The shepherd

Someone is sitting there alone next to a handful of sheep which are grazing on the single green patch outside a hotel in Hurghada.

Shall I stop by or not? Tact or curiosity? I hesitated this morning for some instants, the wind had cost me some energy, however, the shepherd’s friendly waving encouraged me. I cycled back, put my bike down on the sand and greeted the stranger.

He rose, surprised. The man in the green caftan might be in his early thirties although his sun tanned face is already wrinkled. His eyes gaze emotionlessly, his smile shows discoloured teeth which is typical for the poor here; they never ever see a toothbrush throughout their lives.

I asked politely whether I may take a photo of him and the sheep? Sure, he said, but… he wanted money! Where he was living, where is family stayed, I asked? In Qena and he was poor. Well, I did see that. Has tourism corrupted him as well? Or is he so desperate that he resorts to begging? This, however, I supposedly will never get to know.

The lost people II

(posted on my German blog 19 July 2014)

In May I posted an appeal for help. It was about helping the Bedouins living in the Red Sea Mountains after they had lost all their belongings due to the torrential rains in March. Thanks to all of you who contacted Robby Schropp and to all my friends for their confidence and support.

Off the lorry tracks, Robby and the Bedouins built a market place between 2009 and 2011. Here, producers from the interior met with purchasers from the coast who sold cheese, eggs, meat and wool. A huge water reservoir stored the most precious good in the desert.

Before choosing the site, the council of elders was contacted and none of them remembered having seen deluge of water in this area. The site was considered as safe – however, nature decided differently.

Please have a look of what has become the market place:

Whether the site can be rebuilt any time in the future is unclear for lack of funds. If you wish to help, please get in touch with Robby or with me.

Our error

By „our“ I refer to people like me, who grew up in the West with liberal and democratic backgrounds. Therefore, I guess I am not the only one.

By „error“ I refer to all those hopes for a better (Arab) world projected into our minds by the media when the term „Arab spring“ became a meaning. At the latest in November 2010 I started to ask myself how long it would take until the Egyptians would get up jointly to rebel against the dictatorship; now, after more than three years, I feel disappointed and frustrated, sometimes sad. But I am not alone, here as well.

Nostalgia

Egyptians will probably not so soon feel as united, hopeful, proud and happy as they did during the demonstrations after the 25 January 2011 and until Mubarak’s overthrow. Those were thrilling days charged with emotions. Built-up during decades, suppression, fury and anger about injustice and despotism finally found a way out. All Egypt burst with joy and celebrated the alleged triumph. A wave of enthusiasm splashed over the country: streets were swept, garbage was cleared away and at one go with the dead buried, harm was put away.

The huge hope for equity, an honest Egypt and a better live were smashed with specific and terrible events and lay astray like broken fragments after a bomb raid. Today, more than three years later, Egypt is further away from a state of law, democracy and respect for human rights than it was in January 2011. Instead, it is celebrating another dictator and considers him as their saviour.

None of the many of Egypt’s problems have been resolved and none of the people’s demands have been fulfilled. The transitional and elected governments came and supported the regime – yet not the revolution. The revolutionaries are locked behind bars, disappointedly turned their backs, flew abroad or got killed. The state is de facto bankrupt and is being kept alive by foreign financial backers. Are the people too weak?

The lost people – appeal for help

(posted on my German blog on 13 April 2014)

In March, it was raining all over Egypt, but mainly in the South. Pictures in internet showed streets washed away and cars enabled to continue. Water was streaming down on the walls inside of newly built houses. As everybody else, I first thought about myself and my belongings stored in a basement – I still can’t believe that they shouldn’t have got soaked just there. I read the reports of Europeans and the damages on their properties. Until Maged, an Egyptian friend reminded me of all those, that do NOT own property! I felt ashamed… and imagined how the cardboard houses would look like after the rain.

credit: Hurghada-Cairo road by Luc Latif

A German friend of mine who has been living in Egypt for almost 40 years, doesn’t talk but does act. One month has already passed since the deluge, the media focuses on El Sisi and the terrorists, and the property owners are repairing the damages. Everything else seems to be forgotten.

