Category: Blog

Tora cement: Labor strike continues, hunger strikers taken to hospital

Posted on By 3arabawy

The Tora Cement workers strike enters its fifth day, as negotiations continue with union leaders on their hospital beds. Muhammad Abdel Monsef, the union leader at the factory, together with his deputy Muhammad Ramzi, and two other union officials, Shaaban Ezzat Abdel Qader and Karam el-Sayyed Allam–all have been on a hunger strike since 1,000 workers laid down their tools and stopped production at the Tora Cement factory, demanding their 4.75 months bonus from their Italian management. The recent offer from the management to pay 3.5 months was turned down by union leader Abdel Monsef as he was transferred to Salam Hospital. Abdel Monsef denied, in an interview to Al-Masry Al-Youm, the false statements by the Italian management which claimed workers receive monthly salaries of LE4,500 on average. Abdel Monsef said his fellow workers were receiving between LE1,000 and LE1,500 a month.

Photo of Muhammad Abdel Monsef, Tora Cement union leader who was transferred to hospital, following his hunger strike. Picture taken by Amr Abdallah

Kefaya denounces MB arrests

Posted on By 3arabawy

The security crackdown against Muslim Brotherhood leaders and student activists is the beginning for a wider crackdown on all forms of dissent in Egypt, Kefaya said today in a statement. The movement extended its solidarity to the Islamist opposition, warning the country’s political forces not to get distracted by side battles. “No matter what was said about the Azhar students’ actions… it is the regime and its security services who are the real criminals,” the statement charged. “The security services ceased protecting ordinary citizens and have become solely devoted to protecting the ruling regime. This regime mobilized its forces to smash peaceful protests over the past two years. This regime unleashed thugs to beat and kidnap peaceful citizens from the streets in April and May 2006 for their solidarity with the judges. This regime used thugs to prevent the opposition of winning in November 2005 parliamentary elections. This regime openned the doors of Ain Shams University for thugs, and stormed Cairo University few weeks ago. This regime has adopted arbitrary detentions and torture as a rule, not an exception.”

It is this regime that all should unite in confronting, the statement asserted, calling for the release of the detained MB Azhar students.

Police raids NGO office in Qalyoubia

Posted on By 3arabawy

Egyptian police raided today the office of a NGO in Shobra el-Kheima, and tried to seal it with red wax, acting on orders from the Qalyoubiya governor who accused the NGO, Ahalina, of “inciting riots.”

Ahalina has been lobbying the governorate to introduce basic facilities like sewage and clean water to the slum dwellers and squatter settlements in Qalyoubia.