remaining loyal to Egypt and endorsing it in every way possible.

And in all fairness connecting immigrants to Egypt has never been easier. And the earlier version of “immigrant” who knows nothing about his/her birthplace doesn’t construe much in this day and age.

Via social media, I am surrounded by Egyptian diaspora who care about Egypt. My Twitter friend who hasn’t set foot on Egyptian soil in forty years is willing to go back to Egypt, for good, though I warned her that she may find it challenging. My Facebook friend who left Egypt 54 years ago is curious to know who is who and posts photos of renowned Egyptians and asks us to identify them.

Others resort to live streaming of ON TV, CBC Egypt, DMC, and other TV channels to remain abreast of the happenings in Egypt. They chat about Ossama Kamal’s guests and Lamees El Hadidi’s latest endeavour. They examine Amr Adeeb and Yousef El Hussainy's outbursts as though they never left Egypt.

And my Los Angeles friend, who hasn’t set foot on Egyptian soil in 30 years, breaks into tears with every fallen Egyptian soldier. 

These millions are a wealth that should not be overlooked, a strength that should be recognized for what it’s worth.

So today I ask how Egypt can utilize this powerful force to its benefit.

First and foremost, Egyptians with dual citizenship must show allegiance to their new countries. By being the best Canadians or Australians, they exemplify what an Egyptian is all about: law-abiding and hard working citizens. When their fellow Canadians or Australians regard them by origin, Egyptian, they would be portraying a commendable image.  

Simultaneously, the diaspora must utilize every opportunity to promote Egypt. It is hard enough as it is that western media continues to draw a grim picture of Egypt. That’s why Egyptians, from afar, should work on proving how wrong western media are by commenting on articles that speak ill of Egypt—most papers allow commenting, and by linking non-Egyptians to articles that speak saliently of Egypt.

Now for the other face of the coin. Egypt must assist these Egyptians in their efforts to promote Egypt. First, this can be realised by stationing exemplary ambassadors and impeccable consulate officials all over the world, ones who are able to both support their fellow countrymen/women and communicate succinctly with the citizens of the countries they are ambassadors to. 

Efficient consulates must first support Egyptians abroad, keeping them abreast, via email, of social and cultural events and visiting dignitaries. Official Facebook pages can be established in different countries, so permanent residents of these countries can follow these pages and learn the facts from the source.

Consulates bring over delegations from the Egyptian Civil Registry to facilitate paper work completion and passport and social insurance numbers renewal. Egyptians need to be informed of such visits ahead of time.

Simultaneously, Egyptian embassies must do their best to promote Egypt in the eyes of host countries. The Egyptian ambassador to Canada takes trips around Canada to speak to Egyptians and non-Egyptians alike. The Egyptian ambassadors in Canada and the US write articles in western news outlets to counteract what the western media says about Egypt. 

And yet further changes must be implemented to bond these dual citizens to their homeland. By allowing Egyptians and their offsprings overseas to renew passports, social insurance numbers, and miscellaneous documentation, these Egyptians will remain Egyptians. By simplifying the bureaucracy, the allegiance will remain steadfast. While, by making it tougher to sustain the bond, Egyptians will lose interest in Egypt, something nobody wants.

Today, media, standard and social, play an immense role in maintaining the connection between Egyptians and their homeland. It has become quite easy to access all the Egyptian TV channels, read all the Egyptian papers, and comment on both. As I sit and watch Osama Kamal’s program in my living room in Heliopolis, a hotel in Sharm, the cruise ship on the Mediterranean, or during a visit to the States, I tweet my view, he reads my tweet on air,  and then responds. With a click on my smart phone or laptop keyboard, I am in Egypt and amongst Egyptians.

Dr. Michael Morgan’s program American Pulse is taped in New York and airs on the Egyptian channel El Kahera Wal Nas, and it is the first program of its kind. It links the diaspora to Egypt, and Egypt to the diaspora. It speaks from the US about Egyptians living in the US and about the United States in general.

