21 days later, the expelled students returned ( it may have been in a different way, or the stupid email the university sent is bothering you, but really, the students are back, the students did what they wanted, while the admins didn’t want them back). It’s as simple as this, this is a win, the first of many.

So…. what’s next ?

The sit-in did exactly what it needs. The sit-in is on its peak. Everyone can relate the wins to the sit-in, that’s good, it’s the pressure card that will be used soon, and we will know it will work and students will believe in it. Time to use the momentum we have in campus, to have a greater impact.

Work is what’s next, work in campus on what we need. The excuses GUC admins have is that some students are fine with what’s going on, and with the university. Now let’s reach every student, if they join the movement, the change will come from them.

We need to apply the new student-written constitution. How will we have it, if most of the students don’t know it? We need to market it first, lectures, emails, booths and media work everywhere. Market for the referendum we want, set a specific date for it and work on it. When the day comes we will evaluate our ground work, and then we will confront the administration with the students legitimacy, ONLY then we can get the constitution.

What else do we need?

Alumni Union – Every university that cares about their students, care about their alumni. I know GUC doesn’t even care about their students, but really they don’t have a choice anymore, next move is the alumni, because today’s active students are tomorrow’s active alumni. This way the same pressure, the same movement will keep going on campus years after.

Connections with other Universities – it’s the same exact cause, new student-written constitution, but for the Egyptian student union, let’s work on it, I believe GUC new sit-in got all the Egyptian students together for the first time since the 70′s. Let’s use that, and work with them to a strong student-lead movement and I personally believe we are in a student uprising that can get the revolution back to the right path.

It’s the prefect time for this, let’s take the next leap before it’s too late.

As a GUC Alumni, I have the right to get any official paper I need, for jobs, military duty or anything. I also have the right to get inside the campus to do that, or even get inside the campus to say hello to the teachers, as any alumni in the WORLD do.

However those two rights were taken from me without given me ANY official reason, not even a sticky note.

In Feb 28th I tried to enter the GUC campus as a graduate and see what’s going on in the student-movement. I was forbidden from entering the campus, the security said “you are suspended for 2 weeks, like the students”. How could you suspend a graduate? Is that even possible? I thought that’s just a a small misunderstanding, or maybe not, as my friend Mohamed Almehdar was forbidden from entering the campus a year ago, when he was also alumni. The reasons in both cases were not given, but the reasons everyone knows, is having a media impact on the student movement. Head of security Mohamed Abul Einein told me ” انت مبهدبنا في الإعلام ” which means, that I’m causing them troubles in the media.

I am still forbidden from entering the campus, but I need my Egyptian-Accredited graduation certificate. I told my friend to go get it for me. My name in GUC is Mostafa Awad, so they didn’t know it was the same guy, the process was smooth till my friend reached, Ms.Yasmeen, who is in charge of the alumni papers. When she was going though the certificates, she found mine, and found a note on it, and suddenly told my friend, that she cannot give her my certificate, as the university administration said “No papers should be filed for Mostafa Sheshtawy”. I honestly was furious!!! They didn’t let me in and now they don’t want to give me any papers!!! What kind of institute is this ???????

I emailed Prof. Mahmoud Abdel-Kader the GUC president and Prof. Ashraf Mansour, GUC founder and Chairman, and asked for the reasons, and didn’t get anything yet ( and I don’t think I will get anything, as they are not the type who send email, or give any official statement, so I don’t sue them)

Right now, I don’t have any Egyptian official paper, which means :

1. I can’t be partner in the Engineering syndicate
2. I’m not an engineer in Egypt, which means I can’t write it in the ID or the Passport.
3. I can’t apply for a job, since the Army will take the ONLY “GUC-certificate” without Egyptian accreditation I have.

Those are my Alumni rights, and the GUC is doing as thugs and taking it away without even  giving me a reason !!!!
GUC injustice has no limits!

I’d like to write the whole story of the GUC students’ struggle since day1, as a GUC Alumni, being part of the movement and blogging about it since it started.

