Seeing the Others

Seeing the

Others

Reporting Diversity: a Media Programme to Promote Inter-Community Dialogue and Moderate Voices as a means to Prevent Religious Radicalisation in Egypt, 2008-2010

CONTENTS

Preface 3

About the Project 4

Academics' comments 5

Journalists‟ comments 7

Newspaper articles from the project 9

About the Media Diversity Institute 84

Preface

Seeing the Others

This booklet offers an insight into the Media Diversity Institute project titled „Reporting Diversity: a media programme to promote inter-community dialogue and moderate voices as a means to prevent religious radicalisation’, in which Egyptian journalism professors, journalism students and journalists participated, during 2008-2010.

The project was set up to advance journalism education and journalism skills through hands- on production training for practicing journalists and through the development and implementation of specialized university curricula, related to responsible reporting on social and cultural diversity in general, and religious diversity in particular. Two workshops were organised for journalism professors from universities across Egypt, and selected participants from these workshops were then mentored in the development of Reporting Diversity curricula. In addition, two ten day production oriented training courses were organised for Egyptian journalists resulting in the production of newspaper articles.

We are extremely pleased to say that one of the oldest universities in the Arab world, Cairo University, supported the project. Currently three of their journalism professors are teaching newly developed Reporting Diversity curricula. In addition, courses are also being taught at Mansoura and Ain Shams Universities. Comments from some of the participating journalism professors can be found in this booklet.

Also included in this booklet are the articles which resulted from the training courses for journalists. All of them have been published in the papers from which the trainees came.

Our special thanks go to our local partners, the British Council Cairo and the Andalus Institute for Tolerance & Anti-Violence Studies, Cairo. Without their contribution, this project would not have been so deeply rooted, as is needed when projects deal with such sensitive issues as diversity and the media. We also want to thank to our country coordinator Ms Doaa Abdelaal, for her commitment, her professionalism and her enthusiasm so generously shared with us.

All this remarkable work would have been not possible without the UK embassy in Cairo which, by providing financial support, gave all of us the possibility to truly get to know each other, to understand each others‟ cultures and traditions better and to search and find common ground – in journalism as a profession as well as in democratic values, freedom of expression and freedom of information for all citizens regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, age, or income.

Milica Pesic Executive Director, Media Diversity Institute London, February 2010

About the Project

Reporting Diversity: a media programme to promote inter-community dialogue and moderate voices as a means to prevent religious radicalisation in Egypt

Countries: Egypt and the United Kingdom Period: August 2008 – March 2010 Managing Organisation: the Media Diversity Institute (MDI) Partners: the British Council Cairo and the Andalus Institute for Tolerance & Non- violence Studies Cairo Supported by: the UK Government’s Strategic Programme Fund

The programme: the purpose of the project was to advance journalism education and journalism skills through hands-on production training for practicing journalists and through development and implementation of specialized university curricula related to responsible reporting on social and cultural diversity in general, and religious diversity (cross religious and intra-religious) in particular.

Main project activities: in collaboration with local partners, the British Council Cairo and the Andalus Institute for Tolerance & Non-violence Studies Cairo, MDI organised the following activities during the project:

Reporting Diversity Curricula Development (RDCD) Workshops – Two workshops were held in Cairo, with 4 academics already teaching Reporting Diversity courses, from around the world, and 26 Egyptian academics, from universities across Egypt, interested in issues related to the media and diversity. The academics discussed the principles of diversity, the role of the media, and ethical issues around coverage of diversity, globally and in Egypt. The objective of the workshops was to support Egyptian academics in the development of their own Reporting Diversity courses, through knowledge sharing and discussion with their peers from around the world.

Reporting Diversity Course Development Programme – after the workshops, the Egyptian academics submitted their own concepts of Reporting Diversity courses. The five best concepts were selected for further development, ending in full course curricula, currently being taught with MDI support. Training materials, teaching techniques, reading lists, and translation of key materials were provided.

Team Reporting Projects in Egypt and the UK – two production-oriented training courses for journalists, each lasting 10 days, were held in Cairo. Stories produced through the training were published in the media outlets the participants came from. The authors of four best articles were invited to the UK for a study tour aimed at enhancing their understanding of the concept of diversity in the UK.

Academics’ Comments

The experience of participating in the independent focus, or sometimes it was workshop of tackled through our discussion about "Reporting Diversity objectivity in general which empty it of its Curricula importance especially in the context o Development" analyzing minorities issues. The workshop organized by MDI in at the Mass Communication faculty- Cairo Cairo January 2009 University in 2009 is considered a new one of the best light and a real start for developing experiences I ever had. I had the chance curricula around diversity. Through the to see and practices new methods of support of MDI either academically, teaching my students the skills of morally and financially the goal became journalism and to open new horizons to possible or today I could teach my develop the theories we teach them. I also students a curricula on (The elements of had the chance through the mentoring News Coverage based on Diversity) which programme to develop curricula in the curricula I have developed. I look "Journalism Skills" through different forward for more cooperation with an discussions with Dr. Rasha Abdullah organization as MDI that really seeks which enriched the curricula academically diversity as say and as an act. and practically. Those discussions led me Dr. Shereen Salama, Lecturer- to add new training models that help to Journalism Department, Faculty of develop the journalism skills of the Mass Communication - Cairo University students and encourage them to tackle MDI mentoring program has been an new dynamic issues with attention to extraordinary experience in my career. diversity in the society. MDI helped me to find my points of Dr. Nagwa Abdul Sallam Fahami strength and weakness and my mentor Dr. Prof. Media Department, Faculty of Arts Rasha Abdullah guided me to the best - Ain Shams University practice in teaching techniques.

I managed to design a course for covering diversity with focus on gender issues. It I consider my experience with MDI helped to raise the awareness of my mentoring programme where I have students towards different issues worth developed a curricula about diversity in coverage. The best part in my experience media, a very rich experience. I have is that I am now able to design different started a new beginning to seed the courses with different focus points diversity values within my students at the according to the needs of my students. faculty of Mass Communication- Cairo University. Many times these issues where Nasry Essmat, Ain Shams University opened but with no concrete and

Journalists’ Comments

I am very happy that I managed to attend many things. This training added to me this training programme as I learnt a lot both as a human and as a journalist. The either on the level of professionalism or on group I met, the trainers, and MDI staff the level of covering the issues of added to my gains from this training. This marginalized and minorities in the society. training has a future impact too. Those ten I have also learnt a lot related to ethics days I had in the training opened new without bias or stereotyping. The horizons for me in my work. And from a programme also motivated me on writing personal view, it assured that journalism is coverage of the problems that young girls about human beings before it is about who work in tobacco factories suffer from. presidents and international events.

I a very grateful to MDI and I hope to Mohamed El-Amier continue working together and I hope the El-Dostor programme would be longer next time. The training programme was great and added much Safaa Saleh, El-Osbou valuable information for me related to diversity. I wished Part of the training, I the programme was longer to conducted an get more information. Ghada Abdul Khader investigation which was Al-Ahram Weekly revised by the trainers. The training programme This helped me to discover the weak opened my eyes on points. The training also exposed me to subjects that have never the ethics that control and govern the been tackled by Egyptian journalism work in Britain. I discovered journalism as the issues of some that the British journalists enjoy a minorities that we pass every day but responsible freedom and this training never attract our attention. The training helped me to discover more about the also drew my attention to many mistakes British media and comparing it to the we make during writing our reports. Egyptian ones. I wish the time allocated Mistakes we don't make intentionally but for this training and the preparation of the because of tile limitations or because of coverage would increase. The sample shallow information. The thing that really I applies for the examples given from appreciate is the time the trainers gave to different media. read our stories and highlight our Hend Sliem mistakes. I see it a taught task but it has a El-Wafd MDI training was the best training I had, noble goal. It is rarely found a mentor who and will remain one of the best I may have corrects mistakes. Personally I was happy in my career. The main reason is the mix with the experience although we needed made between theoretical and practical more time for theoretical trainings and for training. Even the theoretical days were the preparation of the stories. not pure theoretical. We had fun and learnt Samah Abdel Atty, El-Masry El-Youm

Newspaper articles from the project

Leprosy Colony at Abu Zaabal in Love in Ezbet As-Safih Qlayubiya Governorate. Three thousand By Dalia Al-Aqqad former patients live together there side by El-Shorouk side.

Destiny has united them in a sacred bond. Although the disease has stopped Although he is from Quena Governorate spreading over their bodies, the physical and she is from Munufia, Muhammad and symptoms of the disease are still evident – Nihmidu came together in the 1970s when a visible reminder among hundreds of they were both sent for medical treatment non-infected people in the village. These to a Leprosy Colony. devastating symptoms are the last indicators of the disease before it passes. Muhammad Abdul Qader is now 63 years Once free of the disease most patients old. The disease deprived him of an leave the Colony but they still have to live upbringing in his family home. As a child with the evidence of their past infection. he was taken away by ambulance to this They have founded a poor, marginalized Leprosy Colony. Nihmidu, now 55, still community outside the gate, with no desire remembers her tears as she bade farewell to be consolidated into „normal‟ society to her sisters. She was barely 13 years old because they have been made to "feel that at the time and had no idea why she had they are still patients" when they try to mix to leave her family. At the time neither with mainstream society. knew what fate had in store for them in the far off colony whose very name spelled Muhammad, a guard, explains: "In Upper loneliness. Egyptian society, they are afraid of the disease. If I visited my village in Quena for The medical treatments of today were not example and I drank from an earthenware available then. The loss of limbs from the pot, they would then break it into pieces in disease was more than compensated for front of me." by the love and compassion they found in their new home. They had children, boys Muhammad describes how the village was and girls, who did not suffer from the founded. “The first house in Ezbet As- disease. After a life of prolonged suffering Safih was built with a little mud and tin caused by both disease and the reactions sheets, " he says. “Some workers in the of other people, their happiness was Atomic Energy Authority passed by us. completed with the arrival of Muhammad, They were amazed that this house the latest of their children. existed. From a long distance, it looked as if a plane had landed with the owner of this The story of Muhammad and Nihmidu is house from the sky, because around him not the only one that expresses the there was nothing but waste and strength of family relationships in Ezbet desolation." As-Safih which lies on the outskirts of the

With the passage of time, the village grew. centre was established. It includes a The only source of income for residence nursery and preparatory school. And was the sand around them which is used finally electricity became available." in water filters. Even so their existence was not free from problem free. Have Muhammad and Nihmidu ever Muhammad recalls: “I remember the thought about leaving the village? peasants throwing stones at us and calling Simultaneously they reply "No, because us names and telling us to leave. The the weather here is fine and we are reason why we overcame them is that psychologically OK." unity is power and our unity enabled us to Although the village is changing for the survive.” better, “Thank God", as Muhammad and But it was not the only reason for survival Nihmidu say from time to time. according to Muhammad. Life in the Muhammad's voice trembles when asked village began to take another shape when about his wishes for the future. Tears fill the foreigners took an interest in it. his eyes as he says: "I do not want my son Through Caritas Egypt foreigners would to be punished because of my illness. We come to visit the secluded village bringing want society to accept us as members like gifts for its inhabitants and arranging everyone else. I do not want them to reject parties and camps on the beaches. my son when he is applying for a job “We felt that there are people who live far simply because I am sick. Now any away but are very sympathetic to us, while company can refuse to hire my son others near to us never think of visiting," because his father is sick. We want to says Muhammad. “We were surrounded eliminate this stigma from society. by a closed fence and the foreigners were “We do not like the expressions of scorn the first people to open its gate, striking up and fear towards us just because we once relationships to spread awareness about were patients and still bear the signs of the the disease, and by having normal disease on our bodies. We are a part of relations with the patients giving them the society, and there are diseases more hope of recovery. dangerous than ours. In the sight of Allah, “Later on, the students from private I may be better than many others." schools (run by Sisters/ catholic nuns) He adds "Unfortunately, most people avoid started to visit our community. Aid followed us because of an incorrect prophetic and our mode of building houses changed tradition which says „Escape from the from tin sheets to baked bricks. Water leprous just like you escape from a lion‟. pumps became available. We had had to That should not be legally permissible." rely on one pump to provide water for the Mahmoud Ali Muhammad, 65, is another whole village. Then a health and social former patient living in Ezbet As-Safih or

Abdul Muniem Riyad Village as it is now government, although if a person worked called. He lives with his wife, his son Wael, for the government, he would occupy a now in secondary school, and daughter prestigious position in the country." Yasmine who is at the preparatory school. Like Muhammad, Mahmoud insists that he Neither his wife nor children have been has found peace of heart in Ezbet As- affected by the disease. Safih, but says: "I have been here for 40 Mahmoud was born in Al-Badari district, years. Yet, life did not become easy until Assuit Governorate but from the moment we took up issues with the governorate. he was infected with the disease, relations Still we have some demands. For with his family deteriorated. He does not example, for ten years, we have been like to go back to Assuit, he says: "I demanding that the governor build a encounter strange looks and this makes primary school instead of causing me feel that I am still sick although I am hardships to the kids, but with no avail. We recovered." also want to guarantee the future of our kids after we die by obtaining a contract of Although he married his cousin, their marriage has not been easy because part ownership for the house where we live. of the family severed relations with his wife Each year, we ask the Al-Qalyubiya governor about these contracts, and his and declared that they would never have reply is „Allah will make it easy‟." anything to do with her. At the house of Bataa Hassan Ali, 60, a His wife explains: "My father agreed to the marble sign reads "Ricardo's House". It marriage, but my paternal uncles said „If was the gift of a foreign donor, Ricardo, in you marry Mahmoud, we will never have contact with you.‟” gratitude for which the villagers had his name inscribed. It is more evidence of the Yet, she agreed to marry because "The way in which foreign citizens, particularly disease is destined by Allah and man has of Germany, Italy and Belgium have no option in this respect." Adding shyly sought to alleviate the suffering of the “And Mahmoud was a good person." people of Ezbet As-Safih. Mahmoud smiles and looks at his wife as if Life had been very miserable for Bataa. recalling a happy memory. She had been hugely affected by the "Before I was infected with the disease,” disease. She has injuries to her legs and he says, “I was a student at one of Al- her hands were worn away by the disease. Azhar religious institutes and during the She was obliged to work in the „dump‟ period I was receiving medical treatment, I despite of the conditions caused by her worked for the government in the illness. Sometimes she would crawl on her municipality of Al-Matariyyah. Later on, I hands at work just to secure an easier life was referred to a medical committee. Now, and proper education for her five children I receive LE 70 per month from the especially after her husband refused to

contribute to the household expenditure. from it. CARITAS Egypt may be the only She wept as she spoke. She has been an one that cares for both social and health orphan ever since she left Quena during aspects of lepers. the early days of her infection with the CARITAS works in cooperation with the disease. She has know no other residence Anti-Leprosy Administration of the Ministry than this house. Her daughter Shaimaa of Health and Population to relieve the Muhammad Aly Ash-Sharqawi, a graduate suffering of lepers inside the Leprosy of the Nursing Institute, helps her out. Colony in Abu Zaabal, at Ezbet As-Safih "It is useless. I have been unfortunate ever and at the colony in Al-Amiryyah. It has since I was born," she sighs, hoping that support from international organizations the officials will pity her and hire her such as the German Organization for daughter in Qalyub instead of Quena. Assisting Lepers and the Belgian Damien

As we left Ezbet As-Safih, we shook Organization. hands with the families we had met. We were no longer worried about being Magdy Jaras is assistant general manager infected having seen Muhammad embrace of Caritas Egypt. He told Al-Shuruk his uninfected grandson with such love, newspaper that despite the great convinced that he will not transit the advances our contemporary Egypt has disease. witnessed, leprosy is still a disease whose It was our original intention to visit the patients cannot merge into mainstream Leprosy Colony itself but had been social life. For him this is less because of refused permission by the Ministry of the nature of the disease but more Health. We saw that it was guarded by because of public ignorance of the reality members of the Camel Corps, but without of leprosy and the resulting psychological any camels, and recalled with concern the impact on those who suffer from it. words of some of people from Ezbet: "Thank God, our condition is far better Caritas Egypt began its activities in 1979 than the people living inside". when there were 60 thousand cases of We were haunted by one final question. If leprosy. Since then the number has the conditions former patients have to dramatically decreased. According endure are better than life inside the Ministry of Health statistics, Jaras says, colony, what must it be like for those still that the number of lepers receiving receiving medical treatment? medical treatment these days does not ‘Neither law nor society exceed 8 thousand. The Ministry provides

Is on the side of lepers’ free modern medicines that reduce the risk of deformities suffered by former old Unlike other diseases leprosy has few organizations caring for those who suffer

patients in Ezbet As-Safih who had to Belgian organization has similarly assisted make do with traditional treatment. in opening 8 clinics in Upper Egypt. The

As a result, the symptoms of leprosy were French have taken an interest in Al- Khanka Hospital and set up new water very evident on their bodies. Most of them stations and a bakery. And foreign schools were rejected by their relatives who feared they might be infected. According to in Egypt arrange visits to patients and try custom, leprosy is regarded as a social to help relieve their suffering. disgrace. However, Jaras emphasizes that such

The disease has disappeared from more efforts must be accompanied by an interest on the part of society in accepting developed countries according to the the patients. He would also like to see a World Health Organization, as a result of repeal of the law, which still exists in the rising economic and social conditions. However, it is still widespread in the Egyptian constitution stipulating that lepers should be secluded in colonies. Mediterranean basin, and the WHO estimate there to be some 12 million He says, "No other country the world over lepers in „third world‟ countries. About one secludes patients in such contemptible in a thousand people in Egypt may be manner. There are no longer colonies for infected by the disease in Egypt, lepers. Once a leper receives medical according to the WHO- World Health treatment, he is not regarded as Organization. infectious."

Although the Ministry of Health does its "So why is a leper secluded?” he wonders. best to provide medical treatment of the “In cooperation with the Ministry of Health, disease, the social aspect of leprosy is no CARITAS Egypt has conducted a less important than the medical one, comprehensive study for early discovery of according to Jaras. The modern tend is to leprosy. As a result patients are able to try and equip patients psychologically and recover quickly and resume their everyday professionally to merge into mainstream life normally. society, as well as trying to enlighten "We frequently encourage the patient to society to accept patients once they have receive medical treatment outside the received medical treatment. Social colony in the clinics all over Egypt to rejection of patients worsens their health emphasize the fact that the disease is not and delays full recovery, he explains. infectious and does not cause death, Jaras emphasizes that the international unlike some others." organizations have greatly contributed to He claims that a large number of lepers the establishment of clinics specialized in who have recovered from leprosy and treating leprosy. One German organization returned to society, but there are no has contributed to the establishment of 8 statistics. clinics to cure leprosy in Lower Egypt. A

Asked why older patients seem to prefer and especially those brought up in the seclusion, Jaras says, "It is not a question Social Care Houses. To what extent does of preference. It is because old patients society accept them? inside Ezbet As-Safih have lodgings, There is a harsh look in housewife means of comfort and job opportunities. Hanaa‟s eyes when she says: “It would be Also, some of their relatives still feel afraid difficult for my daughter to get married to a of them." person brought up in an orphanage. Who For these older patients CARITAS has would tell me how he is brought up and established a health and social centre with what about his manners?" a nursery and a workshop to help the Muhammad, a driver, says: “The problem patients' families and provide them with is that orphans are deprived of opportunities to merge with wider society compassion and this may affect his by organizing tours and summer camps to character.” He would never agree to one Balteem and Alexandria. of his sons marrying a girl brought up in a "Now we are trying to introduce Care House. “I do not want that for my computers, help children learn modern sons. These orphans are sometimes sciences, set up educational classes and without lineage.” establish industrial, technical and Muna‟s opinion differs. She says: "If this agricultural schools outside the Colony young man is OK and his manners are and Ezbet As-Safih," he explains. acceptable, I will immediately marry him. Is it time to ban the term ‘orphan’? Besides, it is not his sin to be an orphan, because nobody chooses his destiny." Yasmine Sliem These contradictions in social attitudes El-Shorouk towards children brought up in orphanages "Will you let me complete my speech till its are problematic. Perhaps it would help first end? Or shall you leave me half way as to know how these children live, so let us you always do? When you feel my pain, enter an Egyptian orphanage in Egypt and would you forget the whole past? I do not spend a day with them. want you to pity me for these words. It is A day in an orphan's life painful to sense this feeling in the eyes of all people near me. Imagine yourself in my I find Mustafa studying his lessons for next place and that you got up one day to find year even though it is days away from the that your father and mother are not beside end-of-year vacation. He wants to be a you. What would you do?" doctor, to alleviate the pains of others.

These poignant words are from a Mustafa is 11 years old and lives in a contributor to the Facebook group „An Cairo Care House. "I lived with my orphan is talking‟. They raise questions grandmother for a while, but I do not know about society's attitude towards orphans why they brought me here."

