Global Voices » Ayesha Saldanha

Egypt: First Free Presidential Election Underway

Ayesha Saldanha — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:13:27 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Elections 2011/2012.

Egyptians are voting in the country's first free presidential election. The voting will take place on May 23 and 24, with a runoff on June 16 and 17 if necessary.

Fifty million people are eligible to vote. While large queues have formed at some polling stations, the turnout seems to be lower than for the parliamentary elections in November 2011. This may reflect a disillusionment with the candidates felt by many.

Tarek Shalaby commented on the low turnout:

@tarekshalaby: On March 19th [the constitutional referendum], I was in the queue wrapping around this school. Right now it's deserted. Maybe later…

No queue. Image posted by @tarekshalaby

Journalist Erin Cunningham commented on the turnout in Ismailia in north-east Egypt:

@erinmcunningham: Bakery in Ismailia central has longer, more enthusiastic line than polling stations I saw. ‪#Egyelex‬ ‪#breadpolitics

Nadine Sabry gave one explanation as to why turnout was low:

@nsabry: major differentiating factor is the weather. I went around 2 pm last time but wont go today til 6:30-7 when it is emptier & cooler

Emirati Sultan Al Qassemi is visiting Cairo, and took this picture:

Long queue for all-male voting station at Orman school in Dokki. Image posted by @SultanAlQassemi.

Kareem Hosem in Cairo commented:

@akaHoezy: I dream of a day when men & women can stand in one line to vote without trouble. Gender segregation should be a thing of the past. ‪#EgyElex

Journalist Adam Makary in Suez took us through the voting process:

@adamakary: First, you show your national ID card to match your number with those registered to vote. Then, you sign ‪#Suez‬ ‪#EgyElex

Image posted by @adamakary.

@adamakary: Second step, pick up your voting card. ‪#Suez‬ ‪#EgyElex

Image posted by @adamakary.

@adamakary: And you wait… with ballot and pen in hand. ‪#Suez‬ ‪#EgyElex‬

Image posted by @adamakary.

@adamakary: After you tick off the box selecting your preferred candidate, you drop your ballot into a sealed box. ‪#Suez‬ ‪#EgyElex

Image posted by @adamakary.

@adamakary: Finally, you collect your ID card, dip your finger in purple, permanent ink and off you go. ‪#Suez‬ ‪#EgyElex

Image posted by @adamakary.

Lilz voted, and commented:

@Booky_Lillz: Is anyone else's skin reacting to the dye? I think Im getting hives! ‪#EgyElex‬ ‪#EgyPresElection

Nadeen Hafez in Cairo voted with pride:

@NadeenHafez: Took me 3 hours and a half to vote. Totally worth it. All for you, Egypt! ‪#EgyElex‬ ‪#PresidentialElections

Omar Elimam could not believe the change in Egypt:

@elimam_o: Simply put, I still cannot comprehend that I'm going to vote for ‪#Egypt‬'s president. ‪#egyelex

BBC Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen spoke to a voter:

@jfjbowen: I asked one woman in the queue to vote how long she'd been waiting. 30 years she said with a big laugh ‪#EgyPresElection

For more on the presidential elections see this Storify by Asteris Masouras.

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Elections 2011/2012.

Featured image shows woman proudly showing off her inked finger outside a Zamalek polling station after voting in Egypt's first post-Mubarak presidential election, by Sallie Pisch, copyright Demotix (23/05/2012).

Lebanon: UK Ambassador to Chat on Twitter with Haifa Wehbe

Ayesha Saldanha — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:46:32 +0000

The British Embassy in Lebanon has announced an online discussion between the UK ambassador (@HMATomFletcher) and Lebanese singer Haifa Wehbe (@HaifaWehbe), to take place on May 18 at 6pm (Lebanese time), tweeting under the hashtag #HaifaHMA.

Mauritania: Opposition Sit-in Attacked by Security Forces

Ayesha Saldanha — Fri, 04 May 2012 11:29:48 +0000

A sit-in in Nouakchott by opposition groups was violently dispersed by security forces in the early hours of May 3. It was the latest of a series of protests that have taken place in Mauritania.

Protestors, who were calling for the downfall of the military government, had erected tents and brought supplies and a water truck, intending to stay. This was the first mass sit-in organised by all opposition parties and activist and community groups.

Mauritanians have been protesting for political and economic reforms, and the end to military rule, for more than a year. The country has been described as being at boiling point.

Opposition sit-in in Nouakchott on May 2. Image by Twitter user @ahmedj85.

Online activist Anita Hunt described what happened on the morning of May 3:

After cutting off electricity and barricading the area around the sit-in with road blocks and a convoy of about 30 vehicles, a barrage of tear gas, sound grenades and water cannon rained down on the camp. Police then attacked and beat protesters as they tried to escape. Scores of people were injured and dozens arrested in clashes that continued for over two hours. The injured included the leader of one of the opposition parties; the director of another opposition leader, Ould Daddah’s office; independent radio journalists; a pregnant woman who was overcome by tear gas and developed severe breathing diffculties; and a youth with internal bleeding. The police confiscated bedding, electronics, and provisions from the camp site, and were later seen dividing up the food and drink between themselves. Whatever police couldn’t remove easily – such as tables, chairs and toilet facilities – they destroyed. There are reports that president Aziz and a security detail of the presidential guard were spotted in the vicinity while the attacks were in progress, indicating that he was personally supervising the raid. The Council of Ministers met at the presidential palace later that morning, while police launched a fresh attack on the university, arresting several students. After the Council meeting, there was no mention in the official statement regarding the massive protest or the attack.

Mauritanian blogger Ahmed Jedou wrote:

هذا الاعتصام شاركت فيه جميع أطياف المعارضة الموريتانية
من أحزاب وقوى سياسية وحركات شبابية مثل حركة 25 فبراير التي دخلت في سمر ليلي صاخب .
حيث قرضوا الشعر ورددوا شعارهم الاشهر “يسقط يسقط حكم العسكر “الذي رفعوه من أكثر من عام مع بداية الربيع العربي.

The whole spectrum of the Mauritanian opposition took part in this sit-in: all parties, political forces, youth movements such as the 25 February movement [ar] that organised a night vigil during which they recited poems and repeated their slogan of months “Down, down with military rule”, which they have been saying for more than a year since the beginning of the Arab Spring.