Al Masriya, the Egyptian State TV channel, produces a program titled Wessal (Connections). It is produced from various locations where the Egyptian diaspora lives. From Melbourne, Australia, to Wales, Britain, it focuses on the needs of Egyptians abroad.

More similar programs should be established to connect the two worlds.  

Egyptian officials must not only target tourists and foreign investors but also Egyptians abroad. Egyptians must be allowed to share in the building of Egypt, to invest in Egyptian projects, and to donate to charities. The tools to give, online, credit cards, sms messages, are in abundance.

But it is not all about donating, lending, or giving to Egypt, it’s about allegiance and sustaining the bond between the diaspora and their homeland. Only then will the diaspora visit Egypt, contribute in Egypt’s growth, and share in the responsibility of building their birthplace, Egypt.

The writer is an academic, political analyst, and author of Cairo Rewind: the First Two Years of Egypt's Revolution, 2011-2013.

via english.ahram.org.eg

President El Sisi's response on the question of human rights

 

 

A surge in giving

Al Ahram Weekly, by Azza Radwan Sedky

There has been a surge in charitable giving in Egypt in recent years, following the lead set by President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi, writes Azza Radwan Sedky

The concept of giving is deeply rooted in Egyptian society. Whether it is in the form of sadaka (alms) or zakat for Muslims, tithes for Christians, or simply good deeds, Egyptians have always been very generous. 

However, such giving has been most often directed to the donor’s immediate circle. It had gone to in-need family members and those seen on a daily basis such as servers, maids, custodians or janitors. The notion of giving to a charity or society at large has rarely been acted upon.

Yet, Egyptians today give lavishly, compassionately, and unconditionally to charities. Over the last few years, there has been a surge in giving beyond one’s immediate circle, and this has been evident in the ability of some charities to make pivotal improvements affecting society in a substantial way. 

The causes behind this surge include the fact that it is infectious. After President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi took office in 2014, he called on all Egyptians to donate. He set this in motion by donating half his salary and half his possessions to charity. By being a model in this regard, he not only encouraged Egyptians to give, but also to become more responsible citizens.  

After the establishment of the Tahya Misr Fund in July of the same year, the donations poured in. Today, President Al-Sisi continues to galvanise Egyptians to give even more.

Both the affluent and the needy donate to the Tahya Misr Fund and other charities. Large businesses, corporate citizens and athletes and football players all donate. Average citizens, the president’s wife, and government officials donate. 

At the other extreme, the very poor also donate. Recent footage of an elderly villager donating LE200 went viral. When asked if she still had enough to get by, she dug deep into her purse only to say, “yes, LE50. It’ll keep me going until the end of the month.”

Charity is triumphing, and its continuous delivery is leaving its mark on Egyptians. This in itself is cause for celebration, but it is also a factor explaining why Egyptians continue to give. The efforts of the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation, the Misr Al-Kheir Foundation, the Egyptian Food Bank, Hospital 57357 and the Tahya Misr Fund are swaying all Egyptians to donate more.

The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation is one of the most successful charities in Egypt today. Its endeavour “Save a Child’s Heart” has raised $558,490 so far, exceeding its original goal of $400,000 in an endorsement any charity would be proud of. 

The Tahya Misr Fund has prioritised its focus to include housing projects to replace existing informal areas, empowering women, supporting youth employment and eradicating the Hepatitis C epidemic. In 2016, Misr Al-Kheir received LE346 million in donations, and Hospital 57357 received LE15 million. 

The ease by which donations can be sent and received is another major factor in this explosion of giving. One can donate at a bank, via credit card, Paypal and money transfers. Donations can also be paid online, by sending a SMS message, a daily one if need be, or by calling the charity, which will then send a dispatcher to pick up the donation.

Egyptian donation apps, though fairly new, are also in, including MegaKheir and Fawry. Using MegaKheir’s mobile donations application, one can donate “at the press of a button, benefiting several charitable organisations in their fight against cancer, hunger, poverty, heart disease and many other causes.”

