Happy New year #2014

Happy New year 2014

I am praying for real that 2014 will be better than 2013 for real , for Egypt and for Egyptians who deserve the best , who deserve freedom , democracy, social justice and above all real justice.
May Allah bless the souls of Egypt's martyrs in 2013 , the bloodiest year of them all.
 

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Our own NSA scandal

 Instead of speaking about the global NSA scandal and how the United States spied on our communications in Egypt hoping that our current government would do something like other governments when it claims independence and bravery against the U.S , we find out that our phone calls leaked and aired on air on TV.

In the past three weeks , Self claimed TV host, Islamist movements specialist and well known State security writer Dr.Abdel Rahim Ali has been airing phone calls recorded in 2011 for prominent activists that played a role  in the 25 January 2011 revolution on Al Kahera Wal Nas TV channel in order to expose them as fraud and prove that the January 25 revolution was a Muslim Brotherhood Global Conspiracy. It is not a big secret that the TV channel of Advertising tycoon Tarek Nour is a Pro-Mubarak police channel and  it is not a big secret either that Abdel Rahim is connected to state security.

Nothing in the calls aired on Al Qahera Wal Nas is truly scandalous or shocking or even surprising as some claim and act accordingly lately in a silly way. For instance from two days ago one of the audio leaks is for activist Asmaa Mahfouz asking another activist she knows whether they found her file in the State security after its storming in March 2011 just like thousands of Egyptians who asked their friends who were in the capital of hell in that night. People now are acting as if they did not know that the State security was allegedly stormed in 2011 by the approval of the army.

Still the Mubarak orphans and those longing for the old good days of the police state are doing a big fuss about and using it to hit those group of activists. Amazingly that group of activists currently under the fire of Abdel Rahim Ali is the same group of activists that had been groomed by the media right after the revolution in January 2011 and were crowned as symbols of the revolution just like Tahrir square. I hate to say that I wrote before this was going to happen.
They are also the same group of activists that have been widely criticized by other revolutionaries for not being revolutionary enough like for instance Mostafa Al Nagar and Ahmed Maher.

Now I do not care much about the content of these calls leaked on TV as much I care the privacy and legal status of such act.In any other respectable country an investigation should be opened on who recorded these calls for what reason and whether it was recorded legally “Court or prosecution's permission” or how it was aired like this is.

Abdel Rahim Ali claims that they were recorded by the orders of the prosecution and yet he fails to answer on how they are leaked and why they are aired this on air. Did the Egyptian general prosecution order them to be aired like that !? In March 2011 after the so-called storming of the State security supervised by the army "that collected all the documents from the good revolutionary youth then" , former minister of interior El Eissawy claimed that there would be no more illegal wiretapping anymore and no one would spy on the calls and emails of the activists except by legal warrant.

Ali is acting like a brave man knowing the legendary Egyptian deep state is going to save him but realistically speaking he can face a jail sentence over his actions. I do need to speak about the legal responsibility of Al Kahera Wal Nas.  By the way Abdel Rahman Youssef , Ahmed Shoukry and Mostafa Al Nagar declared that they were going to take a legal action against him and the channel

In respectable civilized country , Mobinil “Orange” , Vodafone and Etisalat need to explain on how the calls of their clients from Pro-25January revolution political activists were tapped and aired on TV like that. Of course their CEOs think they are in the safe side because of the current regime but you know nothing is forever and one day they will pay the price and it won’t be good for their image whether locally or internationally. 

Of course the Pro-Police/Military state people are cheering for this ignoring the fact that they can be next even after decades."It will happen I am sure because I believe in Karma now".
 I do not speak about the human rights and law to those people because they won't listen and refuse listen. Those people ironically were mad on how the MB used allegedly to spy on the phone calls of the officials in the State !! Ironically indeed.

I know it can be hard in a country like Egypt where the majority of people have been oppressed for years to know that no one has the right what so ever to record or spy on people's personal telecommunications without court's permission or the general prosecution's permission. They are giving up essential right but part of me can not blame them when I see the amount of fear and spread in the media. The people should know that there is no use in a weak state that breaks and misuse the law in order to get back at its opponents , it is a failed state.
And yes January 25 revolution is being attacked and fought cyrstal clear by the approval of the current regime.

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#EgyGraffiti : The City lady

And here is one of Egyptian graffiti artist Keizer’s latest graffiti painting : The city lady. I call her the city lady but Keizer called her “Set El Settet” which means in English “The lady of ladies”

By Keizer

It is so beautiful and true. Here is what Keizer said about on his official Facebook page.

This piece is dedicated to our working class women that make our daily lives in Egypt possible.
To the beautiful hardworking mothers, bawabas , cleaning ladies ,cooks, farmers, nurses, maids, vegetable vendors and the like.
This one is for you. Thank you .

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Ansar Beit Al Maqids : The real Terrorist Group stands up

Some tweep said that militant Jihadist Ansar Beit Al Maqids group was jealous from the Muslim Brotherhood as the later was designated officially as terrorist organization by the Egyptian government on Wednesday despite the Sinai militant group claimed responsibility for the bombing of Mansoura security directorate and so we had Thursday’s Nasr city homemade bombs.
Of course no one has claimed responsibility for the bombs of Nasr city which injured 5 citizens badly yet.
Well the Sinai based militant group whose operations shocked the Egyptians whether in Sinai or Cairo or Ismailia or Mansoura  released a new video representing themselves to the public again as if it feels offended on how it was ignored by the government.
It is typical Jihadist video , the narrator speaks in Non Egyptian accent Classical Arabic and if I am not mistaken he is not an Egyptian. You got the same rhetoric of Jihadists that considers the army as infidel and agent.

