Since when is my head public domain?

So, the Cabinet agreed on plans to ban the burqa here. Will I personally ever wear a burqa? No. Will I ever wear a short skirt? No. Do I judge people who do? No! Isn’t everybody suppost to have “freedom” (of religion) here? So why do we decide what people may or may not wear? How about women's right of self-determination? And most importantly, since when is our head public domain? Quite a lot of questions for just the intro isn’t it?

First off all, it’s called a burqa ban here, but it’s not only about the burqa. It’s about full faced coverage, so this includes for example also forage cap. Although I don’t ever see someone wear a forage cap while they go shopping. Unless they are planning to rob the shop maybe. According to our Cabinet the ban is important for a society where everone can fully participate in social intercourse. They say open communication is very important in places where people meet eachother.  And apparantly we need this ban for the approximately 300 women who wear a burqa in this country. Cause these women are oppressed. Nobody ever asked them if they are, that’s just assumed, cause who will voluntarily wear a burqa? I often ask myself who will voluntarily wear  red underwear under white clothes or parade on the boulevard in a mini bikini, but hey there’s no law against that!  So let’s assume that all these women are indeed oppressed. Will that change with this ban? Should we not find these women and talk with them and the assumed oppressors? Forcing them to take off their burqa will probably not work. Better yet, if they are (as we assume) oppressed, it’s probably the only reason why they are allowed outside. Outside where we can find them and communicate with them. Not behind closed doors.  So how about the “open communication is very important in places where people meet eachother”? Where are you going to meet these women now?

After reading the above it might not be a suprise I am clearly against this burqa ban. I dó believe in freedom of religion (for all) and that women have the right of self-determination. Our heads are not public domain. And neither are our bodies. And besides all this, I am also against it because of the symbolism.  Cause let’s face it (take off your burqa now), this is not about these 300 women.  After the suggestion of women paying taxes to wear a veil, discussing circumcision and álmost a ban on ritual slaughter (first chambre overruled it, thank God), this is the first babystep that will probably actually happen. The (probably) first official win for the right-wingers. And while we could laugh some ridiculous ideas away in the past, the majority of people is behind this one. It makes me wonder what the next babystep will be. And if everybody will stay quiet. Stay awake people, keep your eyes open, keep your ears open, keep your heart open, but most importantly don't keep your mouth closed.

Egyptian for a day.

Even before I actually went to Egypt I got a lot of frowning faces. My family, colleagues, friends all know me well enough to know I’m a caring people. Full of love for people, animals, nature. I don’t even know how to write the word haatee. But telling them I was going to Egypt,Cairo and specifically Tahrir Square was a little bit too much.  Trying to be an activist for human rights behind my laptop screen was something else then actually being there. And why would I go to Egypt, I’m not even Egyptian? I’m writing a short journey of my visit, trying to explain why I had to be there. I’m not sure if it’s the right time already, if all the impressions has sunken in, if I’m ready for it. I’ll try.

I arrived in Cairo on a fridaynight (20th), late in the evening, so I stayed the first night there. I was not only planning to go to Tahrir Square the 25th of January. I was going to meet some friends I know from the internet and from previous visits in 2011 as well. So Saturday morning I met a friend for coffee in Mohamed Mahmoud Street. A street I wondered in many mornings before in 2011 because it was my morning ritual to get my coffee there. But it was already different. After  heavy violent clashes with protesters and SCAF last november part of the street is blocked. Blocked with huge stone full of anti-scaf grafity.  I knew it, I saw it on the news, but standing in front of them was still strange, different.  Demolished buildings, barbed wire and soldiers with big guns everywhere I looked. This was a street were people died, were people lost eyes, were people were fighting for a better future, for human rights. The friend I was meeting was shot there. Just above his eye. He was lucky. He can still see with both his eyes.

