Muslim Sisters: From Childbearing to Violent Jihad

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Black Mark in France’s History…

Will Paris Apologize?

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Big Ramy: From Fisherman to Mr. Olympia for 2nd Year in a Row A Weekly Political News Magazine

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Muslim Sisters: From Childbearing to Violent Jihad

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Editorial Two weeks ago, Majalla’s writer Dalia Ziada wrote about Muslim Brotherhood’s existential crisis as leadership conflicts reached unprecedented level, while withdrawal of political and financial support is threatening the group with inevitable demise. This week the writer delves into the veiled world of the female elements inside the Islamist organization. She reviews their role throughout the group’s history, as they first served the expansionist goal of making loyal families and raising children to bring up generations who are devoted to the group via blood bond rather than political or ideological conviction.

As the group was politically oppressed by Nasser’s regime, the role of Muslim sisters emerged to keep the group’s boat afloat. Then, from mobilizing the political support of grassroots participation in parliamentary elections and charity campaigns under Mubarak’s regime, MB women were able to magnify the influence of their group on ordinary citizens which culminated in the group’s takeover of the parliament and presidency following Arab Spring revolution in 2011, before the disillusioned public discovered how corrupt and manipulative MB were and toppled them in 2013. Notably, the current generation of MB women is criticizing their leaders for their hardline positions against women which indicates a crucial change in their role inside the group.

Major political development in Sudan’s transition process took place this week, as the Sudanese military commander and the de facto ruler Abdel Fattah al-Burhan took over the country and dissolved the cabinet and the Sovereign Council which was steering the state’s affairs following the public uprising that ousted Omar al-Bashir in 2019. AlBurhan announced that his step was to save the transition from conflicting interests of some parties.

In this week’s article, Ahmed Taher addresses the reasons that led to this development, the regional and international reactions to it, and the possible scenarios for the nation.

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Editor-in-Chief

Ghassan Charbel The Editor Mostafa El-Dessouki HH Saudi Research and Marketing (UK) Ltd 10th Floor Building 7 Chiswick Business Park 566 Chiswick High Road London W4 5YG Tel : +44 207 831 8181 Fax: +44 207 831 2310

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A Weekly Political News Magazine

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A Weekly Political News Magazine

“Forever is Now”: The First Intl Art

50 Exhibition to Take Place at Giza Pyramids

Issue 1876- October- 29/10/2021

38 Winter Challenges the Camps

of Internally Displaced Syrians

20 Sudan…New Crisis,

Various Possibilities

36 The U.S. Debt Crisis

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Breathing Your Way 54 to Better Health

Siwa Oasis: The Pearl of the Egyptian Western Desert

58 “Rise Up,” Blacks “Revolution”?

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napshot

Yemeni school children

Yemeni school children are pictured at a camp for internally displaced about on the outskirts of Yemen’s northeastern city of Marib, on October 26, 2021 in the Saudi-backed Yemeni government’s last northern bastion.

Marib, , Yemen )AFP Photos(

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napshot

Horseback riders participate in “Gallops” in Wadi Rum desert

Horseback riders participate in “Gallops”, an orienteering and endurance equestrian race, in Wadi Rum desert, Jordan October 25, 2021. Picture taken October 25, 2021 Jordan )Reuters Photos(

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A WEEK IN THE MIDDLE EAST SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Arabia's investment minister said on Wednesday that foreign direct investment (FDI) had seen a big jump this year, even without Aramco's oil pipeline sale.

Minister Khalid al-Falih told an investment conference: "FDI has been fantastic this year... %60 jump excluding Aramco oil pipeline."

Saudi oil producer Aramco (2222.SE) has agreed in April a 12.4$ billion deal to sell a %49 stake in its pipelines to a consortium led by U.S.-based EIG Global Energy Partners.

TURKEY Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said problems over the F35- jet program will be the main topic at his meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at a summit in Glasgow starting at the end of this month, state media reported on Wednesday.

Turkey, a manufacturer and buyer of the F35-s, was expelled from the program over its purchase of Russian S400- defense systems.

It says its removal is unjust and has demanded reimbursement of 1.4$ billion.

Erdogan has said Washington offered Ankara a package of F16- jets and modernization kits in exchange for the payment, but the United States has said it offered no such financial plan.

"Whether this is true or not, we will find out from them.

It will be good for me to discuss this with Mr. Biden at the highest level.

If so, we will go for a deal in that regard," he said on a flight returning from a visit to Azerbaijan.

Glasgow will host the U.N. COP26 climate summit between Oct. -31Nov. 12.

Erdogan said previously he would meet Biden at the G20 summit in Rome at the end of this month.

Turkey and its Western allies climbed down from a full-blown diplomatic crisis on Monday after foreign embassies said they abide by diplomatic conventions on non-interference, averting a threatened expulsion of 10 ambassadors.

The Council of Europe has said it was set to begin infringement proceedings against member state Turkey at its end-November meeting if Kavala is not released in line with a European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling.

Asked about that meeting, Erdogan said: "We will listen and see what they say.

We will listen to the ECHR and the Council. After listening we will do what is necessary."

SUDAN Sudan's armed forces chief defended the military's seizure of power, saying he had ousted the government to avoid civil war, while protesters took to the streets on Tuesday to demonstrate against the takeover after a day of deadly clashes.

The military takeover on Monday brought a halt to Sudan's transition to democracy, two years after a popular uprising toppled long-ruling Islamist autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

On Tuesday evening, the Sudanese Professionals Association group of trade unions said it had "reports of retaliatory attacks by coup forces on protesters' gathering sites" in the capital Khartoum and other cities, "using bullets, and attempts to break through barricades".

The Facebook page for the office of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, apparently still under the control of Hamdok loyalists, said a number of ministers and civilian politicians were still detained in unknown locations.

Witnesses said unidentified people arrested Faiz al-Salik, a former media adviser to Hamdok.

Speaking at his first news conference since announcing the takeover, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said the army had no choice but to sideline politicians who were inciting against the armed forces.

He said the military's action did not amount to a coup.

"The dangers we witnessed last week could have led the country into civil war," he said, an apparent reference to demonstrations against the prospect of a coup.

Sudanese ambassadors to 12 countries, including the United States, United Arab Emirates, China, and France, have rejected the military takeover, a diplomatic source said on Tuesday.

TUNISIA A former Tunisian agriculture minister and seven other ex-officials have been detained on suspicion of corruption, judicial authorities said, and the latest move against graft that has hampered economic reform efforts.

Since President Kais Saied dismissed parliament and seized near total control of the country in July, in a move critics called a coup, he has vowed to root out systemic corruption.

Last week, lawmaker Mehdi Ben Gharbia was detained over suspected tax fraud and money laundering - the fourth parliamentarian to be taken into custody since Saied's move.

A statement from the Tunis court said the arrest of the eight former officials was related to suspected graft in the purchase of equipment for the agriculture ministry. The name of the former agriculture minister was not immediately released.

Saied's intervention in July followed years of political paralysis and economic stagnation, and has been welcomed by many people in the North African country.

But critics have labelled it a coup that has undermined democratic gains made since the country's 2011 revolution, which ended autocratic rule and triggered the Arab Spring.

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IRAN Iran is ready to hold direct talks with European parties to a 2015 nuclear pact, Iranian Press TV quoted an unnamed source as saying on Wednesday as Tehran's top nuclear negotiator visited Brussels to discuss a resumption of stalled nuclear talks.

"Iran has formally voiced preparedness for direct talks with the three European parties to the nuclear deal," the source told Press TV. "Iran invited the three states for visits to Tehran or offered trips t o the trio’s respective capitals for such talks, but it has received no response so far."

In April, Iran and six world powers started negotiations to revive the agreement which former U.S. President Donald Trump quit in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy.

The talks have been on hold since June, two days after hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi was elected Iran's president.

Concerned about Iran's nuclear advances, Western powers have urged Tehran to return to negotiations in Vienna.

Tehran says it backs result-oriented negotiations, but has not announced when it will return to the talks.

Since 2019, Iran has gradually breached limits imposed by the nuclear deal but says its nuclear steps are reversible if U.S. President Joe Biden lifts all his country's sanctions on Iran.

LEBANON Former Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab, who resigned in the wake of the Beirut port explosion, filed a suit against the state on Wednesday over his prosecution by investigating judge Tarek Bitar for his role in the disaster, local Al Jadeed TV reported.

The suit, filed one day before a scheduled interrogation by the judge, means that Bitar must pause his prosecution of Diab once he is officially notified of the case, lawyer Nizar Saghieh of watchdog group Legal Agenda told Reuters.

Diab, who has been charged with negligence over the Aug. 2020 .4 port blast that killed more than 215 people, has missed at least two interrogation sessions scheduled by Bitar. Nearly all the senior officials he has sought to question have also spurned him.

Diab has argued that the judge does not have the authority to prosecute him, as have a number of former ministers charged by Bitar who have filed a slew of lawsuits and motions seeking to have the judge removed.

Diab, a Sunni Muslim, on Tuesday met with Lebanon's top Sunni authority, Mufti Abdel-Latif Derian, who later issued a statement saying that Diab could only be prosecuted at a special court formed by a parliamentary vote.

ISRAEL A senior Palestinian official said the decision showed that Israel's new government, led by far-right politician Naftali Bennett, was "no less extreme" than the administration of the veteran leader he replaced, Benjamin Netanyahu.

An Israeli defense official said a planning forum of Israel's liaison office with the Palestinians gave preliminary approval for plans to build 1,344 housing units and its final go-ahead for projects to construct 1,800 homes.

It will be up to Defense Minister Benny Gantz, a centrist in Israel's politically diverse government, to give the nod for construction permits to be issued, with further friction with Washington looming.

The United States on Tuesday said it was "deeply concerned" about Israel's plans to advance thousands of settlement units.

It called such steps damaging to prospects for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and said it strongly opposes settlement expansion.

Washington desisted from such criticism when President Joe Biden's Republican predecessor Donald Trump was in office.

The latest projects, as well as tenders published on Sunday for more than 1,300 settler homes, amounted to the first major test case over settlement policy with the Biden administration that took office in January.

"The U.S. administration has words, and no deeds, to change the policy that had been put in place by Trump," Salhe said.

EGYPT Egypt's state of emergency will be lifted for the first time in years, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Monday.

Egypt imposed a state of emergency in April 2017 after deadly bombings of churches and has since routinely extended it at three-month intervals, despite an improved security situation.

"Egypt has become ... an oasis of security and stability in the region," Sisi wrote in a Facebook post. "Hence it was decided, for the first time in years, to cancel the extension of the state of emergency in all areas of the country."

The state of emergency granted authorities sweeping powers to make arrests and crack down on what they call enemies of the state.

It was applied during the extension of a clamp-down on political dissent under Sisi that has swept up liberal as well as Islamist critics over the past few years.

Egypt's security forces have also been battling an insurgency by militants linked to Islamic State in northern Sinai, although they have recently consolidated their position in the area.

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FRANCE

A WEEK ACROSS THE WORLD

Activists disrupted a green finance summit in Paris on Tuesday, saying that French Pres had failed to get serious on investing in combating climate change.

Macron's government says it is committed to meeting its climate targets, including goin in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.

Protesters intervened shortly after a speech by French Finance Minister Bruno Le Mair reading "Macron: champion of fossil fuel finance", images published online by action gro Le Maire said he supported allocating tax revenues from fossil fuels to finance the tran an idea the government has flagged since early in Macron's mandate.

A French court this month ordered the state to honour its promises on climate change to repair ecological damage and to prevent a further increase of carbon emissions by t Macron's government, which is due to attend the COP26 meeting in Glasgow, Scotlan (12$ million) by France's highest administrative court in August for failing to improve a France will decide soon whether to build new nuclear EPR reactors, Environment Mini

U.S. U.S. billionaires would pay tax on unrealized gains from their assets to help finance President Joe Biden's emerging social-policy and climate-change legislation, according to a proposal unveiled on Wednesday by the top Senate Democrat for tax policy.

The so-called billionaires’ tax, announced by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, is part of a two-pronged legislative strategy that also includes a proposed %15 corporate minimum tax on the most profitable U.S. corporations, which was unveiled on Tuesday.

But the billionaires’ tax faces potential opposition from Democrats in the House of Representatives, who favor straightforward hikes in tax rates for companies and the wealthy as a way to fund the Biden agenda.

The billionaires’ tax, which would take effect for the 2022 tax year, would affect roughly 700 taxpayers with over 1$ billion in assets or 100$ million in annual income for three consecutive years, according to a statement.

The tax would also impose levies on billionaire ownership stakes in businesses incorporated as pass-through entities and in trusts including real estate investment trusts, according to a statement.

INDIA Two U.S. senators have urged President Joe Biden to waive sanctions against India over its purchase of Russia's S400- air defense system, saying such a punitive measure would endanger growing cooperation.

India signed a 5.5$ billion deal with Russia in 2018 for five of the surface-to-air missile systems for defense against longtime adversary Pakistan, and China, with which it is locked in a standoff on their disputed border.

