INTERNATIONAL POLITICS:

RANDOM THOUGHTS ON THE ARAB REVOLUTIONS:

I write these words in the context of what may be a "low point" of the uprising of Arab people for the sort of "democracy" that most of us in the western world take for granted. As I write this Saudi Arabian troops are commiting murder on protesters in Bahrain and the Gadaffi forces seem to be winning in Libya. One will have to see how the very belated "no fly zone" voted for by the UN Security Council actually plays out at this late date in the struggle. Certain pundits have expressed the opinion that Gadaffi expects that western powers will eventually come to terms with his possible victory because "they are whores for his oil". Very possible. In the case of Bahrain this is even more so as NO western power would be willing to challenge Saudi Arabia's actions.

Will the Arab revolutions lead to any essential change in the class structures of the countries involved ? I think that has pretty well be answered by the results of the "successful" revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. In the first case a lot of the original kleptocracy supported by a newly invigorated police force (raises in pay ?) continues to rule and attacks a diminished opposition. In the second case efforts by the Egyptian working class have been met by repression on the part of the new government- a coalition of military officers who have financial interests in maintaining the present class system in Egypt MINUS Mubarak.

I most certainly intend to write more on this because it bears on very important questions that both proponents and opponents of "revolution" in the modern world rarely think about. So....more later.

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS EGYPT - USA:

EGYPTIAN POLICE TEAR GAS "MADE IN THE USA":

The following story and appeal is from the US based organization Human Rights First. They are calling for the United States government to cease its support of the Egyptian dictatorship and not just in words. Here's the story...

TGTGTGTGTGTG
“Made in the USA” Tear Gas Thrown at Protesters in Egypt
The United States has given billions of dollars in military aid to Egypt over the decades. The State Department approved the sale of tear gas to its police, despite its known history of brutality.

As everyday life begins to resume in Egypt, there are lingering questions about what happened, how it happened, and what's next.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee is tackling some of these questions. We have our own questions we would like answers to.

Help us get our questions asked—and add your own!—by sending a letter to the chairs and members of the committee.

Given the U.S. relationship with Egypt, President Obama and U.S. policymakers can make a difference in what happens in Egypt—let's make sure they keep the interest of Egyptian citizens in mind.

TGTGTGTGTGTG

THE PETITION

Please go to this link to sign the following petition to the American Administration.

TGTGTGTGTGTG

I’d like to hear members of the Obama Administration answer the following questions:

1. Why did the State Department approve the sale of tear gas to Egyptian police despite its well-documented history of brutality?
2. Can you describe what steps the administration is taking to ensure that the transition process now underway in Egypt leads to more respect for human rights and a more representative and responsive system of government?
3. How can we ensure that the State of Emergency is lifted, that political prisoners are released and that necessary constitutional amendments and other safeguards are implemented to permit free elections to take place in the coming months?
4. Given that discrimination against Egypt’s minority Christian community has been a constant feature of Mubarak's policy -- and the marked increase in violence against Copts -- can you discuss what the U.S. Government is prepared to do to help support religious freedom in Egypt?
5. Considering the U.S. commitment to Internet freedom as a basic aspect of freedom of expression, what is the U.S. Government doing to protect the role—and the private services—of tech companies in places such as Egypt, where the rule of law is not respected?
6. The Egyptian military has been a longtime partner of the U.S., receiving billions of dollars of aid and training. What is the administration doing to persuade the military to become a force for stability and respect in Egyptian society?

Thank you for considering these questions.

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS EGYPT/ WINNIPEG:

WINNIPEG DEMONSTRATES IN SOLIDARITY WITH EGYPT:

Last Saturday local Egyptians resident in Winnipeg and their supporters came out to demonstrate in solidarity with the people of the Egyptian revolution. It was an interesting, spirited and actually quite enjoyable demonstration. Mass media outlets estimated the crowd as anywhere from 130 to 200 people. Molly's own admittedly flawed count was about 150 to 160. It consisted of a wide variety of people, both in terms of ethnicity and in terms of age with people from school children to grandparents represented. Even the speeches were less annoying than they usually are at demonstrations...brief and to the point with representation from both Egyptians and the labour community giving their piece. It was actually amazing to me to see that there is indeed an Egyptian community here on the frigid prairies. One wonders how they ended up here, and there's surely a lot of wonderful life stories behind this fact.

You can access video of the demonstration here , and there is a collection of photos here. For those interested in further information about the demo, and to see what might be upcoming in the future go to Winnipeg Protest For Egypt and Winnipeg Human Rights And Activist Events.