US-based Mauritanian activist Nasser Weddady commented:

@weddady:#موريتانيا‬‏ على الرغم من قلة عدد سكانها قطعت أشواطاً بعيدة في الحراك الشعبي إذ أنها شهدت ميلاد حركات إحتجاجية في سنة.إنجاز قياسي بكل المعايير

@weddady:#Mauritania ‬despite its small population has made great strides in popular mobilisation, as it has witnessed the birth of protest movements in a year. Record achievement by any standard

He added:

@weddady: Now, we will see how the opposition will react to the mass beating. As usual, don't expect much on any of this in world media.

This video [ar], uploaded by ahmedj85, shows the sit-in on May 2:

The following video [ar], uploaded by alaakhbarinfo, shows the sit-in being attacked in the early morning of May 3:

May Day Marked Around the Arab World

Ayesha Saldanha — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:25:02 +0000

May Day, or Labour Day, or International Workers' Day is recognised as a public holiday in many Arab countries, and demonstrations and rallies are held by unions and political parties to pay tribute to the role of workers and to call for workers' rights.

The National Transitional Council of Libya has declared [ar] International Workers' Day to be a national public holiday starting this year. Hamid tweeted from Tripoli:

@2011feb17: #Libya's first #MayDay (Worker's Day) holiday since 42 years ago! HAPPY HOLIDAY EVERYONE Yup #Libya has changed ;)

Demonstration on Avenue Habib Bourguiba, Tunis. Image by Amine Ghrabi on Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0).

Bahraini activist Maryam Alkhawaja remembered the migrant workers of the Gulf:

@MARYAMALKHAWAJA: On labor day we pay tribute to all the migrant workers who r treated like modern day slaves in #gulf countries

Demonstration in Barbar, Bahrain. Image by Twitter user @bahrainiac14.

Demonstrations were held all over Bahrain demanding the reinstatement of the hundreds of workers who were fired last year for taking part in protests. Many of the demonstrations were attacked by riot police with tear gas. Journalist Mazen Mahdi reported from Manama's souq (market):

@MazenMahdi: Despite tear-gasing #Manama souq labor day protest still on-going #Bahrain

Demonstration in Khouribga, Morocco. Image by Twitter user @__Hisham.

Imad Bazzi tweeted about the hacking of the Lebanese Ministry of Labour's website:

@TrellaLB: special delivery for the Ministry of Labor in #Lebanon on Labor day, a total makeover :D loooool http://www.labor.gov.lb/ thanks to #RYV

The website was changed to say the following:

We are RYV, short for Raise Your Voice, and we are simply a group of people who could not bare sitting in silence, watching all the crimes and injustice going on in Lebanon. We will not be silenced and brainwashed by your media. We will not stop until the Lebanese people mobilize, demand their rights, and earn them. We will not stop until the standards of living are raised to where they should be in Lebanon. We will not stop until this government's self-made problems are solved, like the power shortage, water shortage, rise in gas prices and rise in food product prices. We are RYV, expect us to break the silence, whether in the streets or on the Internet.
Silence is a crime

Demonstration in Cairo. Image by Hossam el-Hamalawy on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).

Jordan: New Website for Short Stories

Ayesha Saldanha — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:38:33 +0000

Project Pen is an initiative to promote short story writing by Arabs and “encourage a new generation of writers, creating new kinds of stories, for a new kind of readership”. By sharing stories across social media, and by connecting writers with each other, Project Pen intends to bypass traditional publishing and take storytelling “back to a future when stories were carved out on cave walls, and spoken out over the camp fire”. You can find out more at the project's website (in Arabic and English), and on Facebook and Twitter.

Syria: Appeal by Diplomats' Wives to Asma Al Assad

Ayesha Saldanha — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:53:29 +0000

“Women from around the world, urge you, Asma Al-Assad, to take up your responsibility as wife of the Syrian leader. Hundreds of children in your country have already died, tens of thousands have been injured and displaced, all of them have been traumatized. We expect you to speak out for peace, to stop the bloodshed. Make your voice heard!” On April 16 the wives of the British and German ambassadors to the UN released a video urging Asma Al Assad, the wife of Syrian president Bashar Al Assad, to act to stop the violence in Syria. They also started a petition calling for peace.

Lebanon: Palm Sunday and Easter Celebrations

Ayesha Saldanha — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 20:10:32 +0000

In Lebanon two Christian celebrations took place on April 8, 2012 as churches following the Gregorian calendar celebrated Easter Sunday and churches following the Julian calendar celebrated Palm Sunday. This means that some Christians are celebrating Easter next Sunday, on April 15. In 2013 the two Easters will be much further apart, on March 31 and May 5.

Sietske, a Dutch woman married to a Lebanese man, describes the family's Easter celebrations:

There is the annual Easter lunch with the Easter Egg Hunt attached to it in the garden of the father of the wife of the brother of my husband. And everyone is coming, whether they're Christian or not, or whether it's their Easter or not (the Orthodox celebrate Easter next Sunday). I have mentioned before that in Holland, that connection would qualify them as strangers. Here, it’s direct family. And the cousins of the wife of the brother of my husband come as well, and so do the wives of the brothers of the father of the wife of the brother of my husband. Still with me? And the parents of the wives of the brothers of the wife of the brother of my husband are there as well. In Lebanon they have names for family connections like that. In Holland you would never ever meet these people, save for an isolated wedding or funeral. Here I meet them every year. And the group is growing, as children get married, and so their extended family gets added. We were ranging from age 96 (3 were in their 90’s) to 4 months old; a bit like an Italian family. But I assume most people that live around the Mediterranean share these characteristics; large families, lots of celebrations and parties. And if you take into account that most Lebanese families have about half of their family members living abroad (on my husband’s side alone – and he is from a very small family) there are already 3 uncles, an aunt, and 11 cousins living outside), you can imagine what kind of celebrations we’d have if everyone were to be in town.

Sietske's Easter family photo. Image from sietske-in-beiroet.blogspot.com.

Tarek Joseph Chemaly writes that the egg hunt is not a Lebanese tradition:

In Lebanon we do not do egg hunts but rather “egg matches” whereby boiled eggs are struck against each other until the last standing egg is the winner… And damn cholesterol levels - because you have to eat them eventually right?

Painted eggs for Easter. Image by Twitter user @tarekfeghali.

Meanwhile, Orthodox Christians celebrated Palm Sunday.

Bishop Audi celebrating Palm Sunday, St George's Orthodox Cathedral, Beirut. Image by Twitter user @LebanonEguide.