There is a watery shine in his eyes as he fathers and mothers but have suffered a tells me: "I do not know where my father family breakdown. and mother are." Niveen tells me of an incident that Mustafa lives with the other 48 other happened when she began running the children in the House which is divided into House: “A university professor came to a section for girls, another for children offer some donations to the House. After I under 6 years old and the third section accepted his donation, he asked to where Mustafa lives with the children over withdraw it, saying „I came to know that six years old. "I like my brothers here too some of these children have an unknown much," he says. lineage and I do not want to give donations to bastards.‟ After this incident, I Mustafa spends his day in the House went to the House of Iftaa to ask about it.” studying and playing. "Sometimes I watch TV," he says, and asks me "Why did One of the Sheikhs told her that those Obama come to Egypt?" children have no other option than the hands which help them, and that, but for I explain to him and ask: "Have you the Care Houses, the streets would be full listened to Obama's speech?" of thieves and burglars. “I listened to a part of it but could not In Egypt, there is a Children Law which understand anything,” he admits. aims to protect the rights of children. It As our conversation ends Mustafa signs a contains a section on children in Care blank sheet of white paper for me and Houses. goes to talk with House Supervisor Article 465 says: „The alternative families Madame Niveen, who owns the House. system aims at providing social, Her interest in orphans began after her psychological, health, and occupational father died. She used to visit various care for the children who exceeded two orphanages, but felt she was being years old …‟ deceived by some of those managing the Article 48 explains the meaning of Care houses. With the money she inherited she Houses: „Establishments of social care for decided to found her own care house. children deprived from family care refer to Niveen has 3 children of her own, but each house for hosting children not less considers all 48 children in the House as than six years old and not more than her children too. She tells me: "An orphan eighteen years old. Such children are has overflowing feelings. He acclimatizes deprived from family care because of to anybody coming to visit him. It is a orphanage, family dissolution or its special ability he has." inability to provide proper care to its A number of children in the House are of children …‟ unknown lineage, but other still have

The UN Human Rights Accord did not annihilated in the attempt to seize the neglect the rights of the orphan child. More oasis which remained independent of any than one Article asserts that a child country for many years. deprived either temporarily or eternally, At last, my eyes catch the first signs of from his or her family environment has the urban life – a batch of houses built of clay. right to be protected and aided by the When you reach Siwa, you feel as if you State which should guarantee alternative are on virgin land, and the first explorer to care. reach uncharted territory. It is a special Currently the Ministry of Social Solidarity is place. Its people have their own distinct studying a draft resolution about history, culture and language. organizing the work of the „alternative Siwan history has many tales about how family‟ establishments. The most striking the wandering Amazigh came here. feature is a proposal to the ban the use of Originally, the oasis with its springs and the term „orphanage‟ to describe the care dates was a resting place for caravans. houses that look after children who have There are stories unveil that one man got lost their parents, one way or another. tired and was left behind him in the oasis, Back at his alternative home, Mustafa and that was the beginning of the leads a normal life and pay no attention to development of the oasis. whether the Ministry of Social Solidarity will change the term „orphanage‟ to "Care The story of the old city, or Shaly as the Houses" or not. people of Siwa call it, reveals that it was a The most important issue for him is that fortified castle surrounded by a stream. others change their view of him and others The city was built by forty men, bandits graduate from the system set up to care who operated on the east to west caravan for orphans. Their predicament is not of route. their choosing, but for the rests of their lives they risk being stigmatized by those who have not had to carry such a burden For a long time, Siwa was a secluded area of loss. which nobody heard about. Muhammad Ali came to know about it and sent his armies

to seize it. With the demarcation of Stories from Siwa borders between Egypt and Libya, Siwa Youmna Mukhtar El-Youm El-Sabei fell under Egyptian control, but the government has always harboured doubts Story One: The Siwan Way about the loyalty of the Siwan people. During my 11 hour journey from Cairo to They are not allowed to join the Siwa, I saw nothing but deserts and Intelligence Corps or the State Security sands. The road has seen many armies Forces. Even when performing military

service, they are kept away from highly my guide Ali Abdullah: “Sometimes, the sensitive areas. Everywhere in Siwa you government asks the disputants to settle will hear people say: "The government their disputes through the Sheikh of the does not consider the Siwan inhabitant as tribe, and if they fail, they would have a genuine citizen. It is worried about his recourse to the government." bias to Libya." Throughout history, Siwa has been given The people of Siwa speak in Amazigh, a different names such as Sintaria, Amoun, language also spoken in Tunisia, Algeria the Al-Aqsa oasis and Delta. Its heritage is and Morocco, but their dialect differs from replete with startling stories of magic and the modern Amazigh spoken elsewhere jinn. One of the most famous of these which has become full of French words. stories is that of the crowning Alexander Amazigh is a spoken language only, the Great in the Predictions Temple, as he because Siwan calligraphy has become went to identify the killer of his father. He obsolete. Only a few letters still exist and brought many gifts with him, so the priests they are used as motifs in the Siwan crowned him king. embroidery although the people of Siwa Ali Abdullah tells me: "The same method do not know their meanings. Tourism, the operates today. If you want to secure the media and school system have led to the realization of your interests, you should spread of Arabic among the Siwan people, offer gifts to people." though they remain keen to speak Another famous Siwan story is that of Mr. Amazigh. Malem. The stiry tells of a sad man who Siwa did not have a religious belief system was looking for a sacrificial animal on the until the Islamic conquest at the hands of night of Al-Adha Feast to please his Amr Ibn Al-Aas, but the Amazigh people children. He came upon a goat, and put it do not care to be called „Berbers‟ with all over his shoulder to carry it home. The its connotations of a savage people who goat suddenly spoke to him: "Take me to lack religion. Mr. Malem," it said. In Siwa, customs and traditions have the Mr. Malem was a Sudanese who had power of law and sometimes, they are some control over jinn and could nullify even stronger than religion itself. If there is spells and charms. Mr. Malem asked the a dispute, both parties have recourse to man to ask for whatever he wanted. The the Sheikh of the tribe who issues a man insisted that he needed nothing but a decisive ruling on the matter. The dispute sacrificial animal. So Mr. Malem told him is settled by striking an agreement to go to the pen and choose any sheep he between both parties in which they commit liked. to pay a sum of money if they breach it. Then he told the man that he had been "The government is very happy because it carrying on his shoulder the son of the has lots of problems to preoccupy it,” says

king of the jinn, and that jinni could have As for the woman: "Her reward is brought him whatever treasures he preserved by Allah who will recompense wanted. her for caring for her husband and

Story Two: The Women of Siwa children," he says, explaining that the husband must be like the scales; he must

be fair with both his wives, and rejects Extreme curiosity overwhelms you when competition between them for his heart. you visit Siwa. Throughout the days I They must compete instead in loving each spent there, I had not really seen a Siwan other. woman. When you catch sight of Siwan "They must learn how to love each other. If women you can not differentiate between the second wife had been a source of them, because all of them are veiled with harm, the Islamic law would not have grey clothes from head to foot. permitted second marriage." To witness this incarceration of Siwan Ali goes on to talk about "bondswomen". women excites curiosity about what they Although the time of slaves and look like, their dreams, and how they feel bondswomen has gone, Abdullah as prisoners of their clothes outside as interprets this verse in his own way. He well as inside their homes. says "Any non-Muslim woman who trusts My guide Ali Abdullah responded to my a man and would like to cohabit with him – repeated questions about the status of that is permissible for the man, provided Siwan women by saying: "I shall prove to she embraces Islam and never returns to you that the Siwan woman is happy. I will her family. This does not mean that they let you meet two Siwan women, one of lead an uninhibited life. He is not allowed whom is divorced and the other is a to have an intercourse with her except widow." after marriage."

"Is their alienation from men the source of Ali Abdullah said that he was been their happiness?" I joked. haunted by the idea of a second marriage

Ali Abdullah is married. He studied at Al- for some time. As long as he fulfils all his Azhar but he works in tourism, and he has wife's financial needs and provides her a Bazaar shop. He suggested we have with what she needs, why not taking a Siwan tea to learn more about Siwan second wife? customs and traditions to which tea is "The Siwan woman is a queen and all her integral. needs are fulfilled," he says. He confirms

Ali Abdullah believes that polygamy is a that Siwan women work at home in right endowed to man by the Shariah embroidery or weaving with dried palm rulings. leaves. She cannot step outside the house without securing her husband's permission, whether to visit her family or

neighbours. If she goes out, she must veil They explain that the Siwan woman does her face and none of her body should be not have the freedom to choose what on display. clothes she puts on. She is obliged to put

The curfew imposed on Siwan women on heavy, and too many, clothes which do preventing them from going out to buy not suit the hot environment, but she from nearby shops or bazaars has turned cannot object. houses into small shops selling household "We suffer severely from hot weather, but requirements, clothes and other if we refuse to put on these clothes, the necessities. The husband buys the other women will mock us," says Huda, remaining needs of the house, or she may who is no more than 18 years old. send one of her children to buy the simple The whole issue centers around the spirit needs so as to avoid any contact with of pride between families and the wearing men. expensive clothes, especially for weddings "The Siwan woman is not a prisoner of the where the bride changes her clothes more house,” Ali Abdullah insists. “But she veils than four times. Her friends and relatives her face after marriage as a way of also change their clothes, consisting of a maintaining herself and respecting her shirt, garment, wide dress, scarf and veil. entity." He says that girls go to school until A brother literally has the upper hand. He the secondary school without veiling their has the right to beat his sister if her faces, but once a girl is married she must manners do not appeal to him, but she conform to the customs of Siwan society. doesn‟t have the right even to feel angry if he does.

Only three girls in Siwa have managed to "We are used to be beaten. This is our complete their university education. They destiny." says Huda, who stresses that her are the talk of Siwa. Even so, they can not brother has the right to beat her if she go out to work. makes a mistake.

"It is not permissible to go out wearing In this small community, gossip is rampant modern clothes and unveiling her face," and rumours are fabricated about any girl explains Ali Abdullah. if her reputation is in doubt, especially if

Unmarried girls are far better off than she goes out to work. married women, because they are able to Huda tells me: "Ever since I went out to go to work in palm dates factories. work, people have not leaved me alone."

Huda and Zamzam are two Siwan women In Siwan society it is normal always to with dark complexions. Behind their accuse the woman. If a man has sexual traditional Siwan uniform, their eyes shine relations outside wedlock, the woman is with intelligence and love despite their always blamed. If such relations result in circumstances. the birth of a child, the baby is to put into

an orphanage, and the woman must marry have children, but she was divorced two a man from outside Siwa. After such an years later. The experience taught her a incident, she is forbidden to leave her lot. "After this miserable experience, I have house or appear at weddings or funerals. to teach my girl to choose her husband by herself," she says. Zamzam tells me the story of a girl whom a man thought had got lost. He guided her Unlawful sexual relations between a man in the right direction. But the tribe passed and a child were common in Siwa. It is a judgment that the man must pay a fine of temporary sexual relationship and causes 10 thousand pounds and be whipped just no disgrace to those committing it. for talking to the girl. Mr. Umran says, "It is shameful to rape a "We do not want to display our charms in girl as it spoils her honours. But there is no the streets or do sinful things.” says disgrace in assaulting a male.” This is Zamzam. “We just want enough freedom because a male will not give birth to to express our opinions." children or lose his virginity. Such

She was married to a 60 year old man practices are justified by fact that sexual potency is very high in hot areas and when she was only 18. When she first saw marriage is not always available. her groom, she cried and said to her family: "He is very old with white hair." Such relationships are not public, and they still exist inside the Siwan society but, I am They replied, "Are you going to eat him?! assured, at a lower rate than before.. They He can dye his hair black." happen by mutual consent, and the

passive party may receive money from the Within three days, she became the fifth other as if he is a paid companion. wife of this man who had married four However, if a man peeks at a female times before. neighbour, he may be fined up to LE "I never thought of him as a husband. I 15,000 and be ostracized. He would feel had to have intercourse with him embarrassed whenever he met anyone in unwillingly," says Zamzam. Her marriage his community. did not last more than four years as her The same applies to the crime of theft. husband died. Siwans say that whoever commits theft is "I want to marry a person who loves me for as disgraced as if had fallen into a well of myself, not for an interest in me," says coal. He remains dishonoured by the theft Huda who is 19 years old. She dreams of for ever. being married to a man who loves her, Mr. Umran explains: “If a stranger commits especially as she was married off to a man theft, he will survive if he surrenders to the who was in his mid-thirties when she was police; otherwise is liable to be murdered." less than 16 years old. He married her to

The tribe punishes a young man or woman She then asks the question from which who commits adultery by fining them she would build her later narrative, "Are between LE 10,000 and 15,000 to you engaged?" I reply in the negative. discourage them from committing it again. Then starts to relay her pre-prepared narration: "You are bewitched. A man who was a friend of yours deceived you and Story Three: Mabrouka the Soothsayer put a witchcraft which you passed over. "I whisper to cowries and profess future Men do not see you because of such events" This is the traditional line we are witchcraft. To nullify it, you have to recite used to hearing from the soothsayer or a Surah Al-Baqarah three times every fortune-teller. In Siwa, a soothsayer does Friday." not whisper to cowries, but to beans or "There is another man who is fat with a „Aywawin‟ as they called them. mark on his face,” she adds. “You should Mabrouka is the most famous soothsayer keep away from him. He loves much talk. in Siwa. She is visited by people from He will try to talk to you again. He has no Matrouh who want her to tell their futures. intention of marrying you. There is no Foreigners too believe what she says and interest between you." shower her with Euros. She says, "There is also a dark-coloured The Siwan people say that Mabrouka is "a man who wants to dismiss you from work, companion of the Devil," but she says she so be rational." treats people who are bewitched and I ask if I must go to a sorcerer to remove advises them to recite the Holy Qur'an. such spells. She tells me: "A sorcerer will She earns a good living from her calling. take much money from you and do In a very simple Siwan house, Mabrouka nothing." is sitting in front of her television, watching She gives a program on spells. Beside her is a me a fearsome black cat that looks as if it bracelet embodies the Devil. made of She greets me with a smile as she was stones, prepares her tools - no more than a plate and advises me to put it in the water I use filled with beans. She asks me to whisper for my bath. After taking my bath, she to „the bean‟ my name and my mother's adds, I must sprinkle the water in the name. I do what she asks then wait while street before people finish their Friday she plays with the beans. Prayer. She tells me I would get married Then she looks at me and says: "You are immediately after doing this. envied as you do well and receive no good. You will soon receive glad tidings."

„Tazjah‟ is the name Mabrouka uses to She told him: "Forgiveness is from Allah, describe the practice of fortune-telling not from me. Allah will give put me right." which she learnt from her grandmother. Mabrouka felt no comfort until she was She explains: "My grandmother taught me divorced from her husband. The strange to shake the beans and invoke Allah's thing was that her husband, now about 80 Blessings on the Prophet three times. eighty years old, married another woman Then, I will see future events. I was very who was very jealous of Mabrouka. brilliant, so I learnt my career very quickly. Stranger still that Mabrouka was not put I used to hear strange voices but see off her career as a soothsayer by the

nobody.” severity of her suffering from charms and spells. Mabrouka recalls that when she was 13 her family decided to give her in marriage Story Four: The lost Siwan wedding to a man who was over 65 years. He used Gradually the customs and traditions of to let her play with the girls of her own Siwan society are beginning to disappear. age. In 25 years the marriage yielded five Only a few of them still exist. The Siwan children. wedding, which lasted for seven nights, is However, she noticed that some of her the most outstanding of the traditions that clothes began to disappear and she have completely disappeared. became angry with her husband, her On the day before the wedding party house and even her children. She would people would go to help the families of leave the house and go back to her both the bride and the groom prepare the father's, but her brothers would send her marital house. In old Siwan society there back to her husband's house. was no bedroom, people slept on a bench built of mud or on the ground, and the bride's trousseau was a wooden box in He tried to cope but her condition which she put her clothes. worsened and she set fire to herself so as not to return to her husband again. She There was a wedding procession to also thought of throwing herself into a well, accompany the bride from her home to the but her brothers rescued her at the last brides' well where she drinks some water moment. and is adorned by a midwife before going to Sheikh Sulayman‟s Grave to seek Some time later, she was surprised to find blessing from him after the Afternoon a person knocking on her door. He Prayer. confessed to having had some spells cast against her, and asked her to forgive him. The groom also practices particular rituals He tried to nullify the spells but they were as a procession accompanies him from his so many. He would not tell her the name house to the well where he takes a bath of the person who had made such spells.

and is wrapped in a woolen blanket border checkpoints where we had to show however hot the weather. our licenses to enter the village 250

On the wedding night, the bride wears a kilometers from Siwa. white embroidered dress. She also wears We were the a variety of coloured dresses and an guests of the embroidered pair of slacks under the white tribe chief, dress. The pair of slacks is fastened with a Sheikh waistband of seven knots. The groom has Mahdy to untie these knots; were he to cut them Hamzah, who he would be disgraced. told us that the population There was also „the handkerchief of of Al-Jarah honour showing the virginity of the bride‟ which the bride's paternal and maternal village has reached about 450 persons, with roughly equal numbers of males and uncles must see. The bride‟s virginity was females. However a lot of young men of much value to her, as her relatives put sums of money in the handkerchief. travel to Siwa or Matrouh to marry, because of the shortage of girls. Before sunrise a relative of the groom would come to the groom and accompany him. The bride meanwhile sat with the The only school in Al-Jarah village can be other women of the family. The groom see as your arrive. The nearest hospital is returns to his bride in the evening. The in Matrouh, 150 kilometers away. A mobile celebrations for the newlyweds would last medical service visits the village every for a whole week. sixteen days. The person most interested

Story Five: Al-Jarah Village in people's health in the village is Aishah; the midwife. She learnt her profession Al-Jarah village, or Umm Al-Saghir Village from her mother and grandmother. as it is known by the Siwan people, Aishah was married before she was symbolizes life as it was lived in Siwa some years ago. The village owes it fourteen. She gave birth to all her children with her mother‟s help, and after her origins to the legend of the Forty Thieves, mother's death, she took over the job of or Highwaymen, who lived in the ancient aiding the women in childbirth. "A woman city of Shaly and robbed passing travelers. They were keen not to exceed forty, but as rarely dies giving birth to a child, here," she says. their death and birth rates did not coincide their numbers increased over time to With difficult births she takes the pregnant reach 400. woman to Matrouh Public Hospital where she also takes courses in midwifery from My journey to move from Siwa to Al-Jarah the physicians. village was long, passing through two

Electricity was first introduced to the Lake Manzala needs national plan to village in 1986, but only for up to four combat over fishing, pollution and hours at night. As a result the villagers corruption only watch TV or turn on their appliances Aly Zalat at night. Though the village lacks cellular El-Masry El-Youm or land phone services, some young men carry cell phones to listen to music. „The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.‟ An apt description of the attitude of fish Having watched TV the women of Al-Jarah abundancy officials trying to cope with the look forward to having some electrical many problems they face in/at Manzala ovens and washing machines, and they Lake. hope sometime to enjoy land or cell phones services so they can communicate Al-Masry Al-Youm accompanied a joint with the outside world. patrol by the Water Areas Police and the General Authority for Fish Abundancy The law recently issued to raise the age of Development of the reed thickets that the eligibility for marriage to 18 years for block the lake shore next to Balteem city. young men and young women cannot be The felucca had a small engine that applied in Siwa in general and in Al-Jarah constantly got stuck in the reeds, making village in particular. us feel as if we were trapped in a very hot The recent law raising the age of the tropical forest. Between these interruptions eligibility for marriage to 18 for young men we had a discussed the problems of the and women has not been applied in Siwa lake. in general and in Al-Jarah village in Major Wael Subeih, the chief of Water particular. Girls may be married when they Areas Police in Balteem began by reach fourteen, and the marriage is then exonerating his officers from the registered when she reaches the age of responsibility of fighting illegal fishing of eighteen. fish fry. He said the practice is destructive A woman may be married and divorced of the lake but is centered in the mouth of without the marriage or divorce being Al-Burlus harbor and the sea coast where officially registered. Tribal customs secure he has no authority, although he the woman's rights, so no man can deny acknowledged that there have been official his marriage to any woman. reports calling for a coordinated approach "There are no accidents, thefts or rapes in to the managing of the lake.

Al-Jarah village," says Aishah‟s daughter While he would mention no names he did Mabrouka, who emphasizes how safe she not deny that the gangs catching young feels in this small village. fish rely up upon protection of powerful people who provide security in the event they face legal action.

Wael said, "I know that Al-Zeiny Ebeidy is feddans, threatening fish stocks as the the biggest merchant of young fish, grasses decrease the amount of oxygen in (and/but) he has (strong influence) the water. The problem can only get worse (become a phenomenon with full powers)." as the reeds spread widely across the The Major refused to go into more detail. lake.

