Your Mother

Is someone living in Europe cares to come back or visit Egypt?

The question took me back to year 1988, November when I left Egypt with the intention to stay away of Egypt, it was not my 1st ever trip abroad I had previously visited Greece, and France in fact I had several trips in and out of France, my late father –R.I.P.- when he advised me to go to France but helped me buying for me the ticket his intention was to stay there for good, I rejected the idea and to convince me he promised to join me there as soon as he settles some other matters like his finances and house and the part of the house he inherited from his late father –R.I.P.- and talks and promises he never intended to keep! And that is why I kept coming back until ….

 In November 1988 and after almost 2 months of special non paid open vacation from the work I had to make a move, either end my vacation and go back to work or move and leave the country but why? Let me try to explain my reasons but not asking for excuses or understanding I just state facts in my life then:-

• There was sectarian violence going on known later known as the –Darb Ahmar event

• Since ex-president Sadat –R.I.P.- assumed powers he tried to revive Muslim Brotherhood that R.I.P. Nasser extradited and kept in prisons under the pretext Communism was invading Egypt he needed strong religious ties to keep Egypt from the danger of communism, but they are the ones who KILLED HIM!

• There was a clear obvious trend to islamise every thing, veil was imposed and mini-jeeps become a NO NO, and a sign of communism.

• The general climate of police estate every where you could feel it, colleagues were moved from their initial jobs because of political or religious tendencies.

• Freedom was suppressed!

But in spite of all of the above the decision was not easy even on the plane as it was taking off and I looked on the ground from above I felt it impossible to never ever see this land again! 

However, new life new problems and new issues faced me and absorbed my time. I faced racism as I was a non colour guy between very sensitive black guys suffered for years of discrimination due to their colour, just got their independence from the British Empire that still up to this moment appoints the general governor! For years of struggle in strange unknown land I could not visit or think of visiting Egypt, but this as I said is not an excuse for immigration I expressed in more than an occasion I did immigrate but I do not encourage immigration this is not selfishness but let me put it this way….

If your mother is poor, bare foot with rotten clothes barely covering her, what you would do?

1. Leave her and go live somewhere else?

2. Buy her shoes and clothes with all what you can afford?

I do not know about you but my choice is 2, I’ll buy her not just clothes but the best clothes of earth! However I still feel guilty, I feel like a son who abandoned his mother, to monsters to steal and rape her, I should had stayed and fight for her honour not just cowardly run away! 

When organised sectarian violence starts – I re-iterate organised sectarian violence meaning it is not the nature of true real Egyptians but foreign hands are playing with this card very often- when this sectarian violence starts we hear voices asking to immigrate those poor victims of the violence, sounds to me like Ph. D. Michel Fahmy once said giving the thief the keys of your house and running away!

Yes, I feel guilty of leaving my mother –Egypt- to be raped rather than defending her; this is why I took it upon my duties in the rest of my life to be there for her, honour her and return to her, her lost dignity!

To this new friend who wondered how come I live in Europe and keep coming back to Egypt I say :-

My friend, Egypt was is and remains my mother in to which I feel secure love and I owe her all my live!

May God Keep Blessing Egypt and true Egyptians till she stands back on her own feet. May the Power of Love overcomes the love of power so that Earth will know PEACE, peace of the Lord be with you all!