The German University in Cairo is a private university that was established in (the date is interesting)  Feb 11th, 2002. The University opening was made by the support of Ex-President Mubarak and the German Chancellor at the moment Gerhard Schröder. That’s the political hand in the GUC, and you can imagine who inspire the administration how to run this institution.

Main rule, you know when you join GUC (when I did in 2005) No Politics, No Religion. Such basic human right is taken from an academic institution that I believe builds the next leaders, so how come you want to build a leader with no political background? In the religion side, the first class was struggling to get a mosque to pray in, that they gave them “A corner” to pray in, for the first 4 years, till it developed a bit into a bigger spot.  Every active working group that has seem (even if not true) religious was closed by the administration since 2003, and no political groups were allowed permission to be formed till 2011.

GUC has been open for 8 years and students didn’t have a contribution in the decision-making process at all. There was no student union, council or any kind of student representation. The case of student union have been opened few times by me and friends of mine with the founder Mr. Mansour and the answer was always the same “No, Forget , I will not collect you from prisons, or I don’t want Muslim Brother in the Uni”.

Everything has a spark, and this #OccupyGUC movement spark starts with March 2011. Few weeks after the removal of Mubarak. Students decided that it’s time they have their say in the university, they made a protest, asking for a student union. The administration didn’t bother to give them what they wanted, and kept stalling and doing meetings after meetings with no results. 16 students started a sit-in in campus to pressure them. The following day the administration asked the students to end this sit-in and they will find an email with a proper solution, they found themselves “suspended” till their parents come and talk to the GUC president. The reasons were “having a sit-in in campus, and putting the lives of student in jeopardy by protesting indoors” , Here is the post I wrote that day. This ended with their parents coming, disagreeing on what the university did, and the student movement won a student union few days after.

In April, 2011 the GUC administration punished one of the students for “tweeting Negatively on GUC”.

In May 2011, GUC student got a good win, by getting a student union, now it’s time to get another demand, a chair in the board. This can only done by having a new constitution/bylaws that allows this, especially after the university gave the students a weak bylaws that gives the union on powers. The students got a promise from the administration that they can write their own bylaws and work upon it.

Summer was the time we’ve met the real face of GUC administration, putting obstacles in every step of the way and they were far from helpful or respectful to the student body. We found out that GUC is spying on their students and when the GUC president Mr. Hashem lied about the graduation issue.

By October, 2011, the constitution that was drafted by students was done and it’s time to get their part of the promise, but they found the surprise, “Your time is up, and it’s time for a new SU to lead the way”, says Prof. Laila Mahran, Vice Dean of Academic Affairs in GUC. This only means that students will do another elections and SU based on the old “powerless” bylaws and then maybe they can do a new bylaws. Students were furious as they were promised something but as usual never met.  It seems there is a big similarity between SCAF and GUC administration in many means.

In November, 2011, GUC students decided to start a strike, “no education, till we get freedom”. They demanded to get their rights of writing their own bylaws and applying it. They organized many protests and stands to support their case, but sadly Mohammed Mahmoud Clashes started in tahrir, and the country was the main focus.

A New year starts and the old regime gets stronger and freedom gets weaker. We lose a dear student, Karim Khuzam in the Port-Said Massacre. His best friend wants to put his picture instead of Mubarak’s but the administration refuses. All he wanted to do is to pay his respect to his best friend along side with his colleagues, but that was declined. However students did that, and there was over 1500 students protesting against SCAF and paying respect to Karim. They put his picture and entered the building to represent their demands : “A Memorial for Karim Khuzam, stays here forever. And the removal of Mubarak’s Memorials”.

In February, 2012, the administration accused them of causing “riots” and putting the other students’ lives in danger, again, and called 5 students and TA to be summoned. Few days later, 2 of them were expelled and 3 more suspended for 2 weeks. This ruthless decision was taken by the disciplinary committee, lead by Ibrahim El Demairy, ex-minister in Mubarak’s era, during his time there was this tragedy where 400 Egyptians lost their lives in a burning train. No one was found guilty, he didn’t even take responsibility or even developed the train services, years later more accidents happened.

