So due to the recent surging of protests due to the deaths after a soccer match on Wednesday campus has been closed on Sunday to hold a memorial service and becuase traveling through the city can pose a problem the Pyramids trip has been postponed for 2 weeks.
It is very sad and kind of confusing recent sequence of events that have occurred throughout the week here in Cairo. This article from the Washington Post and this article from the New York Times help explain whats been going on. In case you don't want to read the articles in essence Cairo and Egypt have been an uproar after almost 70-80 people died in a stampede/riot something right after a soccer game. The people seem to blame the deaths on the security forces in their inability to prevent the deaths and occasionally people here even have ideas the conditions only existed in the first place because of the security forces. Something about locked doors plain clothed police offers attacking people. Trying to get what really happened out in Port Said has been really difficult. But whatever happened has caused a new set of protests and police clashes. So i get a front row seat and yet i still think i know less than the rest of the world of whats going on in the city.
Whatever happens i hope that the people of Egypt dont give up. I do believe that the country yes needs stability so that there can be a transition from the military rulers to the newly elected parliament but at the same time, if the people of Egypt aren't constantly watching their leaders like hawks then i believe and many people also believe that one regime will just be replaced by another.
But it also is not my place to be out there on the streets protesting. One because that would i think go against my parents best wishes of being safe while I'm here and believe me i want to make it home insha'Allah. Secondly this is not my fight. I want to support the people here but its their fight and their government which is also why many Egyptians have problems with foreigners at Tahrir. They don't want any foreign influence they want a Egyptian government made by Egyptians and for Egyptians.
I also have a great story of the Cairo International book fair. But thats for another post.
It is very sad and kind of confusing recent sequence of events that have occurred throughout the week here in Cairo. This article from the Washington Post and this article from the New York Times help explain whats been going on. In case you don't want to read the articles in essence Cairo and Egypt have been an uproar after almost 70-80 people died in a stampede/riot something right after a soccer game. The people seem to blame the deaths on the security forces in their inability to prevent the deaths and occasionally people here even have ideas the conditions only existed in the first place because of the security forces. Something about locked doors plain clothed police offers attacking people. Trying to get what really happened out in Port Said has been really difficult. But whatever happened has caused a new set of protests and police clashes. So i get a front row seat and yet i still think i know less than the rest of the world of whats going on in the city.
Whatever happens i hope that the people of Egypt dont give up. I do believe that the country yes needs stability so that there can be a transition from the military rulers to the newly elected parliament but at the same time, if the people of Egypt aren't constantly watching their leaders like hawks then i believe and many people also believe that one regime will just be replaced by another.
But it also is not my place to be out there on the streets protesting. One because that would i think go against my parents best wishes of being safe while I'm here and believe me i want to make it home insha'Allah. Secondly this is not my fight. I want to support the people here but its their fight and their government which is also why many Egyptians have problems with foreigners at Tahrir. They don't want any foreign influence they want a Egyptian government made by Egyptians and for Egyptians.
I also have a great story of the Cairo International book fair. But thats for another post.
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