In the interim here is how the demo was seen by the Winnipeg Free Press.

EIWEIWEIWEIW
Canada not doing enough, rally told
By: Bill Redekop
Canada needs to be a stronger voice for democracy in Egypt to stop government-sponsored bloodshed in that country, said people at a Winnipeg rally Saturday.

"Canada has said what the United States said, (that) we need a peaceful transition," said Basil Elmayergi in an interview after he addressed the rally supporting democracy in Egypt.

But that implies allowing President Hosni Mubarak to stay in power until elections are held in September. That will result in a "slaughter-fest" by Mubarak's police and military against those advocating democracy, he said.

"I don't think Canada is doing enough," said Elmayergi.

About 200 people attended the rally on the legislative building steps. People waved Egyptian flags and placards and spoke passionately about the changes sweeping Arab countries in the Middle East and Africa. One placard said, "Game Over," beside a photo of Mubarak and another said, "We Are Finally Free."

Elmayergi heralded those in Egypt who have stood up for democracy as "our courageous brothers and sisters."

"Send a message that there has been enough beatings, enough torture, enough oppression," he said. "(Egypt) is going to be such a great country — a leader in the Arab world, a leader to the African continent."

Winnipeg's Egyptian population is estimated at only about 200 people, but the city has about 6,000 people of Arabic descent. Saturday's crowd was a mix of both.

Arabic people in the crowd said they see what is happening in Egypt, after the ouster of the dictatorship in Tunisia late last year, as the beginning of change throughout the Arab world.

"I think Tunisia was an inspiration for all of us," said Shirin Farag, Elmayergi's wife, who came to Canada 17 years ago.

"When Egypt saw that a nation of 10 million people (Tunisia) was able to oust its president, Egypt, with 80 million people, thought it could do it, too," she said.

Kadim Al-Roubaie, who emigrated from Iraq 36 years ago, said he attended the rally "to support democracy."

"I've lived here 36 years. I love it. It's a privilege to live in a democracy," he said.

bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 6, 2011 A15

EIWEIWEIWEIW

Here is the much more brief notice published in the Winnipeg Sun. It should be noted that their estimate of about 130 is low. Personally I am not given to inflating crowd numbers as I believe it is bad policy in the long term. My own count of 150 to 160 may be slightly on the low side and is definitely not an overestimate.

EIWEIWEIWEIW

Show of support for Egypt
By ROSS ROMANIUK, Winnipeg Sun

A crowd of Winnipeg protesters on Saturday joined the spirit of fierce demonstrations a half a world away, demanding that the Canadian government pressure Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to resign.

About 130 people converged at the Manitoba legislature's front steps to shout their anger at what they say is the Harper government's unwillingness to push Mubarak to step down immediately, in the face of outrage in Egypt over government policies that protesters there say are hurting their country.

Unlike the violence that has marked the massive rioting and street battles in Cairo for the past week, though, the Winnipeg demonstration was emotional yet peaceful.

Despite talk in recent days of a possible "transition" of power from Mubarak to a successor, Egypt's longtime president has remained in office.

ross.romaniuk@sunmedia.ca

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS EGYPT:

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPS DETAINED BY EGYPTIAN REGIME:

As part of its generalized crackdown on all independent sources of information about the present situation in that country the government of Egypt has been arresting international human rights observers as well as journalists. One of those arrested was a representative of Amnesty International. Here's the story and appeal for his release from Amnesty International USA.

EGEGEGEGEGEG
Amnesty International Staff Detained in Cairo
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, 212-633-4150, strimel@aiusa.org

(London) -- An Amnesty International representative has been detained by police in Cairo after the Hisham Mubarak Law Centre was taken over by military police this morning.

Amnesty International USA called on President Obama to immediately demand the release of the Amnesty International staff members.

The Amnesty International member of staff was taken, along with Ahmed Seif Al Islam Khaled Ali, a delegate from Human Rights Watch, and others, to an unknown location in Cairo. Amnesty International does not know their current whereabouts.

“We call for the immediate and safe release of our colleagues and others with them who should be able to monitor the human rights situation in Egypt at this crucial time without fear of harassment or detention,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

A number of other activists are still being held in the Centre, including a second Amnesty International member of staff.

Whether in a high-profile conflict or a forgotten corner of the globe, Amnesty International, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, campaigns for justice, freedom and dignity for all and seeks to mobilize public support to build a better world.

http://www.amnestyusa.org/

EGEGEGEGEGEG

THE LETTER:

Please go to the website of Amnesty International USA to send the following letter to the Egyptian regime demanding the release of the Amnesty representative.