Some of the lost people are Egyptian Bedouins. They anyway don’t possess a lot, live in the barren desert with their cattle herds and some families make some extra income thanks to tourism – which is rare these days. My friend – Robby Schropp – knows them. The Bedouins are his friends and partners. When they need help, they turn to him for they can’t count on the government.

If it rains in the mountains, the floods wash away everything on their way: rocks, vegetation, cattle, people, cars and camps. The water rolls as a torrent towards the coast and concentrates in huge puddles and gradually evaporates – it doesn’t drain off anywhere. 

During the last rainfall in March, many Bedouins have lost the little they owned – except for what they were wearing on their body. They need medicine, medical help, cloths, blankets, food, building material, cattle and much more. Just today, Robby rushed into the desert together with a doctor – at his own expense.

I’d like to support Robby’s actions and ask you to help me. We can already buy some medicine for as little as 10 Euro and several blankets with 50 Euro. I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t trust Robby.  Have a look at the pictures of a camp after the rain… 

credit: all photos by Robby Schropp

Those who want may contact Robby here: http://www.iq-ontour.com/home.html or get in touch with me.   

Your donation doesn’t disappear in administration, certification and advertising of a well- known charity organization, but is used directly there where it helps immediately.

Thanks to all of you, who feel addressed and wish to help with a small amount.

Yours,

El Qamar

Cycling from Hurghada to Marsa Alam

(originally posted on my German blog in November 2013)

I’ve already described the journey from Hurghada to El Quesir twice (here and here). In October 2013, we finally did a two-days-trip to Marsa Alam.

*****

I’m awake even before the alarm clock rings – I didn’t sleep well, as usual, when I have to get up early. A glimmer of dawn is peeping through the curtains; I jump out of bed, quickly grasp my camera and tear open the door of the bungalow. A few steps only take me to the beach, just in time to watch a blazing fireball rise from the sea, dyeing the sky from a pale twilight into a bright red. Overwhelmed do I stand and watch this natural spectacle, listening to the quiet wash of the waves. Can I ever get enough of this?

Yet, I have to hurry, my cycling mate wants to climb the bike at six; so I go back to wash myself and brush my teeth. However, the tap stays dry – do they think here that we don’t need any water at night? – and I help myself with the remaining mineral water.

Moments later I’m standing in full cycling attire in front of the breakfast buffet or rather where it is supposed to be; because there isn’t any.

*****

We finally leave at half past six; the fire ball has metamorphosed into the well-known sun. Temperatures are still pleasant, it’s still cool and we mutely are rolling on for an hour. I need some time to get awake, my legs are tired.

Suddenly, I’m getting aware of anything moving on my right hand side and I give a jerk: a dog is striding silently beside us. Normally, dogs bark and try to catch us – but this one here, it’s a she by the way, seems to have great fun accompanying us! She doesn’t let go, runs on the asphalt or changes the side of the street looking for a better terrain just to keep up with us. I watch her fascinatedly: her forelegs lunge out and her body stretches athletically… 

After a couple of kilometres we stop; I want to give her a biscuit and she gladly takes the refreshment. Yet, we have to go on, it’s getting warmer and we’ve only cycled a small part of the 135 km. We vigorously continue pedalling and the dog joins us, however, she increasingly falls back. She can’t keep up with us any more although she doesn’t give up for a long time. Again and again, I turn my head to see if she’s still there… eventually, I can’t make her out anymore. I’ll possibly never forget this encounter for the rest of my life.

*****

I’m pedalling and pedalling. My legs move up and down, my hands are trying to find another position on the handlebar. The long asphalt line stretches in the sun, bends to the right and to the left, ascends naughtily in order to cling to incredibly steep hills, only to drop down boldly on the other side of the hill. I don’t notice the desert anymore and there’s hardly any traffic. All I can see is this long sordid asphalt line, the countless hills in front of me and the sparkling sea far to my left. 

From El Quesir on, there are street signs indicating the kilometres: Marsa Alam 85km, Shalateen 335 km. Marsa Alam 80km, Shalateen 330 km… I feel as if the distance decreases at slow motion only, whilst I’m pedalling with all my strength. Only much later, actually just before Marsa Alam, we find out that the distances given are inaccurate. The distance between El Quesir and Marsa Alam is 137 km; from Hurghada to Marsa Alam it is in total 270 km.

