We've just been watching an episode of 'Foyle's War', it's an excellent series. It's got me wondering though; I cannot help but wonder just how those men, those who weren't allowed to actually 'join up', really felt about not doing their bit for the war effort by being at the (metaphorical) front, about their seeming uselessness?
That strand of thought also echoed in my mind as regards Luxor's situation in this time of so much uncertainty and fear among the general Egyptian population!
In one way, here in Luxor, we've really been uninfected by all the trouble and strife which regularly seems to erupt in Cairo and the other northern 'hot-spots', about which we keep on reading and seeing on our TV screens. But the people here in Luxor aren't at all happy with Mr Morsi's current handling of things; simply because they feel that they are being sacrificed for the sake of their northern compatriots! I hear grumblings about the 'men-with-beards' everywhere I go! It seems fairly obvious to me that the people of Luxor want no more to do with either the modern and liberal revolutionaries, or the Brotherhood and their hardline friends. The revolution's legacy of physical and financial hardship and (seemingly deliberately engineered) disadvantage are driving them to wish for the return of Mr Mubarak, or one of his henchmen (Shafiq?) at least!
I cannot tell you how many of my Egyptian friends have often regaled me, over the years, about the Egyptian 'life' being one of continual hardship. They understand this, and have learned to accept it without much complaint, as they have been doing during several thousands of years of being oppressed by despotic rulers; from Pharaohs to the Arabs, from the Turks to the Egyptian Generals, and that's not even mentioning the differing European interlopers! But it now seems that the current mish-mash which purports to be governing them, is going too far!
As well as there being next to no tourists from which the locals can make their living, there are now electricity (and water) cuts, without warning, three four and five times per day! Thank heaven, we've only had the one so far today (Thursday), but yesterday we had three; for an hour just before lunchtime, another hour at about 4:30 in the afternoon, and a third at 10:30 for an hour and forty minutes! With the outside temperature being over 47 degrees Centigrade that afternoon, and the walls of our little flat being too hot to keep your hand on; we baled out by 5pm, and sought the air-conditioned refuge of the Nile Palace. The mini-bus stopped, however, at the junction with St Joseph Street, as Khaled Ibn El Walid Street was blocked a few yards farther on. We had to walk from there.
The road blockage was outside the house of the General of the Police (that one directly before the Sonesta). There were about four women and half a dozen young men and boys sitting in the middle of the road! Several of the men and boys were in the middle of their prayerful prostrations. One young man was very highly agitated and very emotional. Of course, I asked some bystanders what the problem was; only to be told that these people were making many demands of the police.(?)
In a telephone call later that evening, I was told that (so far) 15 people had died in Luxor as a direct result of these power cuts! Perhaps that was the reason for the emotional 'sit down' outside the General's house? Who knows? The power cuts were certainly the reason behind the protest outside the Governor's office this afternoon! Even Egyptians, can only take so much!
But still, Luxor isn't Cairo! I have hoped that Mr Morsi was the good man that he originally seemed to be, even though he and I don't share the same views on religion, and that he actually was determined (as he had said he was) to govern "for all Egyptians", but it's beginning to seem as though the population of Upper Egypt are being punished for the waywardness of the northerners who took the road to revolution and are now constantly making waves against the elected President and what passes for his government.
As usual; the Upper Egyptians are left to sink or swim, and with their ingrained sense of oppressed victimhood they must surely now feel desolate indeed! God bless them and help them, for as the unrelenting 50 degree heat of summer, plus the spectre of starvation, looms, they certainly need it!
That strand of thought also echoed in my mind as regards Luxor's situation in this time of so much uncertainty and fear among the general Egyptian population!
In one way, here in Luxor, we've really been uninfected by all the trouble and strife which regularly seems to erupt in Cairo and the other northern 'hot-spots', about which we keep on reading and seeing on our TV screens. But the people here in Luxor aren't at all happy with Mr Morsi's current handling of things; simply because they feel that they are being sacrificed for the sake of their northern compatriots! I hear grumblings about the 'men-with-beards' everywhere I go! It seems fairly obvious to me that the people of Luxor want no more to do with either the modern and liberal revolutionaries, or the Brotherhood and their hardline friends. The revolution's legacy of physical and financial hardship and (seemingly deliberately engineered) disadvantage are driving them to wish for the return of Mr Mubarak, or one of his henchmen (Shafiq?) at least!
I cannot tell you how many of my Egyptian friends have often regaled me, over the years, about the Egyptian 'life' being one of continual hardship. They understand this, and have learned to accept it without much complaint, as they have been doing during several thousands of years of being oppressed by despotic rulers; from Pharaohs to the Arabs, from the Turks to the Egyptian Generals, and that's not even mentioning the differing European interlopers! But it now seems that the current mish-mash which purports to be governing them, is going too far!
As well as there being next to no tourists from which the locals can make their living, there are now electricity (and water) cuts, without warning, three four and five times per day! Thank heaven, we've only had the one so far today (Thursday), but yesterday we had three; for an hour just before lunchtime, another hour at about 4:30 in the afternoon, and a third at 10:30 for an hour and forty minutes! With the outside temperature being over 47 degrees Centigrade that afternoon, and the walls of our little flat being too hot to keep your hand on; we baled out by 5pm, and sought the air-conditioned refuge of the Nile Palace. The mini-bus stopped, however, at the junction with St Joseph Street, as Khaled Ibn El Walid Street was blocked a few yards farther on. We had to walk from there.
The road blockage was outside the house of the General of the Police (that one directly before the Sonesta). There were about four women and half a dozen young men and boys sitting in the middle of the road! Several of the men and boys were in the middle of their prayerful prostrations. One young man was very highly agitated and very emotional. Of course, I asked some bystanders what the problem was; only to be told that these people were making many demands of the police.(?)
In a telephone call later that evening, I was told that (so far) 15 people had died in Luxor as a direct result of these power cuts! Perhaps that was the reason for the emotional 'sit down' outside the General's house? Who knows? The power cuts were certainly the reason behind the protest outside the Governor's office this afternoon! Even Egyptians, can only take so much!
But still, Luxor isn't Cairo! I have hoped that Mr Morsi was the good man that he originally seemed to be, even though he and I don't share the same views on religion, and that he actually was determined (as he had said he was) to govern "for all Egyptians", but it's beginning to seem as though the population of Upper Egypt are being punished for the waywardness of the northerners who took the road to revolution and are now constantly making waves against the elected President and what passes for his government.
As usual; the Upper Egyptians are left to sink or swim, and with their ingrained sense of oppressed victimhood they must surely now feel desolate indeed! God bless them and help them, for as the unrelenting 50 degree heat of summer, plus the spectre of starvation, looms, they certainly need it!
its a great shame all this is happening, I would have thought they would realise all this turmoil is putting the tourists off coming to Egypt (I think the place is great and more so Luxor)
ReplyDeleteThe future is tourists and with all their money to spend in their pocket
If I wasnt off on another trip, I'd be back there
Power cuts are affecting a lot of places I have been to of late, but these have been in what are termed as 'third world countries' I never thought Egypt was 'third world'