A Message to Supporters of Egypt’s Struggle for Freedom
A call to mobilize in the event of any attack on the Egyptian popular movement!
Solidarity with the Egyptian people!
Al-Awda New York joins millions in Egypt and around the world in celebrating what the Egyptian people have achieved – a fundamental change in power in Egypt and the region. We join with the Egyptian people in outrage at dictator Hosni Mubarak’s continued refusal to recognize the demands of the Egyptian people, and we recognize that this is a time of great revolutionary potential for Egypt – and also a time of great danger at the hands of the regime. And we know that we must be steadfast in our support of the Egyptian people’s struggle for real regime change, and their continuing struggle for their political, economic and social rights, and dignity, and we call on all supporters of the Egyptian people to be ready and mobilized to act in the event of any military or police attack.
Our Egyptian sisters and brothers will continue to peacefully protest to realize these goals and we know that will only come when the people can exercise their right to choose their own leaders and when their demands, so clearly and brilliantly displayed to the world, are met.
Yet, the diverse leadership of this great popular movement has yet to be invited to any negotiation table, and steadfastly refuses to accept any so-called solution that leaves the dictatorship intact. In recent days, despite – and perhaps because of – the largest turnouts ever in the mass demonstrations against the regime and the surging participation of Egyptian workers in strikes and protests – there have been increasing direct and indirect threats against the people by Mubarak and recently appointed Vice President Omar Suleiman, known for his record of repression and torture as head of the Egyptian Intelligence and his alliance with the CIA.
The game that the U.S., the Mubarak regime, and their allies and pawns are playing serves mainly to buy time and to seek to thwart this movement in a direction that does not destabilize the interests of the US, Israel, other reactionary Arab regimes and the interest of many corporations in the region.
Yesterday many of us received urgent messages from the the April 6th Youth Movement, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, and many other organizations on the ground warning us of a plan by Suleiman to attack protesters and appealing for help.
We must be aware that the regime will do whatever it can to make Egypt’s movement more vulnerable, striking at and imprisoning protesters and their leaders from any angle available to them. There are daily reports of attacks, killings, and roundups of activists throughout the country, in cities and towns were international media has not reached.
The situation today:
- The growing numbers of protesters rallying in their millions all over Egypt, especially the participation of organized workers;
- Mubarak’s refusal to step down;
- open threats by Omar Suleiman and others in the regime to use the military against the people;
- talk of a coup, talk by Arab media and so-called experts that the Egyptian military is expected to make a choice to support Mubarak until the end;
- claims that the Egyptian people aren’t ready for a democracy
– All of this must put us all on alert!
This means that supporters of the Egyptian people must be ready for immediate, effective and highly visible actions the moment a military or police attack occurs.
We call on all supporters to gather at Egyptian embassies, missions, consulates, and public spaces, throughout the U.S. at 5 pm the day any attack occurs or the day after depending on the time of the attack.
We also call on supporters in the Egyptian and Arab communities, and especially our allies in diverse U.S. communities to combine efforts to bring strong attention to what is happening, through consistent and long-term efforts. Including, potentially, hunger strikes, civil disobedience, continuing education and media work, and continuing strong statements of support.
The importance of supporting this movement cannot be overstated. Egypt’s revolution is an international flashpoint, where a popular movement for justice has mobilized millions and aroused hundreds of millions more across Arab countries and around the world in its heroic struggle for justice, democracy and liberation against a dictatorship backed by corporate power, brutal rule, and U.S. imperialism.
We salute the Egyptian people’s revolution and we echo the call that resounds on Egypt’s streets – ‘The people want to bring down the regime!’ – not just Mubarak himself, but his cronies and the structure of dictatorship, torture, and subservience to the US and Israel that has maintained their authority to date.
- Please let us know if your organization has an event, action item, or meeting planned. We would like to keep a common calendar. Email us at info@al-awdany.org.
- Please sign, and get your organization to sign, the above appeal. Sign online at www.al-awdany.org!
No Mubarak, No Suleiman, No US Puppet Dictator, No More Economic Neoliberal Austerity! FULL REGIME CHANGE!
Appeal from the April 6th Youth Movement
http://6april.org/english/modules/news/article.php?storyid=26
Press Release from Arabic Network for Human Rights Information
http://www.anhri.net/en/?p=2089
What is Egyptian Emergency Law?
http://www.fidh.org/THE-EMERGENCY-LAW-IN-EGYPT
Who is Omar Suleiman?
http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/503/omar-suleiman-the-cias-man-in-cairo-and-egypts-torture-in-chief-
Sign on here!
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In solidarity and struggle,
Al-Awda New York
New York City Labor Against the War
International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
Labor for Palestine
Hunter College Students for Justice in Palestine
National Lawyers Guild International Committee
Chicago Coalition Against War and Racism
Patricia Abdullah, Cincinnati, OH
Suzanne Adely, Activist, Lawyer, New York, NY
Russell Bates, Berkeley, CA
Cameron Chambers, Portland, OR
Enrique Ferro, Brussels, Belgium
Steven Gotzler, Philadelphia, PA
Sarah Khalifa
Michael Letwin, Former President, Labor for Palestine; Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW Local 2325, Brooklyn, NY
Marian Larsen, Odense, Denmark
Dick Reilly, Chicago, IL
Jeff Salamat, Edmond, OK
Susan Scott, Inverness, CA
Maggie Siegel-Berele, USA
Rev Max B Surjadinata, United Church of Christ, New York, NY
Jake Trpstra, Micah Center, Grand Rapids, MI