Ansar Beit Al Maqdis’ message to the Egyptian people

Interestingly there is a historical mistake in this video that the army used to launch campaigns against Jihadists during the time of Mubarak , well according to my knowledge it was the police as the army was not allowed to go that deep in Sinai in this way. The video claimed that Beit Al Maqids used to blow the gas pipeline in Sinai during the time of Mubarak , again as far as I know it started to blow up on a regular basis in 2011 after the revolution. 
A friend of mine also noticed that the verses of the Quran read in the introduction of the video was actually related to praying teachings in war time not actually Jihad related verses.
Some experts in Islamist and Jihadist groups say that this was one of the weakest videos ever produced by the notorious group.
The militant group started to target the army and police after what they called “El Sisi’s coup”
The video allegedly also accused Morsi of not raising the Islamic banner slamming the Muslim Brotherhood and Al Nour party , I am not surprised actually because in the end Ansar Beit Al Maqids is a Jihadist group that considers anyone that gets engage in the democratic process an infidel.
The Pro-Military supporters and media claim that Ansar Beit Al Maqids is a MB subsidiary. There is no official proof about this except bunch of untrusted statements and leaks about prosecution’s investigations in our mainstream tabloid media.
It is more complicated than that from I read , heard and know about that group from experts in Sinai affairs and Islamist movements. Even the possible relation between that Salafist Jihadist group with the Brotherhood is complicated as you can see in the video.
Personally I believe that it is not about the Muslim Brotherhood or Morsi’s presidency or even about Rabaa massacres’ victims just it is not about the struggle in the occupied territories in Palestine.
The Pro-Muslim Brotherhood supporters and media claim that Ansar Beit Al Maqid is a fake group created by the army and intelligence to justify the crackdown against the Islamists , it is not.
Ansar Beit Al Maqids group is a real Jahidist militant group and unfortunately Siyad Qutb’s radical bloody though plays an important role in its doctrines. Unfortunately the radical doctrines and thoughts of Qutb are finding their way among the Islamist youth which no longer believe in democracy.
Of course the Muslim Brotherhood leaderships whether inside or outside Egypt “the free or detained” can end the argument of the MB and Ansar Beit Al Maqids by issuing an official statement condemning and attacking the actions of that militant terrorist group explicitly.  
Speaking of Ansar Beit Al Maqids , I can not ignore how TV channel and News website Sada El Balad claimed that the Sinai based militant group declared on twitter that it was not responsible for the blast on Thursday. Luckily the website showed a screenshot for the alleged tweet and account and so as social media junkie , I went to check it. I did not expect to see twitter’s blue verification sign and I did not expect either to see a private account !! Oh yes the alleged Ansar Beit Al Maqids’ account on twitter is private except for few including the journalists in Sada El Balad news website and channel !!
Using bad Arabic language that does not suite an ultra-conservative Jihadist Salafist group , the account amazingly says that it is an official page for Ansar Al Maqids but it follows them !!!!!
By the way there are no rebels in Sinai , there are radical Jihadist groups. Yes there are human rights abuses in Sinai and yes we need news policies whether security policies or political policies to save Sinai before it is too late but there are no rebels in Sinai. Unfortunately the people of Sinai are stuck between a government that does not learn from its mistakes and heartless terrorist group as well smugglers and arms dealers.
What I see now that the army is achieving victories for extremely high price “ its relation with the locals in Sinai” versus the terrorists whose operations reached to the valley boldly. I do not know anything but I would say we need a new intelligence plan that minimizes casualties as well human rights abuses and yes you can achieve it.
In real civilian democracies all the officials responsible for national security , terrorism , intelligence and defense are seriously questioned by the parliament’s national security committee whether publicly or secretly in order to see the progress of the counter-terrorism operations and how effective its progress is.
Since August 2012 and the murder of our soldiers and even before that the locals in Sinai were warning from the Salafist Jihadists but no one was listening. We need to know what happened since August 2012 for real , I do not want lies and cheap propaganda. I know I speak in vain but it is better than being a silent devil if you know what I mean.
As long as there is no true accountability , we will never admit our mistakes or even try to mend them.

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The Last Tweet of #Chatah

This is the last tweet by former Lebanese minister Mohamed Chatah on twitter , just one hour before his assassination in Beirut in another huge explosion that rocked the city earlier this morning.

#Hezbollah is pressing hard to be granted similar powers in security & foreign policy matters that Syria exercised in Lebanon for 15 yrs.
— Mohamad B Chatah (@mohamad_chatah) December 27, 2013

The last tweet just one hour before his assassination.
The more moderate people are killed and forced to shut up , the more  radicals flourish. A fact we know in the hard way in the Middle East !! 

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#1954Redux : Muslim Brotherhood is officially a terrorist organization

And so the Egyptian government today has designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization officially. It is an official administrative decision based on article No.86 from the Criminal law about terrorism.

The government says that it took this decision after knowing that the MB stood behind the bombing of Mansoura directorate , the bombing which Ansar Beit Al Maqids claimed responsibility today !!! There has been no official direct connection proven so far between the MB and the Sinai based Salafist Jihadist to convict the MB for real in front of law.

It is worth to mention also that on the night of the bombing almost all TV shows and figures urged the government to declare the MB as a terrorist organization , in fact on the same time it was claimed that PM declared as a terrorist organization. There was a huge pressure on the government for real to declare the MB as a terrorist organization but I am afraid that the government shot itself in the foot.