He went on: "We confiscate all illegal El-Nabiy regards the reeds as the most fishing nets in the lake. In addition, we significant problem as fishermen have protect the water area of the lake when been unable to come up with a solution to informed by the General Authority for their spread. He also blames the lack of Developing Fish Abundance of resources available to the General transgressions by any fish farm we Authority for Developing Fish Abundancy remove the offending (nets???)." He branch that supervises the lake. refused to say how many transgressions Engineer Abd El-Aziz Marwan, the general occurred during the last year. manager of the lake, explains: "The For Engineer Salah Hussein, under authority has provided us with 6 dredging secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and machines, most of which are out of the head of the service. We do our best to isolate reed Middle Delta thickets from one another so that the lake sector for fish will not turn into a swamp." abundancy, this Illegal harvesting of immature fish is a was his first visit serious problem that cannot be denied, to the lake after taking up his post few says Mahmoud Abd El-Nabiy. days earlier. He said he needed time to According to him corruption has turned Al- appraise himself of the overall situation. Zeiny Ebeidy into „the emperor of young fish‟. He points out that many official However, Engineer Mahmoud Abd El- reports have been drawn up about his Nabiy, the general manager of production transgressions, but he is set free by the and employment in the Middle Delta office of the Attorney General because of branch showed on a map how the lake his connections. area had shrunk. Once it had covered 165 For Engineer Abd El-Nabiy, environmental thousand feddans, 40 thousand feddans pollution remains as one of the most were reclaimed in Al-Khashiah, southeast critical problems, because Gharbiyah main of the lake and in Brumbal, at the western drainage canal, the Kitchener drainage end of the lake. In consequence the lake is canal and the Tira Sea all discharge their now only 125 thousand feddans. agricultural waste into the lake. As a result Moreover, not all of it is suitable for free the level of clay in the lake is higher as fishing. Reeds occupy 40 thousand

well as the amount of heavy minerals has lakes of Egypt including Al-Manzalah, Al- increased. Burlus, Eddku and Mariut after receiving the official reports issued by the Ministry of "The Lake is considered a natural water Agriculture regarding the increase of stock,” he says. “Due to the practice of transgressions on such lakes. The reports constantly discharging agricultural waste describe such transgressions as "the most into the lake constantly, the physical dangerous." features of the lake will change. In addition, drainage water helps increase Al-Masry Al-Youm set out to discover the freshness (reduces the salinity??) of more about these „dangerous‟ the lake and the spread of reeds and transgressions, why they are on the harmful grasses." increase and who is behind them.

Meanwhile, what he describes as “social Over a period of weeks we visited the favoritism” has resulted an increase in the lakes of Egypt, from Al-Manzalah to Al- number of fishing licenses from three Burlus, passing by Eddku and ending with thousand to eight thousand at a time when Mariut. We talked with fishermen and area of the lake is reducing. This has officials and we surveyed the whole area. placed an increasing environmental load Mr. Sayyed Nasr has worn out his fishing on the lake, particularly given the nets in forty years of catching fish from Al- extraction of young and migrating fish Burulus lake but he is a determined man. before they reach the lake. As a result, he He sails his small felucca over the calm says, some expensive kinds of fish such waters of the lake and has fond memories as bass, sailfish and eels have died out. of each bay of the lake. However, time has Moreover, other types of fish are being been unkind to this man, now more than destroyed as fishermen using in illegal sixty years old. Once he earned his living meshes are catching them before they from catching very expensive kinds of fish reach maturity. such as sailfish and bass, now his nets are In short, the lake officials believe these empty of fish apart from some miserable problems can only be dealt with through a tilapias. national rescue plan, rather than the Other local fishermen have shared the ineffective measure now being used. same fate. The artery that connects them Northern Lakes of Egypt – last call to sea has been cut by gangs who catch before drowning? young fish and have imposed their control over Al-Burlus harbor. This strait, no more Aly Zalat than 150 metres wide, is the link between El-Masry El-Youm the Mediterranean Sea and the lake, and "The government is studying the issue of young fish head for the lake between executive resolutions with legal force to August and March. remove all transgressions on the northern

There are 25 thousand fishermen for fish deprive the fishermen of their only and whom the Mediterranean Sea and Al- natural source of income. "With the Burulus Lake represent the only source of increase of fish farms, searching for young employment. The sea is closed to them fish and catching them illegally has gone during May and June as a result of an on the increase. These are very expensive agreement signed by the Mediterranean kinds of fish which need to be raised under countries to prevent fishing during that special conditions. Fish farms have period. But when they head for the lake appeared in Damietta and Port Said, they find that fishing is also prohibited to which raise bass, tarpon and cod. They them. They are unable to enter the lake then head for Al-Burulus as the natural because Al-Burulus harbor is blocked by reproduction cycle requires them to lay influential men who use fine meshes to their eggs in the sea. catch fish fry as they too make their way to “After hatching, millions of such fish head the lake. for a life in the lake water that is rich in Fisherman Ahmad Saad Shabarah, says nutritional elements. he has switched from free fishing to join “The only way to enter the lake is through the illegal business of the emperors of the harbour where the young fish pirates young fish. Everyday he heads for the practice their illegal trade by setting up coastal village where he catches rare dams of fine mesh prevents any fish from young fishes such as bass and sailfish, entering he lake. They catch such young selling each for three pounds. fish. Aas many as 100 young bass would "What can we do?” he asks. “The catching fill a tea sieve and can be sold for LE 150 young fish has blocked our supply. I sailed to a fish farmer. If the same number were for 14 days in the lake and caught no fish. to reach the lake, one fish would weigh Normal fishing is no longer a profitable one kilogram after 4 months and one bass business." is sold for 80 pounds in the market.”

Ahmad admits that what he now does is He adds, "Everyone can see how the illegal, but says that the men of influence fishermen are being wronged by the sake are the ones who should be called to merchants who break the law by trading in account. He suggests we head for the fish fry.” harbor district to see what the young Muhammad Al-Nahhas, a plastic artist people of El-Hanafy are up to. As he from Al-Burulus, who's his house, describes it, they are the kings of the fish overlooks the lake which was declared a fry business, from which they earn more natural reserve in 1982. sheds light on money than in the drugs trade. another aspect of the lake tragedy.

Rabih Al-Shahawy, from Al-Burulus, "They do not kill fish just by catching the explains how the gangs catching young fry. The fish farms destroy the area

dedicated to free fishing as well. In He admits that there are lots of illegal addition, the dredging machines owned by activities on the lakes, which have results these farms dry thousands of feddans with in the continuous drying up of the lake, as the consent of the Water Areas Police who well as offences in the water areas and do nothing to combat them. illegal ownership of such dried areas.

“What is more over the farms add Some borders are being fixed on each hormones to the fish basins to prevent fish lake and the sites of offences and reproducing. Fish abstain from eating contracts are being marked out so as to during the reproductive season so, for control illegality, particularly in the areas of purely commercial purposes, the fish are free fishing. sterilized to keep them feeding. As a result Only time will tell whether official reports the fish grow even larger. However, the on such offences will make a difference to catastrophe is made worse by the fact that the catching of young fish and the these fish basins discharge their drainage systematic destruction of Burj Al-Brulus runoffs into the lake after the season for reserve which continues despite the raising fish. These hormones sterilize the existing efforts of the competent female fish living in the lake and thereby authorities. destroy the fish stock over time." She killed herself when told "You are divorced." We also learned that the absence of Ayaat El-Habbal competent supervision of the lakes, some Islam Online merchants catch young tilapias before After a calm marriage of more than ten they reach their normal size and dry them years that had yielded two children, a on the shore to sell them to the owners of husband‟s sexual betrayal led to forage, fodder and chicken feed factories. worsening rows and his first In time this too could lead to the extinction announcement that he was divorcing the of tilapias from the lake. wife.

To get some answers, we headed for Dr. When friends advised her to return to the Muhammad Abd El-Ghaniy, the head of marital house he agreed to take her back Lakes and Fishery Administration in the and pledged not to betray her again. Less General Authority for Fish Abundancy than a month later the husband resumed Development. He emphasized the his harassment of young girls and had Authority's confrontation of the policy of unlawful relationships with women. At his drying out lakes, and pointed out that he wife‟s request he divorced her a second follows up the security campaigns in each time, her family sent her back on the basis of the northern lakes to remove all that they do not allow any family members transgressions, prevent illegal fishing and to be divorced. reduce pollution, follows up the process of Before the end of the months of „Iddah‟ dredging the harbor. (the prescribed waiting period for a woman

after divorce or widowhood), he took her She told me: "My husband would say, „Go, back again. Again he resumed his affairs you are divorced,‟ all the time. I realized and again disputes arose; this time he that I was leading an illegal marital life with divorced his wife irrevocably for the third him, so I decided to take a legal action time. He had not registered his previous against him. I also asked the scholars in declarations, and did not tell the marriage Dar Al-Iftaa (the House of Fatwa) about official that he had divorced her twice the issue and they said I had to take a before, so this third divorce was legally legal action to register the divorce." regarded as the first. The Court declined her lawsuit, citing This time he prevented the wife from Article No. 21 of Law No. 1 (2000) which leaving the marital home and seeking her stipulates registry and attestation to verify family's help. He imprisoned her and divorce for any of the two spouses in case treated her as if she were a servant. He of the denial of the other party. She was beat her severely and forced her to have dissatisfied with this judgment because intercourse with him although she was no her third divorce had been uttered in front longer his wife. She could not stand the of witnesses. Her husband had previously misery and took her own life. confessed to her that it was the third divorce and promised to register it the This all happened in Abu Qarqus village, following day, but he went back on his Minya Governorate. Her tragic story got the women of the village talking about their word refused to register it. She returned to own married lives. Mr. Umar Aly, a lawyer court to get the first judgment set aside and obtains legal recognition of her and manager of the Preaching and divorce. Guidance Society (PGS) based in the village, says her story is not unique but She was granted a divorce by the judge one of dozens that could be told. after the court ruled that the third divorce be verified, saying: "The court is satisfied Such women do not know whether they are married or have illegal intercourse with with the testimony of the two witnesses brought by the appealing woman. men who are no longer their husbands. It Moreover, she has no power to register is a thorny problem, and civil society groups like the PGS, CARE Society of such divorce as such right belongs to the many women who have suffered in this husband only." way. Differences over divorce

At CARE Society headquarters in Cairo, I To most people the term „divorce‟ entails met a woman in similar circumstances so many responsibilities that it should be who had taken legal action to verify that difficult for a man to invoke it. However, her divorce was absolute. Muhammad Hassan, an engineer who has been married for five years, claims that some actions by a wife may justify its use.

He told me: "Sometimes I have to utter the result divorces have had to be verified by word of „divorce‟ unwillingly after my wife court action; otherwise a woman lives as if provokes me." she was a bondswoman and cannot get her rights." Physician Ayman Dusuqy regretted divorcing his wife once he and his wife had Other problems arise because some parted. Now, he wants her back and the people do not follow correctly the couple has been to Dar Al-Iftaa to seek a teachings of Islam, he says, offering the legal opinion to resolve their problem. example of a woman who has been

I met another woman who faced a different married for fifteen years. problem. She had married five months “Her husband is always uttering the previously, but she and her husband had formula of divorce and she does not know had a big row and he divorced her. He whether he has divorced her or not. She wanted to take her back during the days of says: „Each time he divorces me, he goes the `Iddah, but she refused. Then he told to the Sheikh. This Sheikh tells him he has her that he had divorced her on the to pay a particular sum of money or wedding night before consummating the observe fasting for three days as marriage, over a dispute with her family atonement for his oath so as to manage to about the (dowry?) furniture list. take me back in marriage.‟ This happens

The woman wept as she told how scholars each time and she now leads an unbearable life with this man.” at Dar Al-Iftaa said she had already been divorced since her wedding night so she Umar Aly adds: "No woman (here) has had spent five months with a man in an ever issued a lawsuit against her husband invalid marriage. To take her back into to register divorce or verify it. This is marriage, her „husband‟ would have to pay because women, whether half-educated, a new dowry and draw up a fresh marriage highly-educated or uneducated, refuse to contract. issue such lawsuits because they are regarded as shameful, especially since the She said: “He forced me to live with him people of our village are strongly and have illegal intercourse with him, though I did not know whether I was still connected by blood and marriage." married to him or I was no longer his wife.” Conflict between the law and the Islamic position Lawyer Umar Aly explains: "These matters are very different in Upper Egypt where Prof. Ahmad Taha Rayyan, a professor of unregistered divorce is a big problem. This jurisprudence at the Faculty of Shari`ah phenomenon is the result of a lack of and Law, Al-Azhar University emphasizes awareness, and strict traditions that that Allah (PBUH) has given the right of consider what is shameful to be more divorce to man as a sort of guardianship dangerous than what is forbidden. As a

as mentioned in Allah's Saying, „Men are which differ, as some regard such divorce the protectors and maintainers of women‟. as valid and others regard it as invalid."

He adds, "Guardianship requires that the Prof. Abu Leila continues: "The opinion right of divorce be given to men who that oral divorce is valid leads a lot of should be honest when dealing with this spouses to have illegal marital lives right. If a man divorces his wife, he uses though they live in the same house with his legal right granted to him by Allah. It is their wives. Such opinions are the cause not permissible for women to transgress of the problems from which we are such a right and ask for a similar right suffering these days. The spouses caught regarding the question of divorce." by the situation keep on asking Muslim scholars until they find one who gives The professor goes on, "The complexities them a legal opinion that the oral divorce stipulated by the law, including the necessity of verifying divorce through a is not valid." marriage official, are of no value as "The Hadith reading 'Three matters divorce is valid even it is not registered at regarding which seriousness is considered the court or in the records of the marriage seriousness and joking is regarded as officials, and even if there are no seriousness, including divorce…' has been witnesses. Registry is not an Islamic quoted in ways that lack credibility. In proceeding, as it is only a means to addition, it is inconsistent with the other maintain rights. Accordingly, both the sayings of the Prophet (PBUH)." marriage contract and divorce are valid The professor stresses the necessity of even if they are not officially registered." not regarding the oral divorce as a legal Prof. Rayyan emphasizes that requiring divorce. For him only a registered divorce the registration of divorce so as to make it where there is evidence of real intention valid leads a lot of couples to live in illegal should be regarded as a legal, since no- marriages as the wife cannot prove she one can distinguish between a person‟s has been divorced without registering it. intention and the utterance of the divorce formula as it was done in the past when The head of Islamic Studies Department at Al-Azhar University, Prof. Muhammad Abu the husband would say to his wife, "You are divorced", "You are no longer lawful to Leila, says that divorce is not valid unless me", etc. there are witnesses and such divorce is registered, like marriage, by a marriage He adds, "Such direct formulas of oral official. He points out: "The oral divorce divorce were based on unregistered represents a big problem and a difficulty marriage, unlike what happens these for Muslims, particularly for working class days. Like marriage, divorce was men who use the right irresponsibly and performed through mutual consent utter the divorce formula all the time. And between the two spouses. Then Muslim scholars issue legal opinions communities were small and people knew

one another. Now communities have motor disabilities in our community. After I expanded and it is difficult for people to have talked to some of them, I decided to know one another like before. Also, it has come closer to their suffering and I sat on become difficult to trace lineages; a wheelchair for a whole day. Let me tell therefore, the idea of registering arose and you what happened on a day on a the practice of registering marriages has wheelchair at some public transports in become the custom." Cairo.

Another lawyer, Khadijah Muhammad, a On Thursday 12/11/2009, 11:45 AM, I left member of the Establishment of home located at Said Street at el Thaher Contemporary Woman's Issues, says: "In using a wheelchair. I stood in front of the such cases, the judge encourages the 30 cm high sidewalk which I should pass woman to take an oath. This practice is a to start looking for a transport. A veiled problem as the woman feels obliged to woman (wearing niqab) with her little child reveal all that she cannot say before the saw me suffering to get off the sidewalk, judge. In the draft presented by the when she quickly said, "Do you need help Woman's Rights Societies‟ Union as a to get off my little girl …. May God help suggestion for the personal statute, we you recover and take away your woes", seek to cancel divorce in absentia, and she put her son aside and carried the front insist that divorce is not valid unless it part of the wheelchair to descend off the takes place before a judge. We want the sidewalk. wife to get the right to register her divorce Then I started to move with the wheelchair in the court with the help of witnesses. If in the street, which was not an easy thing. the husband is officially informed of the I faced difficulty moving the wheelchair on wife's claim and is summoned to negate or the ground as it was not paved and verify her claim, and does not come to the extremely fractured. I was afraid I would court within fifteen days of receiving the break the wheelchair especially that summons, the judge should give a ruling in buying a new one is highly expensive and favor of the wife." would cost not less than LE 700 in Meanwhile many women must live with the average. The only means of transportation insecurity of not knowing what their status I could use is the taxi. The first taxi I asked is when a husband employs the divorce to stop just looked at the wheelchair and formula. indifferently said, "No …. The taxi won't fit". A day on a wheelchair Madlein Nader Then several taxis passed by and all Watani refused to stop, until one taxi stopped, Have you ever thought if you were obliged carried the wheelchair, put it on the taxi to stay at home as you cannot go out and move around outside your house?!!! This crossbars and fastened it tightly. On our way, I talked to him about the reasons is exactly what happens with people with

preventing taxis from stopping for me and and told her I would use the elevator. the vehicles for people with disabilities. He However, I got the answer, "The elevator answered, "Now it is 12:00 PM and most is down". Two cops and a man in his fifties probably no one would stop during the going out of the metro station offered to rush hours. The vehicles for people with help and carry me to go up the stairs. disabilities might be good for you, I heard Before giving a gesture of approval, their it is sold at a reasonable price nearly LE reaction was quick enough to hold me up 20,000 less than the normal ones, and the before agreeing and when I looked steering and control devices are used only annoyed, the helping man in the fifties told by hand which would be better as it is me, "Don't be upset my little daughter, difficult for you to ride a metro or a bus, what shall you do? It is your destiny; don't this is the only solution nothing else …….!! be disappointed, you don't have other I know people who have bought it." choice …..!!!".

I got off the taxi trying to ride the metro When I went out to the street once again, I "Opera Station", I stood in front of the had to cross Tahrir street to go to the other stairs, after a few minutes, three side and there was a new problem; a high youngsters and an old man came to me barrier between the two ways where I offering help to go down the stairs. I could not alone move my wheelchair and agreed although I was a bit scared of the cross it. I waited for the passers-by difficulty of carrying the wheelchair and assistance and they had to carry the going down the stairs. They answered, wheelchair. When I waited for any means "Don't be afraid" and started to discuss of transportation, no bus has stopped for together how to carry the wheelchair me and therefore I had no other choice but without asking my opinion in anything. to use the more expensive means which is the taxi. However, some taxi drivers were After going down the stairs, I realized it is looking at the wheelchair and waving their impossible to ride the metro as I would hands indicating rejection. Then a taxi need three to four persons to carry me on the wheelchair and therefore I decided to stopped, I got on and then I arrived at the bus station at Abdel Moneim Riyad – go up the stairs again. But then I stopped Tahrir – at 1:30 PM. As soon as I arrived in front of the long stairs when a youngster at a public transportation bus; # 109 going suggested I ride the station elevator designated for those of special needs and to Imbaba, I needed help to push the wheelchair ahead among the crowd. I went around seeing where it was, "The found out that the stairs were high and the elevator is present only in few stations in front door had an iron pillar in the middle the other metro line”. Meanwhile a lady in her thirties offered to help me to go up the making it difficult for the wheelchair to pass through. The alternative was to use stairs but I thought I would use the the back door and I faced another elevator so I thanked her for her initiative

hardship waiting for others' initiative to help me. In fact a man in his forties "Forced to not return to my home, but standing beside the bus took the initiative every classroom instead of returning every and invited other people in the bus – month, as my colleagues do, because I among which was a man in a gown - to can not move in the transport by myself," carry the wheelchair. It was difficult as the door could not take in the wheelchair "I wish there are more transportation together with the people carrying it. After facilities ... because they when they do not they pushed me in, I found out that there we stop living our lives" was no place for the wheelchair in the bus so I had to get off the bus again unfortunately the same way. Yet getting off "There are many legislations that make the was even worse, I felt I would surely fall life of the people with disabilities easier, down as the bus stairs were high. The but it is not implemented" people carrying the wheelchair were saying, "Don't worry, nothing will happen, With these words, different people with you won't fall down". The only solution was disabilities expressed their suffering when to close my eyes waiting for what might using public transportation. Although there happen, I have to ….. I have no other are many legislations that help people with choice ….!!! disabilities to have the same rights to use public transportation like the others, but Afterwards I the physically disabled people find felt I was obstacles in the use of public saved from transportation as the underground, the an inevitable trains or the buses The percentage of definite physically disabled people is about 25,6% accident due to carrying me on the of the disabled in Egypt, which has wheelchair the way they did on the high accounted for about 10% of the bus stairs. I decided to go back after I lost population. We talked to some people with hope in finding a good means of motor disabilities around this problem, transportation for me on a wheelchair. which hinder them from practicing their There is no other alternative but to stay at daily life activities normally. home till this awful reality changes which we never know when???!!! Mervat Ibrahim, a student at the Faculty of "Facilities for People with Disabilities in Arts, Helwan University - with motor Public Transportation" impairment disability, and uses a Madlein Nader wheelchair says: "The most tiring thing of Watani taking public transportation is the staris especially in the under ground. For

example, when I want to ride in the May Aziz a young girl with motor direction of El-Marg I have to take the impairment who uses crutches - said: subway heading to Helwan although it is in "because I'm from Monofia I am forced not the other direction of where I want to go return to my home, but every semester because I can't use the stairs to cross to instead of returning every month, as all of the other side. This is the case in the first my colleagues because I can not move in line of the underground as it doesn't have the transportation by myself. I have to wait elevators. As for the second line very few for my mother to help me going home. stations have elevators. I have to get off in P - t - a young man who is visually the stations with elevators only and then impaired: "There are many existing laws take a taxi to head to the place I am going and regulations that facilitate the usage of to. public transportation for people with Mahmoud Abdel-Karim - student at the disabilities but they are not implemented. Faculty of Commerce - has polio and uses For example, there is the decision of the crutches says: "Bus drivers do not stop Governor of Cairo that some categories of and look at me as if I will hinder them. And people with disabilities could use the if the bus stops I find it very crowded and I public buses free of charge. But now, can not find a place to sit although there public buses are replaced by Private are seats reserved for people with buses which do not apply even the policy disabilities but nobody abide...!!! As for taxi of reduced fares. As for the underground, drivers they increase the fare because there is a protocol of cooperation between they know I had no other alternative but to the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the stay at home. Railway Authority no. 60 - 02 / 123 / 1 /

