Sudanese Refugees Killings Demo Against Egyptian Regime in Washington, DC
In Washington D.C., around 60 Sudanese nationals demonstrated today in front of the Egyptian embassy against the killing of more than 27 Sudanese refugees in a police pre-dawn raid in the Egyptian capital Cairo last Friday, while shouting “Down… Down Mubarak”.The protest was organized by the Sudanese Marginalized Forces Forum for Peace and Development (SMFFPD- USA Chapter). In their press releases they strongly condemned the brutal acts of the Egyptian security forces against the peaceful sit-in protest campaign organized by the Sudanese refugees in Cairo. The Sudanese sit-in has started on September 29, 2005 and until the attack day on December 30. The release also criticizes the UNHCR office in Cairo for ignoring the Sudanese refugees' rights and not guaranteeing their protection in Egypt. SMFFPD called upon all the marginalized forces of Sudan to unite against the oppression of the Sudanese government that forced millions of Sudanese people to escape the country.
Demonstrators held up placards condemning the Egyptian regime’s crime against the Sudanese refugees in Cairo. The Sudanese demonstrators were joined by some supporters from the DC area. The demonstrators were filled with agony and pain over the recent attack as they shouted against the Egyptian regime and President Mubarak.
The demonstrators read out some appeals they wrote to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and the Human Rights Commission to launch an immediate independent investigation into the killings of the Sudanese Refugees in Cairo and to provide protection to the refugees from any anticipated future brutality.
SMFFPD called for questioning and freezing all bilateral agreements between the two countries, including agreements on the Nile water.
Demonstrators called on Egypt to stop deportation plans for 650 Sudanese people which have been declared illegal immigrants or have violated the security conditions by the Egyptian government. Demonstrators believe that this move meant to retaliate from the Sudanese people living in Egypt, following the the worldwide international community’s criticism over the brutal treatment by the Egyptian police forces to the Sudanese refugees.
The Sudanese people in the US believe that the killings of the Sudanese people were perpetrated following an agreement of a forced evacuation for the refugees between the Sudanese and Egyptian governments .
Drawings for President Mubarak depicted him in some poses for Hitler with the Nazi sign. Demonstration organizers mentioned that they wrote to the U.S. Congress and to U.S. President George Bush seeking support to save the remaining Sudanese refugees in Cairo and to stop the forced deportation.
U.S. police officers were applauded for not killing the Sudanese protesters unlike the Egyptian police tradition of killing Egyptian citizens, if they dared to demonstrate, and recently the Sudanese!
On December 30, 2005 more than 27 Sudanese refugees were killed at the hands of the Egyptian police officers in a dawn raid to evacuate an unarranged refugee camp in the Mohandessen area, Giza. The victims of the attack were mainly elderly people, children and women.
Related previous posts:
Government Killed the Sudanese Refugees and My Grandma Did Not
27 killed, 30 injured after police stormed a UN Refugee Camp in Cairo, Egypt
Above: "Shame Shame on Mubarak"
Above: "Tarnished hands with blood do not make peace"
posted by Freedom For Egyptians @ 10:09 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
"U.S. police officers were applauded for not killing the Sudanese protesters"
Wow, you don't pull any punches! That's one of the best lines I've seen on a blog, FFE :)
Great to hear about the protest. I still wonder how much the local UN officials knew about the removal operation or if they encouraged it??
Great post as usual.
Craig,
I always remember that if the situation in Egypt remains as it is, I might be jailed tomorrow and no one hears of me again, so I better say it now before it is too late to say anything...silence forever...
As for the US police officer, there is no doubt that there is no comparison between the US and Egyptian police officers what so ever. Those who killed the Sudanese refugees were officers in uniform. This is just a little reminder, that we are way too far from being close to civilized free societies. Lots of efforts need to be put on to remind our police (Egyptians) that their role is to protect the people rather kill them in demonstrations or a park at night...etc
Gateway,
The UN locals in Cairo do not have a great stance from the killings. They are playing the pacifier. A position that makes me feel doubtful about the UNHRC mission in Cairo! They have no credibility in my eyes right now. They invited a popular Egyptian actor, to use him to calm down the Egyptian anger but not to compensate the losses of the Sudanese regugees. I was shocked that he did not defend the refugees, he defended the move of the Egyptian ministry of the interior. It is not a great situation. And If I were the UN HQ I would have reshuffled the Cairo office the following day. This is a scandal to the UN body!! If the Egyptian government has history of cracking down on people, the UN is not excused one second as it represents the whole world!
okay i am wondering
what could egypt have done, that wouldn't be that bruital but would still make sure that we do not encourage refugees to come to our country.
what would have been the correct course of action?
i am not for this bruital attack, but i am putting myself in the shoes of a politician whose country cannot handle more people and refugees, and must ensure that people are not harmed in the process
Great pics you posted over there.
Keep it up.
In response to Suerluli's question as to what the politicians / police forces could have done:
They could have maybe taken a leaf out of the book of te Israeli Defence Forces who manage to demolish Palestinian homes without killing the inhabitants.
The Four Freedoms Agreement between Egypt and Sudan provides the right of residence to citizens of both countries.
How is it then that so many of the refugees are being deported back to Sudan?
Could Sudan similarly create exceptions in its implementation of the Four Freedoms?
The Government of South Sudan has condemned the act as a massacre in the strongest words and has asked Egyptian nationals to leave South Sudan due to 'security concerns'. The Egyptian Consul is in Khartoum for 'consultations'.
The Sudanese Labour Party has asked for a lull in diplomatic activity with Egypt.
Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement Members of Parliament have signed a petition asking for the massacre to be debated in the Sudanese Parliament and have stated their rejection for Egyptian troops taking part in the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Sudan.
Egypt - Sudan relations have been hit and hit hard.
A senior SPLM Politician and Minister recently stated in Kenya that Egypt was the graveyard of Sudanese refugees.
I don't think any Southern Sudanese Politician is keen on constructing the Jonglei Canal anytime soon.
Does anyone agree with me that racism exists and is tolerated in Egyptian society?
Does anyone else feel that Africans and blacks are unashamedly caricatured and parodied in the Egyptian media?
The refugee massacre has, in my view, done little to improve Egypt's image amongst 'Africans' that it is not a real African country and therefore cannot represent the continent or its people.
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