The European Investment Bank and the African Development Bank are brewing plans with the Egyptian regime to destroy Nuweiba’s coral reefs.
Tag: environment
Protesters say Agrium plant is like Nazi gas chambers
From the Daily News Egypt:
A protest and lecture held in Cairo against the Agrium plant in Damietta turned into a harsh critique of the regime which approved the project.
Opposition members likened the crisis to the gas chambers of Nazi Germany.
“It is a regime worse than the Nazi gas chambers. It is a regime which causes the death of the innocent and destruction of the land for this generation and the next one. It is the execution of the Egyptian state,” said Deputy Chairman of the Tagammu party Abu El-Ezz El-Hariri.
Damietta residents traveled to Cairo at the invitation of the freedoms committee of the Journalists’ Syndicate to protest the continued presence of the Agrium petrochemical plant in the tourist resort of Ras El-Bar, despite the decision by the People’s Assembly to relocate the plant.
Protesters first gathered on the steps of the syndicate in front of a security cordon and chanted slogans against the plant, indicating in clear terms that for the people of Damietta, it was a matter of life and death.
“Stay away from us you thieves; all we have left is air and water. The government says Amen to thieves and the corrupt,” the protesters chanted.
After the protest, a lecture was held on the fourth floor of the syndicate to debate the issue as a wide array of speakers were given free reign to discuss various other issues.
“We are not just in solidarity with Damietta, but with all Egyptians,” El-Hariri said
Fear of escalated response in Damietta over Agrium plant
From the Daily News Egypt:
Members of the People’s Assembly (PA) and local leaders of Damietta have warned of a possible escalation in residents’ response to the continued presence of the Agrium nitrogen and ammonia plant near Ras El-Bar resort.
Although the PA had decided to remove the plant from Damietta, the plant site still remains, much to the ire of local residents who want the plant removed immediately.
“People will wait until the end of the month and if the plant isn’t moved they will take to the streets, but in a much bigger way than in the past,” leader of the local opposition to the plant Nasser El Emary told Daily News Egypt.
Independent MP Omran Megahed told Daily News Egypt, “Expect anything [if the plant remains] and any result will be the fault of the government. We are trying to calm people down and urge patience [but] I see a lot of people that are willing to risk their lives fight this. If you are killing us and our kids then our lives are forfeit and it no longer matters.”
Megahed feels that the government is postponing the relocation of the plant.
Additionally, Emary said that Agrium had hired a public relations firm to promote the plant to the residents.
Megahed said, “What is clear is that the government is beating about the bush on the PA’s decision. It seems the government will do what it wants. I submitted a questioning to the Prime Minister [Ahmad Nazif] in parliament about this and the lack of consideration they are showing the people of Damietta.”
He added that MPs of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) met with people from Damietta and told them the plant will not be moved.