March 15, 2006
Committee on International Relations
Subcommittee on The Middle East and Central Asia
U.S. House of Representatives
2170 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Re: Ayman Nour and Gameela Ismail
To: Madam Chairwoman Ileana Ross-Lehtinen
The Honorable Steve Chabot
The Honorable Gary L. Ackerman
The Honorable Thaddeus G. McCotter
The Honorable Howard L. Berman
The Honorable John Boozman
The Honorable Joseph Crowley
The Honorable Connie Mack
The Honorable Shelley Berkley
The Honorable Jeff Fortenberry
The Honorable Adam B. Schiff
The Honorable Jo Ann Davis
The Honorable Ben Chandler
The Honorable Mike Pence
The Honorable Dennis A. Cardoza
The Honorable Katherine Harris
The Honorable Russ Carnahan
The Honorable Darrell Issa
As an American I feel it a duty and as a human being a dire need to inform the members of this committee that the situation for Ayman Nour and his wife, Gameela Ismail, has become extremely grave. Although, I have occasional email contact with Gameela, I had to read an article in The Chicago Tribune to learn what is actually happening to her and Ayman. The Egyptian government has brought "charges" against Gameela and she is very concerned about being arrested as she has two children (a friend from that region has confirmed Gameela's concerns). This same friend informed me that Gameela cannot leave Egypt. Gameela mentioned she is undergoing interrogations. In a recent email Gameela requested, "please pray for us." Additional "new" charges have been brought against Ayman. Both are under extreme stress.
Ayman and Gameela are not only good friends to the United States, they are human beings who should not have to undergo the terror to which they are being subjected because they embrace democracy. Ayman and Gameela share profound bonds with the people of the United States–they cherish freedom and democracy. They have the same family values as each of us in this country hold dear and important. Please do not abandoned Ayman and Gameela. They have and are sacrificing so much to promote freedom and democracy in Egypt.
No member of this committee would allow their children to be friends with and support the thugs and bullies in their respective communities. Therefore, why do our leadership and representatives ask American citizens to support and be friends with thugs and bullies within the community of nations?
I have attached copies of some photographs taken from the website of Nora Younis, who is a freelance photojournalist. Ms. Younis gives blanket permission for their use as long as her website is mentioned. I suggest that every American who cherishes freedom and democracy visit that site as there are stunning photos of the citizens of Egypt struggles to become free. Here is the URL address to Ms. Younis' website:
http://www.norayounis.com/ Ms. Younis photographed various demonstrations on the streets in Egypt. Additionally, on Ms. Younis' website, toward the lower right-hand side, one can find a link entitled Ayman Nour's Trial at the Minister of the Interior. As Ms. Younis points out, with all the security forces in place, one would have thought a terrorist was on trial, not a freedom loving reformer for democracy. It should be mentioned that Ms. Younis coordinated the production of a documentary tracing democracy in Egypt for PBS.(
http://misrdigital.blogspirit.com/files/coverage/noor_trial_28jun2005.htm)
It is the citizens of Egypt that we need to make friends–not their tormentor. How can we expect the citizens of Egypt to embrace us after Mubarak is out of office as our dollars (military aid) contribute (Mubarak's security forces) to costing them their God given right to be free–free from torture, free from imprisonment for no reason, a free press, and all the inalienable rights that freedom encompasses. The logic is, far better for the United States to have a nation of friends and not just one lone man who ruthlessly punishes those who love democracy and freedom.
As a taxpayer whose family roots go back to the American Revolution, Civil War (Union on all sides), and the World Wars, I must ask, why are we giving this one-man-rule leader of Egypt who is called president, but whose actions are those of a dictator, $1.3 billion in military aid?
How can we send our children to fight and die in Iraq in the name of democracy while at the same time provide funding to a government that has proven disdainful to our form of government (democracy)? If Mubarak was not disdainful to our form of government, he would never persecute and terrorize Egyptian citizens who cherish the principles of democracy and freedom as we do.
Without the $1.3 billion, Mubarak would not be able to finance his own form of terrorism (his security forces) on his own people. Terrorism is terrorism. There are no gray areas. Anyone who uses terror, torture, marshal law, flagrant disrespect for other's human rights and dignity cannot be and will never be supportive of our nation's values.
President Mubarak will not miss something he does not as yet have, e.g., Free Trade Agreement, but he would definitely miss the $1.3 billion in military aid given to them by the United States. Before Dr. Nour, there was Professor Saad Eddin Ibrahim. He was released only after the United States withheld supplemental funding to Egypt.
The citizens of the United States would not want to be used as a conduit to fund terrorism on the people of Egypt by funding such a dictator as Mubarak. Ayman Nour and Gameela Ismail are paying a high price because of Mubarak's personal insecurities as a human being. We in this country have always taught that competition is healthy and we have always encouraged it as it is a product of democracy.
For all the goodness and decency that we in this country hold in high esteem, please recommend withholding the $1.3 billion from Mubarak until Dr. Nour is released from imprisonment without further harassment and terrorizing. Withholding the military aid is the only thing that Mubarak will understand as his "friendship" is shallow and based only on our funding of his folly. It does not take a rocket scientist to see through Mubarak.
Withholding the military aid from Mubarak will reinforce the United State's firm stand for freedom and democracy in that region of the world. Respect for us by the citizens in that region will rise because we will actually be doing what we speak. Additionally, we, the average citizens, really the backbone of the United States, who work very hard to pay our taxes so that there can even be such aid to Egypt, will no longer have the values we cherish compromised by our leaders and representatives. No longer will we be forced to support and be friends with the thugs and bullies within the community of nations. Disrespecting democracy and freedom is disrespecting all people who cherish and have made great sacrifices to uphold these highest of ideals.
If our nation continues to support Mubarak and his son, the foundation on which this nation was built, all the sacrifices made throughout our history to keep this land free will have all been done in vain. We cannot sell our souls to dance with the devil and then expect the angels to sing–we cannot have it both ways. The heart and soul of any nation are its people, not its leaders. When this nation liberated European nations during World War II, it was the people who greeted our soldiers, not their leaders. Let us dance with the good citizens of Egypt, so we may be greeted as friends by them.
Please do not forsake Ayman Nour and Gameela Ismail.
Thank you for your kind considerations.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara C. Eaton
/bce
Imprisoned opposition leader investigated for "insulting" president, denied right to disseminate written material, told by prison authority to cease criticisms
Egypt stops opposition leader Nour from writing, says wife(Reuters)
10 April 2006