*****

Does the street really have to climb and fall steadily? Since we’re at the sea! I feel terribly hot and am longing for some cold water. Stupidly, we didn’t cool down our stock of mineral water during the night and I have to count the costs… Cooling form inside is what I wish right now. On the way uphill short before Port Ghalib, I can see a petrol station. “Cold water” crosses my mind. Yet neither in the petrol station shop nor in the coffee shop beside can I get hold of the sought after liquid – although there are piles of boxes full of mineral water outside the coffee shop. The display refrigerators are locked and inside of the coffee shop I can’t find anybody. Well then, yes, it’s Eid El Kibir, the most important Muslim holiday and the guy might be having a nap somewhere… I’m disappointed and climb my bike again.

*****

We pass by the turning to Port Ghalib and I console myself with the idea that tonight, I’ll be sitting there with a cold beer. For now, we roll down to the next plane and climb up the next hill.

I’m so tired that I actually should be falling off my bicycle. Yet the music in my head phones encourages me and as soon as I am on top of a hill and see the next valley ahead of me, I joyfully and boldly precipitate… just to climb up again a few minutes later. At every ascent, I fall back further behind my cycling mate – a clear sign that I’m at the end of my rope.

*****

Suddenly, Marsa Alam is ahead of us. No “Welcome to Marsa Alam” sign, completely unspectacular, almost disappointed we arrive at our goal. We stow away our bikes in the escort car in a side street and I gulp down ice cold coke and water to cool down my working temperature.

*****

We drive back to Port Ghalib where I stay two days while my cycling mate returns to Hurghada.

I frankly admit that the day after, I was so extremely tired, that I didn’t want to move at all but rather sit somewhere or even better: just lounge around. And eat. For two days running, I had two breakfasts and two lunches!

On my way back to Hurghada I honestly wondered how I could have cycled those 270km within two days – it’s still a miracle to me! But I made it and I’m proud of it.

(German)

Sexual Harassment

(posted on my German blog on 19 February 2014)

Several times, I wanted to write about this issue. Why I didn’t? Since in Egypt, it’s an omnipresent issue that the media addresses continuously. So why do I finally write about it? Well, because I’ve been affected myself. Many foreign ladies, who live here in Egypt, read my blog and I beg you: don’t be silent anymore when you’ve been harassed! React, contact harassmap or other organisations! In addition, I call on the men to discourage harassers, to rebuke and to lecture them! Set a good example!

Definition of sexual harassment

Change or candies

Why bothering for change when sweets do the same job?

25 January – 3rd anniversary

29 dead so far across Egypt. Nice celebration. People think they are celebrating the 3rd anniversary of the revolution. However in reality, they celebrate something rather different, as I noticed in Hurghada today: they hail their hero El Sisy. The men on the photo told me joyfully “We don’t want the Muslim Brothers, we want El Sisy.”

All those people that I saw in the streets this afternoon, seemed so happy and glad. Whereas I felt like crying.

It makes me sad to see how short and small the memories of the people are; they forget what 25 January was about, they forgot the police brutality, they forgot the thousands who died for a real change in Egypt and they close their eyes before the ongoing crackdown on all that are not WITH the regime. We speak about a period of three years only!

Deutsch

Bombings for breakfast, lunch and supper

Here I am, having breakfast and reading the news… in addition to coffee and muesli, internet serves bomb attacks. The most serious one probably occurred at the police headquarter in Cairo. Several people got killed and injured. In addition, the Islamic Museum and its (hardly protected) pieces were damaged.

And the day went on the same way: until now, four bombings have been sparked off. Again, innocents have been killed and injured. Again, the police have arrested hundreds… just any who happened to be nearby, who was graspable. Allegedly, Wael Ghonim’s brother has also been arrested. The police and the army have everything, i.e. everybody under control, everybody, except those that are really dangerous.

Of course, the Muslim Brothers are being accused again. Of course, more hate is being spread and herds of blind and brainless people follow the calls: down with the Muslim Brothers, down with the Americans, down with traitors and spies!!!!

