Change is (up) in the air

Strangely, since I've gotten back it's hit me that Egypt, of all places, and AUC and my group of friends have come to represent stability. Over the last seven years, I haven't spent more than a couple of years in one place and each of the past three academic years has been on a different continent. Making new friends, starting new academic programs, and adapting and re-adapting to cultures is invigorating, but also exhausting. Taking this into account and understanding the value of having a Master's degree as competition increases with the decrease in job availability, remaining in Egypt for another semester (ideally) or two (if necessary) seems the most prudent course of action academically and professionally at this point.
Last night my thoughts were racing as I prepared mentally to go to the new campus to argue to be able to change classes (it may technically beyond the add deadline, though not the drop). I got up early and headed to the Greek Campus just to see one more time if Eman might be able to help me. Lo and behold, she called up the associate registrar who said that there was no problem and that I could bring in the appropriate forms next week. Now, if there's one thing I've learned attending AUC it's not to get my hopes up. As it stands, though, I am positioned to be able to switch into a much more pertinent class and into the Master's program early next week.
I won't know until next month whether or not I've been accepted to the language program for the summer in Cairo, so when exactly I'll do my thesis is still up in the air. At any rate, I will be in America at some point during the summer to give speeches to Rotary clubs in central Illinois. I'll admit that the idea of doing so originally terrified me, but the desire to share the richness of my experience here and the things I've learned far trumps my fear of public speaking and I am more than ready and very excited.
Law class yesterday was pretty interesting, at least for me. We sat outside (whoever is responsible for unlocking classrooms must've taken the day off) in the courtyard in the late afternoon sun, birds chirping, learning about consular protection. A bit dry for some, but because of my interest in the State Department, I was all ears.
Immediately after our course, a sizeable number of us went directly to the CMRS Seminar which, last night, consisted of Philip Rizk showing his film, This Palestinian Life, and answering questions. The film was fantastic. It showed a part of Palestine-rural areas of Gaza and the West Bank-whose inhabitants rarely get to be heard. The people interviewed range from the poetic to the candid to the humorous, but all are extraordinarily resilient in the face of manmade tragedy. There was no anti-Israeli vitriole and no call for violence. Hopefully the film will be made available on YouTube so that I can share it on the blog sometime soon. Philip himself was well-spoken, radiating an aura of calm, and about ten feet tall. Out of respect for that fact that he wants emphasis not to be placed on his detention, but on the ongoing hardships of the Palestinian people, only an occasional indirect mention was made about his ordeal by questioners. Needing to speak to Ray, who was moderating, about my course switch, and then to leave with a group headed for the Greek Club, I didn't get a chance to ask more about Diaa Gad afterward, but have since sent Philip a note to see what he has to say.
One of the questioners, a rather effervescent native of Southern California who had lived in Gaza for sometime, went on a mini-tirade against Evangelical Christians and their categorical support for Israel. Derisive, smug laughter at various comments bubbled of from the crowd of students, expats, academics, and NGO workers. Many of them, I'd guess, would like to paint themselves as more worldly or more righteous, but I think they're missing a far more complex reality and writing Evangelicals off too quickly. Needless to say, I wasn't as amused as much of the crowd. Philip himself went to Wheaton College and, though I am not sure about the details of his faith and religious beliefs, I suspect he knows the situation is more nuanced than Christians simply being irrational fundamentalists. For me, my Christianity is what drives me to be so deeply aggrieved by the gross mistreatment of the Palestinian people not only by Israel, but by the rest of Arab world and the international community as a whole. Though I consider myself simply Christian, my immediate family has for over ten years attended Northwoods Community Church in Peoria, a part of the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches. I don't recall ever hearing a message there offering an explicit position on Israel or Palestine, but I've heard quite a few about loving one's neighbors and one's enemies. Given conversations I've had at home and comments like these replying to an opinion published in the Peoria Journal Star, I know there are a great many in the States that are misinformed or underinformed about the conflict. And, I'll admit that many in the Christian community have found spurious Biblical claims to back up their blind support of Israel action, whatever it may be, but by and large, I think that many Christians are open-minded and desire to understand what's really going on. They suffer from the same lack of good information that most other Americans do. So, khelas (enough!) with the overgeneralizing of American Christians and, at the same time, enough with the ignorance of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Links on Palestine:
Economist article on American-Israeli relations vis-à-vis Palestine
B'Tselem, The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

