burnt down cars in front of our neighborhood police station
Just witnessed a revolution. Mubarak needs to stand down immediately!
We've been camping for the past two days at the Cairo airport, and all praise to God, we (my mother, the girls, my husband and myself) are safely out of the country, staying with my sister at the U.A.E and should be flying back to America in a few days inshaAllah.
The situation is very volatile right now. Mubarak succeeded in diving the public opinion into two groups, exchanging posts on facebook (but not on the streets, the pro-mubarak protesters are obviously Mubarak thugs). By again his infamous fear strategy.
By Firday night (Angry Friday) all the police force was gone. All the prisoners were let loose, and almost all of Egypt's police stations were on fire. (all the documents and police reports were burnt down)
After all the major stores, jewelery stores, banks, shopping malls, Carrefour, The Children's Cancer Hospital...etc, were completely looted. The people were fearful that the gangs would start attacking building and homes. Some buildings were robbed, I heard of one confirmed rape case.
Rumors were already spreading of the police opening the doors of prisons and letting criminals on the loose.
We were by Thursday night out of internet and Friday morning out of cell phone network. The only means of communication was through land lines, which a lot of Egyptians either don't have or no longer use. We also didn't have land line numbers for our contacts. To add to this, we (our family) had just borrowed a TV from my mother, but it wasn't hooked up yet. So no cable news.
We felt completely isolated. Curfew was in order.
By Saturday, all of Egypt's neighborhoods started organizing themselves to stand guard, and construct civilian made road blocks, and check points. The across the street mosque from us was visited by two "off duty" army men and called onto all of our neighborhood men through the speakers to come down with any weapon they own, guns, rifles, knives, sticks...anything. And stand guard because there was no sign of any police and we needed to defend ourselves from the mobs and gangs suddenly appearing in the streets.
Saturday night, was one of the worst nights I have ever experienced in my life. I could barely breathe. we saw barrels on fires rolling down our streets, several gun shots were fired. Groups of men running, and yelling "Allahu Akbar" "God is the greatest".
We moved furniture behind doors, I filled a spray bottle (taking my mother's suggestion) with water, vinegar, lemon, and hot peppers and kept it within reach. My husband kept a walking stick with a metal handle by the side of his bed. And I truly wished I owned a gun, no not a gun a machine gun would've been better.
army hot line number
Sunday morning, I called the friends that I could acquire their land line numbers, EVERYONE was scared to death. No one slept for two nights.
News of trucks and ambulance cars being captured with hundreds of police guns.
In my cousins street they caught an ambulance with a coffin filled with police guns.
A very good friend was getting ready to go down to protect the Egyptian museum because of the news of the tampering that it suffered.
A lot of doormen women bake bread in our neighborhood, and we received a sweet gift (a big loaf of pita bread, still warm out of the oven) from one of these women who sent the gift with her five year old daughter, saying from a mother with a good heart. I believe all of our neighborhood received this sweet gift. which means a lot especially in times like these.
During the day, some local shops opened, the ful (fava beans) cart was working and there were kids playing on the street. We felt slightly safer. But knew it was just a matter of sundown.
Sunday night, one incident of gunshots around 3:00 am was heard, we did not feel safe. We were getting ready to leave. Our family abroad got us an Egypt air ticket to Khartoum/Sudan.
Monday morning we arrived at the airport, and waiting for five hours to learn that our flight was canceled. (if you are trying to acquire a ticket out, DON'T TRAVEL ON EGYPT AIR, they only fly from 10am to 5 pm. 'cause of curfew. They still sell tickets during curfew though!
We headed back to my mother's apartment (near the presidential palace) in misr el gedida, (My sister got us tickets to fly on Wednesday morning) and spent the night there.That night they caught two cars filled with men and guns in my mother's street. Mind you there are tanks seen everywhere in misr el gedida.
Tuesday morning we went to the airport and "set camp" at the airport. we weren't taking any chances with little ones. My mother miraculously found a spot on an earlier flight than ours, and we spent the rest of the day and night there.
This morning, we boarded the Etihad flight leaving with only a couple of carry on bags heading to Abu Dhabi, leaving behind brave men and women, elderly and children, still fighting for our freedom.
We are all safe at my sister's place right now.
A part of me wants to be back in Egypt right now. The mother in me is glad my girls are safe and out of what felt like a war zone.
I pray we can go back soon God willing.
A word is very powerful, spread the word. Mubarak to stand down immediately. Obama needs to say it too!
My next post will be dedicated to my brothers and sisters and stories and scenes of their heroism.
Down with the Tyrant and May God have mercy on us.
Peace.
An American resident? Here's how you can help:
Please call the White House and demand that Obama make an unequivocal demand to Mubarak to leave and withdraw his thugs. Let's flood their phone and fax lines, people. It takes a minute of your time.
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
We ate something else *smile*