EGEGEGEGEGEG

Thursday morning, Egyptian military police raided the Hisham Mubarak Law Center, an important source of legal aid for Egyptians, and detained a number of people, including two Amnesty International representatives, a delegate from Human Rights Watch and others at the center. We are not currently aware of their location.

We demand the immediate, unconditional and safe release of all international observers, Egyptian human rights defenders and an end to the crackdown on civil society ongoing in wake of the national protests in Egypt. We also insist that measures are taken to protect them from ill-treatment while they remain in detention. Furthermore we are concerned about several individuals who remained in detention at the Mubark center.

It is essential that the human rights observers be allowed the freedom to do their crucial work at this time of Egyptian crisis. Egypt must fulfill its obligations under international covenants to release these individuals.

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS EGYPT:
WINNIPEG SOLIDARITY RALLY FOR EGYPT:

As I write these words the issue of the protests in Egypt is very much in doubt. Protesters in Cairo's central square have been attacked by what is probably a ragtag collection of police, secret and otherwise, out of uniform, along with what are undoubtedly numerous toadies of the regime whose livelihood depends on the continuation of the dictatorship. Many have been killed or injured as the regime's thugs out of uniform are now free to commit whatever atrocities they want free from international censure. Just to reinforce this the counter-revolutionary mobs have made it a special mission to attack any identifiable foreign journalists. In tandem with this peaceful rallies of Mubarak supporters have been organized in other neighbourhoods to further develop the illusion that there is a sizable pro-Mubarak faction in the country (aside from the usual hangers-on and the ruling class).


I have to admit whatever I may think of the regime that this is a brilliant tactic. It's hard to say if the protesters can prevail in the street battles or how effective the planned general strike will be if it becomes the fallback position. The fact that the army, supposedly neutral, allowed the pro-Mubarak thugs free access to the square bodes ill for the protesters. One hopes that the protesters can muster once again an overwhelming show of numbers despite the fear that such attacks generates.


It's far too easy to be an armchair general from far away, but the most recent events make a few things plain to me. One is that it demonstrates fully and completely that the Mubarak regime which is much more than the singular person of its figurehead has absolutely no intention of surrendering peacefully. There is little room left for compromise despite the cowardly behavior of some so-called "opposition" parties in calling for same. Basically they have taken the political temperature and are positioning themselves to continue their usual role in a post-uprising Egypt, as junior partners of the regime. As for the opposition, if they fail beatings and prison terms are the best they expect as the regime reconsolidates itself. With these latest attacks there is no longer any halfway point.


The other thing that is plain is that the Mubarak regime has taken the climate of opinion in the army under consideration. Perhaps with a little "aid" from ongoing US/Egyptian army to army consultations. The fact that the soldiers were ordered to stand aside and obeyed as the thugs gathered for their attacks says that the illusion that the Egyptian army would never attack the people is just that- an illusion. This was combined with a prior army appeal for the demonstrators (not the pro-Mubarak thugs) to disperse and go home. If the anti-Mubarak forces expect to prevail they will have to take the irrevocable decision to appeal to the rank and file soldiers and the lower officer caste to basically mutiny. Nothing else is going to save them or their cause. How possible this is I don't know, but it has become a necessity unless a miracle occurs. This is an obviously hard decision as it is basically an appeal for civil war Not all of the army would join the mutiny. Without this the only options are ignoble surrender or noble defeat. To my mind both are equally unpalatable.


The time remaining is short, and the issue will be decided in the next few days. Until then there is a rising tide of international opinion in support of not just the rebels in Egypt but of those across the Arab world. This even reaches out here to the land of ten feet high snow dumps, as a rally is being planned for this Saturday in solidarity with the Egyptian people. Here's the story from the ad-hoc organizing group, the 'Winnipeg Protest For Egypt'.
EPEPEPEPEPEP
Protest for Egypt At Legislative- EGYPT WANTS CHANGE!


Time Saturday, February 5 · 2:00pm - 4:00pm
---------------------------------
Location Manitoba Legislative Building
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Created By Winnipeg Protest for Egypt, Talibet-Knowledge Muslima
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More Info

The When and Where finally solved, we have spoken to the organizers and officially it will be taken care off. All we need now is as much people's support as we can. We will all meet Saturday:
Where: Legislative Building
When: Saturday Feb, 5th 2011.
Time: 2-4pm
Why: To Make Awareness to the Regime and to Push for an END to President Husni’s Regime. To Show our support to Egypt. To stop Injustice and to stress Change.

