By John Ballard
I realize as I publish this post it is not a traffic-builder. Topic is too obscure and the event is already "old news." But these two links, both from good writers who were eye witnesses to what happened, are too well-done and too important to miss.
Anyone seeking to understand better what's happening in Egypt in general and last weekend's conflict in particular now have five thousand words from one source and a couple thousand more from another to think about.
?"Offensive" at Rantings of a Sandmonkey
This is a long read from Mahmoud Salem, the writer using the screen name "Sandmonkey."
No need for snips. It's too long. But he takes all sides to the woodshed and lays out realities that both Coptic Christians and Muslims of all stripes need to read, mark learn and inwardly digest. That's all I have to say about that.
?"Losing Faith" at Sara Carr's Inanities
Sarah Carr is mentioned in passing by the other writer. Her account of what unfolded last Friday night is shorter and more emotional.
[...] Imbaba is one of Cairo�s secret cities, a sprawling maze of alleys and unfinished houses and hidden people almost directly opposite one of Cairo�s most affluent neighbourhoods.
[...] The government is markedly absent from Imbaba�s streets. Salafis are known to have gained a foothold there � to such an extent that for a while Imbaba was known as the Islamic Republic of Imbaba. It�s a tough neighbourhood. It�s full of illegal weapons. It�s poor. It has a high concentration of Upper Egyptians (famous for their propensity for violence and reluctance to compromise) and all that that brings. The Mubarak regime did little to give its residents a better chance in life.
[...] this group of people who happen to be Christian were shooting at the crowd and throwing objects at them from roofs (in self defence but when the object lands on your head it doesn�t feel like that). Perhaps our ordinary Imbaba resident, or one of his friends, got hit by one of these missiles and it became personal. This is not an area where when one is the victim of a crime, one goes to the police. One deals with this sort of shit oneself.
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