The proposed transfer has caused friction with the United States, which passed a law in 2017 under which any country engaged with Russia's defense and intelligence sectors could face sanctions.

India has made a downpayment on the S400 systems and the first set of missile batteries is expected to be begin deployment later this year.

The United States imposed sanctions on Turkey for buying the same equipment last year.

Cornyn and Warner, who are co-chairs of a Senate India Caucus, said they shared the administration's concerns about Russia but they warned of damage to cooperation with India if sanctions were to be imposed.

India has been cutting back on purchases of military equipment from Russia, which for years was its main source, with a %53 drop in Russian arms exports to India from 2016 to 2020 compared with the preceding five-year period.

GERMANY Germany's outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel watched from a visitors' gallery on Tuesday as a new, more diverse and younger parliament elected a woman from the Centre-Left Social Democrats (SPD) as parliamentary president.

Merkel, 67, who did not stand for re-election in the national ballot on Sept. 26 after four terms in office, will act as caretaker chancellor until a new government is in place.

The SPD, who finished first in the election, are in talks to form a coalition government with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats by December 6 that would oust Merkel's conservatives after 16 years in power.

With the SPD's Olaf Scholz seen replacing Merkel as chancellor, the party nominated health policy expert Baerbel Blas to replace Wolfang Schaeuble as Bundestag president in an effort to ensure the country's three top political offices are not held by men.

The three parties have so far projected a more consensual front than many expected, particularly given the ideological differences between the FDP and the more left-leaning Greens and SPD. The new Bundestag, which is the largest ever with 736 lawmakers, is not expected to pass any laws until a new coalition has been formed and it is required to vote in the new chancellor.

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CUBA

Cuba will open its borders and ease entr next month after vaccinating most of its p COVID19- drugs, allowing it to welcome and giving a shot in the arm to its ailing to Tough restrictions due to the pandemic, in flights to Cuba, and a U.S. ban on mos Island under former U.S. President Dona the business and left it trailing behind reg as the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, But as Nov. 15, Cuba will only require vi of vaccination or a recent PCR to enter t replacing what were previously among th in the Caribbean, involving a quarantine p A fully vaccinated population will prove a an island already well-regarded for its saf said Francisco Camps, who supervises S Cuba received more than four million to and much more through supply chains an Despite mounting optimism as tourism r ast year and another %2 through June.

sident Emmanuel Macron

ng carbon neutral by 2050,

re, with one holding a banner oup Les Amis de la Terre showed. nsition to a greener economy,

e, insisting it take measures the end of December 2022 at the latest. nd next month, was fined 10 million euros air quality. ister Barbara Pompili told a separate event.

TAIWAN Self-ruled Taiwan needs to strengthen its defenses and, with just 15 diplomatic allies in the world, seek more friends on the international stage as it faces pressure from China, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said on Wednesday.Tensions between Taiwan and China, which claims the fiercely democratic island as sovereign territory, have escalated in recent weeks as Beijing raises military and political pressure.That has included repeated missions by Chinese warplanes in Taiwan's air defense identification zone, or ADIZ, which covers a broader area than Taiwan's territorial air space which Taiwan monitors and patrols to give it more time to respond to any threats.

Beijing's position is that the island of 23.5 million people is part of "one China" and has no right to recognition as a separate country. Only 15 countries in the world, most of them very small, recognize Taiwan.

Foreign Minister Wu spoke during his trip to the Czech Republic and Slovakia which overlapped with a Taiwan trade delegation's visit to the two countries and Lithuania. China's embassy in the Czech Republic condemned the Prague visit.

Wu arrived to the Czech capital on invitation from Vystrcil to honor the assistance that Taiwan gave the Czechs during the COVID19- pandemic and also as the EU and NATO member country is opening more to cooperation with Taipei.

SOUTH KOREA In a last-ditch attempt to restart talks with North Korea before his term ends next year, South Korean President Moon Jae-in is calling for a declaration that could eventually end a state of war that has technically lasted since the 1950s.

South Korea and a U.S.-led U.N. force are technically still at war with North Korea since the 1953-1950 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty, and Seoul sees an "end of war declaration" as a way to build trust, restart stalled denuclearization talks, and eventually secure a lasting peace agreement.

Such a declaration is seen as a less politically fraught issue than other points of contention, such as North Korea's nuclear weapons.

But critics fear a declaration could undermine the U.S.-South Korea alliance or weaken international pressure over the North's weapons programs, and both Koreas have failed to follow through on previous efforts to end the war.

But as disagreements over North Korea's nuclear weapons and international sanctions dragged on, Washington and Pyongyang showed less interest and the idea stalled along with nearly all talks.

South Korea's plan calls for a political declaration that the Korean War is over, then a peace treaty that replaces the armistice, and finally the establishment of a broader peace regime, said Duyeon Kim, with the U.S.-based Center for a New American Security.

The Biden administration may support raising the idea of a declaration as a way to gauge North Korean attitudes but is unlikely to support anything that alters the armistice, she said.

North Korea, meanwhile, has made it clear it is not interested in a symbolic declaration.

CONGO

ry req uirements people with home-grown e back overseas visitors ourist industry. , a drastic reduction st travel to the Communist-run ald Trump have hobbled gional competitors such , the Bahamas and Cancun. isitors to carry proof the country, he strictest protocols period and multiple PCR tests. a key selling point for fety, beaches and turquoise waters, Spanish firm Sol Melia’s 32 hotels in Cuba. ourists in 2019, contributing 10.6 percent to gross domestic product (GDP), nd informal economic activity. But this year just 200,000 guests have arrived and only another 100,000 are expected, Minister Garcia said. resumes, officials have cautioned economic recovery will be more gradual than initially thought following a sharp drop of %10.9 l

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More women have reported sexual exploitation and abuse by aid workers during an Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo since a report into the scandal was issued last month.

Some 83 aid workers, a quarter of them employed by the WHO, were involved in sexual coercion and abuse during the country's 10th Ebola epidemic, an independent commission said last month.

Dr. Gaya Gamhewage, WHO acting director of prevention and response to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, highlighted concerns about the scale of abuse as the WHO seeks to implement reforms and restore trust in the UN agency.

The report cited nine allegations of rape, the youngest victim a -14year-old girl who accused a WHO driver of offering her a ride and raping her. She later gave birth.

The scandal had been a wake-up call for the aid community.

Because the commission only had a mandate to investigate abuse by WHO employees or contractors, the WHO is preparing to send all 83 case files to UN investigators for action, Gamhewage said.

Suspects' names were being uploaded in the UN 'ClearCheck' data base, a system-wide tool that screens potential employees, Gamhewage said.

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over story

Muslim Sisters: From Childbearing to Violent Jihad How Female Elements Helped Muslim Brotherhood Survive

By Dalia Ziada The Muslim Brotherhood is, currently, struggling through one of the most shaking existential crises in its history. The fight between the elders over the ailing body of the group, which has not stopped since 2014, has reached an unprecedented bar. Up till this moment, the battle is limited to the exchange of media statements between Ibrahim Munir’s front, based in London, and Mahmoud Hussein’s front, based in Istanbul. Each side is using their self-claimed authorities to dismiss the powers of the other side. Yet, some experts suggest

that this heated situation may escalate into actual acts of violence, at any moment, as one side may attempt to assassinate the other.

However, the escalating divisions among the Muslim Brotherhood leaders, and the consequent gradual withdrawal of the group’s foreign political and financial supporters should be the group’s least worries, at this critical moment. The biggest concern, however, stems from the tendency of young female members, collectively labeled as “the Muslim Sisters,” to follow their male peers to the path of violent jihad. The devout

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and low-profile sisters of the Muslim Brotherhood have always been the secret ingredient that saved the group from breakdown in times of existential crises. In light of the current crisis, the sisters are, probably, the last lifeline that the group cannot afford their absence.

HAMMERING THE PEGS The Muslim Sisters sub-group is as old as the Muslim Brotherhood organization. It was initiated, in 1932, a few months after the group’s leadership moved to Cairo, merely with the purpose to bear children and make families that serve the long-term expansionist goals of the group. However, in a short period of time, the sisters proved to be an essential pillar of support, that continued to play a crucial role in preserving the group’s coherence, especially in tough times of political oppression, despite repeatedly being mistreated and exploited by the brothers.

File Photo of MB’s Women gathering in support of former Egyptian president Mohamed Mursi near the Egyptian Embassy in Ankara, Turkey (Reuters)

The Muslim Brotherhood group started in 1928, in Ismailia, as an underground Islamic association with the mission to restore the unity of Islamic Umma under one Caliphate system ruled by Sharia Law. In Ismailia, a small rural town in eastern Egypt, where people were completely detached from the modern and secular lifestyle in the capital city of Cairo, Hassan Al-Banna found a fertile soil for planting his ideology and attracting base supporters. At that time, the majority of families in rural cities inclined to be religiously and socially conservative as they could not keep pace with the quick and extreme modernization of all aspects of life in the capital city of Cairo. The years following the 1919 revolution, marked the liberal era of Egypt’s modern history, when women broke the barriers of fear and decided to leave their homes to intensively participate in public life shoulderto-shoulder with men.

In 1930, as the Muslim Brotherhood popularity increased among grassroots citizens in rural cities all over Egypt, Al-Banna decided to move the Muslim Brotherhood mission to Cairo, where he can sneak his group, as a new political party, into the then new and evolving liberal political system. Al-Banna knew that his group would not be welcomed in the modern secular Cairo, if he openly showed his extremist ideology that looks down at women as “less-developed humans,” and orders them to be submissive followers to their husbands. Therefore, in 1932, Hassan Al-Banna decided to launch the “Muslim Sisters” as a marginal section within the Muslim

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In 1932, Hassan Al-Banna decided to launch the “Muslim Sisters” as a marginal section within the Muslim Brotherhood, and wrote a memo titled “A Message to The Muslim Woman” wherein he set terms and conditions for those sisters.

Brotherhood, and wrote a memo titled “A Message to The Muslim Woman” wherein he set the terms and conditions of living for the women, who were called to join the group.

In addition to making the group falsely appear as openminded and supportive to women, the main purpose of recruiting women, at this early stage, was to create a tribal bond that connects the growing number of Muslim Brotherhood members with blood, rather than with a common political or religious ideology. In simple words, women’s primary mission inside the Muslim Brotherhood is to make families and raise children, who will later marry from each other and make new families, and so on. This was Al-Banna’s strategy to keep the group growing in number and expanding in size over a long period of time in the future. Clearly, it worked successfully!

The blood bond, which is much stronger than the common ideology bond, made the brothers more willing to donate their money and risk their lives to serve the group’s mission and goals. By time, the next generations grew up with a sense of exclusive devotion and belonging towards their Muslim Brotherhood tribe, that is bigger than their sense of belonging as citizens to their nation-states. Actually, this tribal / blood bond is the main reason why such an extremist political and religious organization managed to live for almost one hundred years, while other dogmatic ideologies, like communism for example, had died under the pressure of time, war, and the changing political agendas of the international community.

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over story

KEEPING THE BOAT AFLOAT The era of former President Gamal Abdel Nasser (ruled from 1954 to 1970) was, allegedly, the darkest period of political oppression for the Muslim Brotherhood. Nasser, who came with an agenda to promote the communist ideology, which was internationally popular at that time, was determined to finish the Muslim Brotherhood. He did not hesitate to put the group’s leaders in jail and subject them to mass executions based on exceptional court decisions. Some of the group leaders managed to flee Egypt but they were too weak and too scared to challenge Nasser and his massive popularity, not only among Egyptians, but also in several Arab countries.

At that critical time, the Muslim Sisters decided to break the ceiling set by Al-Banna to rescue the organization from collapsing under Nasser’s iron grip. They started to secretly organize themselves to fill in the role of the absent middle leaders. That is; passing communications between the imprisoned leaders and the free base, collecting donations for the group’s central fund, and taking care of the families and children of the imprisoned brothers. Above all that, the Muslim Sisters kept transferring the Muslim Brotherhood’s ideological principles to their children, who grew up later to be the new leaders of the group that was revived after Nasser’s death, and the inauguration of Mohamed Anwar Sadat as the next president.

The Muslim sisters, especially from older generations, are playing a similar role in our current time. After the removal of Muslim Brotherhood regime in Egypt, in 2013, a large number of top leaders fled to Turkey, Qatar,

The younger sisters were vocally criticizing the extremist positions of the group towards women. Even, some of them openly showed support to basic women’s rights on their webblogs and social media accounts.

and the United Kingdom, while the Supreme Guide and a few others got arrested. Between 2015-2014, almost all middle leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood were arrested by the Egyptian security forces or killed in armed confrontations. This created a gap that required Muslim Brotherhood women to step up to fill. Since then, the elder sisters started to play the role of the middle leaders, to keep the group alive in the shadow; in hope that a future president may come after El-Sisi, who will bring the group back to public life, as Sadat did when he took power after Nasser.

