ولا ايه؟

lanières

time to get political

When I visited Cairo this summer, I had no idea that this would be the reality today. What I saw in front of me coming to this Arab metropol, heavily populated and full of poverty, corruption and injustice, but also friendly people, was a system that was bound to collapse, sooner or later. It seems like there is a critical mass one has to reach, and then, it’s like domino. First Tunisia, then this. Well, enough with the descriptions, it’s time to get political.

I embrace the happenings in Egypt. They are crucial to much needed change in the Middle East. The Middle East is a region full of people with a lot of warmth in them, but it is equally full of intolerance towards things that diverge from what is considered normal. This is, ironically enough, often more acknowledged by people inhabiting the actual region than people in the Western World defending human rights. Somehow, there is a fear of criticising the Middle East. Why? I have no idea. And to add clarity, it’s not about criticising the actual region as a whole or the people living it, it’s about criticising authoritarian rules, dictatorships and what often can be considered to be total negligence towards human rights.

Political prisoners, restrictions of freedom of speech, persecution and harassment of people in the LGBT community, absolute poverty, an absence of a fair social security system. This is the reality in Egypt. Face it. It needs change. You can not build a state on having a state of emergency as a base for 30 years. It just doesn’t work that way. At some point, the reaction comes.

What I noticed whilst I was in Egypt was that everybody wanted change. A clear way doesn’t exist, the only thing people agree upon is the notion that they want to get rid of the current rule, which is completely understandable. Mubaraks rule is not justified in any way, the demonstrations are just one sign of this. Mubarak needs to resign and set up fair elections, otherwise he’s never going to get control over the situation. What has happened now is historical and I do hope this causes reactions in other Middle Eastern countries, who just as much need change. What we are witnessing now is the expression of 30, for some people 50, years of ruling.

Egypt is a country of great potential, but the unjustified and unjust ruling has destroyed a lot of that potential. It’s time to build up the country again, on fair grounds.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

سلام

القاهرة

كنت في القاهرة. لا يجب علي ان اقول اكتر من ذلك. فعلا، هذه المدينة جميلة جدا. كنت اسكن في الزمالك، جزيرة في مركز القاهرة. طبعا، هذه المنطقة ليست فقيرة، و هذا واضح هناك.

مصر

Just have to tell you wonderful people about my absolutely fabulous trip to Egypt. It was simply so realxing and soothing as one would like it to be. After some hectic, yet nice days in Cairo, we took the somewhat shaky and slow train to Alexandria and the beach. You know, it’s such a different world in that country. The traffic, the buildings, the highways, the smog. It’s all very big, very crowded and very loud. Somehow, I love it.