If you own any Egyptian flags, please make sure you bring those along. Also, if you are willing to bring any small statement posters to hold up that would be great.
EPEPEPEPEPEP

The protests in Winnipeg are, of course, merely an echo a worldwide surge of solidarity for the Egyptian people. Here is a call for international protests this Saturday. This is, per usual, ad hoc, and, like the Egyptian revolution itself shows all the strengths and weaknesses of such "leaderless" opposition. The word "leaderless", of course, a misnomer. The Egyptians have very much of a leadership, but it is spontaneous and temporary. All this is very much to the good, but what it lacks is not "leaders" but an organizations, tried in the struggle, with a clear perspective that can offer an unambiguous way forward. This is a "leadership of ideas", and it is something fatally missing in the Egyptian upsurge, something that, even if the rebels succeed would make them prey to organizations with a clearer idea of their goals, ideas that the rebels probably don't share.


Put it this way..,as the Egyptian ruling class either flees the country or throws its full weight behind Mubarak the opposition must bring forward a more detailed idea of a "new Egypt", beyond getting rid of one person. If they don't do that then even if they win they will lose as the so-called "opposition" struggles for place in the post-Mubarak era. It is also necessary in the present tense to inspire Egypt's working class to see a change of regime as in their economic interests as well as their political sentiments.

Here's the call for international protests.
EPEPEPEPEPEP
International Day of Solidarity with Egyptian and Tunisian Peoples
Time Saturday, February 5 · 12:00am - 11:30pm
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Location WORLDWIDE
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More Info

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MOBILIZATION IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE EGYPTIAN AND TUNISIAN REVOLUTIONS
5 February, 2011

Throughout the last few days, we received many urgent calls from Egyptian activist groups seeking international solidarity since the events of the day of anger (January 28, 2011) until now. Their calls ended with this message to every person who believes in freedom in the world: "We need your solidarity to support the demand...s and aspirations of Egyptians." They also demanded us to express our anger against the Western governments which chose to back the tyrant Mubarak. We are a group of anti-colonialist and anti-war activists in the U.S. and we urge every human in the world to respond to their call.

Starting immediately, join us in protesting in front of the Egyptian embassy or consulate near you, and other centers of government.

Mainly, we call for an international day of mobilization in support of the Egyptian and Arab uprisings on February 5th, 2011. We will be holding protests, world-wide in front of parliament buildings, centers of power and collusion with the dictatorship regimes, and representative offices.

Year after year we marched, protested and fought daily for a decent life, for dignity, for independence and for freedom. We saw our lands occupied, our people invaded and murdered, our thinkers and journalists imprisoned, our activists tortured and disappeared and our very ability to live and feed our families challenged. If it wasn’t for the despotism and iron fist rule, imposed on us by colonial dictators, tyranny and genocide would not have been possible.

There is nothing random about the revolution that overthrew Zine Al Abedeen Ben Ali from his throne in less than a month. Similarly, what we see in Egypt is a culmination of people’s action triggered by utter disgust and unwavering will to live as fully dignified human beings. Egypt’s tyrant receives $1.3 billion per year in aid from the United States, which is mostly allocated towards internal security. People in Tunis and Cairo rose up for the same reasons that people in Iraq and Palestine continue to rise up. Despite arresting people, injuring thousands and killing hundreds, the Egyptian people continue to storm the streets in wave after wave. They do so for freedom, for dignity, for a developed future, for the education of their children, for having a seat at the table from which colonialism has excluded them.

These dictatorships proved precarious and brittle and exposed their brutality to the world to watch. Egypt’s tyrant, Hosni Mubarak claims that these protests are led by Islamic Brotherhood activists. In Egypt people of all walks of life, gathered more than 1,000,000 strong and pushed the police back, dispersing them with the very weapons they had used against the protesters. It is noteworthy that the riot weapons and the tear gas are made in the USA, which puts the moral onus on US citizens and government to stand in solidarity. In Tunis, the protests continue until a fairly elected government is in place. The Arab revolt has now spread from Tunis, through Algeria and Egypt, to Yemen and Jordan, and is not far from the Palestinian Authority.

We must stand in support of the Arab revolutions of 2011 against the colonial powers that try to displace, divide, and conquer us. Like Ben Ali, Mubarak’s role is to self-perpetuate while over 40 million Egyptians live and feed their families with $2/day. Mubarak corrupted all civic and state institutions while participated in the siege of Gaza.