Terrorism won’t stop by this decision.

How are they going to apply it with millions of supporters or hundreds of thousands of supporters in Egypt !? There are no real lists for the MB members so yes it will be fun days of arrests for anybody with no rights at all without the permission. Those are arrested can stand military trials. If any officer opens his fire on alleged terrorist , he won’t be punished because he is fighting terrorism.  The law does not stop here it extended to arresting those who promote the organization through writing , oh yes a witch hunt against writers and journalists !!

It will be one hell of challenges for human rights activists who are currently under fire from both sides.

Of course tonight Ahram stopped the printing of Freedom and Justice Newspaper daily officially. There is noting about the Freedom and Justice Party by the way. I do not know what its status would be.

Now there is one interesting fact here is that this is an administrative decision issued by the Prime minister which can be appealed and overturned by the administrative court. Knowing this from legal experts and lawyers , I can see that this decision can not be used as a card by the regime in the negotiations with the Muslim Brotherhood to lower their demands. After that MB won’t negotiate on reinstating Morsi but rather to remove its name from the terrorist organizations list.

This decision is actually another life kiss to the Muslim Brotherhood just like the Rabaa Massacre. The MB had one hell of year in the spot light as political power and party operating no more underground made the Brotherhood for the first time since 80 years lose its public support in a way like no other.

Now the MB is back to its comfort zone , the underground zone where it remained most of its existence , where it flourished and spread.

Both the deep state and Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt need each other for survival.The deep state needs the Muslim Brotherhood as the scary bogyman and the MB as I hunted above needs such regime to live and survive as a victim as usual. 

By the way the rapid rise and fall of MB in two years is scary as well that déjà vu and replay of our history , it is more scarier if I am say because if we are today  reliving

The fools are now repeating automatically online and offline that Nasser’s policies were successful and managed to end the Muslim Brotherhood but Sadat revived it back .. etc.

Well those fools do not know that the thought of the MB abroad in Egypt spread more than Nasser’s Pan Arab Nationalism and what resulted it from Siyad Qutb’s thought and books now changed the world in the past 30 years for real unfortunately in bad ways. Those fools of course are the same people who see El Sisi as the reincarnation of Nasser.

The policies of Nasser , the security oppressive policies did not stop any MB though from flourishing in fact I would dare and raise the bars those radical oppressive policies gave a golden opportunity to the radical oppressive thoughts of Siyad Qutb specifically to spread.

I am afraid we have tried the security solution alone in the past and it did not work not to mention that the mentality of those are currently in control of this country is the same like in the past , in fact they are faithful students so I do not expect any success. We are repeating the same mistake.

The terrorism won’t be stop , in fact I am afraid it may increase especially that the MB youth now think that the days of Sayid Qutb was right and democracy is wrong .. etc. The thing is we did not try all the ways to choose that bloody way.

Anyhow what is scary also is the amount of the public mobilization led by the media in Egypt against all the Muslim Brotherhood members and supporters. Yesterday the TV guests and columnists in Egypt were speaking about death squads to kill the Muslim Brotherhood and their supporters.

Today the TV hosts were cheering for how the angry mob in Mansoura went madly destroying shops , companies , clinics , pharmacies and even houses allegedly owned by Muslim Brotherhood members. Online campaigns spread by the Pro-Military supporters to report any Muslim Brotherhood member or supporter to the authorities !! In Mansoura they hanged a banner calling the MB as Egypt’s Jews !! Of course it is anti-Semitic rhetoric but what I see in front of me a scary fascism.

Needless to say it is getting dangerously out of hand and one day people will regret what will happen thousands blaming others unfortunately and not blaming themselves.

In the end of the day I remember what a wise man had told me yesterday when I asked him about the current situation in Egypt that the revolutionaries are stuck between the old regime and the MB , the biggest two powers in Egypt whose fight weakens the revolutionaries. It is true especially that both powers that are actually anti-revolutionary. 

By the way now sports journalists from the Mubarak era are urging the government to enlist the ULTRAS groups as terrorist groups.

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Merry Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas for everybody celebrating it in Egypt and outside Egypt. There is nothing better than Banksy’s Christmas card this year. It says a lot. It says all.

Well we are having one of those sad Charlie Brown Christmases if you know what I mean in Egypt.Somehow I feel this painting represents the revolution that is barred from freedom , democracy and above all life

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#EgyConstitution : “No”as an answer is not an option for real in the Constitution referendum

You vote won't make a difference in the Constitution "Keizer"

From three days ago in the news : The arrest of a leading MB member for printing a “NO for the Constitution” flyers in Damietta.
From two days ago in the news : The governor of New Valley Governorate “A former army major general” says that anyone who dares to spread the “No for Constitution” posters in the governorate will be arrested in accordance with the law !!!!! Man I wonder if a governor in time of Morsi dared to say this , how the media reaction would be and I find myself saying that we are living in a world full of hypocrites.
Moatez Abdel Fatah, the famous political sciences professor turned in to a media celebrity says that even if the people vote “No” in the constitution , the state will make it “Yes” in some public lecture !! He added that some people may accept what used to happen in time of Mubarak just to make sure that the Muslim Brotherhood won’t return back.

