Comments on: Mahalla Updates: Troops step up presence; Labor organizers under govt pressure; FACTORY TO STRIKE 6 APRIL; SOLIDARITY NEEDED

By: Rowan

Rowan — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:31:46 +0000

My fellow bloggers,
I must say,the recent events have troubled me,but my delight has been greater.
I am an Egyptian,although I have lived a mere quarter of my life in Egypt.I have despaired long ago from the situation in Egypt,for I grew depressed and miserable thinking about the injustice and poverty that Egyptians live through.

What has always pained me the most is that I felt like I could do nothing about it,like nothing will change the situation except something with the size of the French Revolution.

The past couple of days’ riots,protests,public disobedience….it has affected me differently from everyone else.The general public is horrified and anxious, but to me this is the first light of hope.It’s not going to be easy getting rid of this regime and establishing a more democratic one,but I’m SO GLAD that we have finally realized that this abuse cannot go any longer,that WE MUST DO SOMETHING,instead of being intimidated by the government’s threats of arrests and torture.Freedom is worth it,and I am incredibly grateful that Egyptians have finally come to realize this.

I wish I could take part in these riots,to feel like I’m part of the fight,especially since the center of the outrage is my own hometown,El Mahallah.But I am as far away as can be,both physically and practically.

Hossam,thank you,thank you,thank you for the constant updates.They are amazing in their details and consistency,which I haven’t been getting enough of from the news reports.Truly,I thank you.

By: mado

mado — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 14:54:30 +0000

التصميم وصل يازعامة علي فليكر

By: Hossam el-Hamalawy

Hossam el-Hamalawy — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 10:55:16 +0000

Amr:
Thanks for your feedback. While I don’t dismiss the importance of the cyberspace as a means to disseminate info and organize, I firmly believe unless you have a network of activist on the ground a general strike cannot be successful. We are a nation of more than 75 millions.. if you want to bring the production to halt, you need a national network of activists rooted in the workplaces to do so.. the internet can be of help, but there have to be the “human resources” on the ground who would agitate for the action, debate skeptics and encourage initiatives..

Alex:
Thanks for the kind words. Nothing “legal” I’m aware of.. But there will be a protest in Cairo’s Tahrir Sq Sunday 11am and a series of protests in other provinces too
https://arabawy.org/2008/04/05/mahalla-updates2/

THR:
Please do! We need to spread the word about it in the Lenosphere and the independent media, coz we cannot fully trust the mainstream media to continue covering the event.. also we need letters of support..

Mostafa:
تلاميذك يا زعامة

Mado:
قشطة

Sursock:
Do you think you can get us some statements of solidarity from Lebanon and Britain?

By: Sursock

Sursock — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 08:38:55 +0000

I agree with you. H. I worry about “proclamations from above” as if some general was ordering his army into battle.

A general strike is one element of the transformation of political and economic struggles onto a higher stage. It is part of mass strikes, local strikes, political and economic struggle that weave in and out of the working class.

It cannot be any other way.

By: mado

mado — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 02:29:41 +0000

انا جهزت بوستر جديد علشان المحلة وكمان شوية هيبقي علي فليكر يا زعيم

By: mostafa

mostafa — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 23:47:42 +0000

الله ينور يا زعامة وتكمل على خير شد حيلك

By: THR

THR — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:53:44 +0000

I will try to raise the alarm in the antipodes

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:53:40 +0000

This is one of the best research and insight articles I’ ve ever read and has taught me a lot. Now I should like to know whether there are some (legal) meetings/conferences (be it at the American University) concerning Mahalla/the workers’ movement here in Cairo which could be of interest for “foreign” activists like me? And maybe there is some delegation which will drive to Mahalla? I haven’ t found an event calendar or the like yet.
Last week I attended to the I’ tl Conference on Zionism where activists of the workers’ movement were present. Apart from the scheduled meetings in two Cairo Universities I haven’t found anything. Could anybody give me some hints?

By: Amr

Amr — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 23:37:12 +0000

Good write, H. You should be putting more effort into lengthier pieces like this one more often.

One thing: I would not dismiss cyberspace and communications as much as you have, however. Regardless of what their original intentions and motivations, web and media creatures do become facilitators of real efforts,and you are only one example.

Or speaking about my experience, such web action and the little street action to go with it will help radicalize yet more individuals, or to say the least, help them see they are also a part of the problem, that the best they can do is to publicize and support grassroots actions.