Social and standard media are playing significant roles, too, simplifying access even further. A call for donations resonates across Facebook and Twitter and thus gains momentum. Once a need is established, and the call goes out for assistance, the support flows in. The same goes for the standard media.

Honouring deceased loved ones by naming a hospital wing or a bed in their names is a practice known around the world. Though still fairly novel in Egypt, it appeals to donors as an “endless form of sadaka.” Hospital 57357 enables families to pay tribute to family members who have passed away, especially those who died fighting aggression or hostility, by naming medical equipment or part of the hospital building after them.

For decades, many people waited for others, especially the authorities, to provide for those in need. Most of the time the authorities lost this battle, but today more and more people are realising that some of the blame falls on their shoulders for not playing a more active role in effecting change, making today pay-back time.

During crises, whether natural or human, people become more empathic. This applies to Egyptian people, too: once they realised how other Egyptians were in dire need of assistance, they went out to help them. The need is transparent in poverty-stricken areas in the country today that lack water, electricity, schools, health services and proper housing, and so the Egyptians responded.

Again, the media plays an essential role in advocating for such causes and revealing deficiencies. 

All in all, more and more Egyptians are in solidarity with those in need like never before, and this is a good thing. The process may need some adjustment, but it is definitely a change in the right direction. It allows the Egyptian people to bear a share in the responsibility of rebuilding Egypt.  

One glitch lies in the number of charities that procure the most donations. Approximately 45,000 charities exist today in Egypt, but only a handful receives the lion’s share of donations. Though this is a reflection of the good work these charities are accomplishing, it does not allow other charities to move forward and help society in the same fashion.

Another issue is that people tend to donate to those charities that have the resources to promote themselves. During the month of Ramadan, a torrent of advertisements inundates the TV air time, maybe infuriating viewers, but remaining firmly entrenched in their minds. When they come to donate, they donate to these charities without much thought. 

It is also generally acknowledged that fundraising costs should not exceed 35 per cent of contributions to charities. Personally, I’d like to know how much each charity spends on running and promoting itself, as against how much goes to projects. Charities around the world let donors know where their donations go. It would be wise for charities in Egypt to do the same.

Such issues should not belittle the exceptional efforts made by Egyptians towards their compatriots. It’s pay-back time, and Egyptians are welcoming the act of giving willingly. 

---

The writer is a political analyst.

via weekly.ahram.org.eg

And they say freedom of speech is dead in Egypt

According to Aljazeera, the Un condemns Egypt’s widening assault on free speech. It goes on, “UN human rights experts have raised ‘grave concern’ over a widening assault on freedom of expression in Egypt.”

In June of 2016, The Economist published an articles titled, “The muzzle grows tighter, freedom of speech is in retreat.” Here is another headline, “Egypt Expands Crackdown on Freedom of Speech, Advocates Say.”  While Amnesty International’s 2016 report talks of nothing but total suppression and examples of how freedom of speech is silenced.

Today I will try to debunk this theory by providing living proof that those against the regime are as loud and as furious as ever, and yet living happily ever after on the land of Egypt.

Amidst the agony resulting from the gruesome El Wahat Battle, as Egyptians mourned their fallen men, out come some to question the circumstances, belittle from the effort exerted, and continue their premeditated disregard for Egypt and its fallen. Actually, it was a great opportunity for them to spew hatred.

You may wonder, but isn’t freedom of speech dead in Egypt? Wouldn’t such loud mouths be imprisoned immediately if they are voicing their disdain of the security apparatus in Egypt? All I can say is I wish they were.

And of course, I’m not talking of those who protest from beyond Egypt, those in Qatar, Turkey, and the States. We hardly mind these folks anymore. Ayat Orabi, the unofficial spokesperson for the Muslim Brotherhood could not hide her joy.