Moatez Abdel Fatah : Even if people vote “No” , the state will make it “Yes”

Banners on October Bridge : Say yes to the Constitution. This is is besides it is signed “People who love their country” so the indirect message sent here is that those who will say No to the Constitution do not love their country. TV ads say that we should vote yes to the new constitution to defeat Muslim brotherhood , terrorists, Turkey and the Universe.
Constitutions are not made to defeat nation’s enemies for God sake !!
Anyhow it seems that the government or rather regime won’t take NO for an answer for real !!
Government and ruling regimes of this country should know that there are “Yes” and “No” answers in referendums for a certain reason and that they should prepare specific scenarios. Of course I am speaking about real governments that believe in democracy and act according to it. Governments we have not seen so far in Egypt !!
During SCAF , we had to say yes to the constitution 71 amendments referendum otherwise we would be infidels “P.S the Felol voted Yes too because SCAF was marketing Yes strongly”. During Morsi , we had to say yes to the new constitution otherwise we will be infidels. Now in 2013 or rather 2014 we have to say yes to the newer constitution otherwise we are traitors.

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Huge explosion hits Mansoura security directorate

Huge explosion has hit Mansour late night from a short time ago. The explosion was heard all over the city and even rocked the houses.
The explosion was too strong that it affected all the buildings in the area for radius of 200 meters according to the eye witnesses. At least 3 are reportedly killed and 50 have been injured. The numbers can increase. I am praying that it would remain like that. Updated at 1:38 PM:  The MOH stated the death total increased to 13 and the injured increased to over 100. It is like a war scene now in Mansoura.
The right part of the security directorate was collapsed. In fact from the photos tweep Ahmed El Shabrawy there is huge destruction as it turned out that this area got lots of old buildings there.

This is the second time a bomb attack would target the security directorate there. It is the largest so far in Egypt.
No one has claimed responsibility so far.
Of course people on twitter sitting on their asses from their homes and even from outside Mansoura as well Egypt are spreading their own analysis who stood behind the attack ad why just one hour after it takes place.
Needless to say, the Muslim Brotherhood is the primary suspect especially some claim that the decision to freeze the assets of more than 100 NGOs in Egypt on Monday most Islamist NGOs is the reason why.
Some claim that the revolutionaries are behind this because they were exposed of receiving foreign money .. etc.
The Muslim Brotherhood supporters are claiming that businessman Naguib Sawiris is behind the blast with his so-called “Christian Militia”
Some say that it is a bombed car while other sitting on their asses copying pasting from each other claim that there were three bombs !!
Yes all this has been said on the Egyptian social media in less than two hours after the blast.
Of course seeing the amount of damage in Mansoura , I would say that this had been planned for in advance from more than a week for instance. It is not something you decide on the same day.
The Muslim Brotherhood is denouncing the attack and so on but no one is buying it. Now TV channels are calling for the complete execution of the MB. 
To be honest I am thinking of Ansar Beit El Maqdus , the militant Salafist Jihadist group in Sinai. Already their operations reached to Cairo so I won’t be surprised that they are standing behind this attack.
May Allah bless the souls of those who were killed tonight and bring peace to the land of Egypt.
Another sad night , they are too many in the past months.

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Links and Notes 12/23/2013

• http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Security-Watch/Backchannels/2013/1222/.UrgdyL0hiJU.facebook

  It is the revolution that is eating its children like dear Wael Eskander said. 

  tags: #DWC #LN Egypt Activists Apri6Youth

• Chilling Pictures Taken By The Teenage Photographer Who Was Killed In Syria

  Photos taken by late 17 years old photographer Molhem Barakat

  tags: #DWC #LN Photographers Photos Syria Reuters

• Good-bye, Bassem | Mada Masr

  Good bye Bassem Mohsen :(

  tags: #DWC #LN Egypt Activists Suez

• Dark Days in Egypt - NYTimes.com

  And the editorials began to speak about those dark days in Egypt following the sentence to jail #Jan25 activists 

  tags: nytimes #DWC #LN Egypt Activists Apri6Youth Trials

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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The #Jan25 now in Nutshell : Sunday The 22nd

Early Sunday  : Cairo misdemeanor court sentences April 6 leading figures Ahmed Maher, Mohamed Adel and revolutionary activist Ahmed Douma to three years in jail and a LE50,000 fine each on charges including organizing illegal protests and attacking security forces at Abdeen Court.

Veto Gate : Douma , Maher and Adel chant down with the military rule after the verdict.

As a reaction the April 6 Youth movement announced that it withdrew from the roadmap. The revolution way Front announced that it would organize a stand tomorrow in solidarity with the revolutionary activists standing trials including those three.
Of course April 6 Youth is now in a very critical position considering the fact that it is being defamed 24/7 in the media as the MB’s civilian secular undercover movement and how it is a foreign funded movement…etc. No much sympathy when you are defamed 24/7 in the media and all people are attacking you.
Felol and Pro-military tweeps and Facebookers are extremely happy for this verdict as they see it the start to the end of those “25 January dogs” who are trying to bring down the state. 

 It is first stage sentence which means that there could be an appeal. Nevertheless it feels bitter , too bitter to be exact. It is worth to mention that it is the first in a series of upcoming trials Jan25 Non Islamist activists are standing including Alaa Abdel Fatah’s trial in front of the criminal court and Mahinour Al Masry and Hassan Mostafa’s trial in Alexandria.
Sunday Afternoon : Suez activist Bassem Mohsen died in hospital  in Cairo after being shot Friday in the clashes between the Pro-Morsi supporters and security forces.

