My Journey in Cairo 25 Jan 2011

A few days ago I was asking a friend to tell me “What is the worst trait about me?” or “What is the most annoying thing about me?”. I do this every once in a while to increase myself awareness and see myself from other people’s eyes. The answer was:

“You think a lot, and take only very few actions and sometimes even take no action at all”.

At first I wasn’t convinced since my friend wasn’t able to mention a specific situation where I didn’t take action, while I should have taken action. Then I remembered that someone told me something similar, in the past few months, that’s why I decided to consider improving myself in that aspect, and take more actions, rather than only thinking, writing, and giving speeches.

Today is 25 Jan; the Egyptian Police national day; it’s a national holiday. There was all that fuss about protests that was going to be happening today, protests showing disapproval of bad living standards caused by the rotten government. This situation was ignited by the resent protests and violent acts happening in Tunis that pushed Bin Aly; their president to leave the country.

On facebook there were two different directions on where those “Peaceful Protests” should be organized. Some said it would be smart to hold such protests in small alleys in poor places, because this would prevent the police forces from interfering with these protests, and if they try to do so, the poor people suffering severely from low standards of living, caused by the rotten government, will stop them! Others recommended performing the “Peaceful Protests” in wide areas and main squares in the country (as usually done in most countries of the world).

I decided to have a walk down the street and see if there is anything really going on. I walked along Tyaran St. until I reached Rabaa Adaweya square. There was no sight of any protests. There were two big police force trucks and a small police pickup truck. They were only there for precaution; just in case something happens. I continued walking along Nasr Road towards 6^th of October Bridge. Still there was no sign of protests, only a few blue police pickup trucks (El Box, as it’s known here in Egypt) and a few police cars on sides of the road. I noticed a solider at The Memorial (i.e. Kabr El Gondy El Mag’hol or El Nasb el Tezkary), that was strangely dressed in red!! May be he thinks it’s Valentine’s Day or something!! Or may be he though himself a soldier in UK at the service of the Queen. Anyway, it was a funny scene; a soldier dressed in red marching with obscenely wide footsteps, as if he was just cut out of an animated cartoon series.

The streets were generally less crowded than usual; traffic was going smoother than we are used to, in Cairo, even in the rush hours. People were mostly afraid to go out, or they may have even travelled outside the city to enjoy the day off.

Public transport from
Ghamra to Tahrir 1 Pound

I got a message from a friend on my mobile phone warning me to keep out of Mostafa Mahmoud’s square and Game’at El Dowal square as there are about 5000 protesters there and the roads are blocked. “Oh, so that’s where I should go” I thought to myself. Then I got a phone call from a friend and after that call I decided to go to Tahrir square, at downtown Cairo. He told me there is a media blackout, no mention of anything happening, the online websites that were preparing for the events have been blocked, and honest online newspapers have been blocked. He said that his friend says the action is at Tahrir square. I decided to go and see things by myself. I walked along Ramses St. from Nasr City until Ghamra. I noticed a good number of poor people sleeping on the side walks, a lot of wire cables just lying on the ground naked, a lot of walls have been pissed on; with the disgusting smell of urine filling the air around them, and no public bathroom in sight. A lot of Garbage thrown along the streets, with no recycle bin or waste basket in sight. I noticed there were a very few number of waste baskets hanging on light poles near the Electricity Company at Ramsis St. near Abbaseya square. I was afraid of being late and missing all the action, so I took a bus and I paid 1 Egyptian pound. “Only 1 pound” I thought to myself. Seems that some things are still reasonable in the country; that’s what I thought. Later I discovered something different!!

Police forces gathered at Tahrir

 I arrived at Tahrir square, and I noticed a very long line of police forces along the side of the road. They were fully prepared. There was a long line of huge blue police trucks, police cars and ambulances.

Ambulance at Tahrir

There were brave people shouting their protests loudly, not caring about the consequences; they believe they can change things for the better or even die trying. Others were confused between fear and bravery; they wore masks to hid there faces and shouted in the protests. Some were only there silently watching what’s happening as if they were watching things on a TV screen and they weren’t actually there. There were foreigners; as this place is located amongst tourist attractions and grand hotels. They were witnessing the events; some of them even taking photos. A few were alternating between silent fear, and courageous protesting.