Ayat Oraby

حقير جداً وسافل ومجرم من يترحم على فطائس #الواحات وبينهم ضباط أمن دولة (وهذا وحده يكفي للدعاء عليهم بجهنم ولأهلهم أن يحرق قلوبهم) ومنهم اصحاب سجلات اجرامية منحطة معروفة .. لهذا جعل الله الدرك الأسفل من النار للمنافقين

#آيات_عرابي

Translation: A filthy criminal is he who mourns the death of the national security guards who deserve to land in hell and their families deserve to be broken hearted…some of them have known criminal records…this is why God has saved the lowest pit in hell for these hypocrites.

I wouldn’t give Orabi the time of day.  Let her croak as much as she wants.

But the real distress comes from those who live amongst other Egyptians. Dr. Hazim Abdelazim, who by the way retweeted Orabi’s tweet and hundreds like it, deplores President Sisi. That is his prerogative, but when the hatred spills over towards Egypt and its fallen men, in particular during a time of war, we must call it what it is: hate speech, and in other countries hate speech is considered a crime.

The Wahat Battle gave Dr. Abdelazim the opportunity to vent on everyone from top to bottom: from the president to parliament, from the army to the police force, from the  embattled unit to the imbecile and ignorant Egyptians who know nothing.

Between tweeting and retweeting, Dr. Abdelazim calls the battle a suicide attempt since the officers are ill-trained and inefficient; he implies treason since he alleges the terrorists knew ahead the ETA of the unit; and he considers the supervisors incapable and ignorant. Then he turns to El Sisi and rages at him for not cancelling the ceremony that took place the next day in Alamein.

Dr. Hazim AbdelazimVerified
 @Hazem__Azim 
احد الاحتمالات الآتية:

         1.هذا الكائن لم يسمع عن مجزرة #الواحات

         2.هذا الكائن يعلم وبيستهبل للتقليل من الحدث

         3.هذا الكائن يعلم ولا يحركه الدم

Translation:

            One of the following three possibilities:    

            1.   That being has not heard of the Wahat Massacre.

            2.   That being has heard but ignores it to belittle from it. 

            3.   That being knows of the massacre but doesn’t care.

The worst tweet came when he ignored the pain of the families of the fallen and of all Egyptians and tweeted:

 Translation: At six we will start the #hashtag, “Endure this, Sisi—there’s more to come.”

Dr. Abdelazim is not only inciting but also gleeful at what happened. The death of these men doesn’t amount to much for him except that it proves that President El Sisi is unworthy to be president. 

I went back and looked at his tweets. In three hours, the man tweeted and retweeted 100 times, all filled with disdain and fury, but I won’t go into more tweets since the tone leaves me with a rancid and nauseating taste in my mouth.

Dr. Hazim Abdelazim has 680 thousand followers on Twitter, and yet he is free to say what he pleases. He is not behind bars and has never been forbidden from voicing his hatred. He continues to diminish from the capability of Egyptians at large and ridicules all what they consider worthy.

The haters are many. I can name quite a few; I follow them to keep abreast of their degree of hatred. I won’t name names, and Dr. Abdelazim is a mere example. My intention is to tell the world that those like Abdelazim speak out loud and furiously, and they have not been prohibited from voicing what they consider their right.

They all ignore that Egypt is at war hoping what they say will create doubt and fear, and ultimately cause another revolt, but you know, Dr. Abdelazim and those like him, Egyptians have wizened up. They are merely fed up of your attitude and ignore you unless they are like me, ready to fight back at least with their pens.

And to you, my reader, you still believe that freedom of speech is dead in Egypt?

State Information Service condemns BBC, Reuters coverage of Wahat crime-SIS

 

The State Information Service (SIS) issued a strong-worded protest to Reuters and BBC indicating essential comments for what they published on Al-Wahat incident that took place yesterday and is still going on. SIS condemned categorically their inaccurate coverage of this incident.