Feb 29th, was a glorious day in the history of student activism in GUC. over 2000 students standing in solidarity with the expelled students, chanting against the administration and against Demairy. No answer as usual, so again, the students decided to start a sit-in, this time, 70 students were in it. The next day, the sit-in moved outside the campus, after the administration called the parents of the students (as if they are in high school) and told them that those students should leave campus.

A Sit-in that was started by only Amr Abdelwahab – one of the expelled students- outside the campus, were joined by the 35 students inside, and that was the start of #OccupyGUC. Tents came the next days, and the movement got more attention and got more powerful. 2 students, Mohamed Dawood and Mohammed Hazem decided to start a hunger strike in solidarity with the demands, in less than 5 days they were 13 students, 2 from AUC, 1 from Nile University and the rest from GUC on hunger strike.

In March, 5th, 2012, the #OccupyGUC movement is in its 6th day, with a big solidarity from #EgyStudents around the country and the world.

The Demands are the following :

• Return the expelled students with no condition
• Return the suspended TA (returned)
• Make a referendum on the “Legitimate” Student Union constitution, that was made by students. Since it’s a student right to write their own bylaws.
• Have new SU elections based on that constitution.
• Remove Ibrahim el Demairy from the disciplinary committee, based on his history of ruthless decisions, and for not being fair or neutral in any decision made by his committee.

Pictures of the movement can be found here

• Day1
• Day2
• Day3
• Day4
• Day5
• Day 6 & 7
• Day 8
• Day 9
• Day 12
• Day 13
• Day 14
• Day 15

Power to the Students

More than 2500 in a (7000-students-uni) students were protesting in solidarity with the expelled students, chanting against Dr. Demairy – who is an ex-minister. in his time there was this tragedy, a train fire that killed  360 Egyptians, and he didn’t even resign- and chanting against the administration that is known of their political corruption and their many deals with Suzan Mubarak.

Later in that glorious day for Students’ activism, they decided to start a sit-in, and that’s how the #OccupyGUC started. They had a sit-in on Wednesday, 29th of Feb, they were about 60 students. On Thursday another protest took place and the 2nd day of #OccupyGUC movement. The sit-in went outside the campus, of 35 students, and hundreds come and go in solidarity all night. That day, 2 students decided to go on Hunger Strike against the system, that doesn’t even listen to us. That system that all it cares about is money and the pleasure of the board members. That system that its last concern is the students.

Mohamed Dawood and Mohammed Hazem

Mohammed Hazem and Mohamed Dawood, announced their hunger strike, and a day later joined them Mostafa Eissa. Mohamed Dawood already didn’t eat anything for 15-20 hours before he announced his strike, so by now (Sunday 2:00 AM) he spent over 77 Hours in his hunger strike, fainted once and the ambulance came to help. He didn’t stop and still on his strike till now.

Mohammed Hazem started his hunger strike from Thursday 6pm, right now he is on his 58th hour of hunger strike, Mohamed fainted twice and students called an ambulance for him as well.

Mostafa Eissa, was in the hospital to check up after he collapsed at home. hours after he returned home, he announced his hunger strike and he is in his 24th hour now.

Save the GUC students, Save those brave men from that corrupted system. They don’t care about students, they don’t care about teachers, they only care about money. Students demanding one main thing, Freedom of Speech, purging this corrupted administrative board.

Power to the students

Students are the redline

]]> http://msheshtawy.com/save-the-guc-students/feed/ 0 http://msheshtawy.com/guc-is-mini-egypt-ruled-by-mini-mubarak/ http://msheshtawy.com/guc-is-mini-egypt-ruled-by-mini-mubarak/#comments Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:53:58 +0000 Mostafa Sheshtawy http://msheshtawy.com/?p=1993 A university that most of the administration board was NDP members,  would be anti-revolution of course. The board is full of anti-revolution icons such Mubarak’s ex-foreign minister Amr Moussa who’s part of the advisory board when the university started.