Late Bassem Mohsen

Late Bassem Mohsen in the true manifestation of the Egyptian revolution. One of the unknown faces that went on 28 January 2011 in search for bread,freedom and social justice. The young man lost his eye in Mohamed Mahmoud clashes in November 2011 during SCAF. In early days of Morsi’s rule , he was facing a military trial in Suez. In late Morsi’s rule Bassem Mohsen protested against the Muslim Brotherhood and was one of Tamaroud’s local leading members in Suez.
On Friday he was shot and of course the MB and security forces are exchanging accusations on who killed that young revolutionary. Bassem was transferred last night from Suez to Cairo in extremely critical condition because there was not a neurological surgeon there. In the way the ambulance found that they forgot the blood packets needed for Bassem’s surgery back in Suez and people demanded online for blood donations.
Today Bassem Mohsen died.

Bassem yesterday in the ICU just like Jan25

 Bassem Mohsen is the true son of 25 January revolution .. and Egypt , the Egypt that devours its children.

Late Sunday The presidency assigns a fact finding committee for violence since 30 June 2013. Photos circulating on Facebook and twitter for 2014calendars and agenda where the 25 January 2014 is officially considered the National Day for Police. Back to back , nothing about that protest in Tahrir from 3 years ago that turned in to uprising then in to a revolution that inspired other countries.
I do know how or what to say except next 25 January 2014 , it will be very hard just like today.

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Links and Notes 12/22/2013

• Chatting with Two Exiled Dissident Bahraini Politicians | VICE United States

  Do you remember the protests in Bahrain ?? and the activists there ?

  tags: #DWC #LN Bahrain Activists

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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Links and Notes 12/21/2013

• Two Egyptian liberal parties announce merger - Egypt - Ahram Online
  I want to laugh really !! You know we got a proverb in Arabic about how two losers unite and it suites those parties.
  tags: #DWC #LN Parties Liberals Egypt
• Who will be Egypt's next president? - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online
  The big names suggested so far
  tags: #DWC #LN Egypt Presidency ElSisi Mansour Moussa Sabahi
• Morsi referred to Egypt criminal court in prison escape case - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online
  Interestingly that they bring this up when actually he was approved to run for presidency in 2012. I think all the security apparatuses in Egypt should stand a trial for letting him to run and win the elections then !!
  tags: #DWC #LN Morsi MB Politics trials Court Egypt
• Senior Morsi aides transferred to Cairo prison; charges yet to be filed - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online
  Both of Morsi aides were in custody since July 3,2013 by the way.
  tags: #DWC #LN Egypt Politics Morsi MB Court trials
• Bradford synagogue saved by city's Muslims | UK news | theguardian.com
  There is always hope for coexistence
  tags: #DWC #LN Religion Islam Judaism UK

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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The Time for Kolena Khaled Said Facebook to be active

Since last 3 July 2013 and the famous Kolena Khaled Said Facebook page has not been active. Since then its admins have not posted a single post.
The last post in the page was the statement of General Abdel Fatah El Sisi on that day

Throughout the page you will know that it was supporting the protests on 3 July 2013. Till this day nothing has been published including some clarification from the admins of the page , at least the main admins “ Wael Ghonim and Abdel Rahman Mansour” to explain the situation for the 3.6 million subscribers of the page.
The page actually still attracts subscribers up till now.
Personally I know that Abdel Rahman Mansour is currently studying abroad and Ghonim is back to his work in Google. It is not a big secret that both Mansour and Ghonim were and have been accused of being MB members just like in the early days of 25 January revolution.

Ghonim protesting in 25 January 2012 protests "Georgia"

Despite Ghonim publicly supported 3 July 2013 yet he has been accused by the same old Pro-Mubarak/ of being a secret Muslim Brotherhood member and that he is currently attacking the Egyptian army abroad.

The evidence they are using to frame the accusation is an old video for Ghonim filmed during the SCAF where he urged that SCAF should handover power quickly for the sake of Egyptian army in English mistranslating it in Arabic to make it as if he was inciting against the army.
That video and wrong translation were aired on Rola Kharsa’s TV show on Sada El Balad. Amazingly Kharsa was a BBC correspondent and her husband was the head of Egyptian National TV bureau in London and yet she accepted to show that old video claiming to be recent one with wrong translation !! I believe Ghonim should sue her and her channel for defame.
Anyhow Ghonim is no longer the Google Golden boy as he used to be called in the local media. It is like back to back still there is nothing new about that. He has been always attacked and accused of being a spy in the past 3 years.
The last Status Wael Ghonim left in his twitter account and on his official Facebook Page.

وعدت فأخلفت وأقصيت وفشلت وفرّقت فرحلت .. ربنا يحفظ مصر وشعبها ويكتب لينا نشوفها زي ما بنحلم بيها!
— Wael Ghonim (@Ghonim) July 3, 2013

You promised , you broke your promise , you eliminated thus you failed , you divided and polarized .. in end you left. May God bless Egypt and protect it. May we see Egypt we dream of.