News:
Nour, former candidate for Egyptian presidency, unexpectedly released from prison yesterday
US Senator Kerry visits Gaza, American school destroyed by Israeli offensive
Egypt not keen on having Shalit release linked to truce between Israelis and Hamas

Far away in Hay al-Ashr

Yesterday I had lunched with my Togolese-French neighbor, Ablavi, who is doing research for CEDEJ (Centre d'études et de documentation économiques, juridiques et sociales) on the denial of public education to Sudanese children in Egypt. Under international law, the children should have full access, but the reality on the ground is much different. Following my lentil soup and ta3mayya with eggs, I came back with Ablavi to our building and then set to reading one of the chapters of a book we're discussing today in Comparative Migration Law. It deals with the concept of "effective nationality" and moral links between a person and his or her country as opposed to merely nominative associations.
Later on, I joined the head of the project through which I teach English, and another volunteer teacher for a forty-five minute cabride to Hay al-Ashr. This place is a whole different world than downtown Cairo. It's much more diverse; Sudanese, Somalis, and many other African migrants and refugees are interspersed among Egyptians. They live in dozens upon dozens of buildings that look exactly the same, built, I'm told, as government housing projects. In many of the windows there is no glass and many of the structures are far from finished and never will be. A burnt-out charter bus marks the right turn to the anonymous-looking apartment complex where we will be teaching this semester. The kids are younger this time around, in their mid- to late teens. I'll be teaching the highest level courses as I did in Ain Shams. After setting some things up and meeting some of the students, the three of us went to a small room with bright blue walls on the third floor of a building a few streets over from the "school". There my companions enjoyed Sudanese food. The ride back was on a bus rather than a taxi; my first experience with the dodgy public buses of Cairo. The seats were falling to pieces, stares and whispers ensued and continued the whole way back. At one point, an elderly man got on the bus and began shouting a recitation of the Qur'an, wandering up and down the center aisle. Every bump sent us nearly out of our seats with no handle or other means of bracing ourselves to be found. I didn't mind it though, but I fear I'll never be able to find my way to such a bus in the middle of Hay al-Asher at 9:45 PM. The only way you really know where the bus is going is from the shouts of a kid who stands in front. I could make out "Tahrir", so maybe I'll figure it all out eventually.
Once back, I made dinner and then hung out with Phil and Ross for a while–we went to get juice. Phil talked to me about the development class and how much he enjoys it and I edged ever closer to trying to switch out of psycho-social and into Migration and Development and fully commit to the Master's. I have looked into fellowship opportunities but would need to apply by March 1st which means I'll have to formally switch from the Diploma into the Master's ASAP. I plan to talk to Ray, the head of the program, today. I have Law in a couple of hours and then the CMRS seminar immediately after. Philip Rizk is coming to speak tonight about the situation in Gaza and his film, This Palestinian Life. It should be interesting and, I hope, an opportunity to hear more about the other blogger and activist, Diaa Gad, on whom there is very little information.

News:
New York Times article on the state of the freedom of speech in Egypt
Abbas indicates flexibility toward Hamas on eve of reconciliation meetings in Cairo
Egypt to send troops, police to Congo as part of UN peacekeeping mission

Carlsday Eve

I've never thought of Valentine's Day as a particular exciting holiday-gone are the fun days of primary school Valentine parties, so I've long since decide to consider the 14th February Carlsday Eve in honor of, well, myself. Tomorrow's my 23rd birthday and I spent the run up to it in style-doing nothing. Well, I did laundry, read for class, and a little genealogy. Ross and I got koshary for dinner and juice with Phil afterwards. Another day in downtown Cairo. I'm thinking tomorrow I might wander into Islamic Cairo or somewhere remotely more historic than my living room.
Philip Rizk's blog was deactivated by State Security and so he's opened a new one here. You can also find it in my blogroll. He's been very clear about his desire that the focus now shift from him to the fact that there is another blogger and Gaza activist who is still being detained, but who does not enjoy the crossborder connections and dual nationality that ostensibly protected Philip from physical harm and an even more protracted detention; and of course, more largely, the conflict in Gaza. Because I only support non-violent activism and protest, I am doing some fact-checking before including more information on the other bloggers and activists that were detained.