Sadat’s short years in presidency (from 1970 to 1981) were not as easy as Nasser’s. People did not admire him as much as they were infatuated by Nasser. His openness to peace with Israel and his call for establishing an open market economy and a liberal political system was met by fierce opposition from the supporters of Nasser’s communist ideology, who call themselves “the Nasserists.” To neutralize the influence of the Nasserists among the grassroots citizens, Sadat had to employ Islamists against them. Therefore, he released the Muslim Brotherhood leaders from prison and allowed them to practice religious breaching and social activism on a limited scale. Sadat’s strategy to suppress Nasserists by empowering Islamists was successful. In a record time, the majority of the citizens ditched every communist belief they once embraced under Nasser and started to adapt to Sadat’s new style of governance and living. Yet, eventually Sadat’s life was ceased by the Islamists he empowered.

POLITICAL MOBILIZATION Following Sadat’s assassination, his Vice President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, was upgraded to be the new president. Mubarak (ruled from 1981 to 2011) had to deal with two main challenges; to improve the economy and control the expansion of Islamists and extremist jihadist movements that flourished under Sadat. While Mubarak was ruthlessly successful in fighting jihadist organizations, he availed a huge social space to political Islamists from the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafist movement. Although Mubarak’s regime and media labeled the Muslim Brotherhood as a “banned group,” he did not stop them from practicing shadow political activities among the grassroots citizens.

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The only female candidate of Egypt›s banned but tolerated Muslim Brotherhood, Makarem al-Deiri, casts her vote during the runoff electoral round at a polling station in the Cairo, 15 November 2005 )Getty Images(

The sisters of the Muslim Brotherhood were the key players in this game. At this stage, the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood had already realized that the sisters are one of the main pillars of support to the group and that they can achieve missions that the brothers cannot do, such as mobilizing grassroots for political support in municipal and parliamentary elections. Moreover, the new generation that took the lead of the group, during Sadat era, was more open to the idea of involving women in social activities that serves the group. Therefore, they invested in educating their daughters to be teachers and physicians, specifically. Later in the 1990s and early 2000s, the sisters, who got trained as doctors and teachers, led charity campaigns that provided free healthcare and education to poor citizens in rural villages far from the capital city of Cairo.

Smartly, the Muslim Brotherhood used the sisters to magnify the influence of the group on grassroots citizens and turning them into political supporters. As a result, the Muslim Brotherhood were able to win 88 seats (about %20) of the lower house of Parliament, in the legislative elections of 2005, which was a benchmark in the group’s history. This, also, explains why the group got a large number of grassroots supporters, following Egypt’s Arab Spring revolution that ousted Mubarak regime in 2011, that eventually enabled them to take over presidency and the majority of parliament seats, in 2012. However, it did not take a long time for the Egyptian grassroots citizens, fooled by Muslim

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The devout and low-profile sisters of the Muslim Brotherhood have always been the secret ingredient that saved the group from breakdown in times of existential crises.

Brotherhood’s religious rhetoric and generous social services, to discover that the Islamist group is not less corrupt or manipulative than Mubarak’s regime.

Meanwhile, the young sisters of the Muslim Brotherhood were extensively present on the then new medium of the internet. They created personal blogs and managed websites affiliated to the group, in a very effective way, that helped spread the Muslim Brotherhood message among the liberal youth, who were dominating the Egyptian online space, at that time. It may be a surprise to some readers to know that the editor of the flagship English website of the Muslim Brotherhood, “Ikhwan Web,” during those years, was Sondos Assem, a brilliant young sister in her twenties. Later, she was hired as the Foreign Media Advisor to the President of the State, when the Muslim Brotherhood took power in 2012. Up till today, she is still heavily engaged in advocacy activities for the group in decision-making circles in the West.

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POLITICAL LEADERSHIP Despite the obvious devotion and sincerity of the sisters in serving the group’s mission, the Muslim Brotherhood leadership had always kept women within a frame limited by gender stereotypes. For them, women›s rights are described as a foreign set of western values that have nothing to do with Islam. The space provided for women on the Brotherhood›s official website, for instance, was called «Family Oasis» and was full of skill-sharing articles about bringing up children, pleasing a husband, and the proper dress code for the Muslim woman.

Within the group’s hierarchy, the Muslim Brotherhood

In addition to making the group falsely appear as open-minded, the main purpose of recruiting women was to create a tribal bond that connects the growing number of MB members with blood, rather than with a common ideology.

had a shameful record of marginalizing women. The Muslim Sisters had never been allowed access to leadership positions inside the group. In 2007, Essam Al-Arian, one of the leading figures of the Muslim Brotherhood, at that time, stated that the group may never allow women or Coptic Christians in decisionmaking positions, because this is contradictory to Islamic Sharia.

However, following the 2011 revolution against Mubarak regime, the Muslim Brotherhood established a political party to compete for presidency. Only then, they decided to change their discriminative policy towards women, to be accepted by the young liberal base that led the revolution and the western audience who was closely watching the political developments in Egypt, at that time. Therefore, the Muslim Brotherhood hired a few of the elder sisters in the supreme committee of their new political party.

In the parliamentary elections of 2005, the Muslim Brotherhood listed only three women among the 133 candidates on their parliamentary election campaign platform. These women were the wives of prominent members in the group, with zero experience in practicing politics. One of them was Makarem Eldiary, who included many items in her political electoral program that were clearly discriminatory towards women. Her equivalent in the post-revolution parliament was Azza

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Women of the Muslim Brotherhood during the 2011-2012 parliamentary elections )Photo: Reuters(

Between 2015-2014, almost all middle leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood were arrested by the Egyptian security forces or killed in armed confrontations.

This created a gap that required Muslim Brotherhood women to step up to fill. of them formed small militias, such as HASM, and started operating inside Egypt until they got arrested in 2015. However, the majority of them fled Egypt to join terrorist organizations, such as the Islamic State (ISIS), in the Levant and eastern Africa.

Azza Al-Garf, a former Muslim Brotherhood member of parliament. (AP)

Al-Garf who had been lobbying against the 2003 legislation that criminalized the savage practice of female genital mutilation and called for legalizing child marriage.

In contradiction to that, the younger sisters were vocally criticizing the extremist positions of the group towards women. Even, some of them openly showed support to basic women’s rights on their web-blogs and social media accounts. However, they were never given a proper chance to act on the political forefront of the group, as the priority was given to the elder sisters, despite their limited political experience, narrow-minds, and lack of active social engagement.

FAVORING VIOLENT JIHAD In early October, Sudanese authorities announced the arrest of a terrorist cell affiliated to the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists. The relatively small militia is led by an Egyptian young man, who used to be an active member of the Muslim Brotherhood. But that is not the surprising part of the story.

A huge number of the Muslim Brotherhood youth, roughly estimated by four thousand members, decided to follow the path of violent jihad to compensate for the group’s political failure, in the aftermath of the fall of the Muslim Brotherhood regime in 2013. Some

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However, it seems that the youth who decided to turn into violent jihadists are not only men. The investigations on the terrorist cell that was recently discovered in Sudan, found young Egyptian women among the jihadists. Some of them used to be members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

One of them is a young woman, born in 1997, whose family reported her, in 2017, as forcibly disappeared.

This could be seen as an indicator that violent jihad has become a favorable trend for the young sisters, similar to what happened with their male peers.

This shockingly unpredicted transformation in the role played by young women, within the structure of the Muslim Brotherhood organization, may accelerate the collapse of the group. The sisters of the Muslim Brotherhood have always been the secret ingredient that helped the group survive darkest moments of oppression, in the past. The young sisters’ gradual disengagement from the political future of the group is a foretell for the Muslim Brotherhood’s eventual cessation. Yet, at the same time, this may also mean the appearance of a new trend of jihadism with new female jihadist elements that are too elusive to recognize and too devious to control.

Dalia Ziada is an Egyptian author and Director of the Liberal Democracy Institute. Her work covers military affairs, political Islamism, and geopolitics in the Middle East and North Africa. Tweets at @daliaziada.

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Sudan…New Crisis, Various Possibilities

Will Sudan Correct its Course or Slip Further into Danger?

By Ahmed Taher Head of Sudan’s Sovereign Council General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan presented in a televised speech on Tuesday a general framework of the country’s orientation dur-ing a new transitional phase.

This action completes the first transitional phase Sudan launched more than two years after a popular uprising that forced the removal of longtime president

Omar al-Bashir in order to preserve the national state.

However, the past period has witnessed failures and obstacles for various rea-sons. These include the legacy of the previous regime and its failure to build a strong state, the conflicts among Sudanese political forces that participated in managing this phase, as well as the foreign interventions aimed at misleading the Sudanese state.

Failures have led to the deterioration of living condi-

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Sudanese security forces keep watch as they protect a military hospital and government offices during protests against the military takeover on October 2021 ,25 in the capital›s twin city of Omdurman.

(Photo by AFP)

tions as well as the citizens’ in-ability to provide for their basic needs.

Many people took the streets to denounce this government’s failure and stress the importance of putting an end to the power struggles and the personal gains achieved.

Last week, mass demonstrations flooded the streets requesting the military es-tablishment to intervene to control the political and economic situation in an attempt to save the state.

Sudan has been failing to maintain its territorial integrity and political control over all its regions, in addition to its escalating crisis with Ethiopia. Ethiopia’s unilateral construction of the Renaissance Dam without reaching a binding legal agreement with the Nile basin countries, and the border conflict over the Sudanese border ar-ea of Al-Fashqa are the main subjects of a bilateral dispute.

In light of these developments, attempts have been made to mend the rift be-tween members of the Sovereign Council and to reach understandings that would restore calm and improve the worsening living conditions of Sudanese citizens.

Nevertheless, these attempts have failed, stressed Burhan who told a press con-ference that the military presented three options to Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok to resolve the country’s political crisis, all of which were rejected by the main opposition Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change (FDFC) alliance.

He pointed out that an FDFC minister and leader even incited a coup within the armed forces.

“The recent political division threatens Sudan’s safety and security,” the top gen-eral noted, adding that he discussed with Jeffrey Feltman, special envoy for the Horn of Africa, the means of resolving the differences between the political forces and the army.

“We also discussed with Hamdok the expansion of political participation until the last night before the events.”

During talks with Hamdok, Burhan highlighted the importance of a national con-sensus and expansion of the participant base, excluding the National Congress Party.

But all these efforts did not yield the desired results, he said, prompting the mili-tary to seize power from the transitional government to save the Sudanese state.

On Monday, the military dissolved Hamdok’s transitional government as well as the Sovereign Council, a

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Last period has witnessed failures and obstacles for various reasons, including the legacy of the previous regime and its failure to build a strong state, the conflicts among Sudanese political forces, as well as foreign Interventions power-sharing body of military officers and civilians that had been ruling Sudan since late 2019.

Burhan announced that the military would hold power until elections can be held in July 2023. Declaring a state of emergency, the top military official said a caretaker government of technocrats would convene until elections are held.

Since August 2019, a transitional government -- comprised of civilians and military officials -- had taken over the reins of power in Sudan.

Following Bashir’s removal, a government was formed under a 39-month power sharing agreement between the military and civilian groups.

The Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the FDFC signed the agreement, which provided for the establishment of a joint civilian-military sovereign council that would rule Sudan while elections were being organized.

A military leader would head the 11-member Sovereign Council for the first 21 months, followed by a civilian leader for the next 18 months, the declaration read.

According to the agreement, the opposition coalition was allowed to choose five members of the council and the military another five, with the two sides jointly choosing a civilian as an eleventh member.

The agreement required that two members should be women, with one of them a Coptic Christian.

After signing the peace agreement in October 2020, Burhan issued a constitutional decree in February to add three new members to the council.

The decree stipulated the appointment of Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) chair-man and leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement-Transitional Council (SLM-TC) El Hadi Idris, Head of Sudan People’s

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Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N Malik Agar) and Head of the Sudan Liberation Movement for Justice-Karbino (SLMJ-K) El Taher Hajar.

However, despite all the efforts made, the situation continued to deteriorate threatening a new civil war, which required intervention to save the country from the escalating events that threatened its stability and territorial integrity.

These developments raise many questions, most notably: What roadmap will the Sovereign Council adopt to ensure stability? What are the stances of various Suda-nese parties on the recent developments? What are the future scenarios for the Sudanese state?

Despite the articles included in Burhan’s roadmap, it remains unclear how it would be implemented as it lacks the mechanisms that the Sudanese state would pursue to form the councils to which it referred.

In order to answer these questions, the report reviews three axes as follows:

ONE: ABDEL FATTAH AL-BURHAN AND AN OBSCURE ROADMAP The close reading of Burhan’s televised speech reveals a roadmap for completing the transitional phase.

It includes the following: - Dissolving all steering committees in all state institutions, unions, profes-sional federations and general unions of national employers, provided that the decision is implemented from the date of its issuance on October 26, 2021.

