Hey. I don't know what's being covered in the US right now as far as the
demonstrations and clashes starting up again here.....but it's true. Tomorrow
they are calling for a "Million Man March" and there are already thousands in
Tahrir Square in Cairo and all across the country gearing up.
The people are protesting that we're still under military regime (Mubarak's
leftovers) and the elections that were supposed to be held back in September
were pushed back until October (because of Mubarak's trials that never happened)
and then again to November 28. My kids are taking exams this week for mid-terms
but it looks like the schools are preparing for the "fit to hit the proverbial shan", as
it has been rumored that those exams may end up being their mid-year exam
grades. Samiya and Aiman are scheduled to get out of school at 11am tomorrow
morning. I'm planning, God willing, to meet them at the gate with a buttload of
groceries for them to help me carry home and then we're hunkering down to ride
out the storm. The really good part in this, Mohamed is at home right now so it
won't be as scary.
We are still living on the outskirts of the city of Alexandria in the beach community.
While there will probably be some demonstrations here, it probably will not reach
where we live. We don't live near any military or police installations or government
offices, so we're probably safe. Mom, you met my friend Sarah when you were here.
She lives next to a prison and police station. Keep her family in your prayers, please.
They had a lot of violence by their house last time.
I just wanted to touch base and let you know what's going on right now---- It's currently
9:30pm (Egyptian Standard Time) Monday, 21 November. The last report on Al-Jazeera
English (International) and the BBC Arabic news channels, the military council has
accepted the resignations of the Interim Cabinet members but nobody cares. The cabinet
ministers are really just puppet heads for the military council at this point and have done
virtually NOTHING since being appointed. They're all Mubarak-leftovers as well. The
people are calling for the resignation of the Head of the military council.
What you ARE seeing on tv (if you're watching) is probably the people in Tahrir Square.
There are thousands of people milling about and shouting. Also, there are makeshift
hospitals within the square set up by volunteer doctors helping the injured and so far, there
have been over 33 dead reported and thousands injured. They've made an assembly line
to carry the injured from the side streets into the middle of the square for treatment. The
more serious injuries are being carried back out and put into ambulances for hospitalization.
What you ARE NOT seeing on tv is the attacks by the internal security forces, police and
military against peaceful demonstrators. They are firing a plastic bullets, shot gun shells full
of bird shot and now they are using a more powerful tear gas (per the
correspondents on both channels who've been reporting since Jan) than in the 25 Jan rev-
olution and in the demonstrations last month. Here in Alexandria (specifically in Samouha
district), the cops are up on roof tops firing plastic bullets and bird shot into crowds of
unarmed people. I haven't heard about what's going on down in the Upper Egypt areas and
in Suez....but it's probably the same as here and Cairo.
At any rate, as long as the internet is up, I'll give you all updates every day to let you know
that we are okay. If you want to call, that's fine, too. I probably won't be calling out because
if this goes to shit again like earlier this year, phone cards to refill balances on prepaids are
going to be impossible to get ahold of. So I'll be saving for emergencies.
Nikki, Mohamed and kids
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