History speaks once. Now is our time. Now is our moment. We must take to the streets and stand in solidarity with the 82 million Egyptians whose cries have long been censored and silenced. Let’s make history and join the Egyptian and Tunisian people in the streets, across the Arab world and in the centers of power. If it was not for aid from some Western governments, these dictatorships would have fallen long ago.

To join the growing movement, we call for an International Day of Mobilization in solidarity with the Arab Peoples of Egypt and Tunisia on Saturday February 5th.

Although we are separated geographically, our future is one. Our message is unified that we stand together; our pain is one and our freedom is one.
EPEPEPEPEPEP
As may be expected there will be protests in other cities in Canada as well. Here's an item that is both as call and information about protests in other cities in this country.
EPEPEPEPEPEP
Canada-wide protest for Egypt
Time Tomorrow at 2:00pm - Sunday at 4:00pm
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Location At your campus or a campus near you or somewhere else
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More Info
30 years under military law, under the same leadership. Citizens afraid to vote, polls rigged, and government opposition tortured and murdered. The average Egyptian can't afford to eat, and lives in fear of a government which abuses its power. This revolution is not a working class revolution like usual, it involves all sects of society. Religion, education, and social status is meaningless now. 1.3 billion American tax payer do...llars (of aid money) are being used by the government to increase its military strength and oppose protesters who ask for basic human rights. Starting the 25th of January 2011 Egyptians at home and abroad head out in protest asking for what is theirs.

We will also be taking part in the ONE BILLION MARCH IN SOLIDARITY TO CITIZENS OF THE WORLD

Come out and stand with us at your campus. Ask for Democracy and basic human rights. Ask for peace and a stop to the abuse of power.



More details will be added once the university confirmation list is complete. The peaceful protest will take place on Friday at your campus from 2pm until 4pm.

----------------------------
-Carleton University and Ottawa U will have their protest at Ottawa U campus, because it will be the Egyptian day in the international week.

-University of Prince Edward Island will join but details are not finalized.

- Windsor will protest at city hall.

-Queens and KingstOn will protest together.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198106230203209&ref=ts
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=167687069944967

-Toronto protests http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=190600287624455&ref=mf

-UBC and Winnipeg are still not confirmed(hopefully something planned by Friday)
(Done already see above- Molly )
-Winnipeg will protest on Saturday. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122945564444516

Also note:(Thank you Marwan Marz El Nashar)
5 Feb, Toronto, Queens park 1pm
5 Feb, London ON, Victoria park 2 pm
5 Feb, Ottawa, Parliament hill, 1 pm

-Many other Universities were invites to join but have not replied.

IF YOUR AREA OR SCHOOL ARE NOT MENTIONED HERE THEN PLEASE MAKE THE INITIATIVE AND JOIN US, AND PROMOTE THIS EVENT TO OTHERS IN SOLIDARITY WITH EGYPTIAN PROTESTERS

INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM:

FREE KARIM AMER:

Karim Amer is an Egyptian blogger who has fallen afoul of the authorities in that country for daring to publish opinions critical of both Islam (which Islam ?) and the Egyptian government. The latter rather than the former is probably the reason that he has been sentenced to four years in prison. There is an internet petition calling for his release. Here's the story and appeal.

KAKAKAKAKA
Free Egyptian Blogger Karim Amer
Target: President Hosni Mubarek
Sponsored by: Care2.com

One of the luxuries of the internet is that it's a forum of expression. And in this forum, anyone should be able to contribute to a discussion and speak their mind.

But Karim Amer, a young blogger from Egypt, was sentenced to four years in prison for this very act.

Amer was charged with publishing material critical of Islam and Egypt's President Hosni Mubarek and imprisoned, despite the fact that he acted within his universal right to peaceful freedom of expression. Amer claims that while imprisoned, he has been beaten at least twice under the supervision of a prison officer.

All people should have the freedom to peacefully express their opinions. Tell the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarek to free this prisoner of conscience and accept all people's right to the freedom of expression.
deadline: Ongoing...
Goal: 15,000
15,222
signatures so far!

KAKAKAKAKA

THE LETTER:

Please go to this link to send the following letter to Hosni Mubarek, President of Egypt.

KAKAKAKAKA
Dear President Mubarek,

Karim Amer is a blogger who was sentenced to four years in prison for publishing material critical of Islam and Egypt on the internet. At the time of his arrest in 2007 he was 23 years old.

Amer's actions are within his universal right to peacefully express his opinion, regardless of whether those opinions are critical of religious or political figures and ideals. While imprisoned, he has been beaten multiple times by a fellow prisoner and a prison guard, under the supervision of a prison officer.

