Government Investigation Targets Local Rights NGO; U.S. Sends F-16s to

Government Investigation Targets Local Rights NGO U.S. Sends F-16s to Egypt USAID Invests $45 Million in Youth and Business Political Cartoon of the Day: Door to ISIS Top Stories Government Investigation Targets Local Rights NGO Results of investigations into the , a group of pro-democracy activists that played a significant role in galvanizing participation in the January 25, 2011 revolution, claim [Ar] that the movement is coordinating with the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF), an Egyptian rights NGO, to “cause unrest and to suspend the constitution.” The investigators also allege [Ar] that ECRF is no more than a façade for the youth movement’s activities and that the commission holds meetings at its office with foreign groups from whom it receives “secret foreign funds.” These investigations call out ECRF staff members by name and accuse [Ar] them of working with “foreign institutions involved in vandalism operations…while claiming to be supporting the civil society.” The commission’s work includes reporting on violations against press freedom in Egypt and the poor treatment of detainees in Egyptian prisons. In an effort to prevent the organization from raising awareness about the human rights situation in Egypt, security forces confiscated the executive director’s passport in July when he tried to travel to Germany to meet with the German parliament. The investigation into ECRF’s work is part of a larger crackdown on the activities of civil society organizations, Mada Masr reported in September that close to 500 NGOs have been shut down this year alone. Many organizations have struggled to continue their activities because of the threat of governmental interference. Michele Dunne, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, argues that the way to effectively fight radicalization in Egypt is not by attacking civil society, but rather by promoting freedom, pluralism, and diversity. back to top

U.S. Sends Fighter Jets to Egypt On Thursday, Egypt received [Ar] four U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, as part of the $1.3 billion annual military aid package that Egypt receives from the United States. The United States provides this aid to support Egypt in the fight against terrorism; senior defense official Charles Hooper declared that these jets “will provide the Egyptian people greater security and a powerful asset in the fight against terrorism.” The two countries also recently resumed joint production of military tanks in a factory south of . After a U.S. Apache helicopter was reportedly used last month in the accidental Egyptian military attack that killed 12 Mexican tourists, U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy stated that there must be “regular monitoring, including by independent journalists, of all U.S. military aid to ensure its proper use, and appropriate accountability if it is misused.” After the ouster of former president , the U.S. government temporarily suspended military aid to Egypt. President Obama then resumed the aid in March 2015. back to top

USAID Invests $45 Million in Youth and Business The US Embassy announced on Thursday that USAID will partner with the Ministry of International Cooperation to provide $45 million for programs supporting small businesses and professional development for youth. The new program to help small enterprises will help them take out loans, develop business plans, and conduct research. The program for students will develop their technical skills to make them more employable. These new programs will last for a four-year period and are part of the United States’ larger efforts to help improve the Egyptian economy and increase employment opportunities. The Cairo Post reported that USAID programs in the past three years have provided employment opportunities to over 40,000 . back to top

Political Cartoon of the Day: Door to ISIS

Source: @jabertoon, Twitter, 10/27/2015 back to top Also Worth Reading

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