A mob, incited and blinded by hatred (against whom?????), attacked a German camera team today. They can boast themselves for their headlines today and for having something exciting to show to their viewers that are longing for disasters and violence. A documentary about Egypt’s beauties that can already be sensed a couple of kilometres outside Cairo would be far too banal! Well, that’s how the media business works.

Police and army are on top of things. Welcome in the police state of Egypt. Violence breeds more violence – why do the rulers not take it in??? And why do they not learn that sooner or later they will succumb to violence as well?

I do admit, I’m down. Let alone the assault on the German journalists and their dramatic coverage will give another blow to tourism…

All this happened today, the day before the third anniversary of January 25, that day, when Egypt rose as one against the police state and the world rubbed its eyes in disbelief…

What will happen tomorrow???? More bombings?

Deutsch 

LoLliPoP and other snapshots

Cycling on my racing bicycle on the Safaga road, oblivious of all around me; being aware that a car slows down beside me and thinking what the driver might want. When the pick-up is right beside me, the front-seat passenger holds out a lollipop towards me. ^-^

*****

Hurghada is crawling with police. Since the regime’s comeback, there are checkpoints in every street. I’m wondering where they hid during the last three years – there are so many! Yet, they leave me alone when I’m on my bike. ^-^

*****

Reluctantly, I go to the police to file a charge. The building is in a deplorable condition; apparently the restrooms are being renovated, because cement bags, toilet bowls and workmen can be seen everywhere. The Brigadier-General greets me politely and listens attentively to my translator. Later on he tells me about his journeys to Europe – in his best English. I can’t spot a computer anywhere; the records of the delinquents consist of thousands of yellow file cards with a photo and are situated in an old wooden box. The police officer, who phrases my file in Arabic manually written, offers me – even before I can have a seat – a chocolate biscuit. ^-^

*****

When you can’t understand it anymore… it’s Egypt.

Deutsch

Full of hope

(posted on my German blog on 14 January 2014)

Watching the photos on internet giving impressions of the first day of the referendum over the revised constitution, and listening to what my Egyptian acquaintances say, my eyes fill with tears.

The people say „Yes“ because they finally wish serenity and peace in their country. They are fed up with the demonstrations, the religious representatives’ promises and the bombings. They are tired and exhausted after three years full of hope and fight – that seem completely useless at the moment. They want to live, laugh and work again. They want to eat, drink and sing again. They want to discuss football and not politics.

Who can blame them???

Last year, my guard said with zest that Morsy got rid of the army and everything will be fine – Insha’Allah. Today, he said with zest, everything will be fine – Insha’Allah – and the army is no problem. Freedom will come gradually. – I can understand him and the other 50 million…

Deutsch

Shut up

(posted on my German blog on 12 January 2014)

Egypt is heading back with giant steps into a repressive past. Those who are not with them, are against them, is declared to be a traitor and silenced.

The „protest law“ that has been launched recently does not only aim to curb the demonstrations of the Muslim Brotherhood which have become a routine, and to take violent measures against them. It also silences the opponents of the present regime. Who are the opponents? What are the holders of power afraid of?

Currently, dozens of famous and hundreds of less renowned activists are jailed. They are those courageous ones that were the driving force of the uproar of 25 January 2011. Other thousands of innocents who were sitting, standing or walking in the wrong place at the wrong time, in addition to journalists, Muslim Brothers and other “state enemies” are locked up as well. The activists are accused to have demonstrated without prior permission, to have called for protests or – even worse – to have damaged state property or to have attacked the police. The one who speaks up is at risk of finding himself in the hands of the police. During the retrial of Khaled Said’s murder, a poet was conducted away by the police; some protestors held signs demanding justice (for Khaled Said) in front of the court house. When the police arrested some of them, the poet asked a police officer “why do you arrest them?”? Now, he too, is jailed (Masr El-Youm, 7.1.2014).

Millions of pounds are spent on banners hung up all over the country, inviting the people to say “Yes” on tomorrow’s referendum over the revised constitution. Yet, the handful of people that distributed flyers calling to vote against the constitution was arrested. The regime is scared of those who disagree. Not to mention the fact that with the wasted money many people in need could have benefitted. The money is wasted because the constitution will be accepted anyway. Or does anybody doubt it?