In view of the war Egypt is fighting in defense of its people and the peoples of the world against the bloody terrorism which is hitting everywhere, both Reuters and BBC published that 52 policemen were killed; including 23 officers according to Reuters, and 18 according to BBC based on unidentified security sources. Professionally speaking, it is not appropriate that two of the most prominent media outlets in the world make grave professional mistakes on top of which:

* Relying on what they called unidentified security sources, as they both did not wait or resort to official security authorities to get correct information. This is in contradiction with the internationally acknowledged professional rules in covering terrorist operations, as their security confrontation necessitates waiting for sometime till official information on the results are declared.

* Intentional manipulation in the first official statement on the Ministry of Interior describing the elements that killed and injured the policemen as "terrorist elements". BBC Arabic added while quoting the Ministry of Interior the following sentence: "the elements that it (Ministry of Interior) described as terrorist", which represents a manipulation of the quoting that holds the person who mentions it responsible. This indicates, on the other side, that BBC Arabic does not approve describing these criminal elements as terrorists. BBC "English" and Reuters "English" exchanged the term "terrorists", which is only accurate and realistic description of those elements, with the term "militants", a matter that may give a positive connotation to the reader.

SIS calls upon BBC, Reuters and other media outlets that relied on what they called their "own sources" to do one of these steps:

- Denying the published number of the victims and confirming the official figures, apologizing for the inaccuracy of this information and their sources.

- In case they could confirm their figures, which we confirm that they are absolutely wrong, the BBC and Reuters have to publish the names of this big number of the alleged victims.

via sis.gov.eg

Another sordid poll, Cairo needs to be vindicated

Ahram Online, by Azza Radwan Sedky 

As I read the new poll conducted by The Thomson Reuters Foundation, released only a few days back, I grappled with the logic and the rational behind the results.

The survey asked “15 experts” specializing in women’s issues in 19 megacities how well women are protected from sexual violence and harmful cultural practices and whether they have good access to healthcare, finance, and education. Cairo was rated the worst overall. In terms of women risking being exposed to sexual harassment, Cairo ranked the third worst megacity. In other words, and according to the poll, Cairo is the “most dangerous” megacity for women.

We can agree with the poll that “harmful cultural practices” such as female genital mutilation is rampant in Egypt though by far less in Cairo. But wasn’t it the Human Rights Watch that said that “More stringent penalties for female genital mutilation approved by Egypt’s parliament on August 31, 2016, are a step toward eliminating the practice”? The new penalties are prison terms of five to seven years for those who carry out female genital mutilation and up to 15 years if the mutilation causes permanent disability or death. Thomson Reuters, though FGM is banned in Egypt, “cultural practices” take time to be eradicated.

As far as access to healthcare, women are equal to men in this field. Both genders don’t receive the healthcare they deserve. Still, I would call on the Thomson Reuters Foundation to refer to the 1.8 million Egyptians that have been cured of Hepatitis C in the last two years. Hepatitis C patients, males and females, were treated for free with an efficacy rate of 98 percent. If the Thomson Reuters Foundation would refer to such a success rate, then the survey would be fair and acceptable.

The poll states outright that Cairo is the most dangerous city because of sexual harassment and violence. Here I need to pause, take a deep breath, and try to fathom the results and their implications.

I was young once. Didn’t I take the metro and the black taxis all over Cairo? Didn’t I work in an office and attend lectures at a university? Yes, I rarely went out at night, but I lived a normal, unexciting life. And yet I felt safe. But that’s way back when, I tell myself.

I have a daughter who worked in the suburb of Maadi, took the metro, and walked a good distance to reach our apartment. Was I ever worried that she may be sexually harassed, abducted, or, heaven forbid, kidnapped? Again, I tell myself, it must be different now.

How about her male relatives, her father and her brother? Were they ever suppressive, abusive, or demoralizing? Did they beat her, or me for that matter? And yet she, too, felt safe. Maybe it’s different now, I tell myself again.

What about today? Did she not go shopping along Nozha Street, buy falafel, and feteer (Egyptian pancake), and get her watch fixed all as she walked alone on the “dangerous” streets of Cairo? Did she not stop to buy magazines and children cartoon books for her child?