After the coffee and the chat with my friend about ,ofcourse, politics and recent affairs I took a cab to a place in the suburbs of Cairo. I was meeting another friend who was going to pick me up there and take me to Alexandria. I’d never been to Alexandria before and wanted to visit it as well. It’s a beautiful place by the sea.  And besides the beauty of the city, the sea, the food and the people it has also an important role in revolution. Revolution in Egypt is not only about Tahrir Square. Yes, it is the symbol of revolution and many people gather there, but revolution has to take part in the whole country and it did. Also in Alexandria thousands of people gathered to demonstrate, clash with police and miltary and people lost there lives.  I was ancient to go there. I stayed a couple of days and it was lovely. Can’t find a better word for it then lovely. It was so lovely! They asked me to stay, but I had to leave Tuesday night. I had a mission. I was going to participate in demonstrations on Tahrir Square on wednesday the 25th. The 25th of January was exactly 1 year after the start of the Egyptian revolution. But what has changed? The new Mubarak is SCAF, but is that really a change? The change the people wanted? Power still in hands of the military? Civilians still being trailled in military court? State of emergency still not lifted?

Trying to get to the hotel was already a journey. My hotel was right at Tahrir Square and some roads were already blocked. Many people were wondering around the square, waiting for the next day to arrive. I arrived at midnight and tried to go to bed early so I could get up on time in the morning. But I couldn’t. I just sat on my balcony for hours. Watching the people. Wondering what the day would bring. It felt unreal, me sitting there and watching. But it was real. After hours I finally fell asleep in the chair on the balcony and woke up early in the morning from music and chants coming from the square. The square was already fully packed! I remember me taking a quick shower and thinking ‘what a huge day this will be!’. I hurried out to participate. Huge marches of chanting protesters were coming from everywhere. I was not there to celebrate. I was not there to celebrate 1 year anniversery of revolution, but to protest and support the still going revolution. Protests to achieve its demands. The demand of transfer of power to civilian rule without anymore delay. The demand to put an end to all military trials for civillians and release all political prisoners. The demand to fulfill the rights of the families of those who were martyred and injured with treatment. The demand to lift the state of emergency. The demand of stopping sexual harassments to women. The demand to improve the country’s economic position. And if people really want to call it celebration, then make it a celebration that the spirit of revolution is still alive. And kicking!

Pushing myself through the crowd to get to the middle of Tahrir Square I was overwhelmed. So many people, so many flags, so many chants. Besides the Egyptian flag (that was really EVERYWHERE) I saw a lot of flags from Syria, Yemen, Libya, Bahrain, Palestine as well. It was good to see the people there were not forgotten. I felt a little noticed by the crowd,  it seems I was the only one not carrying an Egyptian flag, so I bought me a little Egypt bracelet. While I was waving my little bracelet and chanting with the protesters “Down with SCAF” I got noticed by a journalist from Lebanese television. Well, I think I got noticed by a lot of people, cause what was this obviously not Egyptian girl doing here. So there, in the middle of the square he interviewed me and asked me what most people were thinking. Why was I there? Was I with or against revolution? Was I safe being there alone? And while I was surrounded by many other people listening I tried to explain that I was wíth revolution. That I believe in human rights. And me fighting for human rights does not only mean I support that in my own country. Human rights have no borders. That I was fed up with supporting this revolution behind my laptop screen. That I needed to show that the world is watching. And that many foreigners support this revolution and it demands. The crowd cheered and said i was brave. That felt kinda ackward, cause I am not. I made sure I was mostly safe the whole time. I felt safe and till that point nothing has happened. Later on I did get sexually harassed. I can say I was not, but I was. And I will not be silence about that. It was exactly one of the reasons why I wanted to be there. It is a shame that female protesters can not be there without any male guidance. Women contributed to this revolution as much as men did. And ofcourse just a small part of the men there are perverts, but that does not make it any less wrong. And later on, when I was not alone anymore and with friends, one guy also groped and rubbed himself against me. I warned my friends and they took me in the middle, I was safe. Late in the evening I decided to stay in the hotel. I got grobed enough and I started not to feel safe anymore. I’m not saying I was not safe, I don’t know if I was or not, but me questioning that was enough reason to stay in.

It was an impressive day. It was crowded and hot, but I wouldn’t wanted to be anywhere else that day. And for one day I felt like an Egyptian. A very proud one. The days after 25th (besides going back to Tahrir again) I visited some beautiful places, hang out with lovely friends, ate delicious food, went to Alexandria again, did some shopping and kept enjoying myself there. Oh boy, how I miss Egypt already!

Before I end this writing I have to note I’m not an expert. I write this all based on my personal  experience and opinion and I do not know everything. It’s hard to read all, to understand all. The situation is difficult, revolution is difficult. I might be misinformated, I might have missed some valuable information. Forgive me if it is so.