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Egypt: Bloggers look to Obama for change in their own country
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Egyptian blogger, Abdel Kareem Nabil, 22, has been in detention since
his arrest in early November 2006, AP
President Obama has inspired many in the world with his rhetoric of change and hope. In the Middle East, Egypt is ruled by Hosni Mubarak with no less than an iron fist. The dictatorship is one of America's strongest allies in the region, and it is a twist of irony that its young activists should turn to our president for help.
I have been reporting on the frequent crackdowns of Egyptian police on activists, journalists, bloggers, for years through Women's Lens. The latest post has several links to stories which are related. The reader will get an eyeful.
Activists and bloggers from the Arab world are being invited to form a group on Facebook, and they will draft a letter to President Obama with their concerns which include human rights, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Iraq War and cultural exchange programs. According to Egypt's Daily News, the letter is being formulated with the assistance of US academic institutions.
The group counts 49 members to date and includes Egyptians, Syrians, Lebanese, Saudi Arabians and Palestinians. The group's founder is Egyptian Abdel Rahman Mansour. Facebook users are invited to join on March 25th and thereafter. It is the group's hope that some of the West's democratic practices will be put in place in their own countries.
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