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Marwa Rakha

Contributor profile · 173 posts · joined 20 May 2008

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Born and raised in Egypt, I was brought up to be a good middle class Egyptian girl; but somehow being good did not suit my notions. Deep down I have rejected the heavy heritage of traditions and norms that made no sense to my inquisitive mind. I could not understand why girls were killed, committed suicide, or lived in eternal shame when they lost their virginity. I failed to comprehend why such a rule applied only to girls and their male counterparts were spared. After my grand mother passed away we stopped celebrating Christmas, New Year's Eve, Halloween, and Thanks Giving … does being a Muslim deny me all my childhood memories? Why do I have to get married? Why can't I date? Why do men cheat? Why do I have to accept it? Why? Why? Why? And many more unanswered questions.

I have come a long way from the scared little girl that I once was … I found my passion in writing, my voice in teaching & training, and my strength in marketing … I took off my mask … and I decided to speak up and loud .. as loud as loud could ever be.

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Latest posts by Marwa Rakha

20 April 2010

Egypt: Let's Shoot those Protesters!

In a debate on recurrent demonstrations, Egyptian ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) members of Parliament lashed out during a verbal battle with Muslim Brotherhood MPs over protesters in the country and said Egyptian pro-democracy demonstrators “should be shot” by police. Bloggers react in this post by Marwa Rakha.

2 April 2010

Egypt: Excellent Cat Meows for President Mubarak

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Egyptians are quick to pounce on the opportunity to use all the social media tools at their disposal. Marwa Rakha takes a look at how bloggers and online peers mobilised themselves to poke fun at an editorial in a daily newspaper.

12 February 2010

Egypt: Blogger loses job for uncovering fake virginity story

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Egyptian blogger and journalist Amira Al Tahawi got fired for blowing the whistle over a fabricated story on the Chinese artificial hymen kit in a post she wrote on her blog, claim bloggers. Here are reactions from the Egyptian blogosphere on the incident.

28 January 2010

Egypt: The Right to Speak Up

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Egyptian bloggers and activists held a conference on January 22 in defense of their right to speak up after more than 20 Egyptian bloggers were arrested when their train arrived in the village of Naga Hammady where the Coptic massacre took place. Marwa Rakha sums up their reactions to their detention in this post.

21 January 2010

Egypt

The chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the Egyptian Parliament, Dr Mostafa El Feki, in his article in Al Masry Al Youm Newspaper, stated that America and Israel have to approve of President Mubarak's successor. Zeinobia blogs the Presidency's disapproval.

20 January 2010

Egypt: Detained Bloggers Tell their Tales

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More than 20 Egyptian bloggers, who were on their way to pay their respects to the families of the victims of the Coptic massacre, were arrested when their train arrived in the village of Naga Hammady in Upper Egypt. They were released shortly afterwards and they are now telling us their side of the story.

15 January 2010

Egypt: Bloggers arrested over Naga Hammady Visit

Egypt today arrested 20 bloggers who were visiting Naga Hammady in Upper Egypt to pass their respects to those killed in a sectarian outburst on January 7. Seven people were shot dead and several injured when an assailant gunned down Christian Copts leaving a church after the Christmas mass. The bloggers visit was to show a united front against sectarianism.

17 December 2009

Egypt: The Capital of Hell on Earth

Many Egyptian bloggers and activists have been detained by State Security on various occasions and for various reasons - real or fake - Wa7da Masreya interviewed several bloggers and posted a detailed post on torture techniques and psychological tricks those bloggers have been subjected to in State Security headquarters in the district of Nasr City.

15 December 2009

Egypt: Synagogue Gone … Synagone

Bloggers and online activists in Egypt are calling for saving an old synagogue, currently used as an office for the National Democratic Party - the country's ruling party. Marwa Rakha sums up reactions in this post.

Egypt: And this one goes to Djamila Bouhired

Algeria's 75-year-old activist and revolutionist Djamila Bouhired is ill and is beseeching her country and countrymen to finance her medical treatment. The news has infuriated many Egyptian bloggers who see her as an Arab icon and a hero.

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