دي مدونات لشباب لسه صغير, بس فاهم كويس, بيكتب و كسر خوفه من الكلمة لما كانت أجيال قبله كتير تخاف و تمشي جنب الحيط, الجيل ده بيقول كل اللي نفسه فيه, حلو وحش, أهو بيتعلم. الشباب دول عرفوا معنى التدوين ومدى قوته, خلينا ندعمهم على قد مانقدر, واللي يعرف حد مش موجود في الليسته و عايز يضيفه يسيب اللينك في كومنت

أبكي على أخويا,  لما نسيته الشعوب, نسيوا انهم  من غيره كانوا يدوب, اللي خايف, واللي بينافق,  واللي بيجري يملي الجيوب. كل دول عملوا فيها شرفا, لما أخويا مات , قالوا قصاص, دلوقتي بيقولوا عليه   بطلجي كان يستاهل ضرب الرصاص. أخويا اللي كلكوا مجمعين ماتعملوا ضفره

أخويا أسد بين أسود لا تخاف من موت ولا رصاص, ولا من جنرال هجاص, يطلع يقول ماقتلناش و ماعملناش, و الضرب منا مجاش, ده حتى الدم عندهم مايسواش, هما كام  ألف و أسكت و إنسى, بس الكلب مايعرفش ان أم الشهيد ماتنساش, والأسود ماتنساش. ده الصبر وقود الثورات, والقهر غاز الإنتفاضات, وبكرة هقوم أجيبك تحت جزمتي , وأخد منك حق أخويا  اللي مات

أبكي والبكا مش عيب, و مش هنسى الدم غير بالتار, أو قصاص من الغدار, و كل عسكري و ظابط ابن كلب ضرب نار. أبكي والبكا مش حرام لما يكون كل الناس نسيوا , وانا الوحيد فاكر ان أخويا اتقتل من سنة و حقوا لسه مجاش, و نسأل فين رجالة مجلس الشعب, قالوا معندناش

أبكي على أخويا اللي كتيبة عساكر كانت تخاف منه, كان يخش وسطيهم يطلع بالغنايم, يطلعله بخوذه ولا درع يحمي أخوه, والخاين في البيت نايم. كانت معارك  في عتم الليل, بينا و بين جيش عساكر وعدننا قليل, لكن الشجاعة تغلب الجيوش. أخويا مات, بيحارب عساكر لا تقدر تفرق بينهم و بين الصهاينة, بيموتونا بدم بارد,  ماهو روحنا عليهم هاينة. إقتلني يا عسكري, و رصاصتك ماهتقتل روحي, ده مجرد جسد,  ودول مجرد جروحي, والفكره هتكمل  مع أخ  من أخواتي, عارف يحس بمعني آهاتي,  و مش هيسكت غير لما يجيب حقي من أعدائي

المجد لأخويا و أخواته, المجد للشهداء

ثورتنا المجيدة, بدأت أول ايامها بمعركة مع الداخلية, وكانت الثورة في أول أيامها ضد الداخلية “الداخلية بلطجية” و طبعا بمساعدة التلفزيون المصري. الأتنين قالوا انهم ماضربوش حد, ومحدش مات , مفيش ثورة أساسا. ولما كسرنا الداخلية و هزمناهم و جريناهم زي قطيع المعيز في الشارع, عرفنا نركز مع مبارك حتى أسقطناه
و سبحان الله, الداخلية المستحية , الحلوة بس شقية كانت مكسوفة تنزل الشارع, أصلها بعافية وهي مقموصة من الشعب (بروح أمهم) و فضلنا فترة الشعب بيحمي نفسه, وده في حد ذاته خيانة عظمة , لهيبة الدولة اللي بيكلمونا عنها دلوقتي