[your comments will be inserted here]

All people should have the freedom to peacefully express their opinions. Free Karim Amer and accept all people's right to the freedom of expression.

Sincerely,
[Your name here]

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-EGYPT:

LABOUR UNREST IN EGYPT:

The following report is from a correspondent of the Anarchist Black Cat discussion board. Please see the Africa section of that board for more details and commentary.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Growing Economic, Social and Political Tensions in Egypt:

by Ahmed

Not a day goes by in Egypt without demonstrations, strikes, sit-ins and clashes between workers and the police.

Textile workers have been at the forefront of the struggles, as factory bosses are seeking to cut wages and pressure workers to leave. The most serious was the strike last month in Mahalla over low pay and rising prices. Three people were killed during the protests, 80 were injured and about 400 arrested.

Workers at Nile Cotton went on strike against delays in paying salaries, while at Daytex in Alexandria and Andrama Textiles in Menoufia, there were sit-ins over the non-payment of bonuses and allowances for 228 working days.

In Port Said, 300 workers at Eurotex Clothing staged a sit-in over their ill-treatment by management. At Mansoura-Spain Garments in Dakahlia, 150 female workers went on strike over the suspension of their union leader and the delay in paying their social allowances. At Cotton Ginning in Menya, 950 workers went on strike over the failure to pay their salaries at the rate agreed after a previous strike, or to pay the statutory 30 percent allowances. These strikes followed earlier sit-ins and strikes when workers in four provinces found that they had not received their full wages for December.

Industrial unrest extends far beyond the traditionally militant textile workers.

Tens of thousands of truck drivers and owners went on strike in many parts of the country to demand the government abandon its decision to ban articulated trucks and trailers in 2011. Violence broke out in Gharbiya in the northern Nile Delta province when strikers hurled heavy rocks at scabs. Police arrested more than 25 strikers. The strike led to long delays on roads in many parts of the country and an increase in building materials and food prices.

More than 1,000 employees from around the country have mounted a vigil outside the National Research Centre over the government's failure to pay incentives and allowances agreed last year.

Last month pharmacists went on strike against attempts by the government to enforce a new law that would include all merchandise sold in drugstores, not just medicines, in their tax returns. Since medicines were unprofitable and were cross-subsidised by other products, any increase in taxation would make their businesses unviable.

At Hebei Medical Supplies in Qena, 250 workers went on strike over the failure to pay their wages. Some have gone on hunger strike.

At the Technology Institute in Qalyubia, 3,000 students went on strike. Workers at the Egyptian Fertilisers Company in Suez went on strike over the company's agreement to export phosphates to Israel.

These strikes follow 609 industrial actions last year, slightly less than in 2007 but still far more than in previous years, according to statistics from the Land Center for Human Rights published in El-Badeel. The strikes, sit-ins and demonstrations involved all social groups: workers, farmers, Bedouin, nurses, pensioners, professional workers, the self-employed and the homeless.

But the real number is far higher, since strikes by professional workers were not included and many others go unreported in the media. If they were, according to Amr El-Choubaki of the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, the number in the first quarter of 2008 alone would equal the whole of 2007. He said, "This escalation was last seen in the [demonstrations that led to the 1919 Revolution and subsequently the] 1923 constitution".

The global financial and economic crisis has had a major impact on Egypt. Foreign direct investment, its largest currency earner, fell by 30 percent during the first quarter of 2008/09, from $3 billion in the first quarter of 2007/08 to $2.1 billion.A report from the parliamentary budgetary committee said foreign investors’ contributions to newly-established companies or already existing ones collapsed from $1.7 billion to $0.4 billion because of the crisis.

The decline in world trade has affected the level of traffic through the Suez Canal, another major foreign currency earner. The report noted a steep drop in revenues of $200 million or 13.7 percent in the second quarter of financial year 2008/09, caused by an 8.8 percent fall in cargo.

Egypt's second major currency earner, tourism, is also down. According to the report, not only are visitor numbers down, particularly from Russia, Britain, Germany and Italy, but those that do come are spending less. Tourism is expected to decline by at least 18 percent in 2009. It provides direct and indirect employment to 12.6 percent of the workforce and accounts for 6.5 percent of GDP. Hotels have already started laying off temporary workers who constitute 30 percent of the industry's workforce.

The downturn in the construction industry in the Gulf, where eight million Egyptians work, means that many have lost their jobs, and remittances from expatriates have plummeted. Remittances from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have fallen by 15-20 percent. By far the biggest casualty of the economic downturn is Dubai, where nearly half the construction sites have closed.