Ghonim speaking about Mohamed Morsi on 3 July 2013. Since then there is a complete silence online when it comes to the famous internet activist. This silence led to many rumors including rumors that the admins were detained by security forces and so on. Ghonim
The Islamists launched a so-called Kolena Khaled Said FB page Islamic version after believing that the original Page is biased against Islamists and Muslim Brotherhood before ousting Morsi. They even launched a campaign then to nationalize the page after all both Ghonim and Mansour were speaking publicly online and offline criticizing the MB and Morsi in his past months.
They also launched recently  the Kolena Khaled Said FB page All Egyptians version !!
The Kolena Khaled Said Facebook Page is not owned by his family nor by the original admins with my all due respect. It is bigger than them I am afraid. Closing the page or not updating now is a big blow to the reason of its existence , it is like someone did not understand the huge role this page played not only in Egypt but in the Arab world.
I am afraid there are still Khaled Saids killed in Egypt and there is a disrespect to human rights in Egypt. There is still huge polarization in Egypt. A polarization the page that was often fighting with its moderate views , the same moderate views made revolutionaries
Now there is no Bassem Youssef “at least for another couple of months” and revolutionary activists like Alaa Abdel Fatah and Ahmed Maher are in prison while Mubarak cronies are being acquitted . People are still dying in the streets while protesting and they are also killing each other. The Police has not been reformed , in fact there is nothing reformed in this country yet. We are on the verge of another “ history's greatest yet the not so good but let’s have it so the MB won’t gloat” constitutional fiasco.
Even Khaled Said’s retrial is still and I think that those two policemen who killed late Khaled will be acquitted in the end.
The page has to complete its role.
The admins owed it to the youth who were killed in the past 3 years for the sake of a dream it helped in spreading.
For God’s sake Mubarak’s old rotten dying regime is fighting by all its force for its existence and continuation yet the revolution youth are losing hope when it is long battle !!
Yes it is long battle and feeling despair all the time is not helping , actually it cripples you and makes you lose the battle even without starting it. There is always hope and as I recall a young activist once said “We will make the despair despair in Egypt”. At least we should try more so younger generations would not blame us in the same way we blame older generations for not defending their rights and our rights as well.
It is time to have Kolena Khaled Said Page back , the battle is not over.

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Links and Notes 12/20/2013

• Abou-Treika, the Saint, signs off with trademark smile - Egyptian Football - Sports - Ahram Online

  Good bye Abou Treika :)

  tags: #DWC #LN Football Footballers Soccer AbuTerika Egyptians

• Whatever happened to the Arab Spring? - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

  A must read

  tags: #DWC #LN Arab Spring Politics Democracy Secularism Sectarianism

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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These Days we are living in #Egypt

For Egyptians and those who understand Arabic this video because it is the best description for these days we are living .. for months now.

These days wer are living

This is from October and it is made by Mohamed Shawky. I am big admirer for his work on his channel El Balacano

And honestly I miss Bassem Youssef

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The Completely Forgotten #Rohingya Suffering

Dear friend Jenan Moussa , the amazing Al Aan TV channel has traveled to Burma and filmed there the suffering of the Rohingya Muslim minority after it was almost forgotten in our Arabic media.
Jenan went there to the city of Sittwe to find out that there are 5000 Muslim Rohingya living in a ghetto not allowed to leave it surrounded by radical nationalists Burmese Buddhists. They do not work anymore living in one kilometer ghetto in fear. The people there demand the UN to help them.

5000 Muslim Rohingya stuck in one kilometer “Arabic”

She found out that  Rohinigya people are also banned from receiving any proper health care from any kind. They are not allowed to use the hospitals or clinics in Sittwe.

Muslims are not allowed to check in hospitals in Sittwe “Arabic”

In that Muslim ghetto , the people turned a coffee shop in to a very poor field clinic on Monday and Tuesday only.
They do not receive polio vaccination for a year now and it began to spread among young children. I think the UNHCR and UNICEF should do their job and head to this ghetto ASAP.

The two days clinic in a cafe !!

Of course the Islamists in the Middle East whether in Egypt or Gulf or in Turkey have completely forgotten the Rohingya. I understand the reasons for our Islamists in Egypt but I can not understand this silence in the Gulf or Turkey anymore.
Needless to say I am not waiting any of the governments in the Arab world or the Islamic world to do anything in order to stop the agony of those people. There is no big difference already between the governments and regimes in the Middle East and that corrupted junta in Burma , they are all playing on the sectarian nationalist game in a way or another.
Even Aung San Suu Kyi is just as hypocrite as our political elite especially in Egypt now.

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Links and Notes 12/19/2013

• AP News: Egypt's Muslim Sisterhood takes lead in protests

  And the MB sisterhood is yet again in the spot light 

  tags: #DWC #LN MB Egypt women politics

• Jailed activist releases statement written on toilet paper | Mada Masr

  Ahmed Maher sends a message on a toilet paper about National Council for human rights 

  tags: #DWC #LN Apri6Youth Ahmed Maher Egypt NGOs Human rights

• Remembering Dr. Eyad el Sarraj, 1944 - 2013

  Dr. Eyad el Sarraj , the prominent human rights activist has passed away.

  tags: #DWC #LN Palestine figures History Gaza

• Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood may rise again, history suggests - FT.com

  I agree , based on history as well politics this group will not end but the question here "will the brotherhood learn from its mistakes !?" 

  tags: #DWC #LN Egypt MB Politics History

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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Links and Notes 12/18/2013

• As Pressure Builds, Egypt’s Police Experience a New Feeling - Fear - NYTimes.com

  NY Times speaks about the exhausted police force now in Egypt. 

  tags: #DWC #LN Politics Egypt Police

• If El-Sisi refuses to run for president, we'll urge him to: Amr Moussa - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online

  By Force !!  Anyhow I got another theory. This statement comes at the same time the name of Moussa is being suggested widely in the media in Egypt as the upcoming president. Moussa is considered a consensual name some how. Some say that he tried to please everybody in the Constitution committee and the military needs a good civilian face as President that they will not clash with who can deal with the world ..etc.  

  tags: #DWC #LN Politics Egypt ElSisi Moussa Presidency elections

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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Constitution 2013 Edition : Let’s get over this shit quickly ya People !!