Palm Sunday celebration at St George's Orthodox Cathedral, downtown Beirut. Image by Twitter user @antoine_haddad.

Palm Sunday celebration in Ashrafieh, Beirut. Image by Twitter user @rimamaktabi.

Bahrain: Celebration and Criticism Greet “Manama, Capital of Arab Culture 2012″

Ayesha Saldanha — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:24:19 +0000

On February 2, “Manama, Capital of Arab Culture 2012” (@ManamaCulture12) was officially launched. But as the celebration was taking place, opposition protests were broken up elsewhere in the capital.

The Capital of Arab Culture is an initiative of the Arab League under UNESCO's Cultural Capitals Programme. Many have criticised the awarding of the title to Manama this year, and have called for a boycott, because of the government's “repressive practices” against pro-democracy demonstrators, with writers and artists amongst them (some of whom have been forced into exile). Other Bahrainis have welcomed the beginning of the year of cultural events, and see it as a way to present a more positive image of Bahrain to the world.

As she watched the televised opening of Manama, Capital of Arab Culture 2012, Twitter user Rasha Yousif (@RshRsho) announced:

@RshRsho: Proud to be Bahraini ! #ManamaCapitalofArabCulture2012

Twitter user Fawaz Al Muhandis (@Fawazu) was impressed by the work of the Ministry of Culture:

@Fawazu: I think @MOC_BH is working towards the right direction into representing a good image of Bahrain #ManamaCapitalofArabCulture2012 thank you!

In a reference to the one-year anniversary of the start of the February 14 uprising, and the tension expected to accompany it, Twitter user @JulesALK said:

@JulesALK: #ManamaCapitalofArabCulture2012 Happy to see the beautiful celebrations today. We must enjoy feb. Good start #Bahrain

Khalid Al-Rowaie (@kalrowaie), a writer and theatre director who works for Bahrain's Ministry Of Culture, was at the opening ceremony, which included a musical performance called “The Path of Pearls” about Bahrain's traditional pearling industry. He posted this photo:

Musical performance during opening ceremony of Manama, Capital of Arab Culture 2012, called "The Path of Pearls". Image posted by Twitter user @kalrowaie.

A criticism often made of cultural events in Bahrain is that many of the artists involved are not Bahraini. Not all of those who watched the Capital of Arab Culture ceremony were impressed, feeling it wasn't representative of Bahraini culture. Twitter user @_MKAlKhalifa wrote:

@_MKAlKhalifa: Egyptian Bahraini Dance? :/ #Fail #ManamaCapitalofArabCulture2012 #Bahrain

@_MKAlKhalifa: #Bahrain has a very unique and a beautiful culture, yet the opening of #ManamaCapitalofArabCulture2012 doesn't represent it!

Bahrain's Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Alkhalifa (@khalidalkhalifa) also attended the opening ceremony, and posted an image of the performance, writing [ar]:

@khalidalkhalifa: طريق اللؤلؤ ، ينطلق بالدانة .. معشوقة الغواص

The Path of Pearls starts with the Dana, the diver's beloved pearl

Musical performance during opening ceremony of Manama, Capital of Arab Culture 2012, called "The Path of Pearls". Image posted by Twitter user @khalidalkhalifa.

Journalist Hussain Mansoor (@Hu4mansoor) responded to the Foreign Minister's tweet with a reference to the destroyed Pearl Roundabout, focal point of pro-democracy protests, saying [ar]:

@Hu4mansoor: ليس طريقا للؤلؤ ذاك الذي لا يمر على دوار اللؤلؤة. #bahrain #14feb

It is not a Path of Pearls if it doesn't lead to the Pearl Roundabout.

Journalist Reem Khalifa (@Reem_Khalifa) commented [ar]:

@Reem_Khalifa:في عاصمة الثقافة العربية لا مكان لحرية الرأي والاستقلالية في القضاء وشفافية المعلومة بل قمع ثقافة الآخر واحتقار الإنسان الحر

In the Capital of Arab Culture there is no room for freedom of opinion, independence of the judiciary, and transparency of information, only for the suppression of others' culture and contempt for free humans

As the opening ceremony took place at the National Museum, protestors gathered in central Manama for a weekly rally known as the Manama March, which was broken up by riot police using tear gas (the heavy use of which in Bahrain has been condemned by human rights organisations).

Clouds of tear gas in central Manama as opposition march broken up. Image posted by Twitter user @sorr0w.

Twitter user @Intelligensia1 wrote [ar]:

@Intelligensia1:المنامة الآن تجمع النقيضين تماماً.. مثقفي السلطة في المتحف الوطني.. وشعب مثقف في أزقتها مخنوق بثقافة السلطة #Bahrain #14feb #Alwefaq

In Manama right now there are two complete opposites… The regime's intellectuals in the National Museum, and the educated people in the alleys suffocating from the regime's culture

Palestine: Planning a Virtual Funeral

Ayesha Saldanha — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:15:05 +0000

It is extremely difficult for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza to visit Israel, and for political reasons it is impossible for most other Arabs to do so, because Israel is not recognised as a state by the majority of Arab countries. At the same time, Palestinian citizens of Israel (approximately 20% of the population) are unable to travel to much of the Arab world, because they have Israeli passports.

Rasha Hilwi, who is a Palestinian citizen of Israel, has been reflecting on how these restrictions on movement will affect her – after she dies.

In a post on her blog, Zaghroda (which means “ululations”), Rasha writes [ar]:

Akka sunset. Image by Flickr user yanivba (CC BY-SA 2.0).

فجأة، تشعرين أن الموت خيّم فوق هذه السماء. بالرغم من أنه لم يتركها يوماً ما.
لا الموت فقط، لكن “هداك المرض” أيضاً، كما يسمونه. وصديقي يطلق على برجه أيضاً إسم “هداك البرج”. يعني السرطان، ودائماً حين يصل الموت بأسبابه العديدة. أسأل نفسي كلّ مرة من جديد: “أنا لشو بتفاجئ يعني؟” وتعود قيمة الحياة من جديد، لأكم يوم بس.
مش مهم.. لكن منذ فترة، قررت أن أكتب وصيتي.
على فكرة، لا أقصد من هذه الوصية أن أكون متشائمة. يعني الموت هو أمر طبيعي. أو هكذا أعتقد. ولأنه طبيعي فأنا أكتب عنه. وحسبما جدتي، أو جدتَك أو جدتِك تقول: “ما حدا بعرف بكرا شو بصير معه!”.