Last month, Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif told the People's Assembly that unemployment in the second quarter of fiscal year 2008-09 rose to 8.8 percent. But such figures are always a pale reflection of actual unemployment or under employment.

While the Egyptian economy grew by about 7 percent a year for the last three years, this benefited only the privileged financial and military elite around Hosni Mubarak's military backed regime. One percent of the population controls almost all the wealth of the country.

The vast majority of Egypt's 80 million people have experienced only rising prices—inflation is now running at 15 percent—and ever increasing poverty. A World Bank report concluded that the number of Egyptians living under the official poverty line is 20 percent of the population.

With the global recession, economic growth fell 4.1 percent in the second quarter of 2008-09, down from 7.2 percent the previous year. The deficit on foreign trade grew by 50 percent from $16.3 billion in 2006-07 to $23.4 billion to 2007-08 and has grown by a further 75 percent in the second quarter of 2008-09. The government's plans to reduce its budget deficit to three percent of GDP over the next three years will entail severe austerity measures.

The Egyptian regime's support for the US occupation of Iraq and Israeli suppression of the Palestinians has galvanised anti-American feeling and loathing for Mubarak's regime. Egypt has received $1.3 billion a year in military aid from the United States, with a similar amount pledged every year for the next 10 years. This aid comes with cash flow financing, which means that Egypt can spread out its payments over many years and buy much more than its aid allocation.

In return, Egypt protects Israel's western flank and keeps the Palestinians trapped in Gaza while safeguarding US access to key transport routes. From 2001 to 2005 Egypt granted expedited transit through the Suez Canal to 861 war ships as well as permission for 36,553 US combat aircraft to use its airspace.

There were nationwide demonstrations opposing the government's support for Israel's murderous assault on Gaza. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's visit to Cairo just two days before the war made it clear to everyone that Mubarak had had advance warning of the assault. He refused to bow to popular pressure and open the Gaza-Egypt border to allow the Palestinians to escape the aerial bombardment, suppressed anti-Israel demonstrations and refused to stop selling natural gas to Israel or expel Israel's ambassador. The state owned press even blamed Hamas for the war, not Israel.

Mubarak views Hamas as a threat to his government and is anxious to see it removed from power in Gaza. Hamas is an off shoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, the main political opposition in Egypt. Many members of the Brotherhood have been arrested and thrown into jail without trial.

There is deep seated anger at the corruption and ever growing wealth of the ruling elite, press censorship and political suppression. At the end of last month, the courts imposed fines of $1,800 each on five journalists from Al-Masry Al-Youm and Al-Wafd for violating a ban on media coverage of the trial of a prominent billionaire business man who is a member of Mubarak's party. Hisham Talaat Mustafa has been charged with killing his mistress, Lebanese pop singer Suzanne Tamim. Egypt's 1.4 million strong security forces are widely hated.

Tensions are rising, and the regime is beginning to disintegrate. This month a group of army cadets stormed a police station in Helwan, south of Cairo, leaving at least five policemen and three cadets injured. This followed the arrest of an army cadet for loitering and refusing to show ID. The cadet was taken to a police station, beaten and held overnight. When the army cadets surrounded the police station, chanted insults and threw firecrackers, the police opened fire on them.

So great are the tensions that the Egyptian court of appeal was forced to overturn the acquittal of Maduh Ismail over the sinking of a ferry in the Red Sea in 2006 that killed more than 1,000 people. The acquittal had outraged many who believed the corrupt businessman, a former MP, was being protected. The court sentenced Ismail, who is believed to be in London, in absentia to seven years in prison for involuntary manslaughter.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-EGYPT:

EGYPTIAN WOMEN WORKERS PROTEST PRIVATIZATION:

The following article is from the British LibCom site.

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Ghazl el-Mahalla workers protest privatisation:
Workers from the Ghazl El-Mahalla spinning factory held a demonstration Thursday against alleged plans to sell off the Ghazl El-Mahalla company to private investors.
At 3pm some 40 women workers had congregated outside the gate of the factory, located in the Delta town of Mahalla El-Kobra. At 2:45 pm hundreds of workers were filing out of the factory, ahead of the scheduled time for the end of the morning shift at 3 pm.

According to factory workers the morning shift was ended early — pursuant to orders given by security bodies — in an attempt to minimize the scale of the protest. The group of women workers entered the factory and, after a short altercation with factory security, were allowed into the factory’s central courtyard area, where workers were assembling.

Around 800 workers participated in the protest, chanting “The factory belongs to workers” and calling for the removal of the factory’s manager.