What about my nieces and friends’ daughters, do they avoid going out and limit their goings and comings because they fear harassment?

What about my son, nephews, and friends’ sons, do they go around groping and fondling women?

Do I live a sheltered life? Do I have no clue how the rest of Cairo is living? But if Cairo is the most dangerous city, then the people I know would have been tainted by the same poison, right?

Sexual violence is another issue why the poll ranked Cairo as the worst megacity. Again, I asked myself if I knew of any women who were beaten by their husbands. I do; my mother’s caretaker was beaten by her husband often, but by the same token, she beat him back, despite the fact that she knew he was suffering from dementia. Still, I tell myself that the “experts” must know better, and I reiterate, “I must live a sheltered life.”

I do not doubt that women are harassed, abused and violated against in Cairo, but I doubt that it is any worse than any other city. Women are harassed, sexually abused everywhere, and the #metoo hashtag has drawn comments from women all over the world.

Is it right? Absolutely not, but maybe, just maybe, the “15 experts” didn’t get it. Maybe, just maybe, we are faring better than regions considered far better than Cairo.

Jian Ghomeshi, a well-known, former Canadian CBC broadcaster, was, in 2015, arrested for sexual abuse allegations, charged with four counts of sexual assault and one count of overcoming resistance by choking. Though the trial shook Canada, Jian Ghomeshi was acquitted for lack of evidence; this despite the number of complainants who came forward.

Bill Cosby, the tv icon known for his fatherly role on “The Cosby Show,” was charged by 59 women of rape, drug facilitated sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual abuse, and sexual misconduct. Though the first round acquitted Cosby, the lawyer for the plaintiffs said, ’It’s not over yet, Mr. Cosby,” planning to continue the fight.

Other sexual harassment suits are surfacing. Thirteen women have come forward with harrowing stories of sexual assault against Harry Weinstein, the founder of Miramax in Hollywood. According to the New Yorker, at annual awards ceremonies, Weinstein “has been thanked more than almost anyone else in movie history, ranking just after Steven Spielberg and right before God.”

The New Yorker was explicit:

Three of the women…told me that Weinstein had raped them…,Four women said that they had experienced unwanted touching that could be classified as an assault… In an audio recording, Weinstein admits to groping a Filipina-Italian model …describing it as behavior he is “used to.” Four of the women I interviewed cited encounters in which Weinstein exposed himself or masturbated in front of them.

Two of the biggest Canadian entertainment figures are facing similar accusations. Gilbert Rozon, founder of “Just for Laughs,” a hilariously funny program on Canada’s CBC had nine women come forward with allegations of harassment and sexual assault. Salomé Corbo, a Quebec actress said that Rozon assaulted her at a party in 1990 when she was a mere teenager.

Eric Salvi, a TV and radio host and producer, is also facing similar sexual misconduct allegation. According to the National Post, Éric Salvail , Quebec’s most popular male TV personality, “was the subject of a La Presse investigation alleging that he sexually harassed 11 male and female colleagues.” Ten women came forward to describe sexual harassment, inappropriate or sexual touching and unwanted comments.

I would be the first to say that Egyptian women would not come forward with similar accusations. Modesty does not allow them to be that explicit, but maybe I should ask these “15 experts” who sighted Cairo as the most dangerous city if they can recall or reference similar accusations to the ones sited above but this time in “dangerous Cairo.”

Thomson Reuters, Cairo may not be the safest city, but I suggest you draw your conclusions from more reliable sources.

 

Egypt confronts overpopulation by 'two children only' strategy

Egypt Independent

Health Minister Ahmed Emad Eddin and Local Development Minister Hisham al-Sherif announced in a meeting attended by the country’s governors the implementation of a strategic plan for the control of population rates under “Egypt Development: Two children only.”

“Contraception is the last thing we can rely on in the population strategy. In the beginning, it is necessary to eliminate the dropout in education to prevent early marriage and employ females,” said Emad Eddin.