ولما (إسم الله عليها) الداخلية قامت بسلامتها, كانت بتعظم في ثورة الشباب الطاهر (اللي عمل الدنيئة معاها -سبحان الله) و تقول انهم إخواتنا و حتى سيادة المشير (بسلامته) راحلهم حفل التخرج, على أساس ان دول اتخرجوا في عصر شرطة جديدة و حرية و ناس هتطلع محترمة, مش عارف إزاي مع ان طول فترة  ”دراستهم” كانت في عصر الكلب العادلي , و ساعتها وزير داخلية جديد عاش طول فترة الترقية في عصر الكلب العادلي, والناس “الهبلة” متوقعه هييجي منه حاجة محترمة, مش عارف إزاي

و عشان نحسن الشرطة انها بخير و ماتخافيش, الجيش كان قايم بالواجب و هو اللي بيضرب و يفض إعتصامات و يقتل و يسحل, لحد مالداخلية تلبس ملابس الداخلية و تنزل الشارع, و في أول إ شتباك ليهم, بعد رجوعهم بالسلامة بكامل قوتهم, في يونيو, قتلوا مننا ناس و ضربوا خرطوش و رصاص , وعذبوا و خطفوا مننا ناس, وبرضو طلع وزير الداخلية يقول ” ماضربناش” بس أياميها, كانوا كدابين, فالناس مصدقتش

و بعدين ريحوا شوية كده و الجيش نزل يضرب تاني , اهو تبادل أدوار في فض إعتصام أغسطس , بس في شهر 9, الداخلية قامت بالواجل مع المتظاهرين قدام مديرية أمن الجيزة وسفارة الكيان الصهيوني, و لما الجيش فكر يوقف الضرب و وقف في النص, الداخلية ضربت عليهم غاز (انا كنت هناك و شوفت)  في موقف شجاع, يثبت ان الداخلية فاقت, وماعدتش قطه مغمضة, و قالت برضو انهم ماضربوش, بس في ناس إقتحمت المديرية, ونسبت الهبل زادت , وصدقوا اللي كانوا بيقتلوهم و بيكدبوا عليهم من سنة

و في نوفمبر في محمد محمود, طلع فيديو لقناص العيون , في نفس الوقت اللي كان فيه العيسوي بيقول ماضربناش خرطوش, و طبعا الراجل صادق. أصله هيكدب ليه؟ هل فيه دليل؟ هل في حد عنيه راحت ؟ هل في حد حصله حاجة؟ مفيييش !! خلاص أكيد صادق ,

المضحك في الموضوع, انهم “الكاذبون” هما نفس الناس اللي بتقول اننا “بنقتحم” هذا المبنى المصفح الضخم, اللي بياخد مدرعات و دبابات جواه, و هنقتحمه بشوية طوب و مولتوف (ده لما نبقى خطريين زي غسان مطر كده) و في نفس الجملة بيقولوا مضربناش خرطوش !! مع اننا كل شوية نسمع تقارير المستشفيات و التلفزيونات و نشوف صور و فيديوهات الإصابات

و المؤسف في الموضوع, انك تستنى الصدق من وزارة كلاب و خنازير بيكدبوا من أول مافتحت ,  هي الذراع القذر للنظام, اللي بيبطش بيها هالغلابة والمتظاهرين و المعتصمين. و لما يكون أغلبية البرلمان إتهانت على ايديهم, مصدقينهم دلوقتي, ومكدبين ناس وقفت وراهم عشان كانوا هما خايفين ينزلوا لحسن يزعلوا مبارك و يغضب عليهم. فعلا حاجة تحزن

المجلس ماسك من 11 فبراير  , عمل ايه؟ و ايه إنجازاته؟ انا هعدهملك. المجلس الموقر “خلع مبارك” و “حمى الثورة”….طبعا طبعا .. و حاكم مبارك , وعمل وزارة للشهداء والمصابين, وخلى المحاكمات علنية, وهيعمل حد أدنى وأعلى للأجور كمان 5 سنين , مش مشكله أهو نصبر برضو, 6 شهور, ماجتش على 5 سنين .. والإنجازات لا تعد ولا تحصى. طيب الإنجازات دي حصلت إزاااااااي؟