Suddenly you feel that death has been hovering in this sky, even though it never really left it. Not just death, but also “that disease”, as it’s known. (My friend even calls his star sign “that sign”.) That is, cancer.
And whenever death arrives, with its many reasons, I ask myself, “Why am I surprised?” Then I value life anew – for a few days.
Anyway, that’s not important…
A while ago I decided to write my will.
By the way, I don’t mean to be pessimistic by doing so. Death is something natural. That’s at least what I believe. And because it’s natural I am writing about it. As my grandmother says, or your grandmothers say, “No one knows what tomorrow will bring!”

She continues:

قبل أشهر قليلة عدت من القاهرة. وبعدما عدت بيومين فقدت صديقاً عزيزاً. ذهب إلى مكان بعيد. مكان لا أحد يعرفه، ويجهله كلّ من يقرأ هذه الأسطر الآن.. بتأمل!
لن أطيل الحديث عليكم. لكن لدي بعض الأسئلة المتعلقة بالموت وطقوسه. يعني، عندما أذهب غداً إلى المكان البعيد. الذي لا يعرفه أحد، من الطبيعي أن تقام جنازتي في عكّا- لا بيت لي سواها- هكذا يقول لي أبي. وبالتأكيد سوف أدفن فيها. صحّ؟
لكن، تقتلني فكرة أن أموت ولا زال الاحتلال قاعد على قلبي! كيف سيصل أصدقائي وصديقاتي من رام الله والقاهرة ودمشق وبيروت وعمان وتونس والمغرب وصنعاء وبغداد وطرابلس لوداعي الأخير؟

A few months ago I returned from Cairo. Two days after I came back I lost a dear friend; he departed for a faraway place, unknown to all who read these lines… I hope!
I won’t make this a long story for you all. However, I have some questions relating to death and its rituals. When I leave tomorrow for that unknown, faraway place, my funeral will naturally be held in Akka – I have no other home – so says my father. I will certainly be buried there. Right?
But the idea tortures me that I will die and the [Israeli] occupation will still be sitting on my heart! How will my friends from Ramallah, Cairo, Damascus, Beirut, Amman, Tunisia, Morocco, Sana’a, Baghdad and Tripoli come to say their final goodbye?

Rasha wonders:

يعني، هل برأيكم ممكن أن تكون وصيتي بإصدار تصاريح لأصدقائي في رام الله حتى يأتون لوداعي في التابوت؟ ياه ما أبشع الفكرة: إصدار تصاريح من الاحتلال حتى يروني وأنا ميتة! لكن، لربما ستكون هذه هي فرصتهم أن يزوروا عكّا وبالمقابل يأتوا لوداعي..
لكن ماذا عن أحبائي في القاهرة وبيروت وعمان؟
يعني، هل ممكن.. مثلاً.. مثلاً.. إن تكون وصيتي بحرق جثتي وإرسال القليل من الرماد إلى أصدقائي هُناك؟ وتنظيم أمسية موسيقية وأدبية بدلاً عن الجنازة التقليدية؟ طيب، هل ممكن أن تكون جنازتي عبر “الفيديو كونفرنس”؟ أو حتى “السكايب”؟ ماله السكايب؟ على الأقل مجاني. هكذا يكون بث مباشر لجنازتي من عكّا إلى بيروت والقاهرة وعمان وتونس ورام الله وغزة!أو لشو كلّ هالتعقيد؟ ممكن أن تكون وصيتي أن يحملوا تابوتي إليهم؟ أعتقد أن تصريح عبور لشخص ميت سوف يكون أسهل. والأهم، إنه لا يحتاج إلى فيزا. هكذا سيكون بمقدوري أن أرى بيروت. مين بعرف؟ ممكن أكون قادرة أشوفها وقتها.

Do you think I can put in my will that permits should be issued for my friends in Ramallah to come and say farewell to my coffin? What a horrible idea: a permit being issued by the occupation authorities in order for my friends to see me when I’m dead! But maybe it would be their chance to visit Akka, in exchange for saying farewell to me…
But what about my dear friends in Cairo, Beirut and Amman?
Is it possible – for example – for my will to state that my body should be burnt and that a little of my ashes should be sent to my friends in those places? And that a musical and literary gathering should be held rather than a conventional funeral? Is it possible for my funeral to be relayed by video conference? Or even by Skype? What’s wrong with Skype? At least it’s free. That way there would be a direct broadcast of my funeral from Akka to Beirut, Cairo, Amman, Tunis, Ramallah and Gaza!
But why complicate things? Maybe I can state in my will that my coffin should be carried to them. I think the permission for a dead person to cross the border will be easier [than for the living]. Most importantly, it wouldn’t require a visa. That way I would be able to see Beirut. Who knows? Perhaps I will get to see it then.

Egypt: A Baha’i Blogger's Take on the Elections

Ayesha Saldanha — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:19:30 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Elections 2011.

The Baha’is of Egypt number perhaps only 2,000 people, but over the years the community has faced discrimination and sometimes hostility.

The Baha’i faith was recognised as an independent religion in Egypt in 1925, but in 1960 it was banned by President Gamal Abdel Nasser, and all Baha'i properties and assets confiscated, although individuals remained free to practise their religion. Egyptian Baha’is have had to fight for their civil status, such as the right to have ID cards on which they are not forced to choose their religion as either Muslim, Christian or Jewish. They also campaigned unsuccessfully for the recognition of Baha’i marriages.

Baha’i symbol known as The Greatest Name. (Wikimedia Commons)

Baha’i homes have been set on fire on more than one occasion, and in 2001 some Baha’is were arrested for “insulting religion”. Recently a Salafist leader stated that if Salafists took power they would not allow Egypt’s Baha’is to hold religious festivals or mark their religion on national ID cards.

Baha’i teachings emphasise unity and the healing of divisions, and prohibit Baha’is from engaging in partisan politics. Therefore, Baha’is may not join political parties or campaign for candidates in elections.

Global Voices Online has spoken to Wael, who blogs at Living in Egypt without ID, about the current situation of the Baha’is in Egypt and the changes that the current elections (stage two of which starts on December 14) might bring.

Global Voices (GV): What is the current situation for the Baha’is in Egypt? What are the main problems the community faces?

Wael (W): As you know, identification documents, especially identity cards and birth certificates, are mandatory for all Egyptians and necessary to obtain access to education, employment, family life, registration and immunization of children, as well as most basic daily activities such as opening a bank account, obtaining a driver’s license, receiving pension or inheritance, or engaging in business transactions.

