Hundreds of Egyptian expats gathered outside Darul Islam masjid in Surry Estate after Jumuah on Friday afternoon to voice their disdain at the current political situation in Egypt. Today marks two years since the military coup which saw the removal of democratically elected president Mohammed Morsi. Thousands of Muslim Brotherhood members have since been imprisoned, with the organisation now banned. The Egyptian community in Cape Town used the rally to raise awareness about the illegitimate coup that took place on the 3rd July 2013 by the Egyptian military and the crimes taken against humanity in Egypt.

This rally was led by Egyptian national Adil Abdullah, who is the representative of the International Coalition that Supports the Legitimacy in Egypt and elsewhere.

“More than 60 000 Egyptians have been imprisoned without any crime offence or trial and over 10 000 Egyptians were killed since the military coup took place, as well as thousands innocent protestors that have been injured because of this military outrage. So many families have been displaced and are trying to flee from the country,” he told the crowd.

There are vast crimes taking place against woman and children, and when the youth in Egypt want to voice their opinions freely, they are jailed without charge or trial.
Osama Halawa, the vice chairman of Muslim Youth United (MYU), believes that as a Muslim, it is the youth’s duty to react.

“We need to create the type of youth that is always concerned about our ummah, whether it be in Syria, Gaza, Egypt. If its anywhere that suffers in the ummah we need to react as the youth and show our support to all the youth who are suffering under oppression,” Halawa says.

By MYU coming out, Halawa believes this will show the world that the youth support this initiative and therefore will attract others to also support.
Ahmad Meshtawy, an Egyptian residing in South Africa for 9 years, says that the response from the South African community since the military coup took place has been encouraging and even scared off Abdel Fatah as-Sisi from coming to the SA for the African Union Summit.

Meshtawy added that the current state of Egypt is severe as mosques are being closed Muslim companies being shut down, the accounts of Muslim charity organizations are being frozen.

“What Abdel Fatah Sisi is doing in Egypt, is worse than what the Israelis are doing in Palestine,” he said.

“What’s happening in Egypt is affecting the brothers and sisters in Palestine and everywhere in the world. Egypt as we say is the centre of the Islamic world.”

The awareness programme will continue on Friday evening with a qira’a by Haafith Shukri Frydie and nasheed by Khudaamul-Islaam. This will be followed by a screening of a documentary on the Rabaa massacre and Qiyam al-Layl salah which will be led by Shaykh Ismael Londt and Shaykh Mohammad Philander.

The event is supported by few organisations such Youth for Al Aqsa, the Muslim Judicial Council and a group called Rabaa. Event coordinator Adil Abdullah urged the Muslim community to attend. VOC (Amina Waggie)