You Are Viewing Uncategorized

An analysis and opinion piece on the uprisings in Egypt

by Ahmed Zidan editor of MidEast Youth

It’s still too early to conclude the turmoil unfolding in Egypt right now; because the full insights are not yet complete, but I’ll try to point out to some facts in addition to my own analysis of the events so far.

These protests have started with some political, economical, and social demands, like: One, raising the minimum wage to 1,200 EGP and providing subventions to the unemployed. Two, ending the State of Emergency which has caused long-term paralysis to the Egyptian civil and political life for more than three decades, and releasing all the detainees with no definite charges. Three, dissolution of the People’s Assembly of Egypt, the Egyptian Parliament, and changing the constitution to limit the presidential terms to two. The demands have changed gradually along the course of the protests to keep the pressure on the regime, the next stop was the amendment of the whole constitution, and the judicial supervision of the presidential elections. Until they peaked at the ultimate demand of a transition period and the overthrow of Mubarak, this is the  demand which keeps most of the demonstrators staying put in Tahrir Square.

click on the link below for pdf of this article

From #Jan25 to Tahrir – Expectations and outcomes (final version)

click on link below for article on fb

click here to read this article

N.B. Mideast Youth was hacked after going through a period of being under attack by anti-Kurdish groups. This came as a result of a video  we recently launched promoting the Kurdish cause for human rights, as well as writing about the upcoming Kurdish demonstrations, which was apparently the final straw for these hackers. If you know anyone who can help, please get in touch through my email address below or you can also donate  to help us make the move to new servers affordable.

Ahmed Zidan
Editor of Mideast Youth
Email: ahmed@mideastyouth.com
Website: http://www.mideastyouth.com
Twitter: @zidanism

The Brown Graduate Program in Literary Arts and the Thomas J. Watson Institute for International Studies are currently seeking applications and nominations for their 2011 – 2012 International Writers Project Fellowship.

The IWP Fellowship is open to established creative writers (fiction writers, poets, or playwrights) who are persecuted in their home countries or who are actively prevented from pursuing free expression in their literary art. The fellowship covers the costs of relocation to the U.S. and the writer’s living expenses, as well as providing an office on the campus of Brown University for ten months.

The fellow will join a supportive community that includes faculty members and graduate students in Brown’s Program in Literary Arts and the Watson Institute for International Studies. Their fellowship will be accompanied by a series of lectures, readings and other events that highlight the artistic and political culture of the writer’s home country and address the global issues of human rights and free expression.

Writers interested in applying for the fellowship should send a case history, providing a publishing history and explaining their need, a writing sample and a resume to the Graduate Program in Literary Arts, Box 1923, Brown University, Providence, RI  02912. Alternatively they may email materials to iwp@brown.edu. Persons wishing to make the IWP aware of a writer in need, or wishing to nominate a candidate, should also contact the program as noted above. The IWP will be accepting applications until February 15, 2011.

More information about the IWP is available on the Literary Arts Program website, www.brown.edu/cw

Born Radical

Date:18 November

Venue:Brighton Dome, Church Street, Brighton

Time:7.30pm

Tel: 01273 709709

Tickets: £12.00 (£10.00 concessions)

http://www.brightondome.org/showdatescombo.aspx

Clare Short talks to Nawal El Saadawi about her novels, non-fiction books and issues that the Egyptian feminist and activist has fought for all her life. A powerful meeting of two giants from literature and politics.

The sad news has reached us of the deaths of the President of Haiti PEN, Georges Anglade and his wife Mireille Neptune as two of the lives lost in the Earthquake.
At the last PEN Congress held in Linz, Austria in October 2009, Margaret Busby, Nii Parkes and Kadija George met Georges and Mireille. Nii recalls travelling and chatting with them on the coach on arrival at the PEN Congress and they were two of the first people that I met when I arrived;  insisting that I visit Haiti and meet the women writers and work with them, lots of laughter, exchanges and enthusiasm was shared. May they rest in peace.

There has been news from other members of Haiti PEN; their call is for help – medicine water and food.

http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/go/news/international-pen-mourns-the-loss-of-georges-anglade

AfricanWritersOnline with African Writers Abroad are organising a fundraising event in March (tbc). Watch this space for updates.

Kettly Mars of Haiti PEN has written “Our situation is serious and we urgently need aid. Medicine, water, food. International aid is starting to come but there will never be enough.”

The weblink to give donations is :www.DEC.org.uk/haiti-appeal

Haiti PEN - President and wife killed in earthquake. Photo: Margaret Busby