خلع مبارك : أه والله في ناس شايفة كده, معلش معلش … طيب مات مننا 900 واحد في على الأقل 1000 مفقود, و 18 يوم ناس ماشفتش أهلها و حاطة روحها في كفنها , ويجي يقولك المجلس هو اللي خلع مبارك…. اللي خلع مبارك, الثورة, الشعب, الضغط, الإضرابات العمالية, حريق الأقسام والحزب الوطني

حمى الثورة : في يوم 28 يناير مدرعة الجيش كانت في التحرير, وسلمت ذخيرة للشرطة, ولما الشعب عرف كده, ولع في المدرعة, و ده كان هيبقى رد الفعل لكل مدرعات الجيش, في كل البلد, وبكده هيبان الجيش على حقيقته, انه عايز يقمع الثورة. و عشان “يحمي نفسه” و “يحمي نظام مبارك” اللي لحم كتافه من خيره, و على رأي المثل الأجنبي “إن لم تسطع هزيمتهم, إنضم لهم” و ده بالظبط اللي حصل, وعاش في دور البطل, و لعب على دور العاطفة اللي عند الشعب

حاكم مبارك : بعد سلسلة طويلة من الإحتجاجات, وبعد كام شهر من 11 فبراير , و إقتحام أمن الدولة و مظاهرات , و8 أبريل و إنشقاق بعض من ظباط الجيش, تاني خاف على نفسه و قرر يحاول يحافظ على النظام , وقرر يعمل محاكمة هزلية , قد تكون هي طريق أقصر الطرق الى السجن للمجلس

علنية المحاكمة : طبعا بعد أكبر إعتصام في تاريخ مصر و تاريخ ثورة 2011 , إعتصام 8 يوليو , اللي إستمر لحد 1 أغسطس لما كتائب طنطاوي هجمت على الإعتصام و فضته. الإعتصام كان ليه أكتر من مطلب و أهمهم كان علنية المحاكمات.  و نفذت, مع انها توقفت بعد تاني جلسة, بس ادينا بنشوفهم و نطمن عليهم كل كام يوم, على الأقل يسخنوا الدم (للي عنده) في عروق المصريين

حد أعلى و أدنى للأجور (بعد 5 سنين) : طبعا كوميديا في حد ذاته انه هيحصل بعد 5 سنين لأن هيكون الحال غير الحال, وهنعيد الموضوع من أوله,و ده كان وعد من وزير في حكومة اتخلعت (حكومة شرف) و , ده جه بعد مليونية العمال في التحرير في مايو , و بعد مليونيات كتير كان على سقف مطالبها الحد الأدنى والأعلى للأجور, اهمهم إعتصام 8 يوليو

وزارة الشهداء والمصابين: بعد شهور , بعد أكتر من 200 شهيد زيادة على شهداء ال18 يوم , واكتر من 2000 مصاب على مصابين ال 18 يوم, وبعد أحداث مجلس الوزراء و قتل الناس بدون رحمة , واحداث ماسبيرو و دهس الناس بدون رحمة , مع العلم, أنهم يتهمون كل هؤلاء بالبلطجة, لكنهم يعتذرون بهد كل حادثة دامية,  ”من قتل يقتل و لو بعد حين” .. بعد كل ده المجلس حب يريح الناس بالوزراة المضحكة دي. لأ والمؤسف او المضحك في الموضوع, انك انت لازم تروح تقدم , وتجيب الورق اللازم, والبيورقراطية المستفزة, عشان تثبت إن أغلى ما تملك, قد يكون راجل البيت أو إبنك, ضناك, تثبت ان رجال الدولة أقتلوه. و ساعتها هتاخد قرشين تريح بيهم بالك, بينما اللي قتله اترقى ,  ”لكم في القصاص حياة” يا مصريين

