By Susan Howard-Azzeh
Concerned citizens of Niagara Region will be gathering in solidarity with the people of Egypt this Monday, January 31st at 6 p.m. on the steps of St. Catharines, Ontario’s City Hall.
Masses of Egyptian people demonstrate on streets of Cairo.
The people of Egypt have suffered under the dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak and martial law for 30 long years. They have said enough is enough and we must stand with them in building democracy, freedom and prosperity for all.
Demonstrations are taking place around the globe calling for Mubarak to leave Egypt. Mubarak’s corrupt regime has left many Egyptian people unemployed, impoverished, silenced in the media, kept out of government and oppressed by the secret police. Egyptian media ranks 133 out of 168 in the world in freedom of the press.
Corruption has led to the imprisonment of approximately 30,000 political figures and young activists without trials in hidden detention facilities. The lukewarm response from the US is delaying the ousting of Mubarak, a key US ally in the area. Mubarak is the second largest recipient of US aid behind Israel, aid Mubarak receives in payment for normalizing relations with Israel.
However, Israel has never implemented the terms of that “peace” accord. Lawrence Cannon and the Canadian government have also not joined in the Egyptian people’s call for the ouster of Mubarak but are tempered by the Conservative government’s current unconditional support of Israel and their fears of a free Egypt.
The brave people of Egypt have long awaited the opportunity to build democratic rule and democratic institutions in their land. Promises for reform and free and democratic elections have not materialized. They are in great peril now as Mubarak flecks his military strength and threatens violence if the people do not return to their homes and the oppression of the old regime. Let your voice be heard now in solidarity with this popular uprising. Join in the call for the immediate ouster of Mubarak.
For more information, to volunteer or to endorse the rally please contact Bruce Allen at (905) 934-6233 or Saleh Waziruddin at salehw@yahoo.com or check out Facebook at “Niagarans in Support of the Egyptian People” http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198830956797830#!/ .
This event is organized by concerned citizens of Niagara and the Niagara Coalition for Peace.
Susan Howard-Azzeh is a Niagara, Ontario resident, a long-time human rights activist and founder of the Niagara Coalition for Peace.
(Visit Niagara At Large at http://www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary on matters of interest and concern to our greater binational Niagara region.)
Niagara At Large 
Hopefully the international community will be able to flex its muscles to limit the damage inflicted by the Egyptian dictatorship on its freedom-loving people.
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