Egypt: Invitation from The Association of Egyptian Mothers
Source:
The Association of Egyptian Mothers On the 25th of May, the day of the referendum, women and girls taking part in a peaceful demonstration demanding democracy were beaten and sexually attacked.
This took place in front of the Journalists Trade Union in central Cairo at the hands of the hired thugs of the National Party and under the supervision of police generals from the Ministry of the Interior.
We, Egyptian mothers who dream of a better future for our country and a better life for our children, invite the Egyptian people to wear black on Wednesday the 1st of June.
Go out to your work as usual but wearing black. Even if you are not a political activist and have no interest in public affairs, if what happened on the 25th of May does not meet with your approval you have a duty in front of God and your conscience to make this known. We ask you to conduct your life as usual but wearing something black.
For the activists, we ask you, wherever you are, to organize peaceful and silent gatherings in front of your places of work or any public place you agree. Wear black and stand in collective silence at one o'clock.
Egyptian Mothers is not a political movement, it is the voice of the silent majority of women; women who work whether within or outside the home, women who believe that the Ministry of the Interior has now crossed all red lines and that silence today is a crime. We ask you to stand together, one people, in defence of Egyptian women.
Our demand is clear: the resignation of the Minister of the Interior.
On the 1st of June, Egypt from the Mediterranean to the Sudan, will dress in black for our women and young girls who were beaten, attacked and had the clothes torn off them in the street because they dared to say 'Enough'. This time, we who do not belong to Kifaya or to any other movement, will go out to say to the Ministry of the Interior whose job was to protect us: 'The game is over.'
On this day of public mourning our demand is clear: the Minister of the Interior must resign.
Either we go back to our homes and our daily lives, quietly engaged in making a living and looking after our families as Egyptian women have done since the dawn of civilization, in this land whose people have always wished to live in peace or, if our demand is not met, we will consider our next step.
We repeat that we do not belong to Kifaya or to any other political movement declared or otherwise. But when a woman pays for her political participation with the invasion of the sanctity of her body then every mother, no, every Egyptian will go out on the streets, dressed in black, to say to the Minister of the Interior: We demand your resignation today. Now.
Our appointment is on Wednesday June the 1st, an ordinary day, clothed in black, calmly and in bitter silence, for a future in which our children shall be free.
In response to the above invitation, a group of us (faculty members at Cairo University), have decided to observe a silent vigil for an hour outside the main gates of the university on Wednesday 1 June from 12:00 noon.
Everyone who wishes to join us in expressing solidarity with those who were assaulted, beaten and sexually harassed last Wednesday is welcome. We hope that many will come. Come wearing black, or at least wear a black arm-band, tie or scarf. Tell as many people as you can, and forward this email to all your contacts. Those of you who can't make it, please show your solidarity by wearing black on Wednesday wherever you are.
Go out to your work as usual but wearing black. Even if you are not a political activist and have no interest in public affairs, if what happened on the 25th of May does not meet with your approval you have a duty in front of God and your conscience to make this known. We ask you to conduct your life as usual but wearing something black.
For the activists, we ask you, wherever you are, to organize peaceful and silent gatherings in front of your places of work or any public place you agree. Wear black and stand in collective silence at one o'clock.
Egyptian Mothers is not a political movement, it is the voice of the silent majority of women; women who work whether within or outside the home, women who believe that the Ministry of the Interior has now crossed all red lines and that silence today is a crime. We ask you to stand together, one people, in defence of Egyptian women.
Our demand is clear: the resignation of the Minister of the Interior.
On the 1st of June, Egypt from the Mediterranean to the Sudan, will dress in black for our women and young girls who were beaten, attacked and had the clothes torn off them in the street because they dared to say 'Enough'. This time, we who do not belong to Kifaya or to any other movement, will go out to say to the Ministry of the Interior whose job was to protect us: 'The game is over.'
On this day of public mourning our demand is clear: the Minister of the Interior must resign.
Either we go back to our homes and our daily lives, quietly engaged in making a living and looking after our families as Egyptian women have done since the dawn of civilization, in this land whose people have always wished to live in peace or, if our demand is not met, we will consider our next step.
We repeat that we do not belong to Kifaya or to any other political movement declared or otherwise. But when a woman pays for her political participation with the invasion of the sanctity of her body then every mother, no, every Egyptian will go out on the streets, dressed in black, to say to the Minister of the Interior: We demand your resignation today. Now.
Our appointment is on Wednesday June the 1st, an ordinary day, clothed in black, calmly and in bitter silence, for a future in which our children shall be free.
In response to the above invitation, a group of us (faculty members at Cairo University), have decided to observe a silent vigil for an hour outside the main gates of the university on Wednesday 1 June from 12:00 noon.
Everyone who wishes to join us in expressing solidarity with those who were assaulted, beaten and sexually harassed last Wednesday is welcome. We hope that many will come. Come wearing black, or at least wear a black arm-band, tie or scarf. Tell as many people as you can, and forward this email to all your contacts. Those of you who can't make it, please show your solidarity by wearing black on Wednesday wherever you are.