Most of the Egyptian Baha’is do not have official IDs to allow them to attain any of the above. In addition, they have been barred from holding government jobs, and that situation has not changed as yet. Baha’i marriages are still not recognized in Egypt, and that results in difficulties in obtaining birth certificates for Baha’i children.

While the Supreme Administrative Court ruled that Baha’is should be able to obtain official Egyptian identification cards, the implementation of this ruling has moved very slowly. A few Baha’is were successful in obtaining their IDs with a dash “—“ in the space designated for religion instead of adding the word Baha’i. However, the majority of Baha’is, including myself, have not been successful in obtaining official IDs. The major issue is providing required evidence that their parents were listed as Baha’is or have dashes in the space designated for religion in their IDs, same thing for their birth certificates. On the other hand, married couples can’t obtain official IDs since the Egyptian government does not recognize Baha’i marriage. Therefore so many Baha’is find themselves in a Catch-22 situation. Married or divorced Baha’is are unable to obtain their IDs. The Baha’is in Egypt are determined to obtain their citizenship rights and overcome the bureaucratic hurdles in implementing the Supreme Administrative Court’s decision.

Baha’i centers, properties, libraries, land for a House of Worship, and cemeteries that were confiscated by the Egyptian government in 1960 have not been returned to the Baha’is in Egypt. Baha’is are still banned from forming spiritual assemblies in Egypt. Naturally, the Baha’is in Egypt will continue to practice their religion inside their own homes.

ID card issued to Baha’i Emad Raouf Hindi with a dash in the field for religious affiliation. (Baha’i World News Service)

GV: What do you think the result of the current elections will be? Do you feel there will be any changes for the Baha’i community?

W: Baha’is are quite optimistic about the future of their country in the long-term. However, Egypt is currently facing problems of corruption and divisions that have been perpetuated and exacerbated by the “divide and rule” mentality. Baha’is call their fellow citizens to unite in their pursuit of freedom, democracy, and development. All Egyptians need to live in dignity. They need a decent education for their children and youth; all expect to be treated equal regardless of their religion or beliefs. Egyptians uphold the rights of women to participate fully in all aspects of human endeavor. Finally, Egyptians have the responsibility to make these goals happen.

Baha’is believe that all people should be treated with respect, dignity and equality, regardless of their social and economic status and of their gender or religion. They will continue to demand their human and civil rights. Baha’is will contribute their part of promoting unity, dignity, and freedom. To quote Baha’u’llah, the prophet founder of the Baha’i faith, “So Powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.” Egyptians are in a unique position to determine their country’s own unique model of democracy and not blindly follow existing models founded on consumerism and rampant greed. Such a system can reflect the ideals of our youth: good moral character, respect, responsibility, and humility to uphold this generation’s ideals of justice, fairness, freedom, and compassion for all. Egyptian society possesses the potential to evolve a new unique system that is based on personal responsibility, compassion, and serving the common good, and not on greed, fear, and division.

GV: Baha’i teachings prohibit Baha’is from getting involved in partisan politics; does this mean they can't vote in the elections?

W: While Baha’is refrain from getting involved in partisan politics, they nonetheless participate in the political process by casting their votes for candidates who in their opinion combine the qualities of unquestioned loyalty, of selfless devotion, of a well-trained mind, of recognized ability and mature experience. Baha’is prefer to focus on the politics of unity rather than division. They do not vote in blocs nor do they endorse a specific candidate or party. Baha’is who are in possession of their IDs can participate in the elections. However, most Baha’is are unable to vote in the elections, as they do not have the official IDs.

GV: Are there other ways Baha’is can get involved in movements for progress in society?

W: Baha’is are involved through their jobs, schools, universities, homes, and neighborhoods of promoting unity, as they believe in the oneness of God, the oneness of His Religion, and the oneness of humanity. In their work and day-to-day living, they are committed to serve their neighborhoods and society, as in the Baha’i teachings work performed with the intent to serve humanity is equated with worship.

This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Elections 2011.

Ashura Commemorations Around the World

Ayesha Saldanha — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:13:20 +0000

Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, is a period of mourning for Shia Muslims. During the month they commemorate the death of Husain, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and the third Shia Imam, at the Battle of Karbala. The mourning events reach a climax on Ashura, the tenth day of the month, which falls this week.

In this post we look at different Ashura rituals around the world, and bloggers describe what Ashura means to them.

Last year during Muharram, Pakistani blogger Fahad Desmukh mapped commemorations in different countries:

View The Globalization of Muharram in a larger map

Fahad wrote a post to accompany the map:

The map is far from exhaustive, as there are literally thousands of Muharram videos on Youtube from all over the over the world. I've just selected a few that show the wide diversity of the rituals as they have spread around the world.

The map and videos quite neatly reflect the migration and displacement patterns of people from the time of the events of Karbala in 680AD to all corners of the globe today. It also shows something about how rituals and tradition are defined, and then continuously moulded by time and migration.

So, for example, here is one path taken. The rites travelled east from Iraq, across Persia, to North India sometime between 1300 and 1700 AD. Although Shi'ite Muslims claimed ownership of the rites, in India Sunnis and even Hindus were active participants.

In Mauritius, Ashura is known as Ghoon. This video, uploaded by YouTube user MrKheiz, shows Ghoon back in December 2010:

Fahad wrote:

During the days of the British Raj, thousands of Indian indentured labourers travelled to far flung regions of the British Empire, such as Fiji, Mauritius and the Caribbean Islands, taking these rituals with them. In Trinidad, the rites became known as the festival of Hosay, in which not only Sunnis and Hindus participated, but also Afro-Trinidadians. In Trinidad, the Dhol-Tasha drums (referred to as ‘Tassa') and Tazias ('Tadja') can still clearly be seen.

Video by RajkumariCC on YouTube, December 31, 2009.

In Qatif in eastern Saudi Arabia, blogger Mujtaba Alsaif has written about his experience of Ashura:

The days of Ashura are always filled with a lot of activities in Qatif. Stepping into Qatif during this season, the visitor can't help but realize that there is something happening. This activity can consume the individual's time positively as he can visit the many lectures that may hold a significant value, or attend a session of a Latmiya [recitations commemorating the days of Ashura] to understand this region's struggles during a specific period, or just to walk around and discuss with the people to gather their understanding of these blessed days and what Imam Hussain's sacrifice means to them. Muharram in Qatif has always been special to me because it is truly a season that brings people of the region together and abolishes the negativity they have for one another.