- Freezing the work of the Empowerment Removal Committee until its work is reviewed. The committee was established in implementation of a law approved by the Sudanese cabinet, based on the text of Article 8, clause 15, of the constitu-tional declaration. The attorney general’s office was charged with dismantling the system built by Bashir after his ouster in April 2019. It oversees investigations into crimes involving public funds and corruption by the former president and members of his extended family and old regime.

- Forming justice councils to be able to manage the transitional phase. “The armed forces cannot complete the transitional phase alone. We need the participation of the Sudanese people,” Burhan stressed.

- Ensuring members of the legislative council are from the youth of the revolu-tion, in preparation for completing the transitional phase that ends with the

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Prime Minister of Sudan Abdalla Hamdok (EPA/ OMER MESSINGER)

Military-aligned demonstrators gathered in numbers, chant «Down with the government of hunger» in front of the Presidential palace in Khartoum, Sudan, Oc-tober 16, 2021.

REUTERS/El Tayeb Siddig/File Photo

for-mation of a civilian government.

- Forming a sovereign council and a government including all components, ap-pointing a new prime minister and appointing a minister from each Sudanese state in the next government.

- Retaining all the privileges contained in the Juba peace agreement.

Despite the articles included in this roadmap, it remains unclear how it would be implemented as it lacks the mechanisms that the Sudanese state would pursue to form the councils to which it referred. Unless the parties reach understandings in this regard, the situation may worsen.

TWO: THE SUDANESE CRISIS AND REACTIONS Various international, regional and local reactions to the recent crisis were ex-pected, although they all agree that the situation could not continue at the same pace. They indicated that Sudan is on the verge of a real catastrophe that brings to mind the civil wars it has suffered over the past decades. In this regard, Burhan said it was incumbent on the armed forces to act to halt “incitement to chaos and violence”.

However, local reactions varied. The Sudan information ministry, which is still loyal to the ousted premier, said that “the transitional constitution gives only the prime minister the right to declare a state of emergency.” Hamdok is still the legitimate transition-

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One scenario indicates that the country will continue to run in a vicious circle of tension between the Military Council and the political forces, supported by internal armed groups and external parties. al authority, it stressed, noting that the constitutional document does not give any party other than the Legislative Council the right to dissolve the tran-sitional institutions.

Regional reactions focused on urging parties to exercise restraint and fully abide by the 2019 constitutional declaration.

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit urged all parties to “fully abide” by the constitutional declaration signed in August 2019 and the Juba peace deal signed in 2020.

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on all Sudanese parties to be re-sponsible, prioritize the national interest and exercise restraint. Similarly, the Sau-di Foreign Ministry statement reiterated that the

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Kingdom will continue to stand by the brotherly Sudanese people and support everything that achieves security, stability and prosperity in their country.

In a foreign ministry statement, the United Arab Emirates underscored the im-portance of preserving the political and economic gains that have been achieved as well as all policies that aim to protect Sudan’s sovereignty and unity, adding that it will continue standing by the brotherly Sudanese people.

At the international level, the governments of the United States, Britain and Nor-way condemned the “coup” in Sudan, saying they were deeply concerned about the situation in the country. They called on security forces to release those who were detained unlawfully, according to a joint statement released by the US State Department.

In early August, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) had announced allocating $700 million in aid to support Sudan’s democratic transi-tion. However, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the US is im-mediately pausing delivery of the $700 million in emergency economic support funds to Sudan.

Other international parties refrained from describing the recent events as a “coup” and issued statements similar to some Arab countries in terms of urging Sudanese parties to exercise restraint and abide by the agreements signed by all parties.

Russia is concerned with the situation in Sudan and urges all parties to exercise re-straint, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “The people of Sudan must resolve the situation in the country on their own and we wish for this to happen as quickly as possible and

Speaking at his first news conference since announcing the takeover, Burhan said the military’s action did not amount to a coup. “The dangers we witnessed last week could have led the country into civil war”.

without any loss of human lives,” he told a briefing.

These differences among international parties in describing the situation in Sudan were reflected in the UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday, which failed to is-sue a joint statement in this regard.

Speaking at his first news conference since announcing the takeover, Burhan said the military’s action did not amount to a coup. “The dangers we witnessed last week could have led the country into civil war,” he said, an apparent reference to demonstrations against the prospect of a coup.

“We do not want guardianship from anyone, and we know how to manage Sudan’s affairs,” he said.

Hamdok, who was arrested on Monday along with other members of his cabinet, had not been harmed and had been brought to Burhan’s own home, the general said. “The prime minister was in his house.

However, we were afraid that he’d be in danger so he has been placed with me in my home.”

THIRD: SUDAN AND POSSIBLE SCENARIOS Although Burhan’s step has sparked various reactions, yet it reassured the Suda-nese people, who have been recently facing a danger threatening their state and its cohesion due to the division among parties.

This suggests three possible scenarios: First, an optimist scenario. It shows that the country, led by the Military Council, will get through the critical phase and hold general elections.

This scenario could only be achieved if the state proves its ability to extend its he-gemony across the country, collect weapons from all armed groups and restore control over the security situation, paving the way for a better economy and en-hanced living conditions.

Burhan was keen to stress in his televised speech that the armed forces will coop-erate with all parties to build Sudan, noting that the army has made all possible concessions to achieve the aspirations of the Sudanese people.

Second, a pessimist scenario. It shows that the country will face more turmoil and chaos and a possible civil war, in light of the spread of weapons and armed groups. According to this scenario, the Military Council will fail to get through this critical phase because of mass pressure, the political forces’ opposing stance and the complicated Sudanese-Ethi-

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Who is Abdel Fattah al-Burhan?

He is the de facto ruler of Sudan since the ouster of Omar al-Bashir due to a popular uprising in 2019.

Al-Buran assumed the rule of the country in April 2019, when he became Chairman of the Transitional Military Council after former Chairman Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf resigned over to protestors’ rejection for his ties with al-Bashir.

In 21 August, 2019, the Transitional Military Council was dissolved and The Sovereignty Council was formed also headed by al-Burhan to steer the transition. The power-sharing body of the Sovereignty Council comprised 11 members: five military men chosen by the military council and five civilians chosen by the civilian Forces of Freedom and Change, in addition to one civilian agreed upon by both sides.

Last October 25, Al-Burhan promulgated some decisions which he described as “correcting” the path of the revolution, as he dissolved the Sovereignty Council and the cabinet. He also announced a state of emergency in the country while confirming the state’s commitments to international conventions and agreements. He said that his step aims at resuming the transition towards an elected civilian government.

He added that he rejected the hegemony of any party on Sudan and that “some political actors wanted to have an exclusive power over the Sudanese scene… and wanted to exclude the armed forces from Hamdok’s recent initiative.”

Al-Burhan was born in Gandatu, north of Khartoum, northern of Sudan. He graduated from The Sudanese Military College, batch number 31. He firstly served in the capital, and participated in the Darfur war. He went to take military courses in Egypt and Jordan.

He held various military ranks starting from being a soldier in Border Guard Corps, then Commander of these corps. He assumed the position of Deputy Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces Operations, then Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces in 2018. He was later appointed inspector of Sudanese Armed Forces during al-Bashir era, and became Lieutenant General.

Al-Burhan oversaw Sudanese forces participating in the Saudi-led Arab alliance against Houthis in Yemen. He is known for supporting the Sudanese protestors against Omar al-Bashir during the uprising.

opian relations.

In short, the ruling council will face more internal and external pressures that it will not be able to resist.

Third, scenario of an unchanged status quo. It indicates that the country will con-tinue to run in a vicious circle of tension between the Military Council and the polit-ical forces that reject its decisions, supported by internal armed groups and exter-nal parties that have an agenda of interests. It means extending the transitional period to an unspecified date, during which Sudan will experience both calm and tension.

Finally, attaining any of these three scenarios depends on several factors, especial-ly if Burhan actually works on “correcting the course of the transition,” as he said.

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Some of these factors rely on the Military Council’s ability to manage its ties with the political forces and state institutions, while addressing the economic crisis.

Some other major factors are the international and regional stances on the situa-tion in Sudan, as well as the interests of external parties that have links with Suda-nese parties at home and their influence on the course of the actions and their de-velopments.

In this context, Egypt seems to be playing the most balanced role in helping the Sudanese to overcome the crisis and achieve what the parties had agreed upon during the transitional period or even reach new understandings on how to man-age this phase, which Burhan promised it would result in a stable state.

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Black Mark in France’s History…Will Paris Apologize?

When the French Threw Algerians into the River Seine

By Khaled Saad Zaghloul- Paris

crimes against humanity for his role in the deportation of 1,560 Jews under the Vichy regime, which was collaborating with the occupying German enemy during the World October 17, 1961 marks the anniversary of one of the War II. worst events in the history of France and Algeria. On this day, France committed a massacre against Algerian dem- He was previously a military leader in Algeria and was onstrators, who went out in peaceful protests against a famous for brutal torture against the Algerian Mujahidiscriminatory nighttime curfew targeting Algerians in the deen during the war of liberation. Papon was a disciple of Paris region. At the time Algeria was still occupied and in French General Paul Aussaresses, who killed Larbi Ben M’Hidi, the icon of the Algerian armed struggle at the the midst of its revolution for liberation (1954-1962).

French historian Jean-Luc Einaudi stressed in his book, time, after flaying his face. dubbed “La Bataille de Paris” (The Battle of Paris), that On October 5, 1961, Papon issued a press statement in more than 150 Algerians were killed or forcibly disap- which he imposed an 8:30 pm -5:30 am curfew in the Paris peared in these events. He holds Paris police Chief Mau- metropolitan area for “Algerian Muslim workers, Muslims in France, and the French Muslims from Algeria.” rice Papon responsible for their killing.

Meanwhile, the British historians, Jim House and Neil Papon used these racist terms constantly even though MacMaster, described in their book, “Algerians, State Ter- there were about 250,000 Algerians living at the time in ror, and Memory,” what the Algerians were subjected to as Paris who were officially considered French and carried a “the most violent repression of a demonstration in Western French identity card.

He advised the French Muslims to wander alone, or else Europe in contemporary history.”

Over the past decades, news about the suppression of the the police would consider them suspects, and ordered the demonstration remained obscured in France. The govern- coffee shops that serve drinks to French Muslims to close ment of the day censored the news and banned the publish- every day at 7:00 pm. ing of books on the massacre, as well as the few photos of Papon considered all Algerian immigrants to be supporters the event. The police records were kept confidential, which of Algeria’s National Liberation Front (FLN) and contribprevented documented historical research from being con- ute to the war effort by sending money to its members. ducted, and the number of victims still remains debatable. Algerian immigrants at the time considered the curfew to be racist and arbitrary, so the Paris federation of the FLN BLACK MARK IN FRANCE’S HISTORY In 1961, the notorious, racist and sadistic Paris police chief called on the Algerian population of Paris, including men, was Maurice Papon, who was the only remaining official women and children, to demonstrate peacefully against the from the Vichy government. He was convicted in 1998 of unjust decision.

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The words “Here we drown Algerians” scrawled on the embankment of the River Seine.

The instructions were very clear: “Do not bring anything, any kind of weapon, not even a pocket knife or a knife, and avoid provocation.” The Front was preparing for the Evian negotiations to restore national sovereignty and end the war.

About 70,000 Algerians protested that day to demand freedom and independence for their country, along with about 5,000 Moroccan, Tunisian, Senegalese, Spanish, Italian, Polish and Portuguese immigrants who were showing solidarity. They gathered in public squares to denounce the decision and raised slogans to inform the French authorities of their demands.

About 7,000 policemen and 1,400 riot police repressed demonstrators by beating them and firing tear gas to prevent their march, which had not obtained legal approval. However, despite the police repression, beatings, tear gas canisters and water cannons, protesters insisted on roaming Parisian streets, from Place de la République to the Opera Square, in huge peaceful marches, which soon turned into a massacre.

Papon probably thought he was still in Algeria not in Paris, so he ordered shooting the peaceful unarmed protesters with live ammunition.

The massacre took place in the courtyard of the police headquarters, during which about 300 Algerians were killed, some of whom were thrown into the River Seine alive, including a 15-year-old girl and her mother.

Others were killed in the grounds of the Palais des

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Two British historians described the massacre as “the most violent repression of a demonstration in Western Europe in contemporary history.”

Sports (an arena at Paris’s southern edge) and in the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles (an exhibition and conference center). Dozens were deliberately killed in the streets and subway stations, and more than 2,300 people were injured, while 400 people were forcibly disappeared.

The police also arrested 14,000 immigrants, some of whom were Arabs, Africans and Europeans and, after the massacre, the prisoners were tortured.

CONTROVERSY OVER NUMBER OF VICTIMS The old official version reported only three deaths, including a man who died of a heart attack. But in 1998, the French government admitted that the brutal crackdown left 40 dead. However, eyewitnesses from the French and Algerians at the time unanimously

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agreed on 300 dead.