Bassma, a young girl from Menia in Upper 4444 on January 30, 9 / 2006 to reduce the proportion of the fare of the Egypt who has polio and uses a crutch - underground by 75% for people with says: "Although there is the decree disability. I have tried for several months number 772-29 dated 1 / 11 / 2005 which gave people with disability, a reduction of the hotline for the underground because it does not apply in all stations, but the the railway fares by 75% in, but I find it response of the employee was: "Actually hard to ride the train by myself, especially there is law but no implementation….". I that the train platforms are very high and if anyone try to support me I end with a was amazed when he told me that "We pity the people visually impaired and we horrible pain in my back. Also the usage of don't ask them to pay anything….". the crutch is very exhausting as I get older. I wish there could be any facilities Dr. Ashraf Marei, the president of "People regarding transportation because I end by for People with Disabilities" in Heliopolis - living an abnormal life." uses a wheelchair - in speaking on this subject, he says: "…the decisions relating

to transport facilities for people with of people with disabilities either by disability, in fact, are impossible to introducing free of charge services or real implement ..!". Therefore, we are studying deduction in the fares. this problem in an attempt to develop Law versus reality: How companies profit practical solutions. And from my point the by exploiting the blind people Ghada Abdel-Kader stairs should be replaced by elevators in Al- Ahram Weekly all subway stations and the stations with “Most of our society treats me as if I am existing elevators, these elevators should inferior to them. They think a blind be working not "broken" as we have individual can do nothing. I am human mostly seen for many years. being like them. I can reach the highest The second issue is related to the public level of education”, said Mahmoud transport buses, the new buses that the Mustafa (not the real name), University Ministry of Transport put in operation graduated Faculty of Arts History every year should be properly equipped Department at Ain Shams University. for the usage of the people with In Egypt, we don‟t have accurate statistics disabilities. The According to the for the number of blind people. Egyptian bus should not be Central Agency For enumeration is not constant. “A family in Public Mobilization with stairs but and Statistics the countryside still has this misconception (CAPMAS), the year with a slide which 2006 census, the that having disable child is kind of disgrace number of the blind helps the person in all over Egypt and shame. In the other families, they to get in and out governorates is 44,152 people, didn‟t even state that they have disable of the bus easily where 27,192 is male and 16,960 is children. and there must female. The number of Disable 951152 They called him idiot or stupid” said be a spacious people, where is 610432 male and Sherifa Massoud, Human Resources place inside the 340720 is female. specialist in Development Association for bus for the usage Empowering the Special Needs DAESN of the person. Also the private buses Association. should apply the same policy as the private ones in reducing the price of the According to the Central Agency for Public tickets for the disabled persons. Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), the 2006 census, the number of the blind in Several NGOs are working on defending Egypt is 44000 people. the rights of people with disabilities is studying the above problems including General Manager of Disabilities "Shomou Association" for Human Rights Administration in Ministry of Manpower which monitor the violations of the rights' and Immigration Gamal Eldin-Hussein said of people with disabilities. These “Recently, we are working on making organizations also try to submit detailed data base. We are going to suggestions on how to preserve the rights

classify them according to, their numbers concerned us in the coming period is and type of disabilities”. effective applying of the law”.

The law of the employing disabled people Massoud says the law largely ignored. obliges all the employer of governmental “Many of the private institutions doesn‟t institutions, public and private sectors committed by 5%. The government‟s whose number of workers equals to or performance is not effective in follow up exceed fifty employees to employ 5% of the applying of the law to know who break the total number of workers from the or stick to the law”. disabled recommended by Department of Mustafa is 27 years old. He has been Manpower in the governorates and its graduated 4 years ago. He couldn‟t find a offices. Any one violates this law paid a job. He said “The rate of 5% isn‟t applied. fine one hundred pound for each missing There are no certain jobs that imposed number and imprisoned for a term not upon us. This option doesn‟t really exist. I exceeding one month or either one of have presented my application three times these penalties. before for different companies but no one Media Advisor in the Ministry of Manpower answered. I applied for a job in motor car and Immigration Ibrahim Ali told Al-Ahram company but they didn‟t accept me until I Weekly “The ministry pays great attention bring a recommendation letter”. to the case of employment of the blind as Mohamed El-Sayed (not the real name) is important part in the structure of Egyptian 31 years old. He is University graduated society. We have 300 employment offices Faculty of Arts History Department at Ain in all the governorates. It receives the job Shams University. He hasn‟t been working seekers from disabilities. It registered their for two years. El-Sayed “I have applied data then; this data is classified according five times for a job. Each time they refused to their residence, type of disability and to accept me. The excuses are that you field of specialization. As result of this disable person and ineffective to society”. data, we nominate them to the available El-Sayed explained “We have appointment jobs. Sometimes, they need to improve in the state but it is suspended. The and develop their skills to acquire a job. companies took our documents and hired So, we train them in the training centers of us on papers fulfilling the rate of 5% of the the ministry”. law in front of taxes. This part is deducted Mohamed explained “Manpower offices do from the taxes. The employer told us you regular inspecting for the establishments are a blind person. We don‟t have to see how far it committed to the law. appropriate job for you. You needn‟t to There is no new draft resolution to come every day. We stayed at home and increase the rate of 5%. We found the each month we took our salary as if it is recent legislation is very good. What aid. Our wages is very low. The salary for the medium qualified is L.E 85 per month

and highly qualified is between L.E 94 to doesn‟t make me feel that I am blind. L.E120 per month”. Since I was young my mother was

On how he spends his spare time, Mustafa studying with me. She learnt the Braille to study with me. My brothers didn‟t believe said “I don‟t have spare time. I took that I am visually impaired. My father was several courses in computer. I like reading scientific and historical books and great support for me. He saved any thing I watching television. I also, spent time on want”. the internet chatting with my friends”. The Development Association for

Ahmed Abdel-Hamid is 25 years old. He Empowering the Special Needs (DAESN) is NGO began working in the year 2008. graduated from Faculty of Arts Information Its mission is to develop the full potential Department two years ago. Hamid wishes of visually impaired and blind children to to be computer programmer and complete his studies in America. “I want to study lead independent lives and to integrate children in the educational system. abroad and develop myself in computer programming. I am great lover of Trainer in DAESN Alaa Farid explained Geography. I want to do a programmer “Braille terminal is very easy and smart that makes blind person active with the tool. It is system providing information geography. He can go to any place he without voice. Blind person uses his hand wants without the help of anybody”, added to read the screen. Using a voice is Hamid sometimes boring you may have a headache. This software is a special one. Ahmed Fakri is 25, university graduated It‟s made in Arabic language. There are form Faculty of Arts History Department. Fakri said “I took several courses in many other programs for blind people but they all in English language”. computer skills. I‟d like to work as computer programmer. I volunteered in Massoud “when train them to work in jobs Resala Charity Organization. I was like call centers, secretary, operators, teaching computer‟s drives. I love reading consumer services and telesales”. very much. I have read all books of “DAESN has partnership with Wanaya Tafseer and English translation of the holy International Foundation for Integration Qur'an and also some books in hadith and and Awareness (NGO) in cooperation with politics”. International Labour Organization and “There is no specialized library for the some businessmen in to help us in finding visually-impaired in Egypt except jobs and working opportunities. Also, we Bibliotheca Alexandria. It has some Arabic went to the Manpower and Immigration books and simplified books in certain fields We has a meeting with Undersecretary for like Arabic, history, explanatory of Qur'an, Employment department for Disability children stories and the stories of the Affairs Iman El-Nahas. We have prophets”, Hamid added “My family discussions and we are agreed on sending

our program to the ministry. The ministry employee doesn‟t really go to his work. In will going to direct the job seeker to us to this case, the company sticks to the law”, train them. It is going to help us in said Ali. employing them in the public sector”, One of DAESN projects is ‘capacitating added Massoud. the blind and find job placement’. Executive Director of DAESN Association Association will provide blind youth with Lilli Atallah said “We totally refused the training courses in computer and rate of 5%that it isn‟t activated. As if it is communication skills. All the training charity or an aid. So, the association is courses are free of charge. The training looking for real job opportunities for the courses have started on June 2009. blind people”. During two years, it is going to train 160 Wanaya is NGO taking blind people. Also, the association will do Executive action in order to make people understand, Director of accept and live with job placement and follow up them in the persons with places they are working in it. Wanaya disabilities aim is not only to raise International awareness, but also to The whole project is financed by Sawiris provide educational, legislative and Foundation for Social Development. The Foundation for developmental Orascom Telecom Holding Company Integration and programs that integrate children and adults with donates with Braille terminal and the Awareness disabilities in the Egyptian society. software Bysonic. Braille terminal costs Hossam Eldin €4000 and the software is $50. Mustafa added “This subject is divided into two parts. The first part, in the big Tobacco Girls: A lost life between a lethal smoke and a merciless hunger multinational companies they employed Safaa Saleh and gave them a total opportunity like El-Osbou other employees. The second part, Every morning, with the first drops of employing them without having real moisture on the flower leaves in the chance to work, it could be happened in arboreta which proliferate in Al-Munifia small companies, public and governmental Governorate, thousand of village girls sector. Wanaya is working with big wake up not to collect flowers or carry companies. We gave training courses how them to the perfume factories, but to carry to deal with them for the whole company tobacco and mix it with tar in the tobacco and its employees. We gave training factories all over the Governorate. The courses for blind people too. young girls extremely suffer for fifteen pounds which spare them the humiliation “Measurements are divided into two parts. of beggary at the end of the day. First, Manpower office intervenes if the employee complained to the manpower office that the employer refused to hire him Each and every day, these girls whose or hurt him. Second, if the company age ranges between 9 and 22 years are applied the 5% and employed him the

exposed to health dangers because they many girls one time or twice the number of are subject to dust, acids and the gases this bus passengers emitting during the manufacturing and I got into the old minibus while my heart packaging operations. In addition, the girls was throbbing as I was afraid from the are exposed to humiliation which results unknown world on the one hand and I was from the tyranny and violence of the chiefs afraid that my mission will fail and my of the factory halls. Besides, the girls can identity is unveiled on the other. not find a person to call for their rights and The driver has his young daughter who protect them from psychological or has not yet completed her sixth year. physical pain. Whenever I intend to sit on one of the Last Wednesday on the 11th of November seats, she would tell me that this seat shall 2009, I got up at 5 o'clock AM. I left the be occupied by one of the girls, and if she house at 5.45 o'clock AM. At that time, the came and found me, she would dismiss sun did not wake up yet, although tens of me from it. I asked her where I would sit girls and children woke up in my village. down. She pointed to the seat behind the They were standing at the village bus stop driver and she stipulated that I would sit on of Munshaat Sultan, 11 kilometers far from the side seat because the one next to the the capital Shebeen Al-Koum. They were window is allocated for Dalia who will get waiting for the buses which will take them angry if she found me. I said to her "It will to the factories in the capital Shebeen Al- not matter. If she gets angry, I will sit on Koum and Sadat City. A group was the side seat". heading to garment factories while another I waited for several minutes until girls was going to tobacco factories. I was came in groups one after another. Each standing in a corner watching and waiting girl carries a small plastic bag which for the tobacco girls of until it was 6.30 contains the work uniform and food for o'clock AM. When the first group was lunch. Each one has their own place which about to leave, I went to them and asked they know full well. Dalia came and she them about the bus of the tobacco factory. gave a concise, sharp comment on my One of them replied that it did not arrive existence "This place is mine." yet. Another one behind me pointed that it was the bus coming over there. I headed Her gloomy face, like all their faces, does for it and asked the driver "Shall this bus not give good promises. All of them were head for the tobacco factory?" silent, gloomy and angry. Their anger is manifested when a girl irritates another, Yes, are you a new hire? and if this happens, a volcano of anger Yes, for the first time tainted by calling names erupts. You are welcome, if you have sisters or I obeyed Dalia's command while I was friends, tell them and bring them. We need afraid from all of them who recklessly

looked at me and then they turned their - Because it contains more aqua fortis faces from me. than Al-Qass tobacco.

After the minibus left on its way to the These are the two types of tobacco factory, Najiyyah or "Dalouah" as they call produced by this factory in addition to her asked me "Are you new, honey?" snuff.

I nodded: Yes Najiyyah works in the factory in order to buy the furniture and home appliances She replied: I advise you to cit it short and find another job instead of the misery we required for her marriage. She is engaged and is about to consummate marriage suffer. Or, Dalia, take her with you to once she completed the furniture. The heaters. same thing applies to Sabah who She looked at Dalia and laughed. The complained that after she bought all others asserted her speech and furniture and home appliances required, demanded Dalia to take her to the heaters she could not find a place in her husband's and Dalia agreed by saying "Why not? Let house because she will marry in a room in her come." her husband's family house. She will pile I asked her about the nature of these the fridge, oven, cooker, washing heaters and she replied "There you will machines and all appliances she bought in know." this room. Even though, she insists on Najiyyah has a series of severe cough and working in order to fulfill her mission said: May Allah destroy yesterday smoke because people will see her stuffs carried paste. When they bring it, I am about to on trucks to the husband's house. She and die when I weigh it or even touch it. her family will pride in the many things she is buying day after another and which she She said to the girl next to her: Last night, pays their price from her breaths choked I fainted in the bathroom and my mother with the smoke of the factory. used to cry thinking that I am about to die. The driver arrived at the factory which lies I asked her: Are you ill? on the eastern outskirts of Shebeen Al- - Yes, my chest ails me because of the Koum. The minibus crossed the gate and distress we suffer during work. none of the security personnel suspects - Make a medical checkup me or even checks my identity.

- I made many medical checkups but with I walked with the rest of girls until we no avail. As long as we are in this factory, entered into a four-storey building. They we shall never recover. told me that their work hall is in the fourth floor. Once I passed through the door of - Why does yesterday tobacco paste the building, I had severe cough although particularly cause such pain? work has not started yet.

While I was getting on the stairs, I could and no less than 15 of them did not not touch the rails which were covered by exceed ten years old. a sticky black material from the tobacco. Work was initiated and Hend called me The same thing applied to all stairs and after she exchanged glances with another walls. On these materials, Dr. Amal Saad employee. They talked for several minutes Ad-Din, Professor of Environmental Health and she told me that she would send me and Preventive Medicine in the National to another new hall where there are Center of Scientific Researches, said "The decent girls, because the situation here most dangerous threat to these laborers in will not appeal to me. There, it is calmer these factories is the high humidity which than here and work here is difficult. causes the accumulation of fungi on walls Besides, the chief of the hall is violent and and floors. Among these fungi is the she frequently used to beat girls and call Spearaglaze which secretes poisonous them names. In the bottom of my heart, I materials which cause cancerous tumors was very happy because I came across a in the liver if inhaled and they also "bad" hall where there will be many events affecting the immunity." throughout the day and I want to know We reached the hall which I was looking what is going on here. forward to see when I was on my way. I I answered her that I want her to leave me found it long and wide and it here today because I feel comfortable with accommodates thirty nine tables or more. her, and that if I did not like things here, I On each table, there are scales for will go to another hall after lunch. She weighing tobacco. Later on, I came to agreed with resentment. She allowed me know that a skillful girl in weighing tobacco to sit on the last table with less violent girls uses her hands in weighing rather than the than those in the forefront of the hall. Yet, scales. Around each table, there were she kept on looking at me sadly and about ten girls and a small number of boys reminding me with the other hall which I who did not exceed ten boys in each hall deserve because she thought that I should along with hundreds of girls. not be exposed to troubles.

One of the girls in the hall pointed to a I sat next to the girls to learn how to close twenty-year old girl and said that she is packs and sort them in the box. The girls Hend, the hall supervisor. She told me that used to work very quickly. The young girls I should tell Hend that I am new. I told her were around us just like working bees. and notified her that I want to work. She They used to continuously wipe the floor to agreed and ordered me to sit down until remove the falling mixture honey. Some of work starts. them would carry the raw mixture honey I sat down watching girls while arriving at while others would wipe tables. Thus, they the hall. They were more than 200 girls did not stop even for a while.

Ayah, 11 years old, was working on After about fifteen minutes, a senior collecting garbage from the hall and employee in charge of the laborers came sorting it out. She would sort out Sullivan and kept on looking around the hall until paper, carton paper and tobacco falling on his eyes gazed at me. He asked: Are you the floor of the hall. Ayah said that she new? came here after her father ordered her to I answered: Yes leave the fifth primary class and he sent He looked at Hend and said: She does not her to work in this factory. look like the girls here. Why did you keep As for Amirah, 15 years old, or "Zawawi" her with them? as the girls call her, she is cruelly beaten She answered: I told her that I would take by the older girls throughout the whole you to the second hall but she insisted to day. She collects and sorts out garbage, stay here. and goes up and down although she has a disability after she lost her right eye. She He turned to me and said: Come here, I said "I was not like that. I used to see very shall take you to a good place. You will not well until a person was riding a bicycle and find your ways here. You are not like them carrying a glass plate hit me and the glass to expose yourself to troubles. plate spoilt my eye. Later on, I left school I was obliged to surrender to his command and came to work here." so that none would ever suspect me. At

There was also Sayyedah. 22 years old, that time, the girl next to me, Najwa, who was paralyzed. The chief of the hall shouted: Take me with her uncle Usama. I did not bear her slow movement in turning am polite and belong to a good family like or packaging. They assigned her to sweep her. Why do you prefer her? the hall back and forth all day. Besides, Usama smiled but he did not turn towards she would get down to fetch boxes from her. the other building whenever they need We went to the other building and got into them. Sayyedah said: "I lost my mother a the hall. I found only four tables for long time ago, and my father also died tobacco while the rest of the hall was used recently. I have none to care for me. My in producing carton paper for the tobacco sister married and I became alone. Where packs in the factory. Men cut this carton could I support myself? I must work and and piled it out. Actually, this hall was bear anything in order to live." much calmer than the other. Later on, I Iman, 14 years old, said "I left school after came to know that the cruelest halls for I became broke. I found all girls putting on girls were Bushra and Nasrah's halls good clothes while mine are torn out and where I was first. old. I came here to work and get some I stood around a table with four other girls good clothes to be like them." and three of them were new like me.