An Ashura commemoration in Ghana uploaded to YouTube by Asad1969 on July 30, 2010:

In Atlanta in the United States, blogger Taahira Abdul-Halim has put down her thoughts:

Without Imam Hussain's sacrifice, I would be just like all of the others in the world who wander like drones on this Earth, passing time, questioning their existence, seeking to find temporary satisfaction in trivial things. I wouldn't have Islam. The single most imprtant aspect of my life. The single most important part of being me. I'm starting to get a little bit emotional now because I just know how awful it would be to not have Allah swt [Subhanahu wa ta'ala - may He be glorified and exalted] in my life.

An Ashura commemoration in Moscow, Russia, uploaded to YouTube by djeyxun on January 19, 2008:

Thumbnail and featured image show Muharram procession in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Image by Bayazid Akter, copyright Demotix (26/05/2009).

Egypt: The Country Votes

Ayesha Saldanha — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:57:05 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Elections 2011.

Egyptians are voting in parliamentary elections on November 28 and 29, 2011, and despite calls for a boycott, it seems that most people have chosen to participate.

Not all of Egypt votes on these dates; the elections are staggered across three stages, each covering nine governorates. The first stage includes the cities of Cairo and Alexandria.

Some people are not voting on principle, such as blogger and journalist Sarah Carr, who writes:

In case you’re asking I won’t be voting. Neither will several of my acquaintances. While there is a strong argument against a boycott (it might help keep out religiously conservative forces) it doesn’t sway my conviction that taking part in the election gives legitimacy to a regime that doesn’t deserve it, that has treated Egyptians like foolish children and whose only display of creativity during this never-ending transitional process has been in methods of killing people and building walls.

Ismail Naguib has also chosen not to vote:

For me, not voting has little to do with apathy. I believe that people should demand that an untainted civilian (perhaps in the form of a strong PM) or civilian council (perhaps in the form of Presidential Council) should be the authority to oversee the ministries who will manage parliamentary elections. Until that is the case I cannot, with a clear conscience, participate in parliamentary elections that grant legitimacy to a dictatorial force whose self interests are above those of the country.

Towards the end of the first day's voting, Mostafa Hussein was not convinced:

@moftasa: The voting was mostly free for a parliament that isn't.

And Sherief Gaber says:

@cairocitylimits: No matter who you vote for, the regime gets elected. #Egypt

Nevertheless, a great number of Egyptians have been voting, and there were long queues all over the country.

Waiting for voting papers to be delivered. Image by Twitter user @Selnadeem

Pakinam Amer was not put off by the queues:

@pakinamamer: Two hours on, still standing in line. You know, democracy is hard (!) #lol #egyelections

Nor was Twitter user @CokiCoussa discouraged:

@CokiCoussa: When u see the queue, u think it has no end, but it's not that boring neither is it that bad, it's actually motivating :)

Nada Heggy had a question:

@NadaHeggy: Why we can't vote online instead of standing in long queue that consumes hours and hours #Egyelections. #Egypt

Queuing to vote in Alexandria. Image by Twitter user @mfatta7

Mohamed El Dahshan remembered how this moment had been reached:

@TravellerW: Alright. Off to vote now, with our martyrs, protesters, and innocent prisoners in mind. #EgyElections #Tahrir

In the Cairo suburb of Zamalek, Fatenn Mostafa met other voters remembering those who were killed:

@FatennMostafa: A lot of women are wearing black in the zamalek queue! They answered: In memory of our #egymartyrs. #egyelections #Egypt

Despite the long waits, the complicated voting process, and accusations of violations, there has been a sense of excitement.

Voters in Assiut. Image by Twitter user @LaurenBohn

Canadian journalist Firas Al-Atraqchi spoke to voters in Cairo:

@Firas_Atraqchi: From talking to some of those in the queue I get an impression they are invested in the election process. They want to be heard #Egypt

Mosa'ab Elshamy was upbeat:

@mosaaberizing: Went to 5 different polling stations today. People are enjoying the queues and voting with a smile. Despite the violations, glorious day.

Mohamed Soliman was also optimistic:

@msoliman7: Proud of every Egyptian who stood or continues to stand in line to vote, the future is in your ink stained hands. #EgyElections

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Elections 2011.

Egypt: The Mini-States Of Cairo

Ayesha Saldanha — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:48:28 +0000

So you thought Cairo was a city? Actually it's a series of mini-states that operate independently of each other. In this post, blogger Karim Shafei explains how Cairo really works.

Karim writes:

يعتقد الكثيرون أن القاهرة مدينة.. هى فى الحقيقة مجموعة من الدويلات والإمارات تربطها علاقات تاريخية وإقتصادية وإجتماعية وثيقة ولكن كل منها مستقل إستقلال تام.. يربط بين هذه الدويلات شبكة طرق معقدة لا يفهمها إلا القاهريون.. ويعتبر المرور فى القاهرة من عجائب الدنيا التى تذهل علماء الفيزياء ويحكى تاريخياً إنها سميت القاهرة لأن الغالبية العظمى من الغزاة إنهارت جيوشهم على كوبرى ستة أكتوبر.. بالذات مطلع البطل أحمد..

Cairo Map. Image by Flickr user rien @ ISTANBUL & ABROAD (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).

Many believe that Cairo is a city. It is in fact a grouping of mini-states and emirates connected by strong historical, economic and social ties, but each one is completely independent. These mini-states are linked by a complex network of roads that only Cairenes can understand. The traffic in Cairo is considered to be of the wonders of the world, which astounds physicists. It is said that in history it was named Al Qahira (“The Conqueror”) because the vast majority of the invading armies fell on the 6th October Bridge, on Al Batal Ahmed street to be precise.

وبالرغم من كون اللغة التاريخية للقاهرة هى العربية إلا إن اللغة تطورت تطور مختلف فى كل دويلة من دويلات القاهرة حتى أصبح يصعب على قاطنى أى دويلة فهم مواطنى دويلة آخرى وبالتالى لجاء القاهريون إلى طريقة جديدة للتواصل بإستخدام الكلاكس والصفارة والبسبسة والتغميز والتقليب والدابل فلاشر.. وقد تطورت العادات والتقاليد فى كل دويلة تطور مختلف تماماً عن جيرانها حتى أصبح من السهل تحديد الدويلة التى يقطنها أى شخص من ملابسه.. وقد أدى ذلك إلى تقوقع كل سكان دويلة فى منطقتهم وخوفهم الشديد من سكان الدويلات الآخرى لأنهم بياكلوا العيال الصغيرة..