Religious discourse also plays an important role in spreading awareness of the population crisis, according to Emad Eddin.

After Egypt’s birth rate reached 2.5 children in 2005, it rose to 3.5 children, he said. “Either the population increase continues to destroy Egypt or the crisis is solved,” he added.

The minister called on the National Population Council to communicate with the governors to obtain accurate population data.

The control of population increase is linked to solving the problems of illiteracy, unemployment and poverty, said Sherif, adding they are top priorities for the government. He stressed the need for a strong information infrastructure in all governorates and ministries concerned with the population crisis to help develop the right solutions.

The government has a national program to eradicate illiteracy in the coming three years, Sherif explained.

The local development minister stressed the need for an executive plan for each governorate to reduce population, eradicate illiteracy, reduce poverty rate and provide job opportunities.

Every year, Egypt increases by 2.040.000 million people, he added.

If the increase rate continues as it is, the government will have to provide in the next three years 20,000 nursery schools, in six years it will have to provide 100,000 schools, and in 25 years it will need to provide 2 million jobs, Sherif said.

via www.egyptindependent.com

Egypt's banks collected 52 bln USD since floating pound

Xinhua.English.news.cn, Editor: Song Lifang

CAIRO, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- The foreign currency collected by Egyptian banks since floating the pound in last November is up to 52 billion U.S. dollars, official news agency MENA reported on Saturday.

"The remittances of the Egyptian expats, investments and export revenues were the reasons behind the increase of the foreign currency," MENA quoted Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) Rami Abul Naga as saying.

Egypt floated its currency in November last year to limit shortage of foreign currency, from less than 8 pounds then to current 17.59 pounds.

It also agreed a three-year, 12 billion dollars IMF loan program in the same month last year that is tied to ambitious economic reforms such as subsidy cuts and tax hikes.

Tareq Amer, governor of the CBE said earlier that the economic reform results in Egypt are "strong and exceeded expectations."

Amer said the results of Egypt's economic reform program are described by international investment experts as "an extraordinary achievement," pointing out the foreign investments in Egyptian increased to 18 billion dollars in September.

He added more international institutions sought to invest 26 billion dollars in international securities issued by Egypt.

via news.xinhuanet.com

Imagine!

Ahram Online, by Azza Radwan Sedky

In Wag the Dog, a 1997 movie, a war is fabricated to cover up a president’s sex scandal. It is a perfect example of how easy it is to work up hysteria over a non-existing cause.

Imagine something similar happening in Egypt. Imagine a scenario that is farfetched and definitely preposterous. Imagine the Western world suddenly ganging up on Egypt and deciding, amongst itself, that, for one bizarre reason or another, Egypt erred big time and deserves intense retribution.

It then attacks Egypt.

Stop for a moment. Didn’t the Western world attack and destroy Iraq over fake, fabricated causes in 2003?

So, play along. It gets better.

As the Western world bombs Egypt’s infrastructure and army facilities along its until then tightly secured borders, as well as strategic bridges and thoroughfares in Cairo, the world at large, in particular the Western world, watches unperturbed. Even more freaky, while some nations ignore the attack altogether, others deem it necessary and deserved.

The reason behind such a ludicrous reaction would be what Western media at large, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, too, have paved the way for in their reports on Egypt for the last six years. These publications, by virtue of their misleading tactics, would have convinced the world that the attack is due process.

You see, if you are a layperson who doesn’t know much about the comings and goings in Egypt, but is an avid reader of Western publications, you would, most certainly, believe that Egypt is under a repressive dictatorship and that soon Egypt will implode upon itself. Hence, the West must intervene.

You will have heard of death penalties but not why these criminals received such drastic sentences; you will have heard of limitations on freedom of speech, but you wouldn’t have been exposed to the incitement, including death lists, flagrantly bellowed on social media; and you will have been told that the traitors, aka Egypt’s leaders, are giving away their land to the highest bidder, and you will accept it all as a given. Who would think otherwise?