Dunya, the old weighing girl, used to is LE 3780 and I only get LE 15 out of weight the tobacco, put it to Asmaa on the them!!!! foil to roll it, while I an Azza would This is in line with what the statistics package it in the carton packs which proved. Statistics indicate that the rate of Hasanat closes and sorts out in the boxes. consuming mixture honey has largely Although the hall was not one of the main increased. As per a report submitted to the work halls which are crowded with Health Committee in the Egyptian workers, it has five or six young girls Parliament on December 2008, Cairo Café whose age ranges from 9 to 12 years old guests alone consume about 40 million among about 30 girls in the hall. I used to tons of mixture honey per annum. exchange smiles with them from time to Next to me around the table, there was time. It seems that they were not used to Azza, 21 years old. She is illiterate and such smiles. After a while, a girl brought she also works in order to buy her me a chair so that I will not feel fatigue. marriage requirements. Her father dies Later, she resumed here work. Around after he suffered from cystoscirrhus for 7 me, Afaf, eleven years old, was roaming years but he did not know that it was here and there to wipe the falling tobacco cancer because he did not follow up with a on the floor or the table. She neither physician because of his poverty as she smiles nor cries, but she silently works. I told me. When he came to know that it used to sadly look at her, just like I did with was cancer, he was about to die. Azza another girl in the hall who did not exceed had to complete her marriage ten years old, and even though she was requirements in order to consummate the pulling an iron carriage full of piles of marriage with her fiancée, because her carton paper. brothers have "bad health and they could In my new hall, "Mr. Ali's Hall" as each hall not find a job" as she said. is called after their supervisor, I sat to As for Hasanat, she is a student in the package the tobacco. It was a large size second technical secondary certificate. pack which weighs 192.5 grams. Each Although her father is still alive, she says table closes around 10 boxes per hour. "All of us are born to humble people. Girls used to work for approximately 9 Where could we get money? I could not hours (in an outright breach of the stay without work or money until I finish Egyptian Labor Law which stipulates that the technical diploma. Something bad the working hours are 7 interpolated by a would happen to me." break of half an hour). This means that I got involved in the work. While I was each 5 girls used to pack 90 boxes per rolling tobacco, a voice from behind called day and in each box, there 60 packs and me "you, sweetie?" I did not pay attention. the price of each pack is LE 3.5 with a She called again and her voice was total of LE 18900. My share of packaging accompanied by an attempt to take away

the chair I used to sit on. I turned to her On the health of the workers in the halls, saying "Is it me?" Dr. Saad Ad-Din said "The girls in the halls

She replied "Is there any other sweetie are exposed to gases and harmful sitting on a chair except for you? Give me chemical materials which are absorbed by the chair. It is mine." the skin and when they penetrate the body, they cause severe harms." I gave her the chair. I know it is not hers, On the precautions which the factory but I preferred to avoid clashes. should have taken into consideration, Dr. I completed work while standing. When it Saad Ad-Din said "There must be masks was about twelve thirty PM, I was about to to absorb gases and masks for dusts. Girls break down. The pain which started in my should put on gloves and coveralls over chest when I began work increased to the their clothes and such should be daily extent that I felt as if somebody is catching washed in the factory laundry. The girls a knife and tearing out my lungs. I had should take a shower before they leave severe dizziness and headache. Azza the factory in order to get rid of the effects noticed my pain. She told them saying "It of honey mixture and eliminate acids from seems that she is very tired. I pity her." their bodies instead of taking them back Asmaa replied "Never mind, all of us ha home." such conditions in the first week, but later on, you will get accustomed to smell and She added "There are certain ages which must avoid this type of work such as the fatigue." At this point, I was about to newly married girls who are vulnerable to explode and demand to leave this factory pregnancy because such acids cause irrevocably. Yet, I remembered that I could not leave except with the buses at five embryos deformation. As for children, it is even worse. They are in a stage where thirty. If I tried to leave, I may arouse their they form their cells. They should never be doubts, search my belonging and find my subjected to such acids or chemicals. camera. At that time, I will not be safe and I do not know what they will do. None ever During such stage, the cells are very sensitive and the structure of their cells managed to enter this place. Even many may change which leads to cancerous researchers from the Research Center could not make their scientific theses tumors or hereditary tumors which afflict about this world. This is what happened the coming generations." with Dr. Amal Saad Ad-Din who said "I Dr. Amal Saad Ad-Din stressed that wanted to make a research on the health factory owners should protect the worker of the workers in the mixture honey in a manner that conforms with the nature factories. I went to some of these of the place. Workers must put on boots, factories, but the officials in charge there masks, coveralls and gloves. In addition, did not allow me to make the research or there must be a large number of suction even get into the factory." pumps."

On my table, we ran out of boxes. They the girls who do not work and who talk in a sent me with a girl from the next table to loud voice. This is really some kind of get down and bring some boxes. I also humiliation, really a humiliation". seized the opportunity to change the hall Dr. Saad Ad-Din added "During the atmosphere. heaters phase, overheat could cause At the hall door, I found Naema waiting for thermal exhaustion for women. The me. I found a lad working in the hall saying symptoms of such exhaustion are lack of to me "Sweetie, I would like to have sex concentration, feeling of general strain, with you." and thermal shocks which resemble sun strokes. Thermal strokes cause frequent I looked at him in anger and left him. A girl faints and may lead to death in some advised me "Call him names or beat him cases. In addition, the gasses emitting and he will never irritate you. Here, they during the manufacturing process of the do not know his glance." honey mixture in the heaters irritate the I and Naema get down to get the boxes respiratory system and the mucous from another building in the factory. On membrane of the whole body. They also our way, we passed by the heaters, and cause eye and nose irritation and may here I realized their identity. They are the lead to fires because of overheat." "holocaust". In this place, vapors and hot Naema then sighs in pain and says "I'm gasses are lifted from the black containers not an illiterate girl, I have obtained the where the tobacco is mixed with the black secondary school grade from Al-Azhar but honey and other components after mincing my father was poor and could not make it in mincers. me join the university. My mother told me Naema told me that she previously worked that I or one of my brothers should leave in these heaters units yesterday. She said school. But they were young in the primary "May Allah provide the girls who work in and preparatory stage. I contemplated the these heaters unit with His Help. I worked matter and said to myself how I shall join there for only one day. When I asked Mr. the university and they become totally Usama to relieve me from such over tiring ignorant. So I chose not to complete my work and to replace me with another girl, study. If you were in my place, what would he pitied me and sent me to work above you do? Shall you oppress your brothers with the polite girls. When I worked in or make self-sacrifice?" When Naema saw Hanan's hall, she overburdened me with my eyes pitying her, she said "Never mind, work, I collected garbage, swept the floors, my conditions are better than that of many and went up and down. This is the way other girls. Here the girls really are things work here. The girls insult and afflicted with calamities. Some of them do shout at the slow working girl. The boss is not even find hard bread to eat but they always holding a stick by which she beats keep silent".

Then we passed by the mincing machines hear him describe us as beautiful? Azza that emit big quantities of dust and sprays. then interrupted her saying "Would you The tobacco dried brown plants are have been pleased had he said we were minced and then taken to the heaters ugly? We resumed our work till we heard a units. About the diseases of this stage, Dr. noisy crash on the floor. We saw a girl Saad Ad-Din said "During the mincing fainting on the adjacent table. She kept on stage, dusts affect the respiratory system fainting for more than 7 minutes though especially that mincing some dry plants the girls supervisor attempted to help her leads to producing some fungi which recover her consciousness. When I asked cause chest allergy, cystigerous chest, about what is wrong with her, I knew that and chronic chest diseases." she often faints without knowing the reasons. Then we reached the boxes hall, took the boxes and got out. It was about 2 P.M and we had not finished our allocated portion yet. All table I returned again to my table and sat with finished their work. Naema then came to my new colleagues to complete my talk help us in order to go out for lunch. We with them. Naema brought a chair for me finished the quantity then we went to the so that I would not be tired again. I sat toilet to wash our hands from the tobacco down but only a few minutes elapsed remainders. As I approached the toilet at when I heard the same voice behind me the back of the hall, the same boy caught saying "Oh you, nice girl? I replied in an me by the hand asking me "oh you nice annoyed manner "What do you want". She girl, does that girl insult you? I took off my said this chair belongs to the girl in charge hand rebuking him "Are you stupid or of weighing. Leave it." crazy?" I ran away and as we descended That time, I replied forcefully "No, this the stairs, we were stopped on the way by chair is mine, Naema brought it for me". another guy. He pointed at Naema while Then she began to call bad names at me talking to another girl "I want to be the boy but I paid her no attention at all. friend of this girl". The girl said "She is And one of the employees came to engaged to another guy" but he replied apologize for the non-availability of chairs. impudently "Let her desert him and be my He promised to make them available next girl friend". day. Then he whispered to us "If you know Naema and I descended running away. beautiful girls like you, please recommend Naema said: See, he is short and dirty, them to us as we are really in need of and he thinks vainly of himself. He wants many girls". Hasanat then commented on me to leave my fiancé who is better than his remark "All men are obscene". I him. My fiancé is tall, stout and far smarter wondered why she said that. The man even than me. talked very gently. She said "Did not you

She asked me "Do you have a meal? I so that their clothes would not be stolen. replied "No, I will buy one. Is there any One of them was robbed of her blouse canteen in the nearby? She replied "No, yesterday. She did not find it. there is only this wall there. Can you There I met Heba (15 years old) who left stretch your hand out of this wall?" school when she was at the second I looked and saw two holes in the same preparatory year. When I asked her why size of two bricks in the factory wall. In she did such hard work, she replied "I front of these holes, a group of girls and work to earn money. What do you think I young men stood stretching their hands work for? I am obliged to cope with chief with few pounds to the female seller who Hanan who causes me many troubles. was sitting behind the hole giving them First I used to cry too much and I always beans and Falafel sandwiches and prayed to Allah to make me get rid of her. tamarind juice packages. Seeing how Some times, she haunted me in dreams." these sandwiches look like, I give up the Samar (11 years old) is a student in the idea of buying any. Naema stretched her sixth primary stage. She says "I work in hand with 25 piasters and gave it to Bushra's hall. I leave my school for some Asmaa who was by the wall to get for her days and come to work her to get money a tamarind package. I was introduced to and clothes".

Asmaa when she brought the tamarind All these stories made me forget about the package. She was a 14 year old girl. hall. It was then 3:10 P.M. when we Asmaa said "I have been working her hurried up the stairs. Every one who met since four years. At that time, I was 10 us said "Where have you been? they are years old. I left school when I was in the searching for you and they thought you left third primary year and came her to work. the factory". Before, I worked in cleaning and removing Then Naema asked "What do you mean garbage but today I became responsible by searching for us? Do you think they will for weighing. When I asked her why she punish us?" did not complete her education, she replied "What is the use of education? One He replied "Allah forbids, I do not know". of my neighbors completed her college We entered into the hall, and bore all the then married and had children yet she has insults and harsh words they said to us. not found a job until now. Her conditions We finished our work. When it was 5 P.M, are very bad. I'm not educated yet I earn we left. Naema accompanied me to money. My weekly wage is 90 pounds and change her clothes at the boxes with one I can buy whatever I like". of her friends. There, I found the girls in

We went to the place where the girls the heaters unit wringing their work clothes perform their prayers and change their and spreading them on the wall till clothes. Some of them had locked boxes

morning to dry and wear them the next might discover my camera which the day. newspaper entrusted me. So I waited till

We went out to get some fresh air while my village minibus arrived. I got in the bus with the village girls. For the girls, they felt waiting for the buses to come. These as if they came out from the dusk to a buses come to take the girls to their villages. In every bus, there is a driver and lightened world full of freedom and liberty. a contractor. The contractor is the person Najiyyah was sitting next to Shaaban, the driver, to talk and sometimes laugh. She who recruits girls from remote villages to would sometimes turn and participate with work in the factory. He accompanies them to and from the factory every day. the girls in mocking Bushra, the chief of the hall. Iman refuses to sit on the seat We sat on a tree trunk. After wearing her and she would sit beside the door to dirty clothes, Afaf came, she sat beside stretch her legs in the air while singing. me and we exchanged smiles which she With regard to safety in the tobacco feared to do when she was in the hall. She factory, the professional health and safety sat smiling silently beside me. When I asked about her name, she said "My name secretary in the Public Union of Egypt is Afaf Muhammad (11 years old) in the Laborer Syndicates, Ali Amer, says "there is a problem regarding safety and sixth grade. I leave school for some days professional health in Egyptian factories to work in the factory like today and on Fridays. I work for 25 pounds a day. My due to the shortage of health inspectors in older sister comes with me to prevent the Ministry of Manpower. It is supposed that there is a regular inspection of others from beating me". tobacco factories to verify the availability On our way to the gate, I saw the girl who of big ventilators and masks for female fainted inside the factory. I asked her workers. But the crisis of the non- "What is wrong with you?" She said "I do employment of health and safety doctors not really know, I have a pain in my side, and engineers made the factories owners and I faint a lot but I recover quickly and abstain from abiding by the conditions of resume working". professional safety and health. They do Outside the gate, there was a lady selling not want to pay more money and the packages of potato chips. The girls went government does adopt the approach of out one by one under the supervision of appointing more staff in the State's two female supervisions. One of them held administrative body. Any one working in a big wooden stick and the other one held the professional health and retires is not a broken broom handle. When I was about replaced by another one. So within three to leave to buy something to eat, they told or four years, there will be no professional me to wait till the one who has left returns. health inspectors. For example, in Beheira A girl told me that they thoroughly inspect province now, there are 1000 factories and the girls who go out. I was afraid they

only four inspectors. So how will things "Al Masaleeb" ….. The Grandsons of Al work in these factories?" Zeer Salem in Qena Samah Abdul Aati El- Masry El-Youm Amer adds "The living hard conditions and At the edge of the canal bank that the lower standard of life oblige people to penetrates Toukh village in Qena send their children to work. How can a province, Ragab Mahmud, 25 years old, man whose salary is two hundred pounds stands there fixing the strings of his rebeck sustain a family? So we have to provide and preparing to play music. Behind him, enough protection for these laborers. The two of his relatives stood, one of them factories owners have to abide by law No. holding a rebeck and the other holding a 12 year 2003 i.e. the Unified Labor Law. big tambourine. The sad melody of the This will not be in effect unless more rebeck reached the ears of the villagers professional health and safety inspectors who gathered around the little band. Sighs are employed. When the factories owners get louder, tears flow and noisy shouts of find a committee that makes a report on approval were heard applauding Ragab their factory every week not every year, "May Allah provide you with more talent". they will be obliged to abide". Usually, Ragab does not receive such With regard to the risks the female approval and interest unless he sings. laborers may be exposed to in the tobacco factory, Amr says "The most dangerous risks threatening the laborers in the It is no tobacco factory are lung diseases, chest wonder diseases, renal failure and the most that all dangerous of them is phthisis". leave him Around one hundred years ago, a labor not movement which emerged among the because factory workers turned the whole society he finishes his singing which attracts all upside down. The term "Factory girl" around him, but the real fact is that those became equivalent to independence and people who approved his singing a few strife for change. minutes ago are the same people who always hate to sit with him or talk to him. In 1914 AD, the tobacco female workers in They even look up down to him in an Beirut went into a general strike. Owing to arrogant way. For them, he is no more such strike, they got 15 months of paid than one of the gypsies in the wages per year and the religious vacation neighborhood. They think that sitting with days became paid leaves. They achieved those gypsies to talk to them with no several benefits on the realm of amending reason is a source of great shame. the work prerequisites and increasing health care. When shall the tobacco girls Despite the fact that Toukh residents use in Egypt obtain their rights? the term "Al Halab" to describe the gypsies

residing in their village, the Halab soaked in. This kind of lamps are known themselves do not approve this naming there as "the rocket lamp". and hate it. They insist on calling Abdul Nasser who works in fishing by a themselves "Al-Masaleeb". That word hook says that the ancestry of Al goes back to their grandfather and it Masaleeb goes back to Al Zeer Salem means that their grandfather could not who was an Arab famous warrior and poet fight, when he came to Egypt, he has no who resided in Arabia before the Islamic money and was unable to buy lands to era. He launched a fierce war that lasted cultivate. 40 years that was known in the old history "We do not like to cultivate lands because as "Al Basoos war". Abdul Nasser says our grandfather did not do that", uttering that there is a difference between his these words, Abdul Nasser Jumaa, 46 people (Al Masaleeb) and the Halab years old, justified why Al-Masaleeb were people whom he claims do not belong to not professionals in cultivating lands. them in any way. According to his Inside the narrow yard expression, they came from Aleppo valley They hate to at the middle of Al work in in Syria and their grandfather worked as a agriculture. Masaleeb houses in They marry blacksmith in Egypt. But again, he their own Toukh village, Abdul relatives and describes himself and his family to belong they never Nasser sat among his reveal the to "the roaming Arabs". This same family members. He secrets of their classification which Abdul Nasser said was mean jobs to says that their numbers others but only written in the old identity cards before the at the death are no more than fifty bed computer identity cards came into persons. They stay in existence. Now the job described in these houses at the south edges of the village old cards are to be changed to "Laborers". only few kilometers from a place that Therefore, says Abdul Nasser, all the contains old Egyptian monuments that roaming Arabs in any place in Egypt are goes back to Nikada first and second "our paternal cousins". civilizations. There, the clay houses with Yet the kinship ties which Abdul Nasser low roofs are gathered at the shape of a acknowledge is not a reasonable horseshoe looking over the village canal justification as thought by Jahlan Mahmud from their two edges. Though the high to open the door to make Al Masaleeb get pressure posts are planted among the marry with others. Because of that opinion, eight houses, they do not have a power Jahlan refuses to marry any of his supply. Their inhabitants are obliged to daughters to any of those roaming Arabs light them with a primitive type of lambs saying "We would better marry from our made of empty medicine bottles half filled own people". This view is affected by the with gasoline and a little piece of clothes tribal nature of the people's life in the Upper Egypt. As he says, there are Arabs,

Hawara, farmers and nobles and these are wanted to show off". Samira, the maternal the names of tribes and families that aunt of Jahlan who lives in the same area, refuse to marry from others. They only has the same silver teeth but in her bottom marry to and from their cousins and nieces teeth line. She also says she fixed them from the same single tribe. after her marriage in Qus city which is next

Jahlan also refuses to reveal the secrets to them. of his job to any of his children as long as Samira is professional in making tattoos. he lives. He says that he inherited this job She says she first learnt it by trying it on from his father. This job is specialized in herself. "I got the fine dust from the rocket extracting dried bones that cattle in his lamp and mixed them with some milk. village may swallow and stuck in their Then I soaked the needle in this mixture throats. Jahlan says that he uses some and pierced my skin with it for three times incantations and words while extracting till my wound dried and got the green these bones from the cattle throats in color". Before she learnt that, she saw her consideration of an amount of money grandmother do the same job to strangers. given to him by the animal's owner. Samira says "I was then young and I saw

Explaining his point of view, Jahlan says my grandmother make tattoos for the people and I learnt that from her". Samira "When I get old and I feel I'm reaching the says that making tattoos is not only for end of my life, I will reveal the secret oath of my job to my elder son as I fear if I give adornment but also is used as some kind it to him now, he may compete with me". of cure. I use it to heal any one who stumbles on his legs or hands. This is an He then explains that oath saying "This instant cure. Samira earns her living from oath is like the oath sworn when dealing with a scorpion". He went further in his that work. She says that she does not ask people for a fixed fee but leaves the matter explanation "It is the same case as when for their estimation as if it is merely a gift in some one is bitten by a female scorpion return for her favor. and the magician spells this incantation on that bitten person". The magician Radia, the mother of Samira, who lives in memorizes some words and repeats them Luxor and visits Samira every now and as Jahlan says, and bequeaths them to his then, is professional in horoscope using children. As per his expression, if they the dried dates stones known there as "Al keep to it, their job shall continue Fasa". Radia says that she was not taught otherwise "Farewell". this job by any one, she found herself

As a little small smile covered Jahlan's mastering it upon her suffering from labor mouth, two silver teeth appeared fixed at when she was about to give birth under the trunk of a tree. After, she gave birth, his upper teeth line. He says that he fixed she slept at her place and dreamt that them after his marriage "As you may say, I was still young and newly married and some one brought some dates for her and

taught her how to master the art of The job of singing and playing music horoscope. When she wakes up, she mastered by some of Al Masaleeb has to found herself a master in that regard. be contemplated not because it caused

Besides the art of horoscope, Radia was many of them to be famous but because it also clever at expelling evil sprits. She is the only way to get out of the village and recites some spells and incantations on work in tourist areas such as Luxor and those who were afflicted with no apparent Hurgada and may be in Cairo or even reasons such as those afflicted with envy Europe and America. This is not a difficult or evil eye and similar beliefs of the upper dream to realize especially when we know Egyptians. Usually, any one who thinks his that the famous rebeck player Mitkal Al- animal is envied resorts to her to expel the Kenawy belongs to Luxor Masaleeb. evil spirit from his animal or any one who Toukh Masaleeb boast when they mention thinks his son had an evil eye. him and repeat his songs in their wedding days if they played the rebeck. May be for Radia, a 90 year old woman, remembers that reason Ragab Mahmud, 25 years old, how Al Masaleeb lived in the past in was fascinated by the rebeck after "Sabait" which means cages made from learning it from his relatives. the reed before they settled in the houses Ragab masters playing the rebeck and they built for themselves at the edge of the sings folklore upper Egyptian songs. The village. She says that Al Masaleeb who live in Toukh are a small group of the tribe villagers ask for his assistance in their that is dispersed in the villages and towns weddings. Some times, he may set for a tourist city to gain some material benefits of Qena. She believes that their dispersion but eventually he returns to his village to came as Allah answered the prayers of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings sit on the edge of the canal bank that penetrates the village and plays on his be upon him, or as she expresses "Allah rebeck to hear the approval of his responded to the Prophet's prayers neighbors saying "May Allah provide you against them". She explains that saying that Al Masaleeb lived in Arabia before with more talent". coming to Egypt and they disobeyed the Another Form of Violence Yousra Al-Sharkawy Prophet in some thing she did not Al-Ahram mention. So he supplicated to Allah to Oh, what a miserable woman! She died make them disperse in all countries and without being married". Hanan Abdul thus they became despised minorities. Muniem (36 years old) said in reiteration of Radia thinks that if Al Masaleeb gather, the words of a person attending the that would cause disasters to their funeral of one of her female relatives who neighbors and shower the Masaleeb with reached an old age but died without many afflictions at the same time. getting married. Hanan, the dark- complexion, veiled Aswan girl who has

very particulate features and whose calm demands of some families with regards to voice never raises even when she gets the exaggerated marriage requirements. nervous, abruptly leaned forward and said Yet, taking into consideration the "Is not this some kind of violence? When a increased number of girls who are late in woman lives and dies while people marriage should be counted as a remember nothing about her except that necessity to start changing the stereotype she did not marry as if it had been a point image in this respect. of weakness which deserves pity or it is a Dr. Maha Al-Kurdi, the head of the Public great sin which could not be ignored even Communication Researches in the Social when she is buried." Hanan sat upright and Criminal Research Centre, is of the again in her chair. opinion that the oft-frequently negative Hanan, the former employee in a foreign stereotype image of the girl who is late in development agency, narrated the story of marriage has tremendously changed and her relative in reply to a question on that the society displayed more whether it is time for the mass media and understanding and respects towards the women's rights organizations to deal with girls who chose to marry at the early or the socially typical and stereotype image mid-thirties, especially that the average of the girl who is late in marriage. Is such age of marriage in Egypt has been issue less important than other women's delayed to the late twenties and the early rights issues such as transgressions on thirties. Yet Hanan, drawing on her divorced women and violence against practical experiences, agrees with Dr. women? These organizations rarely Maha that the average marriage age has discuss the stereotype image of the girl changed, but the stereotype image of the who is late in marriage or the social girl who is late in marriage is still negative pressures she may suffer. as it has been several years ago.

