‘We’re not certain what will happen next’
- The Niagara Falls Review
- RAY SPITERI
Sameh Awad has been living in Canada for the past 16 years.
But a bit of his heart remains in Egypt, his homeland.
And it aches for his family and relatives who are living through the civil unre s t threatening the Arab world’s most populous nation.
“ We hope they will be safe,” said Awad, who has two pharmacies, one at Greater Niagara General Hospital. “ We feel sorry for the people, we worry for them. We’re not certain what will happen next.”
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak ove rhauled his government Monday to try to defuse a popular uprising against his 30-year rule. But angry protesters rejected the changes and said he must surrender power.
On the seventh consecutive day, tens of thousands of protesters rallied in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, chanting, “Get out … We want you out,” and singing Egypt’s national anthem.
Troops backed by tanks made no effort to disperse the crowd. Egypt’s powerful army now appears to hold the key to Mubarak’s fate. Although the generals have held back from crushing the revolt, they have not withdrawn support for him.
The uprising, unprecedented in scale and intensity in the once tightly controlled country, erupted last week when frustration over repression, corruption, poverty and the lack of democracy under Mubarak boiled over.
Awad, a 42-year-old pharmacist and St. Catharines resident, has lived in Canada since 1995. He and his wife have two children.
“ I’m very happy here in Canada. When I see the freedom and democracy here, I think I made the right choice when I immigrated to Canada.”
When he left Egypt, the political turmoil wasn’t as bad as it is today.
“ They want democracy and freedom, a better future for their kids. And right now, they don’t feel there’s a good future, that’s why there’s protesters who want to get rid of the government and the president.
“ I support them for sure, but I don’t like the violent action. I’d like them to do it as peaceful as they can.”
About 140 people have been reported killed in clashes with security forces in scenes that overturned Egypt’s standing as a stable country, promising emerging market and attractive tourist destination.
Mubarak, a close U. S. ally and a stalwart in Western policy towards the Middle East, responded by offering economic reform to address public anger over hardships. He also made some administrative changes, which did little to turn back the groundswell against the 82-year-old ruler.
Meanwhile, human rights activists in Niagara gathered in solidarity Monday evening to support the Egyptian call for the ousting of Mubarak and for free and fair elections in the country.
“ When events are unfolding with the potential to change the course of world history, there is no better time to make your voices heard,” said Bruce Allen, who helped organize a rally on the steps of city hall in St. Catharines.
“ We’re putting our voices together with the voices heard around the world in support of the population of Egypt — the poor, the young students and the intellectuals who are calling for change in their country and for an end to tyranny.”
Demonstrations have taken place around the globe calling for Mubarak to leave Egypt.
Allen, a longtime trade union and social justice activist in Niagara, said there’s a “ very small” Egyptian population in Niagara, which makes it all the more important for other locals to stand up and call for democracy, freedom and prosperity for all.
“ Egyptians only make up a small minority of what’s already a small Islamic community in Niagara,” he said. “ It’s like a minority within a minority.”
Allen said he’s disappointed Canadian and American governments have not “ unequivocally” supported the uprising.
“ They should stop propping up the Mubarak regime.”
Susan Howard-Azzeh, a longtime human-rights activist from St. Catharines and founder of the Niagara Coalition for Peace, said she has close Egyptian friends, some of whom are in Egypt now.
One friend, a doctor and retired professor from Waterloo, has been corresponding with her on Facebook.
“ His hotel is overlooking Liberty Bridge. He had one of the first videos to get out ( showing clashes on the bridge), which were posted on the New York Times website.”
Howard-Azzeh said another close friend has family in Egypt. “ He’s very, very worried.” She said while media reports suggest more than 100 people have been killed during the uprising so far, people within the popular resistance believe the figure is much higher.
“ Our friend, who has family in Egypt, believes the dead is closer to 2,000. In his small neighbourhood alone, there was seven dead and that was a couple days ago.
“ Egyptian people are very brave to conduct a popular uprising within a very oppressive regime, which is putting them at great personal danger,” she said.
“It’s just unfortunate that the U.S., Canada and the U.K. are … walking this political tightrope, afraid to say the wrong thing.”
Niagara Falls resident Saleh Waziruddin said if the populist movement in Egypt is successful, it could have positive repercussions for other nations facing similar situations.
Waziruddin, a 33-year-old Muslim, was born in Canada to South Asian parents. He grew up in Saudi Arabia and went to high school with Egyptian friends who are involved in protests outside of Egypt, such as in London, England.
“ I support the people rising up and challenging the system there that only represents the interests of the U.S. and not the interests of Egypt,” he said.
“A change of government in Egypt could change the whole world.”
Dr. Mohamed Elhadidi, a visiting international scholar from Egypt at Brock University, said he expected a revolution to happen, but not so quickly or at this time. He said via e-mail that freedom of expression is talked about in Egypt, but there was no ability for the masses to do anything because of a fear of the repressive security measures at every attempt to rally.
He said new social media had an impact on the mobilization of young people, stunning the opposition.
“ Every day in this crisis means more of the losses in lives and money, but it also reflects the intransigence of the existing regime and dictatorship,” he said. “We pray to God to go through this crisis peacefully and to protect the souls, and live with people in Egypt in the peace and security.”
