Category: Blog

Mubarak’s pigs disperse 5000 desert oasis protesters

Posted on By 3arabawy

From AFP:

Egyptian police used tear gas on 5,000 residents of a desert oasis on Saturday protesting a government decision to redraw provincial boundaries to their detriment, a security official said.
“About 5,000 protesters took to the streets, shouting and burning tyres around Bahariya,” west of Cairo, the official said. “Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. At least 15 people were detained.”
People were angry at a presidential decree on Thursday which “moved” them from Giza province to its poorer southern neighbour, Minya.
They will now have to travel up to 600 kilometres (372 miles) for government services in the city of Minya, instead of around 300 kilometres to Six October City in Giza.

SF Public Service Announcement: Help Save Rent Control April 25th!

Posted on By 3arabawy

St Peter's Housing Committee Campaign Leaflet

No on 98!
Yes on 99!
Help Save Rent Control April 25th!
The Apartment Owners Association (AOA) has contributed over $200,000 to pass Proposition 98 in California. If Proposition 98 passes, members of the AOA will profit from the loss of Rent Control and Just Cause.
On Friday April 25th, from 10am-12 noon, the AOA will conduct a workshop at the Oakland Airport Hilton to teach landlords how to EVICT tenants.
The AOA is a landlord group calling those that oppose Proposition 98 “Terrorist” and in their literature they state, “It’s a War to eventually make rent control and eminent domain illegal!” (AOA Website)
We are seniors, families, tenants, and working class people fighting for our right to Rent Control, and we will be there to let the AOA know we are united AGAINST Proposition 98!
Friday, April 25, 2008
9:00 AM-11:00 AM
Sidewalk in front of Oakland Airport Hilton
1 Hegenberger Road (cross street Doolittle Dr)
There will be shuttle between Coliseum BART and the action site.
For more information, please call St. Peter’s Housing Committee at 415-487-9203 or Just Cause Oakland at 510-763-5877
For more information on No on 98 please go to www.saverentcontrol.net or www.No98Yes99.com

An open letter in support of Mahalla’s workers and community members

Posted on By 3arabawy

If you are in the Bay Area, please join us today 10am in front of the Egyptian Consulate in San Francisco, to protest the Dictator Mubarak’s atrocities in Mahalla… The consulate is located: 3001 Pacific Avenue (at Baker St.)

To: Abderahman Salaheldin
Consul-General of Egypt in San Francisco
We, the undersigned, are writing to express our grave concern over the recent events centered in Mahalla, Egypt.
In response to their desperate situations, workers and community members have protested to demand better living and working conditions.
We are writing to protest the severe repression of these demonstrations, including the occupation of Mahalla, mass arrests and detention of workers and community members across Egypt, and the shooting and killing of at least two people. Reports of ill treatment and torture of detainees are very disturbing and raise concerns about the violation of basic human rights. Also of great concern is the arrest and detention of foreign and Egyptian journalists.
In order to prevent any further loss of life, and to begin to address the legitimate demands of the Mahalla workers and those who have responded to their actions across Egypt, the Mubarak government must stop this violent repression immediately.
Along with thousands of supporters across the world, we call for immediate release and amnesty for all detainees, and investigations and justice for those injured and killed during the demonstrations and subsequent repression.
Sincerely,

Individual Signatories:
Chen, Jia Ching… University of California, Berkeley
Clinton, Maggie… GSOC-UAW Local 2110, New York City
Damluji, Mona… University of California, Berkeley
Dayaneni, Gopal… Movement Generation, Oakland
Gonzales, AM …Planning for Elders, San Francisco
Goodwin, Owen… Campaign to End the Death Penalty, Oakland
Lin, Thung-Hung… Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Liu, Shaw San… Chinese Progressive Association, San Francisco
Poblet, Maria… St Peter’s Housing Committee, San Francisco
Ryan, Shawna… San Francisco City College
El-Hamalawy, Hossam… University of California, Berkeley
England, Jenna… University of California, Berkeley

Organizational Signatories:
Arab Resource and Organizing Center, San Francisco
Chinese Progressive Association, San Francisco
POWER, San Francisco
SOUL, Oakland
ISO, Oakland