Even after issuing the last report by the As per Hanan's words, the first proof that Central Agency for Public Mobilization and this negative image is still prevalent is its Statistics on October 2009 which description as a "catastrophe" and a estimated the numbers of Egyptian youths "crisis" although it is no more than a who reached the age of 35 years without potential social transformation. Clarifying getting married at 9 millions, most her point of view, Hanan added "It seems analyses and opinion essays hold a as if there are no youths who are late in unanimous agreement that this issue is marriage in the world countries. Do these characterized as a "social catastrophe" countries consider such as a crisis or a and a "crisis". They reiterated the number part of the society which has its own "9 millions" to indicate that the reason for circumstances which delayed their such crisis is attributed to the youths' marriage? Or is it related to the youths' economic challenges and the stubborn personal choice?" She continued on

saying "Even if we agree on the concept of married even if she realized many catastrophe or crisis, why should it remain achievements on the professional and as a girls' crisis while the young men do social scales. She expressed it as the girl not have any crisis?" She referred to the "remains incomplete" and "socially nine millions stated in the report of the blemished as if the judgment on the extent Central Agency for Public Mobilization and of success of any woman depends on her Statistics and that amongst them 3 million relation with man even in our current time." and 731 thousand are young women and Radwa Hassan, a teacher, (29 years old) the remaining are young men. Almost added another dimension to the always, attention is paid to girls taking into stereotype image. Apart from the sense of consideration the traditional concept that responsibility and social blemish, she late marriage for men is acceptable, but thinks that the woman remains for young girls, it is a crisis. "incomplete" in the light of the society even "Usually, this crisis is the girl's if she proved herself on the professional responsibility", added Hanan who and social scales. From the society's point emphasized that there is a continuous of view, the woman's role is "human tendency to portray the girl whose production and to give birth to children, marriage is delayed in a negative or while man is entrusted with innovations humiliating manner. She may be figured and inventions." If this is the stereotype out as a girl with bad relations she is afraid image on the societal level, how would the to divulge by marriage, "an irresponsible family deal with the girl who is late in girl who has many requests" or "an ugly getting married? Does the family support girl who could not attract young men her and understand the situation? Or does towards her." Hanan said these words and it agree with the society with regards to its confirmed that it is the same stereotype pressures on the girl? It is noteworthy that image inherited from generations and that situations vary based on many there is no manifest difference between circumstances. In Hanan's case, for city and village inhabitants with regards to example, her family understands the this image. matter and appreciates her desire to find a suitable husband intellectually and not Hanan emphasizes that these ready materially as Hanan asserted. interpretations for delaying a girl's marriage do not include the fact that a girl As for Injy Muhammad, a program author, may postpone her marriage because of (32 years old) her family "neither supports her desire to complete her study, finish a nor presses her, it only played the role of professional project or even to find a some one who does not care." Injy asserts suitable husband. These judgments – that the negative attitude of her family with according to Hanan – accompany the regards to the fact that she did not get woman as long as she does not get married till now has something to do with

their general objection to her life style. "It Away from the family and street is easy for you", she said it while pointing environments, it seems that the stereotype to the head veil I put on. She added "I am image chases the girl even in her business not veiled and I smoke. I put on the headquarters. Dr. Inas Abou Yusuf, head clothes I like and I indulge in continuous of media monitoring department in the debates and discussions." She said that National Women Council, stresses the fact these characteristics make her far from the that unmarried girls are usually assigned traditional, socially acceptable and ideal with as much work as possible because bride. She mocks at the regular phrases they do not bear any responsibility except published in the newspapers to search for for "work". This emphasized the notion that a bride who is "veiled, with a moderate the unmarried girl has not started her true body build, white, calm, and honors life yet. Supporting the view point of Dr. marriage life." Inas, Niveen Aziz – a public relation officer

Injy said that her style may be fearful to - (30 years old) narrated a story that some people or portray her as a "wild girl" happened to her with her boss. Before she as she put it. Yet, like all girls, she wants gets married, she applied for a vacation. to marry and she is ready to bargain or He boss replied "What are you going to do give up some of her conditions for the during it?" Once she gets married, this success of the "marriage company" as she same boss, even without a request on her expressed it. She ignored some defects in part, took the initiative of offering her to a previous husband who courted her and alleviate the work burden. As for Amirah she agreed to his request to hide some of Muhammad, – a university teacher – (33 her characteristics in front of his family years old) she talks about the such as smoking, but the project did not disappointment which haunts her succeed in the end. whenever she realizes any scientific or professional achievement because of the Generally speaking, Injy thinks that there comments of others like "You are free … is a relation between the continuance of no house and no kids" as if "all I achieved this stereotype image and the biological is nonsense" as Amirah said. nature of girls. Reaching a certain age, Regardless of the continuity of this image, women's fertility begins to weaken and Shadha agrees with Dr. Inas that the their chance to give birth retreats. She stressed that her age now does not major problem lies in the fact that no organized effort is exerted to change this include her with "spinsters" but in the past, image. Dr. Inas confesses that this it would have placed her in this category. category of girls is marginalized and that But she feels she "must move now so as to manage to give birth but with the none of the researches or reports related to the stereotype image of women dealt suitable match", as she expressed it. with it. Even if such issue is handled, it is

done in a subordinate manner within other case, its sensitivity and the conservative issues related to women. Such researches attitude of many girls in this regard or reports may just refer to the estimates restricted the chances of exposing and of the girls who are late in marriage. Dr. facing them, or showing them in a clear Inas blamed the mass media and TV manner. Moreover, they are really drama for their responsibility towards convinced with the way the society looks giving a caricature and almost always at them and that they made mistakes that negative image of the girl who is late in delayed their marriage. marriage and that they portray her as a Even Yomna Mukhtar (28 years old), the category disassociated from the society. moderator of the group "Spinsters for the She asserted that these same media sake of change" on the Facebook which apparatus are positively biased with the aims at changing the image of girls whose married woman under the pretext that she marriage was delayed on the social and is the sole model of the socially individual levels, unveils the fact that the recognizable woman. group members are eager to talk about Another proof that this image does not their psychological pains because of this receive the required attention is the stereotyping and they theoretically refuse reports issued by the Social and Criminal it. Yomna created this group after she Research Center. These reports do not witnessed the suffering of many of her refer to the necessity of treating this image friends and acquaintances because of although the Center is about to prepare a salon-based marriage and the societal study on the conditions of the youths who point of view towards their delayed are late in marriage in both sexes. The marriages. Yomna says "But when I ask condition of the popular or non them to hold a meeting to discuss their governmental communities is not better problems in a clearer way, most of them such as the New Women Community and refuse". Young Women Forum which the officials Yomna commented that abstention to assured that this issue was not previously discuss this issue is not only restricted to included in their agenda. No reports girls, but it also extends to their families. monitoring women whose marriage was She quoted one of her friends' relative who delayed were mentioned in media or in the described the group and its topic as a sort drama. of "low morals". A sociology scientist According to Wesam Kamal (27 years objected to this group and accused Yomna old), the administrative affairs official in the with inculcating the concept of female Young Women Forum, owing to spinsterhood. She advised Yomna to discrimination cases and prejudice against ignore such concept until it is no longer in women, some women contributed to use and such stereotype image changes. shedding light on this issue. But in this Yomna commented on this scientist's

words "as if spinsterhood is not an According to the United Nations High established fact." Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) the

Yomna explains her personal attitude that registered refugees in Egypt are estimated she and the other group members do not to be 45,000, the vast majority of which want to remain "spinsters" as she put it. are Sudanese, followed by Somalis and They realize that marriage is "predestined" finally Ethiopians. However, due to not and that man has nothing to do with such being enumerated there is a great destiny. If a girl's marriage is delayed, she disparity from the actual number of has to enjoy her other achievements. Such refugees which ranges from 500,000 – 2.5 convictions almost always shall not appeal million. And according to the Egypt State to the people who are of the opinion that a Information System (SIS), the cases woman's death without getting married is a registered at UNHCR only represent 10% matter which generates pity and that such of the number of refugees in Egypt. woman is directly responsible for her Heba Qasem, the executive Director of married or unmarried life. In an estimate "Refugee Center for Human Rights" which which is likely to disappoint Yomna and provides legal assistance for refugees her group members who would like to stop said, "Procedures for receiving refugees in the social punishment of the girl whose Egypt differs from those in other countries; marriage is delayed, Dr. Inas Abou Yusuf signatories to the 1951 Refugee said "It will take time to change this Convention and its 1967 Protocol stereotype image of the girl whose governing refugees reception. The marriage is delayed … it may take years." Egyptian law does not comprise an article organizing refugees‟ presence; however,

Article 53 of the Egyptian Constitution Refugees' Children: Kids with no country no shelter and no identity gives the right to political asylum. Mohamed El-Amier El-Dostor That is why the refugees children born in "I have issued him a certificate but not a Egypt were future", this is in brief the story of the not A female legal expert: Refugees' Children Sudanese refugee Hatem's Father (Abou governmental Birth certificates are ly recognized Hatem) as he issued a birth certificate for just a proof for their his son when he came to Egypt having before 2001 identity and for being him as a baby with his mother. The man - either due to alive presenting his name as such - fled his the fact that country and came to Egypt looking for a their parents do not have governmentally future to his son joining thousands of acknowledged papers or because they are refugees in Egypt who all share several late in registering due to not knowing its problems and issues that are doubled if necessity, or the UNHCR does not the refugee was not registered. approve their asylum.

Since then and after starting to give Nationality, the right to work, the right to special attention in Egypt on the academic free education, social solidarity and the as well as the right to get nutritional meals"; i.e. refugee A mother refugee: NGOs level, resettlement. Egypt is beautiful but in Heba says that fact we are not living According to the memorandum of her center started there, we are on the understanding between the Egyptian fringe to provide government and UNHCR in Feb 1954, the awareness to refugees to register their government has pledged to provide children highlighting that "Issuing a birth necessary facilitation to UNHCR to work certificate is a proof of his/her existence; and provide residence to UNHCR affiliated the identity which no person can be refugees according to current procedures. deprived of even if he/she was a refugee." Therefore, UNHCR and neither the Hatem's Father government nor the Judiciary Authority - (Abou Hatem) says, Head of the as in most countries of the world - is Sudanese Fawr "I was keen to entitled to accept refugees in Egypt. Region Children register my son and NGO: Not educating This means that Hatem and other born give him an children creates raw kids who found themselves outside their materials for Egyptian name to home countries and whose parents are extremism and make it easier for deviation aware of having to and succeed in him to cope with his registering them, eventually do not have Egyptian companions." Yet, what the the same benefits as their Egyptian Sudanese father did, has not guaranteed counterparts. They do not have the right to to Hatem the same rights and interests as enroll in Egyptian schools and here comes his Egyptian the role of NGOs supporting the immigrant companions. communities‟ children, the Human Rights Article 53 of the The Egyptian Egyptian Organizations or several churches dealing government which Constitution, “The with UNHCR office. right to political has signed the 2 Heba indicates that education offered to asylum shall be international guaranteed by the refugees' children is not real education conventions State for every because eventually it does not provide an foreigner persecuted governing the education certificate, however, there is a for defending the refugees rights possibility for getting an equivalence peoples' interests, declared its human rights, peace accreditation for Primary Education, but reservation towards or justice. The mostly parents cannot proceed till the very extradition of political 5 items of the end. As for the capable refugees, they can refugees is convention enroll their children in private schools on prohibited.” guaranteeing for condition that they first get their birth refugees; "the right to having the Egyptian certificates.

On his way from the 10th district to Sacre unavailability of formal papers which Coeur Church opening doors to several makes them revert to NGOs, some of refugees, a man in his forties speaks which provide assistance for nothing and about his six year old child saying, "Hatem the rest seek a hidden agenda." feels so happy when he goes to the educational classes in our region and Therefore, Hatem's Father (Abou Hatem) studies with our home country resident or believes it is necessary to educate his refugee children. Although I know that his child saying, "If I managed to get a studying will not qualify him to enter a resettlement permit for my family in a third university or be educationally upgraded or county, my son will need such education promoted, I believe this is better than even if little, at least I have infused the ignorance." desire for education." Ibrahim Isahaq, the Sudanese journalist who has sought asylum in Egypt since 2007, agrees with Hatem's Father (Abou What Hatem) about the necessity of providing about education to those "No access to full refugees' children childr education for en saying "not refugees children educating children pushes them to whos creates raw utilize their emery at e teenage in a way materials for parents forget or fail to register them? that makes us suffer Heba answers, "There are different extremism and later on from their deviation which in quarrels and spats”, reasons for non registry of refugees' fact happened with Heba Qasem children, either due to the fact that the some children who parents are married with an urfi contract have reached teenage and found nothing (customary contract) affiliated to their tribe to utilize their energy in except violence." and consequently it is a non binding contract in the Egyptian Government. As I He also says, "non registered refugees' previously mentioned, the Egyptian law children are located in the middle of does not comprise articles organizing the Retardation Triangle; they are mostly poor, presence of refugees and therefore we deprived of Hatem's Father referred to using the contract education and (Abou Hatem): documentation article through signatures besieged by illness Registering my son validation at the Egyptian Courts." due to unavailability dos not mean I guaranteed his of chronic diseases Although Ishaq's daughter, coming from future with just a treatments as a Darfour Northern Region has formal paper result of registered papers, her father - through his

chairmanship for Charitable Fawr Region unsettled and unstable regions such as NGO which supports the Children of his Darfour or Somalia that have suffered a lot Sudanese Fawr Tribe – has encountered from absence of a state central similar cases highlighting "Some are not government. This category has no other aware of the necessity of registration and choice but to “determine their children‟s others get bored of the long procedures." age” and according to her, "the

Heba adds, "at the beginning of issuing government is not to blame as the law of each country sets the rules for registering documents for refugees and their children, its citizens”. we faced many difficulties as the employees are not aware of the legal The third case is for the female rapped situation. Yet we started to talk to refugees‟ children. After the refugee flees specialists to clarify the situation and have to save her life as well as someone else‟s, found great understanding, leading to she finds out that the rapper will not only recruiting a new torture her with his deed but also will In 1951 Convention, employee to ravish the kid's identity. Heba clarifies, “As a refugee is any provide awareness person who, for the girl who fled her homeland after on refugees and “…owing to well being raped, her rapper‟s identity cannot their problems to founded fear of be identified. Consequently the employees being persecuted for resume will face a situation of having a child with reasons of race, cooperation to religion, nationality, an unknown father and therefore will not issue their papers. membership of a register the child; there is no way to Thus, the center particular social register him/her. group or political has succeeded in opinion, is outside The rapped mother who seeks issuing several the country of his [or resettlement in a third country will find drop out birth her] nationality and herself facing the danger of separation certificates for the is unable or, owing from her child so long as she cannot to such fear, is refugees children. unwilling to avail him register him. This sometimes pushes the The second non [or her]self of the mother to get married to a man and agree registry case for protection of that with him to register her child under his country; or who, not refugee children, name, thus the non registered child can be having a nationality takes place when and being outside issued a birth certificate. one parent or both the country of his [or According to the parents, registering the flee from homeland her] former habitual residence as a result refugees‟ children does not distinguish without issuing a of such events, is them from their companions who sought birth certificate, unable or, owing to asylum as they face the same which surely such fear, is discrimination, which made the mother we happens for unwilling to return to it.” met outside the Sacre Coeur Church children born in carrying her three year old daughter in her

hands, hesitate to speak to us and make when he talked about his wife whom, as sure to blot out her identity before he claimed, the Egyptian police had killed speaking "Even if you were the media, before her child without any reason though how do I guarantee that you are different she had a seven month pregnancy!! from those I see every day and bother my Siddiq said, "I worked in the fields of country people.” teaching and farming in Darfur, but I was The mother continued, "I always consider obliged to escape to Egypt in December, the daily abuse I face and the hassles I go 2003. Four months later, I got the status of through because of my colour, and it a refugee. Seven months later, my wife scares me to think of my child living joined me. During that period I worked in among a community that rejects her since many careers; for example, selling some being a kid. I hope we can go to another goods such as watches on pavements, but country that provides her normal rights; the municipality officials would frequently Egypt is beautiful but in fact we are not chase me and confiscate my goods. The living there, we are on the fringe.” real problem arose when the UN High

A refugee from Darfur relates his Commission for Refugees decided to attempt of escape to Israel freeze the Sudanese refugees' status in Hend Sliem El-Wafd August, 2004 after the southern Sudanese In the light of the problems they face in signed Nefasha agreement with the Egypt, many refugees may be obliged to Sudanese government that the Sudanese escape to Israel. Unfortunately, they may refugees might be prevented from entering face murder or arrest by the Egyptian the commission bureau, a matter that led border guards to start a new stage of us to carry out a sit-in before the suffering consisting commission bureau located in Al- of various aspects; Muhandeseen district from September, The police killed his 2005 until the famous 'massacre' carried for example, pregnant wife ... The th children may judiciary authority out by the Egyptian police on the 30 of become victims releases a sentence December, 2005." of imprisonment for without committing one year against The Egyptian Ministry of Interior declared any sins. him… Their child is the death of 20 Sudanese refugees during the victim… Siddiq Sahur Abakr the attempt to drive them away from Al-

Ismail, who is forty years old, is a member Muhandeseen district, whereas other of Al-Fawr tribe. He is a refugee from independent sources and eye witnesses Darfur and lives in Ain-Shams district. He estimated the number of victims as was careful to meet me provided that I ranging from 50 to 150 deaths. publish my interview with him without Siddiq added, "After ending our sit-in, I omitting any word. His words were tainted asked the Commission to allow me to with feelings of pain and anger, particularly return to Darfur to face the tragedy with

my dispersed family, but they refused my shot in head. She died while she was request and put me to the option to return asleep and had a seven-month pregnancy. either to southern Sudan or to Khartoum. I have never seen her dead body or known Of course, my fate would be obscure in where or how she was buried. Moreover, both situations as I knew nothing about the police checked us including our what might wait me in the Sudan as I women and took hold of our property. might be arrested or sentenced to death." Then, we, as well as our children, were frequently transported between the court Siddiq continued, "I found no way out and the office of the attorney general. except to escape to Israel. So, I concluded an agreement with a broker who frequently Finally, Ismailia court released a judgment of imprisonment for one year and an LE visited Ain Shams district to help me 2000 fine against me with the charge of escape along with my wife and child to infiltration though we had not reached the Israel in return for 500 US dollars. We actually drove in a car along with some borders area!!" other refugees accompanied by the broker Siddiq added, "My child, Samar who was and another man who claimed to be a 20 months old at that time spent 15 days police officer until we reached Sinai where with me in prison, but she was in a women we were taken to a civil van belonging to cell with strange women, a matter that the smugglers. We were divided into some scared her and she fell sick. She was groups to stay for two days in huts about to die, but some Darfur refugees belonging to the Bedouins there. Then, the took her and looked after her during the smugglers asked us to leave all our period I spent in prison. She suffered from belongings including our clothes under the a bad mood as she would undergo fits of claim that such action would enable us to weeping and crying, particularly during the escape the security systems camping on night." the Israeli borders. Rather, they asked us Siddiq said, "My child is 4 years old now to wait until the time suitable for escape. and she always asks about her mother Women and children fell asleep on the who was killed by the police before her ground out of extreme tiredness. At dawn, eyes. I say to her, "They killed her!!" we were surprised to find an Egyptian Siddiq then showed me a copy of his police patrol approaching us and bringing wife's death certificate issued by Salah El- our location into view with their batteries. Din Board of Health belonging to North They then showered us with shots without Sinai Governorate which reads that she previous warnings. They did not stop died at Rafah hospital because of a shot in shooting us until they had finished their head. He showed me another document ammunitions. But for running out of issued by Al-Qanater prison that proves ammunitions, they would have killed us all. that he spent a whole year in prison with My wife, Hajjah Abbas Haroun died of a the charge of infiltration.