Links:
Daily News Egypt article on Rizk, Gaza
Israel presses for truce to be contingent on prisoner release
"Egypt says Obama team understands Israel must stop settlements"
Perceived stalemate not a reason for American inaction in Israeli-Palestinian conflict

The Khan, Law, and Lebanese

I spent yesterday at Khan al-Khalili with Alia who was one of my closest friends at boarding school and with whom I traveled to Egypt for the first time four years ago. It was a great reunion and we had a lot of fun bargaining and taking pictures and getting snacks at the Naguib Mahfouz Café. I actually didn't purchase anything, I had no need, but try conveying that to the folks at the Khan–"I have everything you need in my shop and I don't even know what you need!" was one line. Another asked specifically what I needed and when I told him nothing he told me that he had "all kinds of nothing for sale". I changed my approached and answered the next person who asked what I was looking for by saying, "a job". They laughed, I laughed, and they quit trying to sell me scarves–all was well.
Most of today was occupied by reading and Comparative Migration Law, my favorite class. We discussed the history of restrictions on and the exclusion of migrants and Mike told us more about a possible opportunity for some of us to travel with London and collaborate with students from Georgetown and elsewhere on a migration law project. Seems like a great opportunity. I'm going to apply, but the project isn't funded for sure and only four slots are available (out of a class of twenty), so we'll see.
Tonight some classmates and I got Lebanese at a place in Mohandaseen called Cedars. Spinach pie, halloumi cheese, lentil soup, tomayya, and more: delicious. Time to get to reading for my pscyhosocial class though.

News:
Details of Philip Rizk's release
Hamas leader in Cairo for another round of talks
Arabs pessimistic about Israeli election outcome

Hamdulilleh!

Philip has been released and is with his family. As for the protests and marches, he's asking people to go through with them to protest the siege of Gaza. There are some who may have supported Philip who do not support his political views, so that is obviously a personal choice.

Links:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29133209/
http://www.easybourse.com/bourse-actualite/marches/egypt-releases-german-pro-palestinian-blogger-family-614279

Protests and pressure continue

Protests are continuing to occur around the world for Philip's release; tonight in Cairo a protest against his unlawful detention and the holding of other activists took place in front of the Journalists' Syndicate downtown. Afterward, two of Philip's Middle East Studies colleagues and I heard from a journalist that more than two hundred people had shown up but still nothing on his whereabouts beyond unconfirmed suggestions that he's being held in Nasr City.
Upcoming protests are happening as follows:

Tomorrow in New York as mentioned in the previous entry;

Thursday, 12 February at 12 noon in San Francisco in front of the Egyptian consulate at

276 Mallorca Way in the Marina District;

Friday, 13 February at 12 noon in Washington, DC in front of the embassy (address and contact details in previous entry)

and at 2 PM in Ottawa, Canada in front of the embassy at 454 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6R3

Additional information and links to petitions and instructions for letter writing campaigns are available to Facebook users here. I've contacted Rotarians from my host club in hopes they'll have ideas or contacts. Every little bit counts–please write, call, fax, or get involved in a protest!

Links:
Letter from president of Wheaton College
Arabic Network for Human Rights Information report
Sun Times coverage of the Chicago rally
New York Times story on abduction, protests
Guardian coverage

Rizk still not released

Philip has now been in custody for three days and there is still no clear indication as to where he's being held. Last night his family apparently heard through someone from AUC that had been in contact with State Security that he will continue to be detained "for further investigation". I received several Facebook messages saying that, early this morning, the police went to his parents' house in Ma'adi without a warrant to look for 'evidence' scaring the family who were able to contact a lawyer who seems to have been successful in making the police leave. Meanwhile, a message from a couple of hours ago said that Philip's sister's apartment was entered using a key belonging to Philip. Personal possessions were removed and the key was left on the desk. Protests are being organized in London, DC, and Chicago. Here in Cairo they've been held at AUC's new campus and at the Journalists' Syndicate with others to come.
The professor with whom I had class tonight urged us to contact whomever we could and to this end, I'm posting information on the Egyptian consulates general and embassies in the States and the UK where there are protests organized. If you are in any of these cities or feel inclined to help by contacting the Egyptian diplomatic representation in your region/country, please do.