In spite of the fact that the historical language of Cairo is Arabic, the language has evolved differently in each of Cairo’s mini-states to the point that it has become difficult for the residents of one mini-state to understand the residents of another. As a result Cairenes have resorted to a new form of communication using car horns, whistling, hissing, winking, staring and double-flashing [with car headlights]. Customs and traditions have developed in each mini-state quite differently from its neighbours. It has become easy to identify the mini-state in which a person lives by his or her clothes. This has led to all the residents of a mini-state to withdraw into their area and greatly fear the residents of other mini-states because they eat small children.

He continues:

حدثت بعض المحاولات على مدار السنين من بعض الدويلات للإنفصال عن القاهرة.. منها محاولة إستقلال إمبابة وإقامة إمارة إسلامية فى التسعينيات من القرن الماضى والإنفصال اليومى لدويلة المهندسين عن بقية القاهرة بين الساعة الواحدة ظهراً والثانية عشر فجراً حيث لا يمكن الدخول أو الخروج من المهندسين فى هذه الفترة إلا على دراجة بخارية للديليفرى..

تسمح الدويلات القاهرية بحرية التنقل بينها ونقل البضائع بل والتزاوج بينها.. وبالرغم من سماح القانون بالتزاوج ما بين الدويلات إلا أن العديد من العائلات ترفض زواج أولادها من سكان الدويلات الآخرى لأسباب إما إقتصادية أو إجتماعية.. ولكن فى أغلب الأحيان يكون السبب الرئيسى هو المرور

There have been some attempts over the years by some of the mini-states to secede from Cairo. Amongst them was an attempt by Imbaba in the nineties of the last century to become independent and establish an Islamic emirate, as well as the daily secession of the mini-state of Mohandiseen from the rest of Cairo between one o'clock in the afternoon and midnight, when you cannot enter or exit it except if on a delivery motorcycle.

Cairo’s mini-states allow freedom of movement and transport of goods between each other, and even intermarriage. However, in spite of the law allowing marriage between mini-states, many families don’t let their children marry the residents of other mini-states, for economic or social reasons. But in most cases the principal reason is traffic.

Cairo Traffic. Image by Flickr user vagabondblogger (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).

يمتاز القاهريون بإقتناعهم التام أن الدولة هى القاهرة.. فيطلقون على القاهرة “مصر” وما دونها “الأقاليم”.. وقد دفع ذلك بقية سكان مصر إلى إحتقار القاهرة وإعتبارها دونهم حتى أصبح المصطلح للذهاب إلى القاهرة هو “أنا نازل القاهرة”.

Cairenes can be distinguished by their conviction that the state is Cairo. They call Cairo “Egypt”, and everywhere else “the provinces”. This has led the rest of the population of Egypt to feel contempt for Cairo and consider it to be below them, to the extent that the term for going to Cairo is “I'm going down to Cairo”.

Karim concludes:

لا أحد يعلم ما هى حدود القاهرة الحقيقية ولا تعداد السكان بها وفقد العالم الأمل فى أنه فى يوم من الأيام سوف يعرف هذه المعلومات فالقاهرة تتوسع بسرعة فائقة لدرجة أن أى أحصاء للسكان يكون صالحاً لمدة ربع ساعة فقط.. وتمتاز القاهرة بأنها تتوسع فى ثلاث إتجاهات: طولياً: حيث إمتدت حتى واحة عمر شمالاً وبنى سويف جنوباً.. عرضياً: حيث أستولت على محافظتى الجيزة والقليوبية ويتوقع البعض أنه فى خلال أربع سنوات سوف تحتل القاهرة محافظات السويس والإسماعيلية والفيوم ومنطقة العين السخنة.. رأسياً: حيث أن الوقت الذى تحتاجه لهدم فيلا وبناء برج سكنى فى القاهرة أصبح أقل من 11 ساعة..

No one knows what the real boundaries of Cairo, and its population cannot be calculated. The world has lost hope that one day this information will be known. Cairo is expanding so rapidly that a population census would be valid for just a quarter of an hour. Cairo is noteworthy because it is expanding in three directions: lengthways, extending as far as Wahet Omar in the north and Beni Suef in the south; widthways, capturing the governorates of Giza and Qalyoubiya (and some predict that within four years Cairo will occupy Suez, Ismailia, Fayoum and Ain Sokhna); and vertically, with the time needed to demolish a villa and build a residential tower in Cairo now less than eleven hours.

Palestine: Freedom Riders Challenge Israeli Segregation

Ayesha Saldanha — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:44:35 +0000

On November 15, a group of Palestinian activists were arrested while travelling on a bus carrying Israeli settlers. The activists called themselves the “Freedom Riders”, after the American civil rights campaigners of 1961.

Their aim was to demonstrate that the Israeli occupation of the West Bank has led to segregation. Because settler buses go to areas that most Palestinians cannot enter, Palestinians are effectively prevented from using them.

However, the activists made clear that their goal was not equal rights with Israeli settlers:

In undertaking this action Palestinians do not seek the desegregation of settler buses, as the presence of these colonizers and the infrastructure that serves them is illegal and must be dismantled. As part of their struggle for freedom, justice and dignity, Palestinians demand the ability to be able to travel freely on their own roads, on their own land, including the right to travel to Jerusalem.

"Rosa Parks is ALIVE! Palestinians boarding settler-only bus to Jerusalem." Image by @CarlosLatuff

Holly is a British volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement, and was there to see what happened:

Yesterday I witnessed six Palestinian activists demand freedom, justice and dignity as they defied Israel’s apartheid policies when the group successfully boarded settler-only buses and attempted to enter East Jerusalem, where they were eventually brutally dragged off and arrested by the Israeli Occupying Forces (IOF). At the press conference and in the lead up to the event, the activists described how they had taken inspiration from the U.S. Civil Rights Movement and the heroic actions of Rosa Parks. Drawing on the struggles of African Americans who fought against segregation and inequality in the United States, and South Africans who battled against apartheid, the Palestinian Freedom Riders aimed to draw the world’s attention to the similarity of the struggle faced by the Palestinian people on a daily basis.