I was warned by an acquaintance: I should take care where I comment. Indeed, I was virtually attacked and insulted when I expressed my doubts over the substance of the news. According to the mishmash that has been spread by the media for months, the police constantly discovers planned bomb attacks, spies terror cells, kills terrorists, prevents a 12 year old from blowing himself up, and detects hidden bombs. Not all of this can be true. First, I did not even understand the reason for being branded. However reality is: who is not backing the present (and old) regime, i.e. who does not rejoice with the majority, is either a MB supporter or a spy funded from abroad. Anyway, he/she is a hypocrite and someone who hasn’t got a clue about Egypt. I don’t, that’s true; but I watch and listen. And then, I think and this is anyway already too much.

The majority in particular does not want to think, but to follow a hero who guides them to paradise – in Egypt this means stability, security and away from the misery. Whoever promises this will be hailed as a hero and unquestioningly followed. Thereby, they fall from one trap into another. The one, who dislikes it, is an opponent who has to be locked up so that he/she never ever comes up again with the idea of inciting uproar.

I wonder: how strong is such a regime that is scared of its own people? Meanwhile, the minority waits and keeps silent. Sooner or later, this will change again and the majority will realise that it had fallen into a trap. After the uproar is before the uproar - despite repression and violence.

Deutsch

Witch hunt open

(posted on my German blog on 26 December 2013)

The witch hunt has been publicly declared open. Fingers were pointed at the MBs by the government and by the public after the attack on the police headquarter in Mansoura. However, no evidences are given and the MB have distanced themselves from the attack (it’s another question, if they speak the truth) and although the group Ansar Beit El-Maqdis confessed the assault.

The people from Mansoura could not contain their anger and furiously destroyed shops, buildings and other Muslim Brothers’ properties.

The MB were declared a terror organisation and everyone that belongs to that group may be arrested. Yet: how can one recognise a Muslim Brother? They are organised like a secret society and it consists of inner and outer circles whose members are privy to its secrets according to the grade of their affiliation. Then, there are sympathisers. Numbers are unknown, only estimates circulate: several million supporters – which can be understood given the Brotherhood’s charitable activity – and several hundreds of thousands of members.

That means, they cannot be recognised. All those millions of followers and those who are grateful for cheap food, free schools and 50 pound notes for their votes: are they terrorists?

Everybody who looks or behaves like a „Muslim Brother“ can be hunted. Equally, as Christians are still being chased and their belongings being pillaged. Equally, as it happened to the Jews in Europe.

It’s enough to make you weep. This witch hunt will spread more hate; it will result in more casualties who have to be revenged, and in more grief for the plagued Egyptians. The bombing will not stop because of this, on the contrary. What on earth do the government, respectively El-Sissy and his colleagues think?

The “war against terrorism” is extensive and meanwhile, the repression includes also those activists, who stood behind the uproar of 25 January 2011. They have just been sentenced to several years in jail.

Does the world soon have to observe, how Egyptians slaughter each other? Only four weeks to go to the third anniversary of 25 January. When is the next uproar?

Deutsch

Morsi overthrown

What a people, what a youth!

First, they collect 22 million signatures.
Then, they bring 30 million people out on the streets to demonstrate against their president.
And finally, they get rid of two presidents within less than 2,5 years.

I don’t want to believe in a coup. The country is too broken and down. Each party, every politician and every citizen has learned a bitter lesson during the past 29 months. In addition, Egyptians are assured that their voice counts, that they can achieve a goal as long as they unite.

I’m so happy for this population that has to suffer so much… I can’t put it into words… Finally, they may start to build their country the way they wish it.

May they be successful.

30 June 2013: Something is brewing

تمرد „Rebel“ http://tamarod.com/index.php?page=english is the name for a campaign that is collecting signatures for early presidential elections. The campaign is being supported across the Egyptian population, across all kind of parties and associations and now even by the police. The goal to get 15 million signatures was achieved some weeks ago. They continue, at the moment they got 20 Million checked, true signatures from living persons, not from dead ones (as on the occasion of the elections).

Since a couple of days, there are selective demonstrations in the name of this campaign and the 30 June shall be the temporary climax. The initiators are preparing a road map for political measures.