The controversies of the draft constitution do not want to end. The latest controversy is what Dr. Mohamed Abu El Ghar , the member of the Constitution committee and leader of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party said on TV last Monday about the last minute change in the constitution preamble without the approval of the committee.
Here is the video in Arabic .

In that interview with Rania Badawy on Al Tahrir TV channel , Abu El Ghar says that the text regarding the civility of the state was changed in the preamble with informing the committee after it finalized its work.
The committee voted on a final draft containing the word "civilian rule" in the preamble, while the version submitted by the committee to the interim president on 3 December replaced the phrase with "civilian government." Yes the original text till last minute was “Egypt’s civilian rule ” but it changed suddenly in the final session to “Egypt’s civilian government”.
In the interview Abu El Ghar accused the deep state of changing the text in order to please the Salafists and to ensure that they would vote in the referendum in the favor of the constitution. He also said only Amr Moussa and very few members in the committee knew about this deal and this last minute change in the preamble.
He also hinted out that the army played a role in this last minute change in the dinner they invited the members of the constitution committee to.
In end the leader of the SDP is telling the people that they wanted just to get over with that shit “regardless of being shit” so the Muslim Brotherhood would not gloat !!
Of course all the members of the Constitution committee are denying that there were pressures from any party or institution aka the army to alter anything. Amr Salah , the youth so-called representative in the committee posted on his Facebook page that Dr. Abu El Ghar was lying.
Poor Dr. Abu El Ghar now is saying that he was misunderstood.
And people like Abu El Ghar are considered liberal elite in Egypt !!!
A follow tweep told me today that the problem of Abu El Ghar and old politicians like him that they gambled with our future and our kids’ future . It is true but still we can do something about this future.
To be honest the Salafists are not the only group in town that are supporting that change in the preamble. The military join the Salafists in being the biggest winner when it comes to the “civilian government” if I understand correctly Ahram Online’s report about the whole matter.

Constitutional expert Rafaat Fouda, head of the public law department at Cairo University, believes there is a major difference between the two formulations.
Civilian rule, he said, would prohibit having a military man or man of religion as president, would prevent any kind of political activities with military or religious tones, and would outlaw applying military provisions to civilians -- including military trials for civilians, a measure permitted in the draft constitution. The term "civilian government" would make all of the above scenarios legally possible, according to Fouda.
"The term 'civilian government' is useless because the cabinet does not rule (alone)," Fouda told Ahram Online. The Arabic word for government is often used to refer to the cabinet.
Ruling power is divided between the president and the parliament... this term allows military men or clerics in the presidency or in parliament."

Still the “Civilian government” contradicts with the fact the minister of defense in the Draft Constitution should be a military.

The "civilian government" expression, Fouda argued, does not allow any military personnel or religious clerics in the cabinet. Paradoxically, another article in the constitution states that the defence minister has to be chosen from among the ranks of the military.

Back to Dr. Abu El Ghar’s revelation , well I hate to tell you that any lawyer can use this interview to nullify the referendum by claiming that there was last time unapproved change in the preamble.
This is just an example of the things I do not approve in the constitution. I am not angry or surprised but I am astonished at how much passive Dr. Abu El Ghar is. Nations’ constitutions are not drafted according to theory “Let’s get over this shit ya people” nor they are approved so the opposition parties and groups won’t gloat.
And here I remember Dr. ElBaradei’s words “This is not how nations are managed”
The Constitution referendum will be held next 14 and 15 January in Egypt. Egyptians abroad will vote in the referendum earlier on 8 January 2014. Up till now the  parliamentary electoral systems have been determined yet.It is left to the presidency to choose it.

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Links and Notes 12/17/2013

• Boycott by Academic Group Is a Symbolic Sting to Israel - NYTimes.com

  And the academic BDS continues :)

  tags: #DWC #LN Palestine Israel Science academia BDS

• Mosa’ab Elshamy: On escaping death and capturing tragedy | Al Akhbar English

  An interview with famous Egyptian photojournalist Mosa'ab ElShamy 

  tags: #LN #DWC Photos Photojournalists Egypt Media

• Where Children Sleep

  This is a must see photo essay by photojournalist James Mollison , where the children from around the globe sleep.

  tags: #LN #DWC Photos international Children

• Sex, lies and beef: racy scandal hits Indonesia s Islamic parties - Yahoo!7

  Hard times for Islamic PKS party in Indonesia 

  tags: #LN #DWC indonesia Parties Scandals Asia Politics

• Netanyahu's stormy campaign against a panel of inquiry - Diplomania Israel News | Haaretz

  Yeah in Israel

  tags: #DWC #LN Israel Netanyahu

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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And this is how You mix religion with politics my dear

It was a fact that Constitution 2012 edition was enforcing the engagement of Religion in the state.Another fact the Muslim Brotherhood and their allies from Islamists including Nour party then used religion to promote for that constitution just
Myth says that 30 June uprising/revolution/wave/protests was/were against the Muslim Brotherhood and against the use of religion in politics and here I say it is a myth because I see the current ruling regime and its supporters shamelessly use religion in promoting for the Constitution 2013 edition.
Just yesterday Sheikh Ali Goma’a , our former Mufti said that those who would go to vote in the constitution referendum were supported by God !! He also added that we should all mobilize and say yes in order to astonish the world !!

New Old Nour Party's Constitution ad !!