Maghreb Prayer in Tahrir sq.
during protests

The police forces surrounded the area blocking all the streets leading to the square except the one leading to Abdul Menem Reyad Sq. There were thousands of people gathered. They were shouting “Freedom… democracy…Social justice”, and shouting against the rotten government. They held signs “Enough”, “We will stay here until Mubarak Resign”. All people of Egypt were united, Muslims, Christians, highly-educated, and less-educated. We were all together, trying to get our message heard. When Al Maghreb (i.e. Sunset) prayer was announced by the Masgeds near by, people gathered to pray together in the streets, and gardens at the square.

Strangely there were people carrying cardboard boxes, selling drinks to protesters; Pepsi, Coca-cola, juice and mineral water!! Mineral water was the best selling of these.

All wireless communications in the area were blocked, so nobody could call anyone or access the internet. They also, let a few police officers dress as civilians and go amongst the crowds. The police forces tried to separate the gathering of people and force them outside Tahrir square using gas bombs, but the people only ran to avoid the bombs only to return as they were.

A gas bomb dropped about 10 meters away from me. People ran back. I stayed standing there taking photos, and the gas reached me; I started feeling irritation in my eyes and nose. I started dropping tears, and I suddenly found myself left behind. Everybody ran and I was there in the cloud of gas, I held my breath and took out a tissue and hold it up on my nose and ran back. People were shouting, “don’t put water on your eyes”, and “don’t rub your eyes”. The gas smelled like the sulphur we used in chemistry labs, back in school.

There was no sign of media coverage. There were people taking videos and photos using mobiles and digital video cameras, but none of them had any broadcasting networks’ logos, or newspapers’ logos. Maybe, they were there, but not using their logos, as some people said that they were given strict orders not to broadcast or publish anything about what is going to happen.

 I knew latter at home that Egyptian TV stations have been avoiding anything related to these protests. They talked about the situation at Lebanon, the Palestine negotiations, and some gorilla at the zoo at Sidney!! However, a foreign friend told me that their TV stations at UK have been talking about what’s happening in Egypt!!

I decided to leave, as I got a little tired. I still wanted to see what’s happening, so I walked to Ramsis square. While walking I saw people protesting in front of “The Court of Cassation” (i.e. Mah-kamet Al-Nakd). Police was surrounding them in order to keep them from causing any violence, and to keep things under control. There was an ambulance there too just in case it’s needed.

I continued my walk till I reached Ramsis square. There was nothing at the square itself, but at the street under the bridge near it, was a group of protesters walking also, followed by police forces behind them. An interesting thing happened. A young girl (about 16), started shouting at an older boy (about 22); who was carrying a box of toys and some balloons and she ran behind him and stared hitting him. She shouted “You son of a whore, I didn’t sell anything!! Where is my money? After all this work!!” she hit him, and the balloons popped, and the box almost fell from his hand. People held the young girl to keep her from hitting the guy!! The police just moved ahead as if they were blind and deaf, they followed the protest, as they should follow their orders. Usually, police run after those sellers because selling on the streets is illegal!!

I walked and walked and walked… Seeing the poor people of Egypt walking down the streets, trying to get through the day peacefully, an old man said “Sir!”. “Yes!” I said. “Can I have 1 pound to take the Metro home”. So, I wandered how an old man, who looks very respectable can’t afford a 1 pound trip to his home!! So, it’s not only about transportation costs, it’s the whole system.

Egyptians today are protesting their right to have their normal human rights. The right to a shelter; people shouldn’t be sleeping on the streets, the right to have a decent well paying Jobs; to be able to buy food for their children, pay bills, and ride a bus for 1 pound. They were protesting the right to have clean air to breath, and clean water to drink, the right to have a waste basket or recycle bin to throw their rubbish in, and keep their neighborhoods clean, the right to say “No” and the right to say “Yes’ to whoever they choose to be a president for this country.

So, yeah… I think a lot and I write a lot, and, to me, this is taking action, because today, there were only few people to think and write.

I believe thinking is more important that action, and thinking is an action. What this country needs is thinking, because a lot of actions taken today were made without the right type of thinking and that’s why our traffic is a disaster, and our economy is failing, and our people are not properly educated.

What makes nations excel and develop is “Thinking” or “Strategic Thinking”, and we sure need a lot of it.

So yeah … I like to think a lot before taking action, and I’m happy about that. Hope people, in this country, do the same.

Thinking is what separates our actions from the actions of the gorillas at Sidney’s Zoo, and we need a lot of it before taking actions we may regret afterwards

Alaa El-deen Esmail

(Your News Reporter for Today)