I haven’t been to Cairo recently, but my brother Nadim was living there until last week when his fellowship program instructed him to leave. I have been devouring coverage of unfolding events with almost unwavering attention, watching in awe and concern as my brother and friends shared stories and posted photos online. I know my body is in China, but I stare at the screen so much I feel my mind and heart are there in Cairo.
To close my chronicles of our recent travels in the Middle East, I’d like to share the perspective of what has been taking place in Cairo through the photographs and words posted by our friend Hossam. For years, many have frequented his blog 3arabawy for news, photographs and commentary on the gradual progress towards change that has been building momentum in actions and protests throughout Egypt.In a memorable post from two years ago he wrote prophetically: THE REVOLUTION WILL BE FLICKRIZED
Hossam has been a leading activist in the effort to use images, new media and the internet to make the mass uprising that could finally overthrow Mubarak possible.
The day has finally arrived.
My eyes glued to his blog and Flickr page, Twitter, Al Jazeera English and Democracy Now, I often hear stories or see images that move me to tears in a heartbeat. It’s both a constant celebration and constant state of fear for what might come next.
Injured
I feel inspired and overwhelmed that it has come to this for the Egyptians, and that children, women and men of all professions, all religions and all cities are out on the streets to make their voices heard. For two weeks each of them has literally been putting their life on the line to stand up for what they believe in: every person’s right to freedom and dignity irrespective of class, religion, gender or race.
A child leading the chants
I am furious and deeply disgusted that our political representation in the White House has been not only privy to the lengths that tyrants like Mubarak have gone to in order to uphold their power over people (often under the farce of democratic elections!), but more so have been party to supplying the arms and political leverage used to maintain the stronghold of such rulers implanted in Arab nations from Egypt to Saudi.
“No to Mubarak the US client”
I’ll reserve further venting of my own opinions in favor of sharing a few more of Hosam’s powerful photos and words:
It’s important for other people around the world to “see” what you are doing with their own eyes, instead of just “hearing” or “reading” about it. People need to see with their own eyes both police brutality and social resistance…
Professors march on Tahrir Square
When a revolution (or what the Imperialists and the Arab regimes call “instability”) breaks out in one country, it hardly stays within its boundaries–and surely the coming Egyptian revolution won’t defy what has almost become a natural law in politics as proven in every single uprising in the last century.
Revolutionaries besiege the parliament
Spreading the image contributes tremendously as a catalyst in this process. A victory for the workers in one sector will inspire others within the same sector and outside to follow suit. Showing photos and videos of those victories helps in getting the message across to the workers: “They have done it over there…You can do it over here!”
-Hossam’s words from his blog from May 2008
“Mubarak Leave”
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Finally, in case I didn’t make it obvious, all the photographs, captions and the title used for this blog post are by Hossam and the original content can be viewed on his blog or Flickr page - please check them out! Peace.