Algerian officials affirm that 400 were killed, of whom 64 were thrown by the police in River Seine.

Some were tied and their bodies floated for a few days along the river, in the worst scenes in the history of the state of human rights.

Official documents and eyewitness accounts at the Paris Police Department indicated that Papon himself directed the 1961 massacre.

Police records revealed that he called on officers in one of the centers to “destroy and kill” in order to suppress the demonstrations. He assured them that they would be protected from persecution if they participated in suppressing the protesters and armed them with automatic machine guns, rifles, batons and automatic pistols.

The massacre took place in the courtyard of the police headquarters, during which about 300 Algerians were killed, some of whom were thrown into the River Seine alive.

THE OFFICIAL FRENCH STANCE France hesitated for decades to disclose this heinous crime, and all French presidents avoided this matter and refused to recognize the massacre.

General Charles de Gaulle refused to apologize, even though he granted independence to Algeria, ending a 132-year occupation during which Algerian “mujahideen” sacrificed 1.5 million martyrs in the war of liberation.

Georges Pompidou, Valery Giscard d’Estaing, Francois Mitterrand and even the Gaullist Arab friend Jacques Chirac refused to apologize, and so did the far right Nicolas Sarkozy.

The French state has not yet acknowledged its responsibility for the killing of Algerian demonstrators, but local officials timidly commemorated the incident.

In 2001, the mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoe, inaugurated a monument at the Pont Saint-Michel in memory of the victims of October 17.

On Sunday the 17th of this month, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, the presidential candidate of France’s Socialist party, organized a ceremony to commemorate the 60th anniversary which was attended by the victims’ children, parliamentarians representing the left and right wings, and elected representatives of the French nation.

THE FRENCH ACKNOWLEDGEMENT In 2012, Hollande was the first president to recognize

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French President Emmanuel Macron

Paris police chief

the “bloody repression” in 1961.

He expressed solidarity with the families of the victims, underscoring the importance of recalling the facts.

“This incident has been hidden for a long time from our historical accounts,” he said on the 51st anniversary of the October 17 massacre.

Hollande’s recognition was vehemently slammed by the head of the conservative UMP party in parliament, Christian Jacob, who accused the Socialist leader of stirring up divisions by appearing to implicate the state in the massacre.

“While denying the events of October 17, 1961, and forgetting the victims is out of the question, it is unacceptable to blame the state police and with them the whole Republic,” Jacob said in a statement.

Hollande was the first president to acknowledge this disaster but without apologizing.

“On October 17, 1961, Algerians who were protesting for independence were killed in a bloody repression,” Hollande wrote in an official communique.

“The Republic recognizes these facts with clarity.

Fifty-one years after this tragedy, I pay tribute to the memory of the victims,” he said, ending decades of official silence over the massacre.

Algerians demand an apology from France similar to those it offered generously to its African and Jewish victims.

outrage back home among conservative and far-right parties.

“It’s a crime. It’s a crime against humanity,” he stressed. “It’s truly barbarous and it’s part of a past that we need to confront by apologizing to those against whom we committed these acts.”

“At the same time, we must not sweep this past under the rug.”

“Yes, there was torture in Algeria, but there was also the emergence of a state, of wealth, of a middle class.

That’s the reality of colonization. There were civilized elements and barbarous elements,” he said in an interview with a French newspaper.

“I think it is unacceptable to glorify colonialism,” he said, noting that some wanted to do that in France for more than a decade, similarly to the law of February 23, 2005.

MACRON: INEXCUSABLE CRIMES FOR Macron’s office said in January that he has ruled THE FRENCH REPUBLIC out issuing an official apology for abuses in Algeria, ahead of a major report by historian Benjamin Stora In 2017, Macron described colonization as a “crime on how France is facing up to its colonial past in the against humanity” during a visit to Algeria, sparking country.

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There will be “no repentance nor apologies” for the occupation of Algeria or the bloody eight-year war that ended French rule, Macron’s office said, adding that the French leader would instead take part in “symbolic acts” aimed at promoting reconciliation.

For the first time after 60 years of the massacre, Macron observed a minute of silence in the memory of the victims at the bridge over the Seine at Bezons, on the outskirts of Paris where the protest started.

The ceremony was attended by the families affected by this tragedy, those who fought for the recognition of the truth, and the grandchildren of the victims.

Macron, the first French president to attend a memorial ceremony for those killed, also laid a wreath on the banks of the Seine and threw some flowers into the water, while other participants released pigeons into the sky.

France hesitated for decades to disclose this heinous crime. All French presidents avoided this matter and refused to recognize the massacre. Hollande was the first president to recognize the “bloody repression”.

According to Elysee Palace, the ceremony was held at the place where some Algerians had started their march and where many bodies were recovered from the Seine.

In this context, the Presidency told the Majalla correspondent that “this does not mean rewriting or reinventing history.”

“He admitted the facts: the crimes committed that night under the authority of Maurice Papon are inexcusable for the Republic,” Elysee Palace said.

He didn’t prefer his recognition to be directly through a speech in order not to lose a large number of his voters just seven months before the presidential elections.

However, Elysee issued a statement noting that on “October 17, 1961, the Paris federation of the Algerian National Liberation Front staged a protest against a night curfew applied only to Muslims from Algeria. However, more than 25,000 men, women and children marched the streets. French police brutally cracked down on protesters. The repression was brutal, violent and bloody. Nearly 12,000 Algerians were arrested and transferred to sorting centers at the Pierre de Coubertin Stadium, the Palais des Sports and other places. In the following hours and days, dozens were injured and bodies were found in the River Seine. Many families never found the remains of their loved ones who disappeared that night.”

The massacre, which took place during the war against French rule in Algeria, was long denied or concealed

by French authorities.

“France is looking at all its history with lucidity and recognizes responsibilities that have been clearly es-

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Macron during a ceremony commemorating the 60th anniversary of the massacre of October 1961 ,17.

Algerian immigrants 1961 in

tablished,” Macron tweeted.

“It owes it first and foremost to itself, to all those who have bruised their bodies and souls because of the Algerian war and the succession of crimes it has committed from all aspects. It owes this in particular to its youth, so that they are not confined to the struggles of memories and can build their future with respect and appreciation for all,” he added.

Macron’s move comes in line with his commitment to celebrate three key dates recommended by Stora’s report and represents a historic step in recognizing the massacre in an attempt to calm memories of colonialism and the Algerian war that affected bilateral ties for decades.

It is noteworthy that Macron’s recent approach on Algeria will greatly contribute to gaining the votes of French people of Algerian origin, who amount to more than six million in France.

FAR-RIGHT REJECTION Macron’s acknowledgement of France’s crimes did not appeal to some hardline political elites, especially his rival in the upcoming presidential elections, Michel Barney, who has a different opinion in this regard.

“The President should not have apologized and bear the responsibility for the history of his country and should avoid excessive repentance and apology,” Barney stressed.

The 93-year-old founder of France’s main far-right party, Jean-Marie Le Pen, the father of Marine Le Pen

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who heads the French National Rally party, slammed Macron’s commemoration of the massacre.

“Macron has become guilty of participating in defaming the history of his country and its security forces,” stressing that only three people had died. He dismissed the figure announced by Algeria and its allies in the French Communist Party.

PARIS MAYOR TAKES DIFFERENT PATH FROM PREDECESSOR Paris police chief Didier Lalman laid a wreath near the Seine on Sunday, the 60th anniversary of the massacre of Algerians under his predecessor Maurice Papon.

“He is the first Paris police chief to honor the memory of the Algerian victims,” the Paris police command wrote.

The French-Algerian reconciliation process seems to be protracted and still unfinished since several issues need to be resolved first.

Among these are the official apology for crimes committed during 132 years, compensation for the looting of the African country’s resources during that period, compensation for the families of 1.5 million martyrs in the war of liberation, as well as the apology and compensation for France’s nuclear bomb explosions in the Algerian desert, where many people still suffer from cancerous diseases and malformations.

Is it time for the state to shoulder its responsibilities and halt its vague statements after it offered generous apologies to its African and Jewish victims? This is what the upcoming events will reveal.

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Saudi Green Initiative Beating Global Warming with Green Cover & Circular Economy

By Motasem Al Felou – Jeddah “I have lived in Taif for over 45 years.

When I was a child, we didn’t have an AC at home, not because of the lack of money, but the weather was nice & cool in the middle of summer during daytime. In the past ten years, I had to install an AC to beat the heat of afternoons. However, the weather of the Taif mountains is still cool”, said Fayez, a middleaged private sector employee in Taif when asked by Majalla on whether or not he felt the climate change in Saudi Arabia.

Global warming is not restricted to environment reports issued by the ministries of environment & UN organizations; people everywhere in the world feel it them-selves.

Saudi Arabia, which intends to play a more impactful role in the interna-tional scene, has launched several initiatives that are meant to combat climate change on the margin of the Middle East Green Initiative Summit, which was held on the 25th of October. The Summit, which witnessed the attendance of global & regional leaders, comes as part of the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to make the plan-

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The Kingdom is leading the effort to reduce global warming by imposing selfcommitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2060, increase the green cover, and adopt the circular economy. reach the peak of their carbon emissions before the rates start to fall”, Hadi Noman, an Arab geography & environment researcher, told Majalla.

Delegates pose for a photo during the Summit of the Green Middle East Ini-tiative in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 25, 2021.

Saudi Green Initiative Me-dia Office/Handout via REUTERS

et more sustainable for generations to come.

The Kingdom is leading the effort to reduce global warming by imposing a self-commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2060, increase the green cov-er, and adopt the circular economy. But how are those goals going to be achieved by an oil-based economy that produces the one of the highest carbon rates in the world currently?

CARBON EMMSION PEAK Cutting carbon emissions means reducing gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) & other greenhouse gases, which are released in the atmosphere each time we use of fos-sil fuels.

“Saudi Arabia has joined more than 100 countries that vowed to reach net zero carbon emissions, including Western countries, Russia, China & Arab countries like the UAE. For those countries to reach their goals efficiently, they need to specify when they are going to

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“China, for example, is going to reach the carbon peak in 2030 according to recent stats.

However, Saudi seems to be more ambitious as it intends to cut carbon emissions by 30% in 2030 according to the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This means the Kingdom has reached or will reach the carbon emissions peak in a very few years before reduction occurs in 2030”, he added.

Some think that the Saudi pledge means that it should give up the oil industry. This is not possible; the Kingdom plans to use the revenues coming from selling oil to proceed with its energy transformation & joining forces to fight global warming.

Expert Hadi Noman explains:” This does not mean that Saudi Arabia has to cut oil production or shut down its factories to reduce carbon emissions. What is more important now is to focus on responsible environment practices such as planting more trees, reducing pollution, and speeding up renewable energy use. We must take into consideration that long-term plans are subject to modification & im-provement. Nobody knows what would happen in 40 years. The world keeps changing. The most important thing is to have a clear vision with an action plan”.

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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the Kingdom would invest around USD 180 bn to reach the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2060. However, he stressed the fact that his country will continue producing oil for decades.

program of cloud seeding, a technique discovered in the 1940’s to improve clouds’ ability to produce rain or snow by adding chemicals.

If done properly, this could help provide water for the tree-planting program”, said Hadi Noman.

EXPANDING GREEN COVER

“Saudi Arabia has a population of 35 million, which means that water re-use could be one of the resources to provide water to expand the green cover. This means the Kingdom should invest more money in water re-use. It is good to note that trees that consume less amounts of water such as Sidr & Arak are the best options. Saudi can benefit from the Chinese experience of turning deserts in food-planting areas”, he added.

The Middle East Green Initiative includes planting 50 billion trees in the region with one fifth of the total (10 billion trees) to be planted in the Kingdom, making this the largest tree-planting program globally. The initiative involves the land reclamation of 200 million hectares of land.

The green cover expansion will help capture carbon, fight desertification, and cre-ates a better environment for people, animals, and trees while keeping biodiversi-ty. But the question to be asked here: How is Saudi Arabia going to provide water for this huge number of trees?

“One of the biggest initiatives that were launched during the Middle East Green Initiative Summit is the development of a regional

“Saudi Arabia has adopted the circular economy in the Saudi Public Invest-ment Fund projects such as NEOM and Red Sea. This kind of economy cre-ates quality jobs for citizen and attracts the world’s best minds to develop the country”, said Fahad Al Sheikh, a Saudi economic analyst.

It is not the government alone that is going to achieve the goal of planting 10 bil-lion trees.

Charities, non-profit organizations, and individual/group volunteering initiatives are expected to join forces with the government to increase the Saudi green cover. Other regional countries need to find ways to reach the goal of plant-ing 50 billion trees.

“It is not an easy job, but planting trees is one of the most effective ways to com-bat desertification, which is the real threat in the Middle East”, concluded Expert Noman.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY Recently, more & more governments are talking about circular economy. It works opposite to linear economy, where raw materials are extracted, manufactured, and thrown away. With circular economy, priority is given to production and re-cycling while staying committed to the best environmental practices. The energy that is used for production comes from renewable, clean resources.