To have a full vision about the fact, I talked to Noura Hamed who is a refugee from Darfur Refugees .. Sufferings are going on Darfur and who looked after Samar after Lack of security and shortage of health care are the most outstanding problems… Noura's husband had brought her from The law stipulates that refugees receive prison. the same treatment received by the Egyptians Wrong medical treatment Noura said, "When my husband brought Hend Sliem El-Wafd Samar from the prison, she was so sick Imagine that you live in a fragile hut amidst that I could not accompany her out of sounds of bombs and gunfire and home for a period of 3 months as she was processes of ethnic cleansing and afflicted with diarrhea and sever skin genocide and you are liable to have your allergy. She felt frightened whenever she body burnt and injected with chemicals or sat alone. Whenever she woke up and tormented to death while you know found herself alone, she would cry and nothing about your family whose members weep, so I was careful to make her sleep have fled from collective massacres and with me in the same bed." She added, you can do nothing but to run away "Whenever the child saw a woman, she leaving your family, documents and all you called her as her mum. She has called me possess just to remain alive. This is a as her mum up to now." summary of the tragedy which millions of The Egyptian police statement read that a persons live in Sudanese Darfur region Sudanese woman called Hajjah Abbas and which obliged thousands to escape to Haroun was killed and other three Egypt, but sufferings have not come to an Sudanese women and an Ivorian woman end as Darfur refugees face two main were injured while aborting an attempt of problems which are lack of security and collective infiltration through the shortage of health care. I was really international borders to Israel. The surprised to find them ready and statement indicated that the woman's dead sometimes keen to talk to me though they body was transported to Rafah hospital. might face some problems. Perhaps this The International Relief Organization reflects their awareness that their showed in its site on the Internet that the problems will not be solved by themselves police knew the location of the refugees as there must be some sort of risk. when a child from among the refugees All Darfur refugees whom I met are of the cried, a matter that led the police to shoot same opinion that they lack health care them. It also showed that the child, Samar and sometimes receive wrong medical Siddiq, the daughter of Hajjah Abbas treatment that may cause permanent Haroun spent some days in detention with physical defects and health problems, a her father in Al-Arish city. The matter emphasized by some medical Organization added that the police have documents. not made any investigations on the fact.

resulted in a permanent defect in the woman's hand and leg, a matter that led Caritas Society, registered in the Social the Egyptian Committee for Refugees' Solidarity Ministry and belonging to the Rights to raise a lawsuit against those International Caritas Organization, takes responsible for the harms that afflicted her, over the question of caring for refugees but the woman disclaimed her lawsuit after healthily and socially through a partnership the Commission had agreed to settle her between Caritas and the UN High and her family in the USA. Commission for Refugees. The Cairo office of the High Commission declared I also reviewed a medical report from that Caritas is regarded as one of the Nasser Institute Hospital belonging to the executive partners of the commission. It Egyptian government that emphasizes that gets financing from the Commission's the Sudanese refugee Hajjah Haroun budget that has reached 6934337 dollars needs blood transfusion regularly, a matter this year in return for carrying out the that Caritas Society completely neglected program with which it is commissioned, and consequently the woman was aborted but I reviewed some medical documents twice. that establish the fact that there is a clear It seems that the refugees get a common shortage of such care. impression that all surgeries carried out I met a refugee from Darfur who was through coordination with Caritas Society afflicted with a permanent defect in her end in failure. hand and leg after Caritas sent her to Mr. N. S., a man who is in his fifties and Heliopolis hospital to undergo a surgery leaning on a walking stick, says that he there. Though the husband of that woman has suffered from hemiplegia since 2006 did not allow her to talk to journalists lest and that the medical treatment he receives the procedures of settling them in the USA in Caritas clinic is restricted to some should be suspended, I managed to medicines repeatedly prescribed by review the documents explaining her doctors in vain. He adds that doctors health condition, which exist in the finally told him that his case requires a Egyptian Committee for Refugees' Rights. surgery but he fears the whole matter as These documents emphasize that this he is sure that it will definitely fail and he woman has undergone a surgery during alone will suffer from its bad outcomes. which some bones of her pelvis were CARITAS removed and then fastened on the wrist and forearm areas without getting a I gave a visit to CARITAS to inspect the previous agreement from the patient or her matter. Of course I was careful to hide my husband, a matter that is regarded as a identity as a journalist. The refugees had direct breach of the Egyptian law. been gathering in a small area in the Additionally, the surgery failed and Society located in Garden City district

since 7 p.m. and their waiting continued Caritas clinic had given the medicine to for long hours to meet the doctor. the patient without diagnosing his case!

I talked to a refugee from Darfur who was Noura Ahmad Hamed, who is a refugee a university student, but he fled from from Darfur and a housewife, says that Darfur before finishing his study. He told Caritas lacks medical requirements. She me that he underwent torment in the adds that the doctor has got nothing but a Sudanese prisons. He then uncovered his stethoscope, so he asks patients about leg to show me the marks of burning what they may suffer from and prescribes inflicted on his body that I personally got medicine for them even without telling scared. He also told me that he had been them about the nature of their illnesses. injected with unknown injections in prison, First medical center a matter that still arouses his worries, I actually gave a visit to Caritas clinic that particularly these injections led to the was extremely simple. There I saw nothing erosion of the backbone of his previous except for some simple tools such as a prison mate, who discovered later that stethoscope and a blood pressure gauge such injections were chemicals. He told (sphygmomanometer). me that he reported the whole matter to the doctor working in Caritas clinic, but the There I met the medical consultant of doctor referred him to a psychiatrist, CARITAS Society, Dr. Magdy Francis who justifying such action by saying that was extremely friendly and helpful to me. psychiatric medicine was more important Dr. Magdy said, "Caritas clinic is a primary then!! medical center equipped with primary diagnostic tools, so we can not perform I then talked to a Darfur refugee who is in any surgery or treat teeth here. We just his forties and leaning on a walking stick. examine the patients and prescribe He told me that he was injured while he medicine for them or send them to was in Darfur. He added that Caritas clinic specialists or hospitals contracting with the had given him a walking stick and some society if the case is bad. It is worth medicines, but he did not recover, a matter mentioning that Caritas pays 75% of the that led him to give a second visit to the price of medicine if it is not over 50 LE. clinic that referred him to an orthopedist. I However, some pressing cases get made an offer of assistance to accompany medicine whose price may be over 50 LE, him to Al-Hilal Orthopedics Hospital. When or instead we prescribe another cheaper the doctor examined his X-rays, he told us medicine for such cases. Also, Caritas that he could not diagnose the case well pays all the costs of medical treatment for and that he needed more X-rays and those suffering from chronic diseases. It examinations to diagnose the case. This also undertakes all the costs of treating made me wonder if the doctor working in the patients suffering from kidney failure."

Abd El-Hafez Hasan Shaayah, a social I tried to conduct a practical experiment specialist in AMERA (Africa and Middle- through accompanying the Sudanese East Refugee Association), can best refugee, Sadeq Muhammad to Al-Hilal explain the whole matter as he says, Hospital located in Ramses district. I "Caritas has a limited financial roof that is introduced him as a refugee from related to the budget it gets from the High Sudanese Darfur region who works with Commission, so it tries to manage me in an accounting office. First, the medicine economically. This means that examination tickets clerk asked for a the doctor depends on the principle of double price as a foreigner, so I told him experiment as he prescribes a medicine he is a refugee and his financial abilities for the patient without making any are limited. The clerk asked me to inquire analyses or examinations to be sure of the about the matter in the public relations diagnosis. If the patient does not recover, office where I was told that he was a the society refers him to a specialized foreigner and consequently he had to pay doctor. Also, the doctor may prescribe a double price. After long discussions, the some medicines with unknown names as public relations officer was impressed by a sort of saving money, a matter that his conditions and asked me to go to one makes the patient doubtful about the of the hospital officials who sympathized effectiveness of such medicines. with the case and phoned those Moreover, Caritas clinic does not consult responsible for bookkeeping who finally more than a doctor concerning any told him that the Sudanese are treated like surgery to be sure that the patient needs the Egyptian citizens, which means that such surgery and be sure of its side these agreements are actually carried out, effects, a matter that often causes some but the employees working in the hospitals problems." He adds, "When we have some are still in need of having knowledge about of these problems, Caritas has nothing to these agreements on a large scale so as do except for offering apologies. However, not to deprive a lot of the Sudanese the Society began to devote more patients of medical treatment because of attention to the whole matter than in the high costs, particularly that the number of past!!" refugees and those seeking political

The Sudanese are treated like the refuge registered in the UN High Egyptians Commission for Refugees in Egypt has reached 22373 persons.. The agreements signed between Egypt Street Terrorism and the Sudan stipulate that the Sudanese get the same rights of the Egyptians Darfur refugees whom I met emphasized concerning medical treatment and that there are some Sudanese armed education. gangs who attack them to take hold of their property.

Muhammad Abd El-Rahman Adam, a Simultaneously, Ahmad Badawy the board refugee from Darfur, says, "Darfur chairman of the Egyptian Committee for refugees living in Ain-Shams district suffer Refugees admitted that there are some from Sudanese gangs. Most of these Sudanese gangs in Al-Maadi and Ain- gangs are from southern Sudan and are Shams districts, who call themselves "Lost supported by the Sudanese government. Boy" and "Out of Law" and launch attacks They attack the houses of those refugees against refugees with African origins, but and take hold of their property. They are the problem is that such accidents haven armed and carry big knives. They might not been officially established yet. cut hands and legs or cause permanent Mahmoud Faraj, the manager of the team physical defects. When we reported such of communication with the society in to the police, they said, 'You all are AMERA, says that one of the functions of Sudanese and have to solve your the organization is to help the refugees problems by yourselves.'" report to the police in case they are I then went to a café in Ain-Shams district. attacked, but the problem lies in the fact It is said that the members of these gangs that the refugees can not identify the sit there. Actually, I saw some persons persons who attack them, a matter that with African features, but I did not notice interrupts the course of having an any arms with them. Moreover, I did not investigation about such accidents by the notice any marks of identification that can police. distinguish them from other African The refugees' rights refugees living in Egypt. There remains a question; what is the Also, I managed to get a video that is said legal responsibility of Egypt towards these to have filmed the Sudanese gangs while refugees? attacking the Darfur refugees. In a shot of Prof. Nabil Helmy, a professor of this video, there are some persons with international law and the former dean of African features attacking other persons the Faculty of Law, Zagazig University who resemble them. Though this shot says that we should differentiate between does not represent a hard evidence, it two types of refugees; the refugees who should not be neglected. seek refuge with the UN High Commission General Farouk Lasheen, the chief of for Refugees. The Commission is Cairo Investigation General responsible for settling these refugees in Administration, comments on these claims another country and not to leave them in with statements mixed with some Egypt. As for the commitments of the nervousness as saying, "There has not Egyptian government in such case, they been any attack and we have not received are not commitments towards the any official reports about such attacks." refugees, but towards the commission, which means that its responsibility towards

a refugee is the same responsibility that it is not ready to undertake any towards any other foreigner; for example, responsibilities for the refugees, but we the government undertakes the have to admit that those people were responsibility of treating them in some obliged to flee from murder, torment and urgent cases unless the Commission pays genocide. the costs of treating them. He adds that The African refugees on the eastern the other type of refugees refers to those Egyptian borders … escape from wars and poverty to the "deadly bullets" who seek refuge in a particular country; in Wael Mamdouh case such country accepts their request of El-Dostour refuge, they get all the rights given to the citizens of such country. He explains that The police bullets that do not care for the Sudanese refugees have a different any one whether he is a "Bedouin" or status, as they get the same treatment of an "African" and the government the Egyptians concerning medical disregard of the development of Sinai treatment or education according to generated the systematic activity of agreements signed between the two people trafficking across the Egyptian countries. With regard to those having eastern borders to the Israeli side. This refuge requests, they get the same is a daily continuous activity supported privileges of the refugees as long as the by the dollars paid by Africans which Commission or the country agrees to are the only source of income for the examine their documents. Bedouins of the border areas and its It is worth mentioning that Cairo office of tax is the intruders' blood shed the Commission says that its main role is everyday near the wired line separating confined to coordinating with other Egypt from Israel. governments to make sure that the Tens of Africans of Poverty and refugee gets protection in the hosting different nationalities unemployment country and that he will not be driven away fall every day in an make the sons or sent back to his homeland. The unprecedented of the border tribes facilitate Commission has executive partners that manner. This is no the penetration offer limited medical, financial and social more than a "cool" of the Africans support through finance offered by the number in the police to Israel … and Commission. data and the news the "random" police bullets do which unveils their The period I spent with the Darfur differentiate refugees may not exceed 14 hours over 3 killing by the Egyptian between a days, but it was enough to know a lot police bullets at the "Bedouin" or an "African" as about the matters I was ignorant of Egyptian - Israeli they kill both on borders during their regarding this issue. Many people may the border line think that Egypt has several problems and attempt to infiltrate the

borders. The trafficking of Africans deserts and borders, professional became the new source of income for the traffickers living in the middle of Sinai to a Bedouin inhabitants at Sinai border line. great number of professionals specialized This came in the aftermaths of the well in trafficking drugs and weapons who are marketed white slavery trade represented more ferocious, knowledgeable of the in trafficking Russian women from the districts and most of them were sentenced former Soviet Union to Israel across in absentia with imprisonment for years Egypt. These women were used to work in more than their expected ages by doubles. Israeli prostitution networks. This activity Some people attributed the reasons for the took place in the nineties of the last increased shootings of the African century till Taba bombings in 2004. These infiltrators in the last months to the operations stopped to pave the way to the exaggerated security measures and the Africans trafficking operations. The policemen's rush to randomly shoot bullets difference this time is that the police at the borders without warnings. Yet, it bullets were never directed to the should not be disregarded that the prostitution Mafia at borders, but they are expansion of the trafficking operations in currently directed to killing tens of people great numbers and the appearance of new from Black Africa in which poverty and civil categories of Bedouin tribes at the borders wars are abundant. caused the increase of such shootings at In spite of the fact that there is no African infiltrators on the borders. difference between the trafficking of "White Slavery" and that of the "Africans" except Khalil Jabr, one of the inhabitants of in the color of the skin and the motive Sheikh Zuwaid border city and the behind this trafficking, the middleman is independent researcher on tribal affairs, the same and the roads and passages of said "All of Sinai economy is now built on trafficking are the same in the two cases. trafficking to and from Palestine". Jabr The major difference is that events stressed that the attitude of Sinai escalated suddenly in the recent years inhabitants with regards to trafficking that witnessed the events of firing bullets people is a natural reaction to the randomly at several infiltrators in a semi- governmental carelessness and the daily routine. This escalation took place exaggerated security measures against after the Bedouin inhabitants at the border Sinai and its inhabitants especially in the line began to depend on the trafficking of border line area. He added that "it is not Africans as a source of income and after reasonable that the government makes a new groups of tribes took part in this security siege around the inhabitants of "game". Therefore, the traffickers now vary Sinai, ignores to provide them with the from some ordinary young men who are level of services they need and does not experts in the roads and passages of provide them with job opportunities, and it

expects them to starve without making any of the tribe and buried their corpses in a protest." dump near the borders next to "Al-Azarek"

Before trafficking Africans, Sinai border police station. The Tarabeen discovered that and their rage erupted. They besieged village inhabitants also suffered because the police station and detained 25 of the repeated random shootings that reached their peak in 2007 when the policemen but the officer who shot the police soldiers fired at two persons of the three young men fled away immediately after this event Sawarka tribe. This tribe influence extends between Rafah and Sheikh Zuwaid border After a series of intermediations and cities. The two tribe men were killed near negotiations and before events escalate one of the ambushes that were spread at more violently, the Tarabeen ended their the roads leading to their village close to set-in stipulating the same conditions; not the border line. This event caused Al- to arrest people randomly, not to expand Sawarka rage and they made a sit-in near the arrest campaigns on innocent tribe the barbed wires separating the Egyptian men, not to shoot Bedouins randomly and borders from Israel near "Karam Abou to set a trial for the officers and soldiers Salem" passage. They were centered in responsible for killing the Tarabeen men. 20 kilometers along the south of the Yet, these promises were not fulfilled in passage directly at the borders. The any of these two events. None of those Sawarka condemned the police random who shot the Sawarka or Tarabeen men shootings of the tribe men. were set in a trial till now despite the power of the two tribes and their influence Following the interference of some tribal in Sinai eastern border area. This really nobles, the Sawarka ended their sit-in on condition that the security bodies promise unveils the bad conditions of African immigrants who are killed daily at the not to repeat such events, release the tribe borders and whose blood is shed in vain men who committed no crimes and to set without punishing those responsible for a trial for the officers and soldiers responsible for killing the two Bedouin that. The tribes neither protect them nor ask for revenge and the police do not young men. After the Sawarka ended their punish their killers. set-in, some of these requirements were fulfilled. But the police again shot two of The African infiltrators across the borders the "Tarabeen" tribe which is located in the with Israel belong to several African middle of Sinai near one of the police countries the most prominent of which are ambushes in the middle of Sinai. The the Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Tarabeen went to the border line as the Somalia. The conditions of these Sawarka did. They made a two day set- in infiltrators vary, but their fates are similar. but it was more violent. The police The infiltration trip ends in one of two retaliated by killing some more 3 persons options; the most optimistic one is to

peacefully end in passing to the other side which secures a source of income which where there are dreams of affluence and enables them to lead a decent life on a noble life while the other option starts with new land. Even the financial aids provided the random police bullets on the borders by the Commission are very minor and and ends with the African infiltrator in Arish they could not enable the refugees to or Rafah Hospitals either injured or continuously pay the rent of a simple murdered. house in a poor Cairo district. In addition, it is impossible to find job opportunities for It is surprising that a remarkable those refugees in a country where the percentage of those African infiltrators are refugees in Egypt. They came into Egypt number of unemployed people ranges between 4 and 5 millions as per the through various means and they escaped statistics of the Information and Decision from the dangers threatening their lives in Support Center of the Egyptian Cabinet. their home countries, especially the refugees from Darfur in southern Sudan, The deteriorating economic conditions of the Eritrean youths who deserted military the Sinai people – especially the Bedouins conscription and the Somalians escaping of the border line – are similar to the from the civil war. Most of these refugees conditions of the refugees and illegal fall under the umbrella of the United African immigrants. Such conditions led to Nations High Commission of Refugees in creating a seemingly balanced alliance Egypt. They are either actual refugees which depends on mutual interests. In the who carry the "green" refuge card or they light of such alliance, the Bedouins utilize are on the waiting list and carry the the Africans and consider them as nothing "yellow" card which indicates that the more than a bunch of dollars. The Bedouin Commission is still researching whether trafficking in Africans through the borders the refuge conditions apply on them so as only takes into consideration the agreed- to include them with more than 43 upon amount. He never cares for the thousand people who are either refugees safety of the infiltrator and he leaves him or refuge applicants. at the nearest inlet which may allow him to cross the borders to the other side. The Most surprisingly is that a large Bedouin returns home and leaves the percentage of those infiltrators have green infiltrator whose fate relies on his ability to cards which means that they fall actually under the umbrella of the Commission. pass through the borders before the border guards see him. If the infiltrator This also indicates that they should enjoy managed to cross the Egyptian borders a series of privileges which their before the guards see him, he will save his counterparts who are not under the umbrella of the Commission or those who life. Otherwise, death shall be his fate. are on the waiting list will not have. Yet, It was not easy to contact the traffickers of such refugees do not find a job opportunity the Africans and gain their trust to know

the details of the death journey. Yet, the The traffickers unconsciously talk about mediation of some of the tribe men in the some "black goats" they have for "sale" border area extending from Rafah to and they mean the infiltrators who wait for Sheikh Zuwaid cities and the blood an opportunity to escape through the area relation which ties them with some extending for 70 kilometers between Al- traffickers enabled us to make an Contilla and Wadi Al-Amr. This area has interrupted contact with some of them. bumpy and mountainous features which Hence, we moved to the border area of facilitate infiltration through its border wire. the villages Shabanah and Al-Mahdiyyah The prices of trafficking Africans vary where the African infiltrators are received according to their nationalities. Trafficking in one of the Bedouin houses scattered a Sudanese from Sinai to Israel costs throughout the border line or in the straw- between USD 1000 and 1500, and the made "huts" which are one of the most Eritrean USD 2000, while it increases in prominent signs in the area. The African case of the Nigerian as it reaches USD infiltrators arrive at these huts after a long 2500 or 3000. The rate of infiltration journey through abrupt, bumpy and ranges between 1000 to 1500 infiltrators unpaved desert routes coming from the per month. Within the past months, it western bank of the Suez Canal whether reached 10.000 infiltrators per month. they originally came from Cairo or the We must have an expert in the area routes deserts of the Red Sea Governorate after to lead us through the extensive desert they infiltrated through the borders at lands without causing any troubles to the Halayeb and Shalateen. At the end and trafficking gangs which interests intersect after a long journey, the Africans stay at and which impose their dominance over these temporary hideouts until it is the whole area. A person belonging to one possible to take them to the border inlet of the famous tribes in the area must through which they will infiltrate. accompany us to secure our march and "The black goats" is the common name of help us avoid any harm by traffickers if the African infiltrators usually used by the they discovered our identity. He would do traffickers. This is more of a description so under the pretext that we are his guests than a nomenclature. The traffickers are of and to avoid falling under the sovereignty the opinion that the Africans are nearer to of the martial law which governs frightened young goats whether while they everybody here. As a matter of fact, our wait for their fate in the pre-infiltration journey started near Shabanah village in hideouts or while they are in the rear box foot and we walked for more than two of the four-wheeled vehicles used for hours during which we covered a distance transporting them through the desert of more than ten kilometers. As soon as bumpy routes to the safest place near the we reached the eastern outskirts of the border point from which they infiltrate. village, our relation was completely cut off

with the Egyptian mobile phone We continued moving towards the border companies. We were surprised with the wire and walked through totally unpaved Israeli network Orang on our cell phones. roads and out of any security control. We Thus, the domain of the Egyptian networks arrived at one of the active trafficking came to an end. This was confirmed when areas and a number of 4 4 cars, the international code 002 preceded each accidentally, appeared on our way without Egyptian number I tried to call. traffic plates and their backs are covered

Then, we knew that the traffickers of the with thick linen fixed by ropes. My Africans use the Israeli Orang lines that companion said that these cars belong to are difficult to be traced by the Egyptian traffickers who escaped from side or satellite-based Thuraya cellular imprisonment in absentia sentences and phones according to their ability to they are living in these rugged desert organize the communications between roads and at the same times are involved each other after making amendments to in many activities related mostly to their phone so as to operate "without trafficking. lighting LCDs". This is because most of In our way towards the borders, we their infiltration operations are made at encountered many cars loaded with fuel night and the lighting LCD may be seen at and goods heading to Rafah which is not many kilometers distance. My companion much far from the area under the told me that the traffickers began to protection of small 4 4 cars to arrive at disable the cellular phone LCDs after a their destination in the Palestinian Gaza policeman shot dead one of the traffickers Strip though the tunnels. My companion in the head after locating his place through disclosed to me the secret behind the the light of his cellular phone LCD. detection of many African infiltrators and their vulnerability to police shots. He They also use signs and descriptions of confirmed that at the beginning the their own to locate the infiltration area infiltration operations were limited and the without being discovered by strangers such as "coils" to indicate the border traffickers were securing the infiltrators until they reach the other side of the barber wire (the description came from the borders and then get back to their places. shape of the wires that are coiled around But with the expansion of the infiltration themselves) and the sign "010" which means that crossing will be near one of operations and the increase in the infiltrators' numbers, the traffickers were the control points neighboring a well forced to get the African infiltrators to the known telecommunications tower on the nearest inlet in the borders and ask them boundary line as well as many other phrases no one can understand or to cross quickly and get back to their places and they may be detected and shot interpret but themselves. by the Egyptian policemen.