دول إنجازات الثورة, مش المجلس, عايز تعرف إنجازات المجلس الحقيقين ؟؟
تعذيب في ممتلكات الدولة, في المتحف المصري
كشف عذرية للنات
محاكمات عسكرية لأكثر من 14000 مواطن
إستهداف الشخصيات السياسية و تلفيق القضايا
عدم محاكمة قتلة الثوار محاكمة تشفي غليل أهالي الشهداء
قتل أكثر من 200 شهيد في ميداين مصر العامة
دهس المتظاهرين في الشارع عبر مدرعات الجيش
سحل شهيد في الشارع في ميدان التحرير
مساعدة الشرطة في الرجوع الى الجبروت والقتل, والمرة دي القتل مبرر
تعرية “ست البنات” في التحرير
إستهداف البنات في المظاهرات
القتل العمد, العشوائي في أحداث مجلس الوزراء
المشاركة في حريق المجمع العلمي في عدم إخماد الحريق, بطائرات الجيش, كما حدث في 2008
و كل ده كوم , وانه دخل الجيش المصري في مناوشات مع ولاد بلده, وخلاهم يقتلهم ده كوم تاني—————– انا حاليا لا أحترم مؤسسة الجيش بالمرة, لحد ماتخلص من القرف اللي جواها
والإنجازات لا تعد ولا تحصى, من تعذيب في السجون الحربية و قتل و تلفيق قضايا, وبناء قضايا على شهادات زور,و نفس نظام أمن الدولة

و بعد كده يقولك انت ادي للمجلس فرصة, وينسوا ان الثورة هي اللي بتعمل مش المجلس, نسيوا انك في 18 يوم خلعت طاغوت. والمجلس كان قاعد على حجره 20 سنة
انزل معانا, ادي للثورة فرصة شهر, شوف انت نفسك ف ايه و هيتحقق, بس ادي للثورة فرصة

The day was November 19th, the start of Mohammed Mahmoud clashes. After a lot of friends been shot, some of them in the eye. May they all have a speed recovery and God bless our martyrs, may they rest in peace.

it was about 6 pm, the CSF soldiers shot tens of tear gas canisters at us and they were reaching the square. We all retreated back to the square, CSF troops started attacking us from everywhere pushing us away from the square. We scattered all over downtown, and the reports of people missing or hurt all over twitter, and I can feel the chaos that was going on all around us.

I met my friend Amina, who is a big part of this unforgettable night. We met in Qasr el Einy st. we were retreating back from the gas smell. I remember the smell didn’t reach us there, we were right behind the Tahrir Complex. We stopped for some air and relax a bit from all the running. We can see the hundreds of soldiers raiding in Tahrir and the gas smoke everywhere.

People starting heading to Omar Makram, which is at the end of the street we were standing in, since Amin and I are photojournalists we wanted to get closer from Tahrir and try to take pictures, so we left everyone and headed to the Square, inside the complex area, trying to stay away from the eyes of Soldiers. The Complex garden was deserted, we didn’t see anyone, we can see the square is filled with soldiers, going all around and shooting birdshot and tear gas to all Tahrir entrances.

We reached Omark Makram entrance but from the Complex area, we met 5 soldiers, 1 with a tear gas gun, another with birdshot shotgun and the rest with sticks and shields. Amina approached them and tried to talk some sense in them, saying that the protesters – who were couple of hundred meters away- are your brothers and sister, why are you doing this to them! The guy with the tear gas gun answered, because you attacked first, we simply answered, with what! you have guns we have nothing. I still remember the look in his face, he was convinced. Another soldier said “I never beat a protester, I have only 4 days left and I will leave this force, I don’t want blood in my hands”, few more civilians joined the conversation and we talked them out of it. They didn’t shoot the protesters and they went back to the square.