The atmosphere is tense, many people are afraid. Afraid of violence, of bloody clashes and more deaths. They are also afraid of the country being split up further, falling deeper into the abyss and chaos. The Muslim Brothers allegedly have rented dozens of flats at strategic locations in Cairo to place snipers. We had this before. The MB militia is promising blood baths and massacres if “their” president should have to resign. We had this before, too. For several months already, tourists are coming to the Red Sea only; tourism in the Nile valley is almost inexistent. Hence, we’ve seen this before.

However, Morsi and his fabulous government offer almost day by day new, incredible and hair rising surprises; they all have something in common however bewildering they may seem at the first instance: they mess up everything and destroy the country’s reputation.

How come that

• Egypt allows itself to be cut off from the Nile water from Ethiopia?
• Egypt breaks off diplomatic relations with Syria? Both countries were once united in the “United Arab Republic” (1958-1961) and friends.
• Morsi is travelling to different countries in order to beg for money? Notably into countries such as Russia which is supporting Syria’s Assad regime?
• A member of the Gam’a Al Islamaya is appointed governor of Luxor; the group is responsible for the 1997 attacks on tourists?
• Egypt exports electric power to Israel and Jordan while the people of Egypt suffer from shortages and daily power cuts that last for hours?
• Egyptians kill each other and lynchlaw is spreading fast?
• crime has exploded exponentially?
• and so much more!

There are answers. Read for example http://mbinenglish.wordpress.com/. This site publishes translated articles from the Brotherhoods; articles that are published in Arabic only. The original texts call for sectarian incitements and killings. They stir up hatred against the initiators of the Rebel campaign, activists, Copts and differently minded; and they spread false news.

The MB militia is always involved in bloody clashes with the protesters. So-called “mass rallies” are built up of poor people from the country side; they are taken to Cairo by bus and receive a couple of hundred pounds and food for their show. Corruption, power, money and greed. Imagine, an inquiry panel of the EU has realized that funds provided to fight corruption have disappeared! They are more naïve than me!

Everything that happened since 25 January 2011 can be put in one sentence:

Criminals that escaped from prisons thanks to Hamas have taken over.

They are ruling the country respectively were able to destroy more within two years than Mubarak destroyed within 30 years. Their single goal is: to take over all important positions in the state, to sow hardship and chaos and to divide people. In order to reach this goal they do not hesitate to distort the constitution at their own discretion, to forge elections, to enact laws, to censor the media, to accuse differently minded of blasphemy and to sentence them, to lie, to torture and to kill.

They will suffocate from their greed. The sooner the better.

The Egyptians are fed up. A friend has just called me, coming back from a two weeks holiday in Alexandria. Alexandria was the stronghold of the Salafis and pro Muslim Brothers. That’s finished. Even those who were MB friendly, are fed up of Morsi and his Brothers, of the lies, of the crime and the worsening economic situation Every taxi driver to whom I talk is railing about the MB. Nobody wants them anymore.

Only the USA still likes them. When I read Anne Patterson’s statement supporting Morsi and his government, I first thought about false news. But no: the MB continue being supported by the USA, this is why they suddenly broke off diplomatic relations with Syria. I’m just curious, if the US will change their mind once more as quickly as they did with Mubarak.

I trust in the Egyptian people and I have confidence for the coming days and weeks, even if I haven’t discovered a charismatic leader yet. There will be more grief, blood and casualties, but the people will not give up. The MB will fight as long as they can, but their days are numbered – they just don’t know it yet, they are afraid of it. They have got two advantages: arms and USA’s support.

Overdose

Even the airplanes take off into the wrong direction. They take off southward instead of northward as they usually do. I watch them every couple of minutes targeting above the buildings into the dark night. Take off southward is only happening with no wind at all.

Since sunset I sit on the balcony; patiently, resigned to my fate and hopeful. Only once do I utter “ohhh!” – the moment, when a complex of building diagonally opposite is being lit. Yet a short moment later, it falls into darkness again. All Hurghada is dark.

Banking in Egypt and disappearing foreign currency reserves

I read and heard about it but I was not fully aware of the consequences for myself. I mean, a bit of course… As I do with so many problems – Egypt has taught me this – I wanted to wait and take things as they come, trusting that there is always a solution.

