Mansoura-España Updates

Posted on By 3arabawy

I spoke with two workers today in the factory.

The security guard at the company gate, whose name is Yasser, will be punished by the management for “allowing journalists into the factory” and for refusing to testify against a colleague accused by the management of letting the workers out of the warehouses exit, after the management tried locking them up inside the factory. They will deduct 10 days from his salary.

Mohsen el-Sha’er’s saga continues, while it seems the management has halted its earlier move against the four other workers.

There was production yesterday in the company as an order for 1,600 pieces of garments came through. The workers complain since the brokering of the agreement last year (which was betrayed by the United Bank), the management did not seek any new clients for the firm and the total time spent in production amounted to one or two months out of the entire year. Prior to 2006, the workers say the company used to produce 6,000 pieces of garments a month to client around the world, including the US.

27 June: Rafah Solidarity Protests

Posted on By 3arabawy

I received the following announcement from the Gaza Solidarity Campaign…

On June 19th a ceasefire was called into effect between Gaza and Israel. Demonstrations of solidarity with the people of Gaza and the humanitarian crisis they continue to face are planned for the weekend of June 27th.
On June 27th, demonstrations will be held in Rafah City—both the Palestinian and Egyptian sides of the city—to show solidarity with the besieged people of Gaza. We call on international human rights activists, Palestinian rights organizations, and people of conscience around the world to organize parallel demonstrations on or near June 27th, alongside the demonstrations in the divided city of Rafah.
The siege was imposed by the Israeli government in June 2007 upon an economy already strangled by over a year of sanctions. In the past year, it has resulted in the repeated denial of vital medical access, severe food shortage, and strained supplies of food and electricity. It has rendered Gaza a virtual prison, and collectively punishes its residents in clear violation of international and humanitarian law.
Moreover, the European Union and the governments of Egypt, Israel, and the United States have defaulted on their obligation to enable and facilitate the flow of people through the Rafah border crossing, making us complicit with the deadly campaign waged by the government of Israel.
Please gather in your own city or town to say to your government “Not in my name!” and show your solidarity with the imprisoned people of Gaza.