Tag: protests

Mansoura-España workers on STRIKE

Posted on By 3arabawy

250 workers from the Mansoura-España Garments Company went on strike an hour ago, after the security banned Adel Hassaballah, the deputy head of the Factory Union Committee from entering the compound. The trade unionist had been fired earlier by the United Bank, charged with allowing journalists into the factory to speak to the workers.

UPDATE 9:30am: A number of the strikers are leaving the factory, on their way to demonstrate in front of the Daqahliya Province Governorate HQ in Mansoura

UPDATE: 12noon: Central Security Forces surrounded the factory. State Security officers are threatening strikers with arrests.. Fire truck opened water canons on the strikers.

UPDATE: 5:30pm: I was out most of the day, but I’ve been twittering the strike. I hope you were following my Twitter account. The strike was suspended under pressures from the police and labor ministry officials. The troops siege was only lifted when the workers were allowed to leave the factory compound by 4pm.

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.

Labor updates

Posted on By 3arabawy

Alsharq Alawsat Land Reclamation employees are protesting now in downtown Cairo, Abdel Khaleq Tharwat Street’s intersection with Champollion, in front of the Arab Investment Bank, which owns the company. The workers haven’t gotten paid their salaries for three months, and the bank has been stalling their bonuses and grants since 2004.

UPDATE: Photos and report available on Tadamon.