During the past two years the Ghazl El-Mahalla factory’s more than 20,000 workers have frequently staged strikes and demonstrations protesting pay and conditions. A successful six-day strike in the factory in December 2006 is credited with instigating the nearly 600 incidents of industrial action Egypt witnessed in 2007.

On April 6 a planned strike in the factory was aborted following intimidation by security bodies and workers divisions. A general strike against increasing food prices was called for by activists on the same day as the planned strike. Mahalla witnessed violent clashes between the police and crowds of demonstrators on April 6 and 7 and security bodies were heavily criticized for the way in which force was used against unarmed, peaceful demonstrators, and for the arbitrary detention of hundreds of Mahalla residents.

A group of 49 people from the town are currently on trial for acts of theft and criminal damage they are alleged to have committed during the course of the two days. Rights groups have criticized what they say are trumped-up charges against the group.

Three things to take note from the protests:

1) The protest was spearheaded, yet again, by the female garment workers…

2) No matter how big or small the protest was, it marks a huge step forward in breaking the barrier of fear in the factory, following the April police crackdown. As I posted before, political propaganda and agitation on the factory floor have been resumed following the severe setbacks due to the crushing of the April Intifada…

3) The major news wires AP, AFP, and Reuters, continue to be absent from the labor scene and social protests, ignoring the elephant in the room, focusing their reports as always on car crashes, Islamists, Gaza tunnels, and Mubarak’s efforts in brokering peace with the Israelis, bla bla bla…

EGYPT:

MAHALLA STRIKERS SCORE VICTORY:

DIRECT ACTION WINS VICTORY IN EGYPTIAN STRIKE:

Early last Saturday Egyptian government officials and their hand-picked "union" representatives largely agreed to demands put forward by the more than 27,000 workers at the Misr Spinning and Weaving Company in Mahalla al-Kubra. These strikers had gone on a wildcat strike over the fact that they had been shortchanged on bonuses due them under a profit sharing agreement. They had been paid for only 20 days instead of the agreed upon 150 days. During the strike the workers occupied the factory premises and this occupation was one of their strongest bargaining points. Management and the government also hastened to settle because of the memory of how a strike at this facility sparked a widespread strike wave last year amongst other low paid workers in Egypt. During the strike the workers called for the dismissal of the chairman of the enterprise board Mahmoud al-Gebaly, along with his corrupt assistants. This demand has been granted along with most of the other demands such as amnesty for strikers, granting that strike days will be considered paid holidays and most of the unpaid bonus due. Demands for the dismissal of the official, government controlled, "union" were not met, but the bosses have agreed to meet with authentic worker representatives elected by the strikers to continue negotiations.

See THIS ARTICLE from the Lib-Com site for full details of the settlement, as well as other articles on that site for news of the strike as it took place. The victory was solely due to the workers' willingness to abandon the corrupt official unions and to struggle by direct action tactics such as workplace occupation. A victory won and a lesson for all.

"An Affair To Remember"
The July 29th-August 4th edition of The Economist has on the 1956 Suez Canal/Arab Israeli War. This is a Special Report and is unattributed. The report gives the background of this conflict that saw Israel, Britain and France pitted not just against Egypt but also a coalition of both the USA and the Soviet Union. The USA even applied pressure on Britain by making it plain that the IMF would not give emergency loans to a foundering British economy unless the Suez adventure was ended. Britain caved in. The Suez crisis was the last time in history that America acted strongly against Israeli interests, and the results of 1956 set the tone for most of the uneasy relationship between America and Europe during the Cold War. Nasser was the greatest beneficiary of the 1956 war. The canal was nationalized, and the revenues so obtained were diverted to paying the Soviet Union for development of the Aswan Dam, a dam that was far from an unalloyed good. Egypt's jails were filled not only with supporters of the monarchy that Nasser had overthrown in 1952 but also with supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Communists. Despite the latter the Soviet Union became and remained Egypt's good friend. Real geopolitical interests trumped "proletarian internationalism". As usual one might say.
What is most significant in terms of what the world may yet see is that the Suez crisis was a spur to the development of the EU. The French foreign minister was at a meeting, along with the French prime minister Guy Mollet, with German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer when they were informed by the British that they were terminating the invasion of the Canal Zone. Adenauer said to them, "France and England will never be powers comparable to the United States...Not Germany either. There remains to them only one way of playing a decisive role in the world:that is to unite Europe...we have no time to waste;Europe will be your revenge."
In years to come, as America's empire weakens as all empires eventually must, it remains to be seen what Europe's revenge will be.