Saudi Arabia intends to adopt circular economy in the future. In fact, NEOM and its sub-

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U.S. Climate Adviser John Kerry is received by the Saudi Crown Prince Mo-hammed bin Salman at the Summit of the Green Middle East Initiative in Ri-yadh, Saudi Arabia, October 25, 2021. Saudi Green Initiative Media Of-fice/ Handout via REUTERS

project “THE LINE” will be run by circular economy. This is the level where car-bon emissions disappear. Saudi Arabia has announced two initiatives to fund the “circular carbon economy” and provide “clean fuel” to help feed more that 750 mil-lion people worldwide. The cost for the two initiatives is more than USD 1 bn.

“Circular economy provides more job opportunities as the recycling industry is booming.

Saudi Arabia has already adopted the circular economy in the Saudi Pub-lic Investment Fund projects such as NEOM and Red Sea. This kind of economy cre-ates quality jobs for citizen and attracts the world’s best minds to further develop the country”, said Fahad Al Sheikh, a Saudi economic analyst.

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The Middle East Green Initiative includes planting 50 billion trees in the re-gion with one fifth of the total (10 billion trees) to be planted in the Kingdom.

“The transformation from a hydrocarbonbased economy to a circular one cannot happen overnight. However, it is inevitable if we want to leave a sustainable econ-omy and limit the threats of global warming for generations to come”, he conclud-ed.

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US President Joe Biden speaks about the framework of his ‘historic’ multi-trillion dollar spending deal in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 28 October 2021. Biden spoke just before leaving for the G20 in Rome, Italy. (EPA)

The U.S. Debt Crisis Why Do Republicans Panic over Democrats’ Raising Debt Ceiling?

By Saif Al-Abri

hundred times (recently by the Trump administration).

Debt hysteria is the best terminology that can be The issue here isn’t the debt is too large. There used to describe what’s going on. It feels like the has been a fiscal paradigm shift whereby modern world will end when you hear headlines saying economists such as Blanchard, Summers, Furthe USA is going to run out of money by the end man, Bernanke, Rogoff explain that public debt of October, USA debt is larger than its economy, isn’t a major problem, as long as money is boretc., which conflates things. Firstly, it’s not a debt rowed for the right purposes such as infrastructoo large issue but rather a debt ceil-ing issue. ture spending, health care, educa-tion and other The USA spends a greater amount of money than foundational things that are key for a thriving nait earns from streams, such as taxes, tariffs etc. tion. Secondly, due to low-interest rates, cost of To cover for such shortfall, it borrows money. In borrowing isn’t what it used to be. An indicator the 1900s, Congress established a debt ceiling to used which is the Long-Term Government Bond set limits; however, the ceiling has been lifted a Yields: 10-year, shows that in the past decade in-

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In this July 2021 ,24, file photo, former President Donald Trump smiles as he pauses while speaking to supporters at a Turning Point Action gathering in Phoenix.

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

terest rates has been below 2% whilst in 1990 it varied from 8-4%. As such it’s cheaper to borrow now than in the past. The issue here is politicians love for theatrics.

Paul Krugman best summarizes the Republicans’ view of debt, “The party consid-ers high levels of debt an existential threat— if a Democrat is sitting in the White House. If a Republican president presides over big deficits, well, as Donald Trump’s budget director reportedly told supporters last year, ‘nobody cares’”. The same thing happened before where they made a hysteria about Obama raising the debt ceiling, but when Trump did it, it’s fine. Republicans are making this hysteria as they see Biden spending plan (to invest in infrastructure, education, environ-mental policy, etc.) as reckless and that it goes against the principles of the ‘free markets’.

As we’ve recently seen, the debt ceiling was raised to afford spending till the third of December. My prediction is that the same hysteria will happen till a week be-fore December where the ceiling will be raised again; they will try to

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Republicans are making this hysteria as they see Biden spending plan (to invest in infrastructure, education, environmental policy, etc.) as reckless and that it goes against the principles of the ‘free markets’. push this agenda of portraying the Democrats as reckless spenders etc., for political gains.

The problem never lies with society laziness, immigrants or the other things politi-cians like to blame it on, but it’s always to do with politicians and their love for theatrics. In conclusion there is nothing to worry about except if Republicans don’t raise the debt ceiling which I highly doubt.

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Winter Challenges the Camps of Internally Displaced Syrians The Outbreak of Coronavirus Epidemic and Military Operations Prevented Intl Institutions from Helping IDPs

By Jiwan Soz – Qamishli With the advent of winter every year since the outbreak of the Syrian war, which entered its second decade a few months ago, internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have moved between different regions of the country face many big problems, as they live in camps set up randomly, which does not protect them

from the winter cold, nor does it protect them from the floods that sweep away their tents and cuts off the roads to their camps.

The United Nations revealed that the number of Syrian IDPs who moved between various cities in their country after the war that erupted following the launch of the popular protests in Syria in mid-March 2011 was about 6 million, but not all of them live in random camps.

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Residents of camps located in Idlib, Al-Hasakah and Raqqa, are experiencing difficulty in obtaining clean drinking water, and other problems related to sanitation and the lack of rainwater drainage networks after the rainstorms in the winter season. name of the same area, and located on the Jordanian-Syrian border, close to the border with Iraq.

The camps in rural Idlib pose the greatest challenge to local and international bodies involved in the affairs of IDPs, in terms of their large number of its residents, as the number of camp residents in that area was over 1.5 million, spread over hundreds of random camps built in rudimentary ways.

According to a source from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) (or Doctors Without Borders), which is active in several areas of Syria, the population in Al-Raban camp and the rest of the camps located in Idlib, Al-Hasakah and Raqqa, is experiencing difficulty in obtaining clean drinking water. Also, they face problems related to sanitation and the lack of rainwater drainage networks after the rainstorms that occur in these areas in the winter season.

The lack of sanitation systems has led to the spread of diseases, especially in camps where hundreds of thousands reside in Idlib. In the Deir Hassan region, the number of cases of water-borne diseases has increased significantly in the region.

(Supplied)

Nevertheless, the requirements of the camps are a heavy burden on the local and international institutions that work in the areas where they have been established, such as in the countryside of Idlib, north-western Syria, and other areas in the countryside of Aleppo, Al-Hasakah and Raqqa, in addition to the Syrian Badia (desert), in which a camp was set up in the Rukban area, known by the

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The source revealed to Majalla that “Polluted water causes the spread of diseases among IDPs residing in the camps.”

As international organizations ceased to operate or suspended some of their activities in Idlib and other Syrian areas as a result of the spread of the Coronavirus, as well as military operations by various parties, services wors-

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ened further in the camps for IDPs, and no projects were implemented to process their sewage systems.

Moreover, the lack of sanitation systems has led to the spread of diseases, especially in camps where hundreds of thousands reside in Idlib. In the Deir Hassan region, the number of cases of water-borne diseases has increased significantly in the region since May 2021.

For her part, the medical coordinator of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) (or Doctors Without Borders) in Syria, Teresa Graciva, announced that “water-borne diseases increased by 47% in the region between May and June of this year, during which time some activities of our organization stopped.”

The prevalence of diseases is not limited to the camps for IDPs in Idlib. In rural Raqqa, IDPs living in squatter camps were infected with intestinal diseases against the backdrop of drinking contaminated water, according to the Primary Health Care Centre supported by Médecins sans Frontières.

Also, in the countryside of Aleppo, IDPs in Shahba camp, most of whose residents are from Afrin, are experiencing difficulties in

The lack of sanitation systems has led to the spread of diseases, especially in camps where hundreds of thousands reside in Idlib. In the Deir Hassan region, the number of cases of waterborne diseases has increased significantly in the region

securing drinking water, as well as fuel and heating materials necessary for the winter.

This camp, in which tens of thousands reside, is usually affected by the tense relationship between The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, also known as Rojava, and the central government in Damascus, which prevented the entry of food and fuel into the camp months ago. However, it later lifted the siege on it after reaching an understanding with The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria regarding military confrontations that took place between the forces of both parties in al-Hasakah Governorate, in the far north-east of the country.

The situation of the Rukban camp, which was set up in an arid desert area, is not different from the conditions of the rest of the camps in which IDPs reside, as its residents also suffer from the lack of necessary foodstuffs, heating materials and fuel.

A source at the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs in the capital, Damascus, expressed his “sadness” that the international parties were unable to find a solution to the problem of the resident, who was residing in an environment unsuitable for housing.

On the other hand, the Government of Damascus has repeatedly called for the closure of the camp and the return of its inhabitants to their areas, but a large number of young people residing in it refuse to return as a result of their refusal to join the compulsory military service imposed by the Syrian authorities on every young man over the age of eighteen.

In the various camps for IDPs, the residents work on repairing their tents before the coming of winter, to prevent rainwater from flowing into them after parts of them have worn out, but in many cases this does not help, especially if the tent is severely torn.

In addition to the camps for Syrian IDPs,

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In the various camps for IDPs, the residents work on repairing their tents before the coming of winter, to prevent rainwater from flowing into them after parts of them have worn out.

(Supplied)

Al-Hol refugee camp, which includes more than 60,000 people, constitutes the biggest problem among all the camps, in terms of the residence of foreign jihadists there, who are the wives of ISIS fighters who were either killed in confrontations with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that fought the extremist organization with the support of the United States, or were kept in its prisons.

The camp witnesses almost daily cases of violence, ranging from murder and attempted murder against the background of female Jihadists abandoning the ideas of ISIS, but other female jihadists prevent them from doing so, according to what a security source from the camp wholly controlled by the SDF told Majalla.

These cases of violence coincide with the camp’s unpreparedness for winter, as it also suffers from a lack of heating materials and fuel, according to what a local source in Al-

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International organizations ceased to operate or suspended some of their activities in Idlib and other Syrian areas as a result of the spread of Coronavirus, as well as military operations by various parties.

Hol refugee camp told Majalla, who considered that “The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria alone, cannot bear all the responsibilities of this camp.”

Jiwan Soz is a researcher and journalist who focuses on Turkish affairs and minorities in the Middle East. He is also a member of Syndicat National des Journalistes (National Syndicate of Journalists [SNJ]).

A Weekly Political News Magazine

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Issue 1876- October- 29/10/2021

Big Ramy: From Fisherman to Mr. Olympia for 2nd Year in a Row www.majalla.com

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Siwa Oasis: The Pearl of the Egyptian Western Desert

A Haven for Those Who Seek Relaxation, Treatment and Recreation

By Sarah Gamal Anthony Doerr once said: “Leave home, leave the country, and leave the familiar. Only then can routine experience—buying bread, eating vegetables, even saying hello—become new all over again,” and that

is exactly what happened to me in my last short trip to Siwa Oasis.

Siwa Oasis is considered one of the most isolated places in the world. It is located in the far western desert of Egypt, and is about 300 km from the Mediterranean coast to the southwest of Marsa Matrouh,

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Amun Temple – Photo Credit: Ahmed Mostafa Diab

820 km from Cairo, the capital of Egypt, and 65 km from the Libyan border.

Although most of the land of Siwa Oasis is nothing but desert and sand, palm and olive trees will greet you lightly on both sides of the road. Within minutes you will find yourself surrounded by palm trees growing everywhere— in the streets, between the houses and on the land. Even most of the roads resemble paths between rows of palm trees that line the roads with palm fronds from all directions. In other words, Siwa Oasis is an artistic painting among the sand dunes.

Visiting Siwa Oasis - the land of “Jupiter Amon” as the pharaohs called it, or “Taswa” according to Ibn Khaldun - is necessary for those looking for recreation and lovers of beautiful places with a distinctive cultural heritage, as well as being a promising area for creative people looking for stimuli for the imagination because it combines the serenity of the desert, the beauty of tall palm trees, and hills of soft sand.

Siwa Oasis is inhabited by about 42,000 people who

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Siwa Oasis is considered one of the most isolated places in the world. It is located in the far western desert of Egypt, and is about 300 km from the Mediterranean coast to .the southwest of Marsa Matrouh speak both Berber (an Amazigh language) and Arabic. The population is divided into 12 tribes, including Al-Zanain, Al-Haddadin, Lahmouda, Al-Sarahna, Aghurmi and Umm Al-Saghir. Siwa is considered a global tourist destination because of its popularity for various types of therapeutic tourism such as burial in hot sand and bathing in lakes with sulfurous water. In addition to natural preparations and natural products,

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such as olive oil, dates and salt, and in addition to its beautiful pristine nature, there is the character of its residents who have preserved their traditions and heritage, historical monuments and unique architectural character. The area’s mild weather and safety encompasses and pervades the atmosphere of life in Siwa.

It is usually advisable to visit the oasis during the winter months. If you plan to head to Siwa anytime soon, here are a few suggestions for places to visit and activities into which to immerse yourself.

ENJOY A JOURNEY THROUGH HISTORY AT THE TEMPLE OF AMUN

ander the Great where he was pronounced the son of Amun.