In our way, we approached some drove us to the nearest inhabited area to bungalows made for the reception and our starting point at Shabanah village. gathering of African infiltrators before I was able to make short interviews with trafficking them and no one knows that many Sudanese nationals who are living in there are infiltrators inside for there are Sinai and we were surprised to know that many people in the bordering zone who some of them are refugees registered in reject the idea of trafficking Africans this the UN Commission. One of them named way. Therefore, some tribe men keep "M" talked about the killed persons, the silent with regards to those who are Sudanese nationals in particular, on the working in trafficking Africans as a borders and confirmed that the profession and a source of living to secure government notifies the Embassy with any their lives. Those persons resort to killed person if identified, but the Embassy smuggle a small group of infiltrators or does not care in most cases. Instead, the refugees every month to the other side to Sudanese nationals living in the area take secure appropriate source of living. But at responsibility, driven by humanitarian the same time, they endanger the lives of feeling, bury their dead bodies after the the infiltrators as they only get the government abandoned them. "M" added infiltrators to the borders and they either that he himself buried some murdered cross to the other side or shot by the persons in Al-Arish and Sheikh Zuwaid police, if the police reached their first. cemeteries. One Sudanese refugee, who We reached a bordering zone near Karem buried some murdered persons, added Abu Salem crossing point and my that in most cases their injuries are serious companion pointed to the border inlet and are concentrated in the upper parts of through which Africans infiltrate. This is the body and this indicates that the the nearest and most dangerous inlet. shooter's target is to kill the infiltrator not to More professional traffickers who know the obstacle him. He asked why the shooter area well use other inlets located to the did not shoot him in the leg or otherwise south in the most rugged and least arrest him?! And he confirmed that this is secured area that are graduated in terms an inhumane conduct, of weakness till the Contilla area in central Sudanese nationals who are living in Sinai. We get back through the same way Sheikh Zuwaid told about their colleague which is not marked by any signs or Yusuf Mohamed who lived with them in features except those known by our guide the city as a refugee for more than 15 who move as if the place is full of road years before being frustrated because of signs. After an hour or more, while we the absence of stable living resources. were walking we met a 4 4 car and it This is because most of the Sudanese seems that the driver knows the guide and nationals are working in unstable handicrafts such as construction and

painting on an irregular basis. They infiltrators' bodies confirm that they were affirmed that Yusuf tried to infiltrate across randomly shot and sensitive parts of their the borders at the end of the last year but bodies were targeted. The young he was killed and buried beside his physician, who belongs to a well-known colleagues who were unidentified in tribe in Northern Sinai, blew up a surprise Sheikh Zuwaid cemetery. that the injured persons are heavily

The shooting was not denied only by the guarded and chained with steel chains in their beds while receiving their treatment. Sudanese nationals but also by the "If the person is injured in the hand, he is inhabitants of Sheikh Zuwaid who accidentally watched the injured persons chained from the leg to the lower pillar of the bed and if the injury is in the leg, he is and all of them confirmed that all these chained from the hand to the upper pillar persons were shot in deadly parts of the of the bed", he added. body. Mohamed Al-Meneiy, a human rights activist and a member of the Another physician in Al-Arish Public Democratic Front in Sinai, added that the Hospital, in which there were 4 dead policemen shoot the infiltrator without a bodies of unidentified African infiltrators in prior warning indicating that they have the last two months, affirmed that the instructions to set fire at suspects who heavy guard continues until the injured approach the borders. Al-Meneiy surprised persons are completely recovered before us with his statement that the soldier who they are removed by the Northern Sinai kills an infiltrator is rewarded by his Security Directorate and here, the hospital seniors and is given a leave from service. has no relation with them.

Al-Meneiy said "None of the shooters were It was supposed to meet a group of presented to trial although many of them infiltrators near Al-Mahdiyyah village which kill the infiltrators intentionally instead of is located between Rafah and Sheikh arresting them". "These incidents indicate Zuwaid after a mediator paved the way for that there are clear and explicit the meeting with them while they are at instructions to the policemen in the border their traffickers' hideout without points to randomly shoot the infiltrator photographing or recording. But without without trying to arrest and present them knowing the place of the meeting where to a fair trial according to the Egyptian they are gathered, I had to go alone on the laws and not to kill them in this inhumane way leading to the village. But my way", he added. companion in my journey in Sinai rejected

A young physician in Al-Arish public the idea and warned me against their hospital, who described the injures of the reaction if they suspected my identity or if they have fears that I may betray them African infiltrators as "deadly", confirmed and tell the security, and he asked me to the above statement and added that the injuries type and number of bullets in the

go with me as a warrantor as he is one of in the evening of the same day. And the the tribe men and to ensure may safety. traffickers agreed at the beginning to meet

But the traffickers totally refused the idea me but they had only few hours to cross the borders shortly before the start of the despites the attempts made by the football match between Egypt and Algeria mediator who paved the way to contact them at first. The matter was ended with which dominated everybody's concern. He refusal and the traffickers allowed me to affirmed that the police opened fire on the infiltrators and shot Samuel, the Eritrean, talk to two infiltrators by phone. I talked dead, the person who refused to talk to me was an infiltrator named Abd El Malek who is a Sudanese national and the Eritrean and the police injured two other persons while 4 persons succeeded in crossing the Samuel according to their statement. I borders to the Israeli side. asked the first person about the reason that made him endanger his life and may lead to his death and he answered me that Jehovah's Witnesses, Adventists and he faced death at the hands of the Plymouth Brethrens are Unwelcome Sects Emad Khalil Sudanese army in the south but he Watani survived and then he moved to Egypt with He answered me in extreme anxiety a number of his colleagues and that the saying: "where did you obtain my phone absence of living resources in Egypt number?" This was the answerer I means death for him as well. He said "If I received from one of Jehovah's Witnesses succeeded to cross the borders, I will have followers after I succeeded in getting his an honorable life, but if I failed, this will be phone number and expressed my wish to God's unavoidable will". However, Samuel meet him to understand the problems he is was so cautious and talked with me facing because of his belief. After he nervously and confirmed that he has no insisted not to declare his name or confidence in journalists and that his life or workplace due to security reasons, I death is not a concern to me but my only agreed to his request after I convinced him concern is to have news precedence. He that my purpose is not to criticize him but I affirmed that he is not willing to talk with just want to explain the facts. He preferred me before he left the phone to the not be known and said: "I don't know the mediator who told me that the call is reason for this hatred expressed by the ended and he closed the line. Christian sects towards Jehovah's Witnesses. This is our free belief and we don't seek to induce others as claimed by After my journey has ended and shortly the leaders of the other sects. My relatives after my arrival at Cairo, the mediator who and friends know that I'm a Jehovah's prepared for the meeting told me that the Witnesses follower but the lies and half group which I was supposed to meet and facts make people loathe us and link us talked to two of its members has infiltrated

with international Zionism especially in an Iskandar, the secretary of the Adventist Arab society that is very hateful to any Copts in Egypt who said: "the word Zionist feature". The physician denied the "Adventist" generally refers to someone claims that they don't pay taxes saying: "I who believes in the Second Advent of have a special registered clinic and I pay Jesus (popularly known as the Second taxes on a regular basis and fulfill the coming) and this is not a novelty but it is duties and responsibilities towards the rather a correction of the Christian belief state of Egypt as I am Egyptian up to the that exists in the Holy Bible (the New pith. But as for our rejection of blood Testament and the Old Testament) and transfer, it is a doctrine in our belief and I we are officially recognized in Egypt not as attended a world conference in Italy one of the sects but as a movement for supporting the idea that using blood correction and revival of the Right. It is like alternatives is much better than blood an oil field that is discovered; and this transfer. I hope that people leave us live in does not mean that the oil is newly peace as we do no harm any one and all invented, rather it existed a long time ago we do is to follow a belief that we think it is and is recently discovered. We share the the right one. "We believe in God basic Christian doctrines such as the Almighty, Jehovah, who arranges for sacrosanct trinity (the father, the son and everything and the Creator of the heavens the holy spirit), the revelation of the Holy and the earth. The complex-designed Bible and the Redemption doctrine by the miracles of the universe are in themselves redeemer Jesus Christ. However, the a logical evidence on the existence of an differences are man-made and many intelligent and very omnipotent creator. claims about the Adventists are half facts Similarly, as the deeds of people reflect and are completed with other artificial their character, the deeds of Jehovah halves such as the claims that we sanctify reflect His qualities. The Holy Bible tells us Saturday and tend more to Judaism than that: "For the invisible things of Him from Christianity but the truth is that we are very the creation of the world are clearly seen, devoted Christians, have faith in the Holy being understood by the things that are Bible (the New Testament and the Old made, even his eternal power and Testament) published by the Bible Society Godhead; so that they are without excuse" of Egypt, we call our place of worship a Romans 1:20. "Church" not a "Synagogue" and our

religion in the ID cards is "Christian". We sanctify Saturday not as a Jewish trend On the other side, reaching the Adventists but instead as a commitment of a divine sect was much easier. At first, I asked for doctrine of the Ten Commandments of an appointment to meet one of the God revealed and delivered to Moses (to Adventist Copt officials and there was a whom God spoke). So, why do we neglect quick answer and I met the priest Anwar this commandment and stick to the other

nine ones? In the New Treatment, the other narrow minds that reject us and Christ called himself the Lord of Saturday refuse to marry from our girls. I consider as he said: "For the son of man is Lord that this is a right decision because even of the Sabbath day", Matthew 12:8. marriage is based on mutual thinking. We have 20 churches all over the

governorates of Egypt and they are I said to him that Pope Shenouda III, Pope Egyptian national churches and we do not of Alexandria and the Patriarch of the See practice terror, violence or intimidation to of St. Mark considers that the Adventists attract anyone of the other sects as we who believe in the second coming of rely on the freedom of choice by way of Jesus Christ and his stay in Jerusalem are convincing. I personally have an not Christians for many of their believes experience in this respect as I was raised stem from Judaism. He added that they in the Evangelical church and during my are not also Jews but they only believe in youth, I believed in this doctrine and the the Jewish doctrines. The Pope affirmed sanctification of Sabbath. Although my that Egyptian children of non-orthodox family was open minded but they and my mothers must not be deprived from friends rejected my new belief. But due to Baptism and Eucharist rituals in the my concern with the satisfaction of God, I Egyptian churches indicating that those resisted this rejection and that helped me children in this case are not responsible to endure any resistance of rejection from for the fathers' sin of marrying from outside others". the sect and the Middle East Council of

Churches rejects the dialogue proposal of the Adventists in 1989 as the council As regards the Plymouth Brethrens, it is a considered them as non-Christians. protestant sect with a limited number in Egypt. I discover by chance that one of my Anwar Iskandar answered me concerning friends, a journalist, named Emad Habib is the rejection of the dialogue saying: "every church or council is free to accept the a follower of this sect who said that "the Plymouth Brethrens entered Egypt in 1885 others and such rejection of dialogue is and they do not believe in the priesthood. not a disgrace for us but it is instead a source of pride. And this shows that we They have no problems in terms of are ready to communicate with others and marriage because they often marry from inside the sect and reject the orthodox they are free to consider us as non- marriage and reject marrying from other Christians because even these decisions issued by the council are not a decisive sects. They prohibit TV watching, ask judgment on our credibility and the Holy women to cover their heads when entering the church and prohibit make-up for Bible is our source of the right and the women as they believe it is illicit. They are wrong. Concerning cooperation, there are always opened minds that accept us and about 10.000 people and they have 20

servants in the churches all over Egypt and exotic doctrines such as marrying and their gatherings are mostly one's mother, sister or other concentrated in upper Egypt especially unmarriageable relatives. The aims sought Asyut and Minya in which he was born. by the international Zionism through its Marriage is consummated inside their different organizations are: churches by the servants through prayer, 1. The establishment of the State of Israel preaching and documentation like any in Palestine and taking Jerusalem as a traditional marriage". capital from which they reign the world

On his side, priest Refaat Fikry, member 2. The elimination of religions by the of the Evangelical Synod and shepherd of propagation of rebellion and insurgence the Evangelical Church at Ard Shereif in among the believers and religious leaders Shubra, said:" the Adventists is a sect 3. To drive away the role of governments recognized by the state but for us as by: Christians, we do not recognize them like Jehovah's Witnesses because their a-Exciting and feeding the spirit of thoughts tend towards the Jewish doctrine revolution and rebellion among the to the extent that Jehovah is the name of working class against the government God in the Old Testament. Therefore, they b-Provoking internal tumult through the are rejected by all Christian sects. Any incitement of sectarian, racial or way, they have the right to survive, exist, ideological tendencies and believe but have no right to be These Zionist organizations follow secret considered as Christians as they adopt and serpentine methods in terms of false and destructive thoughts such as the finance and bringing money from the USA. prohibition of blood donation and that Using the same methods, the Zionist Christ is archangel Michael. If the church organizations hold their secret meeting welcomes dialogue, it will be with away from sight and observation and use ecclesiastically recognized sects and the same methods adopted by secret consequential requirements in terms of bodies such as the formation of cells, rejecting marriage from all sects shall be irregular venues for holding the meetings, taken into consideration." and sneaking into houses and societies. Priest Morkos Aziz of the Virgin Mary These organizations have special bulletins Church of the Orthodox Copts in New and regular reports circulated to the Jersey in the USA said: "The aid provided members and they have their secret codes by the Adventists and Jehovah's in communication and correspondence. Witnesses to the poor should be refused In this respect, a magazine affiliated to because such aid is the way to hell and one of these organizations "Watch Tower" they demolish morals and virtue by indicated to that issue saying: "with such spreading the doctrine of nudity, atheism parable and simile, the report passed the

watch circles and no one could notice the expresses this fact "step by step, the eye real intended meaning". So, We ask them; of people, men and women who have if they are really honest people who work righteous hearts will see the effects in the public, strive to spread an honest religions have introduced in the world such and upright message and if they advocate as chaos and disturbance". They do not sound doctrine and honest principles, why abstain from explaining this object. do they feel afraid? And why do they have Christianity did not come to incite seditions recourse to fraud and eluding from and rebellion but instead it taught us how watching? They feel sinful and they are to be good citizens. It taught us not to afraid from the consequences of their resist dominant rulers because this is actions and, therefore, work in the ranked by God. So, we have to submit to darkness. These societies include: any man-made arrangement for the sake of God. It taught us "Submit yourselves to Jehovah's Witnesses, the doctrine established by Charles Russell late in the every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as past century in parallel with the birth of the supreme" 1st Peter 2:13. It, therefore, Zionist movement. "Jehovah" is the commands us to cooperate with them and Hebrew name for "God". This movement is a Zionist extremist group that distributes that the spirit of love and fraternity dominates. We pray for them so that God its venomous publications, exotic shall bestow them with wisdom and instructions, heterodoxies, deadly heresies uprightness. (1st Timothy 2:1, 2 and 4) and destructive principles. Therefore, we warn the sons of our beloved nation from This was the opinion of the Coptic these wolves who are in sheep' clothing. Orthodox church, and the Catholic Church My aim is to find out the reality of this agreed with that opinion as represented by group and other groups in order to be Rafik Grish the official spokesman of the aware of their intentions and so as not to church who affirmed the above point of be deceived by their sweet talk or think view. We tried to explore the secularist well of brilliant names that hide the worst Copts' point of view who object to some intentions behind. systems in the Orthodox church. We received a reply from Kamal Zakher the Jehovah's Witnesses society made the coordinator of the secularist trend in the demolition of beliefs and religions at the top of the tools they use to realize their Orthodox church who said: "the Adventist Brethren are Egyptians of full citizenship ends and complete their message and, and they have the right to embrace any therefore, they criticized them all and belief they choose and we, in turn, have described them as being apostasy, aberration and they are eventually apt to the right to refute any beliefs they call for which are in contradiction with the three evanescence and disappearance. Their sects of the church in terms of the nature book titled "God is truthful" in page 27

of Jesus Christ, the second coming and As regards the social dimension, we the day of judgment and these matters are cannot necessarily accept marriage with dealt by many Coptic writers and his them for the future consequences on the holiness Pope Shenouda III. family and because my belief is very clear

For Jehovah's Witnesses, they interpret concerning the nature of Jesus Christ and Christianity based on a Jewish this stance cannot be renounced as this background and thus, they interpret the means the abandonment of the Old Testament prophesies literally in a established beliefs. I think that the manner that contradicts with the spirit of intellectual consistency is the basis of the New Testament. They also share building a stable family. intellectually with the heresies of the Ecumenical councils which were refuted by reason and divine evidence.

About the Media Diversity Institute

What do we do? The Media Diversity Institute (MDI) works internationally to encourage and facilitate responsible media coverage of diversity. It aims to prevent the media from intentionally or unintentionally spreading prejudice, intolerance and hatred which can lead to social tensions, disputes and violent conflict. MDI encourages instead, fair, accurate, inclusive and sensitive media coverage in order to promote understanding between different groups and cultures.

The rationale Although the media often aggravate divisions in society, exclude moderate and minority voices, and foment conflict, they also possess an enormous capacity to contribute to the solution of these very problems.

People experience diversity in many ways: race, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religious belief, age, income, and so on. Diversity can inspire social and economic progress, vibrant communities, and a richness of life. All too often, however, diversity engenders inequality, discrimination, suspicion, repression, and violent conflict. Journalists and media organisations hold a unique power to shape our experience of diversity. Through their actions, they can help promote understanding, or they can exacerbate divisions among different groups and cultures.

How do we do it? MDI applies a comprehensive and holistic approach of engagement, education and training of all the actors in society who can influence media coverage of diversity. These include: media decision makers (owners, editors, & managers); journalists; journalism academics & students; civil society organisations (CSOs) concerned with diversity issues; and governmental & intergovernmental organisations. MDI employs the following means in order to achieve its goals:

Media decision-makers conferences bring editors, managers and media owners together to explore the importance of good diversity coverage for the societies that they serve. Journalism workshops provide theoretical and practical training for journalists on covering diversity, minority and human rights issues. Strengthening community media organisations through providing education and training in all basic aspects of running a media organisation. Introducing Reporting Diversity courses into journalism schools and faculties. Providing media relations and advocacy training for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on how to use the media to overcome negative and inaccurate portrayals of their communities. A wide range of manuals and resource materials are produced and published by MDI. Conducting research and media monitoring studies to identify problem areas and recommendations for action. Running the Global Media Diversity Network (GMDN), made up of like minded organisations. Provision of a web portal which includes news and resources, plus networking, blogging and debating facilities, for those involved in the media & diversity field.

Where do we work? MDI has worked in Western, Eastern and South Eastern Europe, the former Soviet States, West Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, and South East Asia.

More information www.media-diversity.org