She explained:

Unlike in the American South of the 60s, you will not see signs around the settlements or at the checkpoints stating “No Palestinians here” – Israel manages its PR machine far too well for such overtly racist statements to be witnessed by the other “democratic” countries which fund its existence. Similarly, Palestinians are technically allowed to ride “settler-only” buses and drive on “settler-only” roads, something repeated by the Israeli media and the settlers who came off the buses yesterday. But the segregation, inequality and the denial of Palestinian’s rights to enter their own land is implemented in a far more covert way by Israel. Whilst Palestinians may be able to travel on the buses and roads, these buses lead either into the internationally recognised illegal settlements, or into East Jerusalem where Palestinians are forbidden to enter. East Jerusalem is the intended capital of a future Palestinian state, yet Israel has denied the majority of Palestinians access to the city without a permit, which are almost impossible to obtain. As a result, Israel has been able to continually expand the settlements in East Jerusalem, particularly in the highly contentious area of Sheikh Jarrah, and this has lead to the annexing of Palestinian populated areas in the city so that it is surrounded by Israeli settlements, systematically destroying the possibility of having a Palestinian controlled capital. As I hope is becoming evident, the Palestinian Freedom Riders movement is not simply about the segregation of buses, the problem here is much larger. Palestinians face an apparatus of military control over Palestinians that needs to be dismantled, along with the settlements themselves.

Haitham Al Katib posted the following video on YouTube:

Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh, one of the Freedom Riders, wrote on his blog about his experience:

I was honored to be a freedom rider and it was team effort at its best (those who rode and the many who worked behind the scenes). Two other Palestinians were also arrested with us who were there as a reporters/observers not participants. […] While released, we are still charged with “illegal entry to Jerusalem” and with “obstructing police business” pending potential trial.

He described his treatment by one Israeli soldier after being arrested:

One young Ashkenazi soldier was very arrogant and even called me “Professor Teez” (Teez is arabic for “ass”). We all (freedom riders) laughed it off and I told him that I did not insult him and that when someone insults me they demean themselves first.

Back to Holly, who concluded her post by saying:

The Freedom Riders are demanding that their very basic human rights are upheld in accordance with international law, and to demonstrate that they will continue to engage non-violently to win the freedom, justice and dignity for which the Palestinian people have struggled for so long.

Tunisia: A Rendezvous With History

Ayesha Saldanha — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 15:55:01 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Tunisian Revolution 2011.

Today Tunisians have been voting for a Constituent Assembly, the body charged with writing a new constitution and appointing a new transitional government. Tunisians everywhere proudly cast their ballots in a democratic test for the country, watched closely by Arabs elsewhere. In the run-up to the elections, bloggers voiced their feelings about the historic moment.

Tunisian vote (Image by European Parliament, reproduced under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Kiffe Grave declared:

Demain 23 Octobre 2011, je vais posé la dernière pierre sur ta tombe!
Demain tu n’aurais droit ni au fleurs, ni au pleure!
Demain, mort et enterré tu seras!
Demain, la dictature on décapitera!
Demain avec des millions de tunisiens nous allons donner de la voix,
Demain avec des millions de tunisiens nous allons donner naissance à la Tunisie Libre.
Demain avec des millions de tunisiens nous allons vivre en citoyens libres.
Demain est un rendez-vous avec l’Histoire,
Demain nous allons écrire l’Histoire,
Demain nous allons faire l’Histoire.
Demain rien ne sera plus jamais pareil,
Demain rien ne devra jamais plus être pareil,
Demain rien ne saura être pareil.
Demain, hommes et femmes seront égaux,
Demain, tous les tunisiens seront égaux,
Demain, nous seront tous égaux.

Tomorrow October 23, 2011, I will place the last stone on your grave!
Tomorrow you won’t have the right to flowers, nor to weeping!
Tomorrow you'll be dead and buried!
Tomorrow, the dictatorship will be decapitated!
Tomorrow with millions of Tunisians we will give voice,
Tomorrow with millions of Tunisians we will give birth to Free Tunisia.
Tomorrow with millions of Tunisians we will live as free citizens.
Tomorrow is a rendezvous with history,
Tomorrow we will write history,
Tomorrow we will make history.
Tomorrow things will never be the same,
Tomorrow nothing must ever be the same,
Tomorrow nothing will be able to be the same.
Tomorrow, men and women will be equal,
Tomorrow, all Tunisians will be equal,
Tomorrow we will all be equal.

Man Gusta wrote:

Je ne voterai pas pour un parti libéral.
Je ne voterai pas pour un parti communiste.
Je ne voterai pas pour un parti islamiste.
Je ne voterai pas pour un parti héritier du RCD.
Je voterai pour une Tunisie libre, arabe et musulmane, juste, égalitaire, progressiste et humaniste.

I will not vote for a liberal party.
I will not vote for a communist party.
I will not vote for an Islamist party.
I will not vote for a party that is successor to the RCD.
I will vote for a Tunisia that is free, Arab, Muslim, just, egalitarian, progressive and humanist.

In a post called “My Declaration”, Zyed said:

Le sommeil boude mes paupieres
Je leve les yeux et j espere
Non.. Je crois, en un avenir meilleur

Mes larmes coulent de joie
Et je ne les retiens pas
pour la premiere fois

J'y trompe ma plume et j ecris
Le reve de toute une vie
Le reve de tout un pays

Sleep evades my eyelids
I raise my eyes and I hope
No… I believe in a better future

My tears flow from joy
And I don’t hold them back
for the first time

I dip my pen in them and I write
The dream of an entire lifetime
The dream of an entire country

He went on:

Demain je vais voter
Demain je vais exister
Citoyen je serai

Je choisirai en mon ame est conscience
Le chemin vers la delivrance
Loin des sales maniguances

Mon pays sera libre et fier
Son peuple unis et solidaire
Cherissant cette dignité qui nous est chere

Une nation s'erigera
Des tenebres elle emergera
Son destin elle accomplira

Mon pays, mes frere et amis, a defaut de vous donner mon sang.. Je vous offre ma voix

Tomorrow I will vote
Tomorrow I will exist
I will be a citizen

I will choose in my soul and consciousness
The path to deliverance
Far from dirty scheming

My country will be free and proud
Its people united and working together
Cherishing the dignity we hold so dear

A nation will establish itself
It will emerge from the shadows
Achieve its destiny

My country, my brother and friends, as I failed to give you my blood… I offer you my voice

This post is part of our special coverage Tunisian Revolution 2011.