less than a minute later, we hear a gun shot, it turns out there is another group came from Qasr el Nile bridge, the gun shot was a tear gas, shot at the protesters who were after Omar Makram. Few more soldiers appeared, same number, same type of weapons. A Soldier in a mask takes a shooting position on one knee and aims his shotgun at the people near Omar Makram, Amina screamed at him “STOP”, he changed his aim and aims directly at Amina who was few meters away, that would scare the shit out of anyone, I was right behind Amina, I took her behind me and started shouting and cursing the soldier, who was heading away after scaring Amina, then suddenly he stopped, took the same aiming position aiming at us, then fired his rubber bullets at us from less than 6-8 meters away.

I felt something in my right leg, my thigh, I was too angry to feel anything, I didn’t move and kept shouting and screaming at him. I noticed a guy who was standing right next to me got a rubber bullet right below his left eye. Amina grabbed me as they were coming towards us. The injured guy was being treated by a doctor, which was a friend of mine asked if I’m alright, and I said, I’m fine.

Amin and I ran towards the complex, we saw many protesters are running inside it and the security are letting them in, as we reached there, the soldiers were too close, so the security closed the doors and told us to hide under the front door table, and with that starts the longest 2 minutes in my life.

We were hiding under a desk which was still outside the building, we heard stuff crashing, I thought they shot another shot at the front door of Tahrir complex, but I’m still not sure. We heard shouting, very clear voice, very close, I think they were talking from right above the desk, I can’t tell what they are saying, I was focusing with Amina, who was really scared and shivering. I was scared my self, how often do you get in such positions! I was in a total black out mentally, all I can think about is, we are gonna be alright, Amina and I were whispering, don’t know what exactly, but we were living all this together as one of the longest moments in our lives. A hand hit the top of the desk few times, and if they just put their heads few inches to the front, they could have seen us, but thank god they didn’t.

“They are gone, you can leave now” The Tahrir Complex security man told us, pointing out that we shouldn’t stay cause it’s dangerous for him and the building. They were telling us to use the metro (subway) but we know that people get arrested there. we headed back to where we met, Qasr el Einy, behind the complex. On the way I met Mahmoud Salem (a.k.a Sandmonkey) who noticed that we were kinda lost in all of this. He calmed us down, gave us few tips to pass by any police as we were just passing by and we are not protesters. Mahmoud was there with his parliament campaign to get the known activists from the clashes, so they don’t get arrested.

We went behind Tahrir complex and we didn’t see anyone, I can see my car, it’s parked right behind Omar Makram, it’s not so far, but it’s in the middle of the clashes now. Amina was still with me and we decided to go for it and take the car and drive away for a while and see how it goes. We managed to get to the car and people protected us from rocks and cleared a way to leave, and we managed to leave.

While all this was going, my phone battery died, and there was this rumor that I got shot in the eye and I think another went out that I was missing with @Sandmonkey was asking if I got out alright from Tahrir. Thank god I had the other phone, I was alright, feeling some pain in my right thigh, but I’m not really sure what’s that but I couldn’t walk easily.

Few hours later, after going back to Tahrir and making sure everyone we know is alright, Amina and I decided to go home. It was a pretty long night.

I went home, my leg still hurts, after such a night, everything in me hurts. Then while I was changing, I was shocked !! “Shit, I got SHOT” and “SHIT, why does it look like this !!!!”

A Photo of my injury, right when i got home : http://twitpic.com/7ggl3a .

Yeah, I got shot! but it’s a rubber bullet, so it’s alright. That’s what I said to my self and everyone who asked, and that’s how a rubber bullet looks like : http://twitpic.com/7gazye .

A Photo of my injury after 4 days : http://twitpic.com/7ikvgx .

It was a night I will never forget, I will never forget the company I had, the masked soldier who was cold-blooded enough to shoot us in such short-range and how close we were from getting arrested.

My pictures of the November Uprising : http://www.flickr.com/photos/msheshtawy/sets/72157628129719027/