It was built on a large flat rock located 4 kilometers from the center of the city in an area called Aghurmi.

The temple witnessed many changes and many fingerprints were placed in it during the Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, and even Islamic eras. The temple contains a mosque, a minaret, rooms for the pharaohs’ priests, corridors, a well of holy water, and Roman walls.

It is divided into two halves, the first is Pharaonic while the second is “Ptolemaic and Islamic.” On the second floor of the temple, one can see the cluster of oasis houses and their salt lakes, the green palm plantations that surround them, and other archaeological monuments as well as the mountains.

The Temple of Amun, or the Temple of Revelation, or the Temple of Predictions, or the Temple of Alexander are all names of the most important monument TAKE A STROLL THROUGH THE in the Siwa Oasis. A foyer was built to receive Alex- SHALI FORTRESS

Siwa’s salty waters are said to cure sinuses, as well as skin and eye infections. Siwans carve the salt into lamps that are said to filter the air when illuminated.

Shali Fortress is one of the most famous archaeological sites that attract foreign tourists because it a model of Siwa’s old life in miniature. This is loved by tourists who come from different countries looking for it and renouncing modern technology.

Legend says that the fortress was built by forty men in order to protect Siwa from enemies. It was built from a material called ‘kershef’ (salt rocks from the local salt lakes and mud). It is on a high plateau surmounted by two peaks, one in the far west and the other in the

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Shali Fortress – Photo Credit: Ahmed Mostafa Diab

Sunset in Fatnas Island - Photo Credit: Ahmed Mostafa Diab

east, on which many kershef houses were built.

You can walk up to the top of the fortress to witness spectacular views of the oasis and its surroundings.

Among the most important structures remaining in the city is the Old Mosque, which is considered the oldest mosque in Siwa. It is rectangular in shape divided

into three naves parallel to the qibla wall. It has two eastern and western doors. On the qibla wall there is the minbar and the mihrab.

TAKE A DIP IN THE SALT LAKES Siwa’s salty waters are said to cure sinuses, as well as skin and eye infections. Siwans carve the salt into lamps that are said to filter the air when illuminated.

Siwa boasts hundreds of salt pools and lakes throughout the oasis – and you can float on their waters just like at the Dead Sea. Many visitors to Siwa come away with a small chunk of salt, a white or pink souvenir of these magical lakes, which is broken off the pool’s edge by their guide and offered as a keepsake

CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN OF THE DEAD The Mountain of the Dead, (in Arabic Gebel Al-Mawta), is located in Siwa Oasis and is a mountain where several tombs were carved at its base, terraces, and at the top. Most of the tombs are Roman and differ in terms of shape and size. Some of them are just small pits in the ground while other tombs are symmetrically carved with recesses and rooms inside.

The Mountain of the Dead is one of the main attractions of Siwa Oasis and was discovered in 1944 during World War II.

Salt Lake in Siwa Oasis – Photo Credit: Sarah Gamal

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History tells us that the people of Siwa went to the mountain to hide when German, British and Italian troops were fighting in this part of the desert. Along the way, they discovered the existence of the pharaonic tombs.

Local legend says Alexander the Great may also be buried there. However, his grave has not been found yet.

rheumatic diseases. The mountain enjoys a special spiritual status among the people of the oasis.

Siwa residents celebrate every year by going to Dakrur Mountain and staying for three days in old houses and tents on the mountain in celebration of their annual feast which started 160 years ago, after the end of the wars and disputes between the western tribes and eastern tribes of Siwa.

TREATMENT IN DAKRUR MOUNTAIN

DON’T MISS WATCHING SUNSET IN FATNAS ISLAND

At the outskirts of the southern oasis, on the opposite side of the Mountain of the Dead, Dakrur Mountain is located with its hot sands which are useful in treating

At the outskirts of the southern oasis, on the opposite side of the Mountain of the Dead, Dakrur Mountain is located with its hot sands which are useful in treating rheumatic diseases.

Fatnas Island is called the “Island of Magic and Imagination” and it is one of the most wonderful places in the world where you can enjoy the scene at sunset.

It is also one of the 20 most important tourist sites in Egypt. The island is to the west of Siwa and stretches over 15 acres. It presents a wonderful vista as the island is surrounded by a lake which itself is surrounded by palm trees.

This small island is located 10 minutes from Siwa town. You will find date farms on the island which also has a fresh water spring in which you can swim.

The magic of the scenery is complemented by the scattered mountains and the great sea of sand with its enormous dunes and its unresolved secrets.

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Safari in the Great Sand Sea – Photo Credit: Ahmed Mostafa Diab

Shali Market – Photo Credit: Ahmed Mostafa Diab

Fatnas Island attracts the attention of tourists and residents with its water springs, which are estimated to be ten springs characterized by the purity of their water as well as a moderate temperature at all times of the year.

SWIM IN CLEOPATRA’S BATH Cleopatra’s Bath is also called the Eye of the Sun and its name dates back to the 5th century BC, when the historian Herodotus described it by this name. It is one of many natural water springs, fed naturally by the underground water and is considered the best known water spring in the area. There is a belief that Queen Cleopatra bathed in these waters which are set in a landscape surrounded by palm trees and sand.

Situated about 800 meters south of the Temple of Um Ubeydah, Cleopatra’s Bath is frequented not only by tourists but above all by Siwans, who enjoy its transparent and hot water.

biking or simply camping out in the desert amid the vast, uninterrupted serenity, make sure you reserve a day for this fun-packed desert expedition.

You can also enjoy watching the sunset, and the stars at night, as the sky in Siwa is clear because it is far from the hustle and bustle of the city. Additionally, you can enjoy the experience of drinking Siwan tea and having dinner in one of the desert reserves.

DON’T FORGET TO BUY LOCAL SOUVENIRS

The Oasis is famous for being the largest olive farm in Egypt, where you can buy olive products ranging from natural oils to olives. You can also buy the finest types of dates. If you’re into colorful handmade products and embroidered garments, then you’re in for such a treat at Siwa. Famous for its excellent craftsmanship and gleeful patterns, Siwa is sure to offer you a myriad of souvenir gifts that you may want to buy for yourself or for your friends and family back home.

HEAD TO THE SAND DUNES FOR Siwa, that tender spot; where cruelty dissipates, all the SAND-BOARDING OR SAFARI TRIPS convictions of the cement blocks collapse, and all the Spanning over 72,000 sq. km, the Great Sand Sea ad- taboos of the gray city collapse; to find yourself in an joining the oasis is marked as the world’s third-largest honest moment with all that is real, and to rediscover dune field. Whether you’re into sandboarding, quad a new meaning of life.

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“Forever is Now”: The First Intl Art Exhibition to Take Place at Giza Pyramids A Show That Blends Egypt’s History with Contemporary Art

By Salma Adham Contemporary art simulates Egyptian civilization which has managed to design and build landmarks that we, as human beings, to this day, cannot decipher the secrets of and have not been able to repeat.

“Forever is Now” is the name of the exhibition launched on October 23 in the archaeological area of the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. It is the first art exhibition to be held in the Pyramids in the past 4500 years.

Maybe you feel surprised by the name at first, but the truth is that the past and the present are connected deeply. In history, science, art, and the nature of our existence, we will find that we complete what others started many years ago. We learn from the past, discover, add to it, and merge heritage and our current vision to develop and create a dialogue between civilizations.

The event was organized by Art d’Egypte Foundation, an Egyptian plat-form concerned with art and heritage, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiqui-ties, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Edu-cational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

“Forever is Now” is the fourth annual exhibition organized by the Art d’Egypte Foundation since 2017 in Egypt, and it will be running until the 7th of November 2021.

Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, the founder of Art

Lorenzo Quinn “Together”. Photo: Salma Adham.

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JR “Greetings From Giza”. Photo: Salma Adham.

d’Egypte, said that the exhibition is a mixture of Egyptian civilization and contemporary art worldwide. This mix is essential because it represents an exchange between cultures and dialogues between contemporary artists and Egyptian society.

The show displays ten sculptures and artworks of the participating artists in different open spaces around the pyramids in a preparation period which took more than a year.

“The exhibition is a message of hope for humanity, especially in light of COVID -19 while many countries are imposing closures, we see these foreign artists left their countries and attended to participate in the exhibition.” Abdel Ghaffar said.

The prominent and famous contemporary artists in the world who participated in the exhibition are: • Russian artist Alexander Ponomarev.

• American artist Gisela Colón.

• Brazilian artist João Trevisan.

• French artist JR. • Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn.

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The show displays ten sculptures and artworks of the participating artists in different open spaces around the pyramids in a preparation period which took more than a year.

• Egyptian artist Moataz Nasr.

• Egyptian-born, Los Angeles- based artist Sherin Guirguis.

• British artists Shuster + Moseley.

• British artist Stephen Cox RA. • Saudi Arabian artist Prince Sultan Bin Fahad.

Among the works on display is a sculpture made of stainless steel called “Together” by Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn, which shows “hands rising and touching each other with fingertips to symbolize communication between human beings.

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The three pyramids of Giza can be seen in the distance in the back-ground of the Queen sculpture. The Italian artist said, “I am lucky to have the three pyramids in the background of my sculpture, and the position of the hands touching upwards in this way resembles a pyramid, so I de-signed the position of the hands in this way.”

In another area around the pyramids, the Egyptian artist Moataz Nasr displayed dozens of crossed wooden paddles, all of which form a struc-ture resembling an old solar boat with a length of 14 meters.

Nasr explained that the work is entitled “Isthmus” because it represents the dividing line between two different worlds, such as life and death, day and night, or black and white. The solar boat for the ancient Egyptians represented the transition from this world to the other.

Meanwhile, British artists Edward Schuster and Claudia Mosley show-cased their joint work “The Path of Light.”

Among the works on display is a sculpture made of stainless steel called “Together” by Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn, which shows “hands rising and touching each other with fingertips to symbolize communication between human beings.”

Alexander Ponomarev “Ouroboros”. Photo: Salma Adham

Moataz Nasr “Isthmus”. Photo: Salma Adham.

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Visitors gathering at ‘Forever is Now’ exhibition organized by Art D’Egypte. Photo: Salma Adham

The work consists of some hand-affixed optical glass figures with metal bases, which resemble a glass pyramid.

The artist said the existence of a matrix of angles, scales and symbolic orientations behind the abstract simplicity of the forms, each carefully en-coded connotations “inspired by the geometrical visual magic of the Great Pyramid.”

“Through our work, we have tried to take all the

João Trevisan “Body That Rises”. Photo: Salma Adham.

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cosmic symbols and mathematics of the pyramids and incorporate them into this new contem-porary form,” Schuster stated.

A number of the world’s leading experts and institutions, who have gath-ered extensive experience and knowledge in Egyptology, the archaeolog-ical history of Giza hill, and the ancient history of the Giza pyramids, have attended the exhibition.

Famous Egyptian archaeologist Dr. Zahi Hawass participated in the prep-arations for the exhibition. The project also has the support of Dr. Peter Der Manuelan, Professor of Egyptology at Harvard University and Head of the Giza Project.

The Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ahmed Ebeid Musaed, said dur-ing the press conference held by Art d’Egypte last Wednesday that “the pyramid monuments are an area that represent world heritage. And this activity will add more momentum and will constitute an element of tourist attractions.”

“Ancient Egypt has influenced artists from around the world, and so we bring the world to Egypt and Egypt to the world through art. It’s a privilege to stand at the foot of these monuments that have survived turmoil, wars, and pandemics,” Abdel Ghaffar said.

“This exhibition is a token of hope for humanity and a humble tribute to a civilization that has stood the test of time,” she added.

H

ealth

Breathing Your Way to Better Health Listen to Your Body and Take Deep Breath to Get Ahead of Stress

By Kelly Bilodeau Deep breathing can help reduce stress and potentially your risk of some diseases.

Inhale. Exhale. It’s something you do tens of thousands of times each day, probably without thinking much about it. While it may seem strictly utilitarian, breathing isn’t only life-sustaining; it can be life-enhancing when used as a tool, says Dr. Shalu Ramchandani, a health coach and internist at the Harvard-affiliated Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Simple breathing exercises incorporated throughout

your day can actually disengage a potentially healthharming chronic stress response and help insulate you from the damage that it can inflict on your body.

STRESS TAKES A TOLL “Addressing stress is probably the most important area in preventive care,” says Dr. Ramchandani.

Elevated stress levels affect a variety of health behaviors. If you are under chronic (long-term) stress, you often don’t sleep well, eat well, or have the motivation to exercise. It may also fray your social ties, because people tend to isolate more when they are under

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Photo by Benjamin Child on Unsplash

chronic stress, she says.

Persistent stress over time is a health risk because it triggers your body’s sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for your fight-or-flight response. When this response is activated, the body begins to pump out a flood of hormones, such as adrenaline, which gives you the energy to flee from danger. It also releases cortisol, which has numerous roles in the body, including helping to regulate your metabolism and your immune system. While this response can be helpful if you’re faced with a sudden emergency, such as being chased by an aggressive dog, ongoing exposure to elevated levels of these hormones can produce inflammation in the body and dampen your immune response, says Dr. Ramchandani.

