Alla hjärtans dag

Vi på Students for change önskar alla en riktigt bra alla Hjärtans dag!
Tänk på att visa uppskattnig till de du älskar mest och sprid kärlek till alla du möter.

I samhället idag finns det många som fortfarande inte kan visa sin kärlek till de som står dem närmast öppet. Homosexuella är fortfarande inte helt accepterade vilket i dagens moderna samhälle inte borde vara ett problem. Denna dag står en del utanför. Alla ska få sprida sin kärlek idag, oavsett sexuell läggning.
Kärlek åt alla!

Terry från Kairo om oroligheterna i Egypten

Drygt en vecka har gått sedan de första demonstranterna samlades på Egyptens gator för att hävda sin röst gentemot regimen och presidenten Mubarak. Det är svårt att undgå de stora tidsskrifternas löpsedlar om läget i landet, antal döda och skadade, samt uppdateringar om regeringens agerande. Framtiden för 80 miljoner egyptier är som sagt fortfarande oviss, men liksom Tunisien har de tagit det första steget mot förändring. 

Vi får dagligen läsa om händelserna i städer som Kairo, Alexandria och Suez i förhoppningen om att förstå vad som pågår. Men hur är det egentligen att leva i Egypten mitt bland kaoset? 
Nedan är en intervju med Terry, från Kairo, om det nya vardagslivet, stämningen bland folket och Egyptens framtid. 


1. Could you give a description of what happened where you live and how you experienced it?
Well, I live half an hour away from where the main protesters were, but my area still got affected by the looters and the prisoners who escaped because of the chaos in Egypt. All schools closed as well as banks and most people stopped going to work. This of course had an affect on everybody because no one could use credit cards or withdraw money from the banks to buy necessities and they had to make do with the money they had in their house.
All the men who live in my neighbourhood met up and they now have shifts for about six hours where they stay on the street and protect the houses from the looters and then later on the prisoners.

2. How serious would you say that the situation is? Is it safe to go outdoors, for example?
I think the situation is quite serious. People have gotten hurt and some have even died. If that's not serious, I don't know what is. 
People can go outside though. It just depends on where you live and what time of day it is. And the protesters are in general peaceful, and they never wanted there to be violence. Other factors have made it unsafe at times.

3. What types of everyday problems do you encounter as a Cairo resident because of the demonstrations? What is working as usual, and what does not?
The main problem is that everything has gone to a stand still. Most stores are closed most of the time and although supermarkets are open, the amount of food runs out quickly because everyone is storing food, in case this drags on for a long time and they close. Schools have also closed. And probably the most important thing that has closed are the banks.


4. If you think about Egypt before and after the demonstrations: how has the mood towards the regime changed? Did you experience oppression from the regime before the demonstrations started?
As far as I was aware, most people didn't really like the regime, but now people are expressing their dislike more openly.Of course, there are people who like him, though. But, mostly people are just tired of Mubarak because he has been president for so long, so even if he has done good things for Egypt - which in all honesty, he has - people are forgetting those things and just want a change.


5.  What do you think is going to happen in Egypt next? Will Egypt be able to achieve a democratic society; when and at what price? What do you think will happen in the future?
I do think it can reach a democratic society, but it will take time and we'll have to work hard for it. The price for such a society are all the people who were injured and killed in these past few days, all the money Egypt has lost because of the lack of tourists, and all the companies that have suffered. 
I don't know what the future holds, but I do hope that the people of Egypt get what they want.

6. How do you want the world to act? What can I as an outsider individual do to help or support the Egyptian protesters and ensure that the situation is stabilized?
I don't think there is much people outside the country can do but support the Egyptians and what they want.