He also added that the Constitution 2013 edition was against corruption and was against atheism !!!!!!! Yes against atheism so believers who want to fight that wave of atheism should vote for the constitution !!
Tell me what is the difference between Ali Goma’a and all the other MB sheikhs that said similar stuff about Constitution 2012 edition and the Constitution 1971 edition amendments referendum !? Of course this is not the first time Goma’a mix religion with politics , he has not stopped since July 26.
Even Nour Party is repeating the same old ads it used in 2012 claiming that Constitution 2013 in order to keep the Islamic identity and reference of the State. Its founder and famous Salafist preacher Yasser El Borhamy says that Constitution 2013 edition is better than Constitution 2012 edition !! 
Anyhow I hate to break the news to all of you , nobody for real knows what God thinks of this constitution or whether the Almighty is standing with this group or that group. Do not use the Lord in your useless endless disgusting earthly power fights.
And I remember Sheikh Emad Effet May Allah bless his soul and wonder why we are stuck in this world with sheikhs like El Borhmay , Goma’a and of course the MB’s religious band of Sheikhs !! The Lord only knows !! 
We hoped that after June 30 that mix of religion with politics to be stopped but we were naive as it seems. 

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Links and Notes 12/16/2013

• The workers’ revolution by Mohamed Ali Eddin | PANORAMA

  Panorama continues and presents another amazing photo essay topic about workers who ran their own factory for two years. It is promising and sad story at the same time.

  tags: #DWC #LN Egypt Photos #EgyWorkers Economy

• South Sudan’s Kiir Imposes Curfew After Failed Coup in Capital - Bloomberg

  There was a failed coup in South Sudan in the past 24 hours as it seems

  tags: #DWC #LN Sudan South Sudan Kirr coup

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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Remembering #OccupyCabinet Clashes

And it is the second anniversary of the Occupy Cabinet clashes aka the Cabinet HQ clashes in 2011 and as usual there is no justice served at all when it comes to the victims. I do not know what to say except that this is one the milestones that exposed many people in Egypt.
Anyhow for the time being here is a storify report for the rally organized by revolutionary political powers in Egypt to commemorate the clashes and its victims.
The activists in the rally say that they did not take an authorization for the rally and so it can end badly.

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#Hala’ib triangle in Photos : The City of Hala’ib

Ok in this cold weather accompanied with a wave of depressing news from Egypt , one can find an escape as well in solace in photos from around the globe and from Egypt itself.
We are back to the Hala’ib triangle photo series. If you remember last month we stopped at the Camel market in Shalateen , well today we will head to the city of Hala’ib itself.
Here is a photo gallery showing the city of Hala’ib itself by Yasser El Rasoul

The city of Hala’ib is not as open as Shalateen , you have to get the permission of military intelligence to film and to photograph in the border disputed city. The city itself is extremely poor as you can see from the photos but the people do not complain from the lack of modernity or lack of infrastructure. When Resala sent a relief expedition there , they thought that they would hear tons of demands but what they heard actually was a simple demand to have a mosque !!
Only today I read the ministry of religious endowment will build new 4 mosques in the city. Of course I believe hospitals and schools as well other infrastructure. I think the government with simple few houses operated with solar energy in this environment won’t cost it huge sum considering the billions spent every year. We are speaking very small population that need true help to feel that they are truly recognized by the state.
From couple of weeks ago , I read a news that the government will start huge development and mining projects in the area. I hope that they are true and not just fake news to cheer up the public in Cairo

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Links and Notes 12/15/2013

• Winston Churchill’s Egyptian Getaway: The Old Cataract Hotel - The Daily Beast

  Dear Lauren Bohn continues her reporting from the south of Egypt , this time she speaks about the amazing Old Cataract Hotel

  tags: #DWC #LN Egypt Aswan History Cataract

• Former Pink Floyd frontman sparks fury by comparing Israelis to Nazis | Music | The Observer

  Former Pink Floyd's star Roger Waters compares Israel to Nazi Germany because of its treatment to Palestinians 

  tags: #DWC #LN Music BDS Israel Palestine

• Interview: New constitution fails to delimit state and Islam - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online

  An important interview with Ibrahim El-Houdaiby and religion in the upcoming Constitution 

  tags: #DWC #LN Interviews Egypt Ibrahim El Houdaiby

• China’s Maiden Lunar Rover ‘Yutu’ Rolls 6 Wheels onto the Moon – Photo and Video Gallery

  And China steps a big step in the moon 

  tags: #DWC #LN Moon China

• Cairo Post | The ‘Bad Boys’ of Marg: A cycle of institutionalized abuse

  Dear Sarah Mourad writes about Marg Panel Institution , it is a must read piece 

  tags: Egypt #DWC #LN Marg

• Street children: Samira’s story and the inappropriateness of the ‘victim’ terminology « Street Girls - بنات شوارع

  The story of Samira and her decisions not to be victim 

  tags: Egypt #DWC #LN Street Children

• http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/12/08/.UqSpm95haM8.twitter

  The problem of marriage and economy in Egypt by dear Lauren Bohn for NBC News

  tags: Egypt #DWC #LN Media Marriage Society

• Egypt’s others - Daily News Egypt

  Sandmonkey aka Mahmoud Salem presents to the reads in DNE Egypt's felol and how they think. 

  tags: Egypt #DWC #LN Media

• A closer look at Egypt's draft constitution - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online

  An Important analytical look at Egypt's draft Constitution.

  tags: Egypt #DWC #LN Media Constitution

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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