Chronic stress can produce a host of unpleasant physical symptoms such as chest tightness and difficulty breathing, heart palpitations, digestive issues, insomnia, and migraines.

It also induces changes to your mental health, making you feel anxious or depressed or driving behavioral problems such as drinking too much alcohol or overeating.

Patients who are under persistent stress may gain weight, and they may also be more likely to develop chronic diseases, including diabetes or high blood pressure, says Dr. Ramchandani.

Many people don’t attribute their symptoms to stress, she says. She describes patients who come into her office with physical symptoms but can’t identify any obvious stressors. Yet as the conversation continues, they may mention caring for a sick parent, working long hours, or having child care responsibilities.

“I see this all the time in my practice. Women often don’t realize how much stress they are under.

We often wear many hats -- in our professional careers and as mothers, spouses, and daughters.

We do it all. Women often multitask and are great at creating to-do lists and caring for everyone else. But we often neglect our own needs or put ourselves last on the list,” says Dr. Ramchandani.

Simple breathing exercises incorporated throughout your day can actually disengage a potentially health-harming chronic stress response and help insulate you from the damage that it can inflict on your body.

regularly when stressed,” says Dr. Ramchandani.

Breathing may become shallower, causing stale air to linger in the lungs instead of being expelled.

This prevents new air from flowing in the way it should. “The inhalation becomes shorter, which in turn limits the amount of used-up air that can be exhaled,” she says. This leads to chest breathing.

“When we were babies, we were belly breathers.

When you watch babies, you see their belly rises as they inhale,” says Dr. Ramchandani.

Adults, she says, should make a conscious effort to return to this type of breathing.

“It’s the most effective way to get the lungs filled with fresh air, allowing for the greatest amount of oxygen exchange,” she says.

To get back in the habit, Dr. Ramchandani says that women should try to incorporate brief, mindful deep-breathing sessions into their day. Breathing exercises can help you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which counters the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system preps the body to take action, and the parasympathetic nervous system kicks in when you are relaxed, regulating your resting heart rate, metabolism, and other basic bodily functions.

Engaging the parasympathetic system can help buffer stress hormones and consequently decrease inflammation. It also brings other health benefits, such as lower blood pressure and better immuUNDERSTANDING BREATHING nity, says Dr. Ramchandani. Because elevated Stress can impair your breathing when you’re not cortisol levels can drive you to reach for comfort aware of it. Your chest tends to tighten as your foods and gain weight, lessening the amount of this hormone in your system can also improve tension levels rise.

“People might also hold their breath or breathe ir- weight control and reduce the risk of insulin re-

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H

ealth

sistance, a condition where the body’s cells don’t respond to insulin effectively, raising blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance and obesity can increase your likelihood of developing diabetes and other chronic diseases.

BREATHING YOUR WAY THROUGHOUT YOUR DAY To get started using breathing exercises for stress

Breathing exercises can help you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which counters the sympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system kicks in when you are relaxed, regulating your resting heart rate, metabolism, and other basic bodily functions.

reduction, Dr. Ramchandani recommends several strategies.

Take a pause. The reason people often don’t notice their body’s stress response is because they’re busy. To better recognize stress, you need to stop periodically and listen to your body.

“When you become more self-aware, you start to notice the distress signals, such as muscle tightening and tension,” says Dr. Ramchandani.

Also take note of your behavior. “Did I neglect going for my run this week because I packed in all these other things for everyone else?” says Dr. Ramchandani. “You have to take that time out to recognize stress in order to find ways to care for yourself,” she says.

Make deep breathing a habit. Schedule short deep-breathing sessions throughout your day, ideally a few breaths every hour. Even short sessions -- a handful of deep breaths at a time -- can make a difference. Focus on slowing your breathing.

Count to four as you breathe in, and again as you exhale. Try to breathe using your diaphragm. Allow the air to fill your chest and your belly to rise at the same time. It can help to use reminders to do your breathing throughout the day. For example, you might take a couple of breaths every time you sit down at your computer or whenever you

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Photo by Kaylee Garrett on Unsplash

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

get a text message, says Dr. Ramchandani.

Schedule a block of time. Try to fit in one fiveto 10-minute block during the day to complete a guided meditation. You can find short exercises online or through a smartphone app. “I really like meditating in the morning, because it allows me to check in with myself and set my intentions for the day,” says Dr. Ramchandani. But any time of the day can work. “It doesn’t matter when you do it, as long as you are able to do it consistently,” says Dr. Ramchandani.

Get ahead of stress. One thing that is also helpful is to do some breathing exercises when you know you are going into a nerve-racking situation. For example, take a few breaths before you step into a meeting, or in anticipation of a difficult conversation. “If you allow yourself five or 10 deep belly breaths it helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and puts you in a better position to handle the stress,” says Dr. Ramchandani.

Stretch your muscles. When you take your daily pauses, try to incorporate some simple stretches to help you recognize tight muscles and relax them.

Perform some slow neck rolls, stretch your torso by turning from side to side, or do a few shoul-

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“People might also hold their breath or breathe irregularly when stressed.” Breathing may become shallower, causing stale air to linger in the lungs instead of being expelled. der circles. Ease the tension out of your back by bending down to touch your toes with your legs straight.

Focus on yourself. Women often feel like they are being selfish if they take time for themselves. But doing so is crucial to your well-being, says Dr. Ramchandani. Take a few minutes each day to do something you enjoy, without a goal in mind.

Ultimately, you may not be able to stop life’s stressors, but you can learn to respond to them in a more positive way.

This article was originally published by Harvard Women’s Health Watch.

B

ook Reviews

“Rise Up,” Blacks “Revolution”?

About Al Sharpton’s Activism and His Preoccupation with Skin Color

By Mohammad Ali Salih - Washington Recently, Reverend Al Sharpton, a leading Black American politician and a television host, expanded to ten the available formats and editions of his book, “Rise Up” including Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback, and CD. This activism in publishing a book was part of Sharpton’s decades-old political, racial and media activism. Sharpton (born in 1954) has been involved in almost every major racial event during the last 30 years. He founded the National Action Network; was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination; established his own radio talk show, “Keepin› It Real”; and hosts a weekly program, “PoliticsNation,” on the MSNBC television network.

After last year›s killing of Black George Floyd by a White policeman in Minnesota, and the increasing influence of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, Sharpton’s activism reached a higher level as he expanded the formats and editions of his book, “Rise Up,» and announced he is writing another book, titled “Righteous Troublemakers,» apparently including himself.

In “Rise Up,” Sharpton heaped his criticism on former president Donald Trump, calling him a “racist,” but recalled their long cordial relations when both were leading New York politicians by the beginning of the 2000’s. Trump, not to be out-done, in the aftermath of Floyd’s killing said that Sharpton “hates Whites,” thus reflecting a widely-held opinion that Sharpton, particularly after the killing of Floyd, is embarking on dividing Americans according to their skin color.

But Sharpton’s preoccupation with skin color was old.

In 1994, he told students at a dominantly Black university: «White folks were in the caves while we were building Pharaohs (Black) empires … We taught philosophy and astrology and mathematics before Socrates and the Greeks … When some crackers (Whites) tell you, ‹My parents’ blood goes back to the Mayflower (European immigrants’ ship)’, you better hold your pocket. That isn’t nothing to be proud of; that means their forefathers were crooks.»

He also attacked Black leaders who joined the Republican Party, and attacked Black conservative Clarence Thomas, member of the US Supreme Court, using terms like «cocktail-sip Negroes» and «yellow niggers.”

Recently, his preoccupation with skin color was shown when he criticized his close ally President Joe Biden for deporting thousands of Haitians (Blacks) to Haiti, after they entered the US illegally through the Mexican border. When he recently travelled to the border to express his support for the Haitians, he was not received well by those who accuse him of injecting his skin color preoccupation into US immigration policies.

Book: “Rise Up: Confronting A Country at ”Crossroads Author: Al Sharpton Publisher: Hanover Square, New York Print Pages: 214 Kindle: $9.99 Hardcover: $28.57 58

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Rev Al Sharpton speaks outside the Hennepin County Government Center where opening statements of the Derek Chauvin trial were set to begin on March 2021 ,29, in Minneapolis. He›s joined by George Floyd›s brothers Philonise and Terrence Floyd. (Photo by Chad Davis via Flickr)

Book Cover

Conservative White TV host Laura Ingraham accused him of the «BLM-ification of the border,” in reference to extremism inside the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.

She added: «For more than two decades, a small group of us warned Republicans about doing any immigration deal with a Democrat Party that doesn’t believe in border enforcement … (But) we were called xenophobic and anti-immigrants … But we were right.”

Referring to Sharpton’s controversial visit to the border in support of the Haitians, she asked: “Does that mean any Black or Brown-skinned person should be sent to the front of the line for legal immigration processes too?”

But Sharpton, in his book, his TV show, his radio show, and his attendance of Blacks› gatherings and protests, continued his “Rise Up.” He recently said: “We must ask White allies to step aside and make room for Black leaders in issues where Black lives are most affected.”

And in the book, he wrote that the US is “at a historical turning point that’s testing our moral character and endangering all we have fought to gain.”

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This activism in publishing a book was part of Sharpton’s decades-old political, racial and media activism.

Sharpton has been involved in almost every major racial event during the last 30 years.

He attacked those whom he called the “latte (coffee) liberals,” describing them as “a form of liberalism that smacks of privilege, and cocoons itself by staying out of touch with the messiness that often accompanies real hardship.”

Apparently, he meant liberalism that didn›t support his skin-colorism.

He also attacked people whom he called “those who seek only to hold onto power,” and wrote, «The higher up they are in the chain, the more they want to keep things quiet, lest they lose the power that got them to that position in the first place.”

Again, his «Rise Up,» his «Black revolution,» seemed to want to replace class and economic differences and struggles with racial ones.

His philosophy about “Rise Up»: “If I walk over to you and knock you off your chair, that’s on me. But if I come back next week and you’re still on the floor, that’s on you.”

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it

Big Ramy: From Fisherman to Mr. Olympia for 2nd Year in a Row

By Majalla Staff

By Ali Mandalawi “Sandow is home and it will remain here for a very long time, Thank you to all of my fans around the world, I made it because of your love and support,” This is what Big Ramy wrote on his Instagram account after he had managed to defend his title in the renowned Mr. Olympia Championship.

Egypt bodybuilding legend Mamdouh Elssbiay aka Big Ramy proved that his victory in the Mr. Olympia 2020 championship was not a stroke of luck, after he achieved the 2021 title for the second time in a row after tough competition from USA’s Brandon Curry. The Mr. Olympia title Ramy won also comes with a prize money of $400,000.

With the victory, Big Ramy became the first Egyptian, African and Arab bodybuilder to win the title of the most famous such championship in the world twice in a row.

Olympia’s most famous and attractive open weight, 37-year-old Big Ramy took to the stage with a massive 300-pound physique and was looking better than when he won

the 2020 title.

The Egyptian veteran went into the competition as the favorite to win the title, with the majority of bodybuilding fans expecting him to come on top. However, the competition was not an easy one, as Ramy found himself face to face with 2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry, who was trying to reclaim his crown.

The tournament witnessed the participation of 16 players from different countries, including the two Egyptians, Mohamed Shaaban and Hassan Mostafa, who failed to qualify for the final round.

Mr. Olympia is the world’s most famous and largest professional bodybuilding championship, held annually in the United States of America, and Elssbiay has become one of the most prominent competitors for its title in recent years.

Big Ramy was born on September 16, 1984, in the resort town of Baltim in the Kafr el-Sheikh Governorate of Egypt, on the Nile River Delta. His father was a fisherman and the same was practiced by Ramy and his brothers. But what made him stand out amongst his siblings was his passion for bodybuilding.

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Elssbiay earned his pro card by winning the overall title at the 2012 Amateur Olympia in Kuwait City, just three years after he started training. In 2010, Elssbiay joined Oxygen Gym in Kuwait. By 2011, he weighed 200 lbs, and when he stepped on the 2012 Amateur Olympia Kuwait stage, he weighed in at 286 lbs and was de-clared the champion. In 2013, Elssbiay made his IFBB Pro-debut at the New York Pro, which he won. In 2020, Elssbiay won the Mr. Olympia title; which he then de-fended a year later in 2021.

Moreover, Kafr el-Sheikh Governor Gamal Nour-Eddin announced last week that a major square in the governorate will be named after Big Ramy. It will be near Kafr el-Sheikh University to serve as a good role model for young people, as it will be characterized by beautiful and elegant features.

Big Ramy is a strong motivator for young people in Egypt, and he has been highlighted as an example for them, his persistence and determination leading him to global fame in bodybuilding.

There is a lot for Big Ramy to be happy about after these last few weeks. This is surely something he is proud of.