My rental payment is due at the beginning of February. Progressive-minded as I am I wanted to transfer the rent from my Egyptian bank account by E-Banking. Before, I wanted to change some Euro – in the same bank – into Egyptian Pounds to provide enough funds. Since I divined the consequences already a bit before, I did not change my Euros in December since a fast devaluation of the Egyptian Pound was looming. I’m almost a bit proud that I haven’t transferred more hard currency to Egypt. They would be blocked right now!

My bank kindly informed me that according to the Egyptian Central Bank’s provisions, customers are not allowed to change their foreign currencies into Egyptian Pounds by E-Banking! No access to the strong Euros, US Dollars and other stable currencies that are lying in the mouldering country. So what do business people do? These provisions make business lifes even more difficult in addition to all other problems and deficiencies.

I just remember one of my „students“ telling me before my departure about the payment moral: for credits of several hundreds of pounds due he obtains now and then a cheque of five thousand Pounds… Actually, it’s a miracle that everybody somehow still keeps afloat. Yet for how long will they?

For sure there is a solution for my small problem. I sent a message to the bank and explained my desire; maybe the transfer will be permitted. If not, I’ll find another way. Probably this is the way for business people, too: Necessity is the mother of invention.

Port Said for the second time

More than 70 football fans died last year in Port Said’s stadium. They were pushed down from the gallery (!), stabbed with knives, and found exits barred and were trampled over.

On Saturday, the „culprits“ were convicted: 21 people got death sentence. They’re football fans, young people. The real masterminds of the massacre were not sentenced. This is why people in Port Said took to the streets and demonstrated. They tried to free their relatives from prison. They torched municipality buildings, and they tried to get under control the power station and other strategic objects. Police ran away and the Army was deployed.

Who are „they“? Are they football fans? Are they again paid thugs that mingle with demonstrators? Are they again paid thugs in uniforms of the Central Security Forces who do the dirty jobs?

Yesterday, dozens of people lost their lives and today, during the funeral procession, more people died.

It’s awful. The readiness to use violence is horrible. Yet, the one who watches the videos in the internet discovers more atrocities: There are snipers standing on roof tops aiming at people! There are CSF members running through streets damaging parked cars of civilians! People are shot from near behind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yrd_BVAzkic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6XHeFtN4Zw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2jU0HkHAFj0

Who are „they“? Who is behind these killings?

Why does the government allow this? Or maybe I should rephrase the question: why is the government doing this? Is it its goal to sow more turmoil and chaos in order to facilitate a military coup? What are the MB’s rewards from such a scenario? Whose reward is it anyway?

Or has the „Murshid“ (ruler of the Muslim Brothers) lost control and there is another power behind those terrible crimes? Moursy however, was brilliant: he offered his condolences late after midnight by Twitter (sic!)!!!!

In spite of all the atrocities: the method is not new. Many times was it seen, many times civilians got executed or shot into their eye. Again and again although everybody knows meanwhile that people film these scenes and publish them in internet. Evidences exist in great numbers. Some of these witnesses were detained today while filming from balconies and roof tops. They have to fear the worst: hour long interrogations, torture, rape, detainment without accusation, no lawyer admitted.

Egypt’s leaders have their people killed in front of the world. In order to come to grips with the situation, once more the emergency law has been proclaimed (anybody can be detained anytime without any reason) and a curfew has been imposed. History repeats itself. Unfortunately.

Update:
Photos show the bearded next to the snipers, next to the police… It has been assumed for a long time that the Muslim Brothers are behind the camel battle and other massacres…

25 January 2013 – 2nd anniversary

From far away, I’m anxiously waiting for the 25 January. A demonstration from three different meeting points will be held in Hurghada, in the rest of Egypt anyway. Activists invoke for demonstrations. But will this be sufficient?

Wouldn’t it be better they’d go out into the villages, into the poor districts and quarters and finally tell the people there what it is all about? Wouldn’t it be better to listen to those people out there and take their everyday problems seriously? It’s still the Muslim Brothers and the Salafists that approach the people and “pester” them. The activists, the seculars, yes, the complete opposition hides behind Twitter, Facebook and TV instead of addressing the people in Cairo’s slums, in the Delta’s shanty towns and in Upper Egypt.