Does Western media lie, twist facts, or mislead? Heavens, no!

You will have read of a Qatar embargo and severe sanctions inflicted on a ganged-up-upon, minuscule emirate but not why there is an embargo: ruthless interference in other countries’ affairs and becoming an open playground for terrorists.

You will have been told that the poor are getting poorer, that prices are skyrocketing, and that the subsidies on fuel and power are being removed; you would have never perused an article discussing the efforts to create power, to build an expansive road network and better homes to replace the shacks many live in, to cure millions of the debilitating disease Hepatitis C, and to support those in need by providing extensive subsidies. 

According to Western media, Egypt will have deserved this powerful reaction by virtue of the image projected prior to the attack. According to that image, Egypt may well be deserving retribution equivalent to attacks that hit Libya, Syria, and Iraq.

Let’s consider what the media of the democratic world tells the world.

It didn’t take Western media long to decide that 30 June was a coup that went against the legitimately elected Brotherhood regime, disregarding the millions that called for its downfall and neglecting the euphoria that swept Egypt immediately afterwards.

Since then, Western media exerts every effort to downplay accomplishments and overstate defeats. Every issue on Egypt in Western media is presented with headlines and content that twists facts, alludes to failures, and scrutinises even the biggest of successes.

After 30 June, the headlines of Western media read, “Morsi is the Arab world’s Mandela,” “Does Egypt even matter?” and “The military coup is a ‘cancer’ eating away at Egypt.” 

According to The Telegraph, El-Sisi “plotted a military takeover even while Hosni Mubarak was still in power.” This is so bizarre it is mind boggling. By the way, Egyptians had not heard of El-Sisi before 2012, and for him to predict Mubarak’s downfall and scheme a take over when it occurs is ludicrous.

And yet, a Google search proves that, in 2014, Egypt’s most capturing story was not even mentioned. In confidence with the new leadership, in eight days, Egyptians came up with the EGP 64 billion needed to build the Suez Canal extension. Nothing appeared on this issue in Western media.

And so in another opinion piece in The Guardian, “Egypt’s new masters are wrecking its long tradition of religious freedom” was mystifying. The sub-headline says, “Sisi is trying to remake the people’s identity by exploiting division.”

Both concepts, “remaking people’s identity” and “exploiting division” are erroneous to the core. El-Sisi cannot remake people’s identity even if he tried, and in no way is he exploiting division.

The Financial Times is no better. “Dark days for Egypt’s amateur vice squad” draws its off-the-wall conclusions from speaking to one single Egyptian — a bawab, or doorman. It builds a dismal portrait of a country in disarray from the views of this single person.

The sub-heading reads, “Egyptians used to laugh and smile, but not any more,” and I beg to differ; Egyptians laugh and smile more now than they used to while ex-President Morsi was in power. And, because it is in their nature, they will continue to laugh, smile, and enjoy what life gives them because it is innate in them, despite what The Financial Times alludes to.

In March, as President El-Sisi was about to head to Washington, Human Rights Watch published an article titled, “Sisi’s Egypt is a Poor Partner for the United States in the Fight Against Terrorism.” It warns President Trump against amending ties with Egypt, concluding that “Hosting Egypt’s repressive president sends the wrong message to the world on how to overcome the scourge of violent extremism and terrorism.” And today the same explicit notions continue as Forbes’ headline reads, “Washington should dump Egypt’s new pharaoh: Dictator El-Sisi turns country into open-air prison.”

My two cents: either these journalists are absolute imbeciles who have no clue what they are writing about or, the other extreme, they have a clear goal and are out to accomplish it: ruin Egypt.

Now, after all this, if you were a Westerner, wouldn’t you say that Egypt deserved heavy-handed retaliation?

Need I say more?

The writer is an academic, political analyst, and author of Cairo Rewind: the First Two Years of Egypt's Revolution, 2011-2013.

via english.ahram.org.eg