Chicago: 500 N. Michigan Ave., Suite #1900, Chicago, IL 60611
email: eg2002@eg2002.net
phone: (312 828-9162
fax: (312) 828-9167

for more information on protests, etc., contact locally: Rachel Ostergaard

New York: 1110 Second Ave., New York, NY 10022
email: Egypteg@aol.com
phone: (212) 759-7122
fax: (212) 308-7643

An approved protest has been planned for Wednesday, 11 February from 11:00 AM (EST) outside the consulate. Facebook users can find more information here.

for more information on protests, etc., contact locally: Laura Kasinof

Washington, D.C.: 3521 International Ct. N.W., Washington, DC 20008
email: Embassy@egyptembassy.net
phone: (202) 895-5400
fax: (202) 244-5131

for more information on protests, etc., contact locally: Melissa Florer-Bixler

London, UK: 26th South Street, London W1K 1DWA
email: eg.emb_london@mfa.gov.eg
phone: 020 7499 3304

Protest organized for tomorrow, Tuesday, 10 February from 5 PM outside the embassy. Facebook users can find more information here.

News:
"Egyptian police scour German-Egyptian activist's home"

More info:
http://www.freephiliprizk.org/

Update on Philip Rizk

I just came back from AUC where I spoke with a friend who was at the High Court yesterday where the director of our program and, later, another faculty member were trying to assist in Philip's release. While there, they were made to stand inside a pen surrounded by riot police.
While one report said that he was being held at police headquarters downtown, another said Philip was at Lazoghli Prison. Apparently, the German Embassy had initially been notified that he was out of police custody (he had been "officially" released and then subsequently was adbucted), but is now up to speed and acting on his behalf. Complicating matters was AUC's grand (late) inauguration attended by the First Lady, Suzane Mubarak and many other high profile dignitaries. Because of this, cell phones were prohibited leaving the German ambassador out of contact.
Following are more articles and updates including the description of Philip's abduction by a blogger who was present:

"The Kidnapping of Philip Rizk"
"Christian blogger held in Egypt" from Christianity Today
"Rizk’s family file case against Banha police, faculty to demand AUC intervention" from the AUC student publication, The Caravan

I cannot begin to understand the logic behind jailing a non-violent activist. If anything, the government is going to motivate other pro-Palestinian supporters to more vigorous activism. I wish there were something I could do, but I'm not sure another naïve Westerner in a keffiyah would be of much use at this point. Phil, a legitimate activist acquainted with the complexities of the Palestinian situation has a network of family members, journalists, bloggers, and other activists and friends going to bat for him. Insha'Allah, all will pan out in the end.
Though it seems selfish to catalog the rest of my day when this poor kid's in prison, I need to keep up the blog. The weather is gorgeous, in the 70s. I went out to mail a thank you letter to my friend in Paris, to get correspondence that had been waiting for me in the Migration & Refugee Studies office for weeks, and to get koshary. I also ended up being useful to at least two people today: On my way back from koshary, passing a shop in which Valentine's Day anticipation had exploded all over everything in the form of fuzzy red hearts, fake flowers, and the cheesiest tokens and signs of "love", I saw a Western woman peering puzzledly at a guidebook. Initially I walked passed without a second thought; this is, at least for this year, my neighborhood and running up to chat with other non-Egyptians here simply because they're non-Egyptians has absolutely no appeal. This poor woman looked quite lost, though, so I went and asked where she'd hoped to go. She turned out to be Brazilian but lives in Houston, Texas and was visiting while her husband, an oil company employee, was in meetings. She'd gotten far off course, so I walked her to a road that went straight north to the square she was looking for. I figured with no turns, it was more than likely she'd arrive eventually. I felt good being able to help someone and having a sense enough of Cairo to be able to accurately direct her.
I came back to my apartment in hopes of cleaning up my living room in preparation for having people over to watch Walz with Bashir, but got a call from Erin who was at her AUC office and need computer help. Luckily, I was able to figure out how to be of assistance. It was there that she filled me in on the goings-on with Philip Rizk. It's really disconcerting that the Egyptian government is holding an AUC graduate student, activist, blogger without charge. Egyptian prisons are notorious for mistreatment and I hope and pray Philip isn't subjected to that. He was supposed to be our CMRS lecturer during the Wednesday night lecture series; despite not knowing him firsthand, it hits close to home.