The opposition has a golden chance: the people are tired and fed up of the Muslim Brotherhoods‘ lies and of the worsening living conditions. Yet, instead of uniting and building up a heavy weight opposition to the Islamists ahead of the parliamentary elections, they quarrel… Are they so egoistic? Or do they still not understand where Egypt is standing? What a keen disappointment!

If there won’t be any surprise by the workers, the poor or the Ahly Ultras, 25 January 2013 will just be a ceremony, nothing more.

Change has to come from inside, not from Twitter, Internet or TV. When is the day?

Deadly train crash – one of so many

“Have you heard the news?” my student asked with a serious look. No, I answered, I haven’t had the time yet to read the news. “There was again a train accident. Children in a school bus, more than 50 dead!”

This accident happened on 17 November, a couple of days before Moursy brokered the cease fire between Hamas and Israel and then announced his constituency decree. The school bus crossed an unsecured railroad crossing and was caught by the approaching train. The barrier was up, the security guard was not at his place. Last Monday, another train accident happened, this time with conscripts from Upper Egypt and for sure, it won’t be the last one.

The terrible accident in Assyut back in November reflects Egypt’s state of affairs in many fields and this is why I want to write about it here.

The six to eight year old children were squeezed in an overcrowded bus on their way to an Islam school where they never arrived. There are families who lost all their children in this accident; in the town of Mandara there is no family that was not hit by this disaster since a typical Egyptian family is big…

The attendant’s hut is tiny and uncomfortable; there he receives information about coming trains in order close the barrier. He frequently leaves the narrow stuffy place and has a chat and a smoke with his colleagues nearby. Over there, he neither hears the important phone calls nor overlookds the rails; hence, the barrier remains open in spite of coming trains. Many very sad accidents repeatedly happened here. Again and again, the people have demonstrated and demanded the removal of this dangerous train crossing. Yet, in vain.

On 17 November they searched in the ruins of the squashed bus for the remains of their children: a scrap of fabric, an exercise book, a shoe, a drawing, a school bag. The ambulance arrived poorly equipped at the place of accident: they collected the remains of the children’s bodies and put them into garbage bags that had to be emptied beforehand. Those still alive were brought to the local hospital in Manfalout where not even the most urgent equipment was available. So the children were transported to the University hospital in Assyut. But there as well, the hospital staff was unable to cope with the situation and could hardly administer first aid due to the lack of dressing and medications. A young doctor once told me how these public hospitals are managed: young graduates have to practise there for 300 pounds without supervision or help of senior doctors. Those are up to something else: they work in private clinics because the salary is better. Yet, I’ll write about this another time.

Only hours later did the police arrive at the place of accident. As always, it was promised that there would be an investigation and the violators be punished. As always, ministers promised to eradicate this unacceptable situation. As always, Moursy (sorry, I just can’t call him “President”) promised to indemnify the troubled families. Following last week’s accident, it was even promised to renovate 900 railway crossings all over Egypt. Immediately!

Three days later, almost another train accident happened in Mandara, when a train passed the open railway crossing… I’m sure that the situation remains unchanged.

Some culprits have been found. Negligence of the railway authority, no maintenance or renewal of the rails for more than 10 years, 15 rail workers were brought to court. I doubt that they are the real culprits.

By chance I’ve read today in “Egypt Independent“ that only a quarter of the allocated budget of USD 270 Mio. in 2009 and USD 330 Mio. In 2011 was used for railway maintenance. According to the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights, the bigger share was squandered by members of the government. [sic!]

330‘000‘000 USD Dollars is a pretty penny. The families that lost a child in this horrible accident were initially offered 1’000 pounds (around 150 USD) as indemnity and it was later increased to 50’000 pounds. I dare doubt that any of them will ever see a penny. They can’t revive their children and they can’t turn their back on this scruffy state with this little money.

Negligence, failure, wealth grab = corruption. This is Egypt in every field: health, infrastructure, education, environment and so on. Egypt is a wealthy country. Yet only few get their share.

And the Western governments continue to send their money…