It is really sad that a
writer deliberately revives the collective memory of the society and state
institutions of an essential axiom. As ignoring factual matters like this is a
sign of the grave danger the whole country is facing… and here I am, feeling totally
sad, while writing about the city-governorate that represented our national
pride and was an example of sacrifice and resistance… it is Suez… the city that
once you arrive at it through a straight-forward distinguished road extending
from Cairo, you find another awful thing standing before you. We cannot
describe what happened to this city but with ingratitude and denial of all that
represents high values in our life. It is as if all eras of politics
deterioration and mean Infitah have taken control of the nations’
conscience and took it down to the lowest point of degradation.
Suez… the city that was
and still is a distinctive mark in the world’s history and the history of our
region in specific. We say pre-Suez and post-Suez when we talk about the
history of international relations, old colonization, rise of international
liberation movements and nations’ will to free themselves from occupation and
tyranny that ruled them for long times.
Suez… the setting point
of Muslim pilgrims to Mecca and Medina for long times… harbor of maritime trade,
overland convoys and centre of many economic activities. Above all this, it is
the city of people who defend their country against any invader no matter how
strong it is.
If it was not for those honest
resisting fighters; those who resisted and fought using arms, words and music
in Egypt’s wars since 1956 to 1973, our beloved Egypt would not have been proud
of what it have accomplished in defeating the tripartite invasion or reversing
the defeat of 1967 and getting ready for the militant and resisting actions
before and during the War of Attrition until the 1973 victory was achieved. It was
Suez that fought out bravely during all those battles.
After all what we said
about Suez – which is nothing compared to what can be said about the model of
Suez – is it acceptable that some say it is a city or governorate despised by
presidents and consequently by state institutions; such institutions sometimes headed
by inefficient employees who cannot differentiate between satisfying their
superiors and doing their national duty?
Is it acceptable to keep
appointing governors for Suez who do not know the difference between managing a
company and heading a strategic governorate like Suez; this patriotic city long-known
in the history of resisting invasion and occupation?
Is it acceptable that cumbersome
bureaucracy damages the long-in-history national heritage of this city? If you
go there now, you will find that the historical buildings have turned into ruins
with ripped-off wooden-pane windows, dilapidated walls and tons of rubbish
piling before them. The neighborhoods in the heart of Suez have lost their main
features under crowding, poor planning and absence of any plans of development
that put into consideration preserving the civilization aspects and cultural
features of the city. They even refuse to resort to experts of the Suez people;
those who hold the highest scientific degrees and enjoy valuable experiences
and broad deep culture.
Is it acceptable that a
figure like Captain Ghazali gets sick and old and finds no state or governorate
institution to take proper care of him while he was and will always be a symbol
for the brave resisting popular action?
Suez has never been the
poor-in-resources city. It contains petrol, oil refineries, quarries and
fisheries. Before and after this, it has the humans that long resisted very
difficult natural circumstances throughout history. For those who do not know
this, please read what al-Maqdisi wrote in his book titled “The Best Divisions in the Knowledge of the
Regions”.
A promising future is
supposed to await all Canal governorates; Suez, Ismailia, Port-Said and the
rest of the Suez Gulf area extending southward to the last point of borders over
the Red Sea. We have to really ask about the present and future of Suez; city
and governorate. Will it always be unreasonably and unjustifiably a prey for those
inefficient employees? Even if some of those in charge said that all we
mentioned and said above is nothing but illusions, reality, clearly, says
something else. Reality affirms that negligence, piling of problems,
indifference and absence of strategic plans of sustainable development, preserving
historical features and maintaining people’s dignity, can result in something bigger
than anger.
I called on the president
before regarding construction licenses in Tanta and the issue was gladly resolved.
Now I call upon him to tackle the matter of Suez; city and governorate, so that
hope can prevail in the life of its sons; those who sacrificed blood and souls
in epics documented in poems and songs. The president can just ask to listen to
the immortal lyrics and haunting melody of the “Suez houses” song… the song
says: “Oh, you houses of Suez… houses of my city; Suez… I shall die and you
shall survive”.
Translated into English by: Dalia Elnaggar
Translated into English by: Dalia Elnaggar
This
article was published in Al Ahram newspaper in January 26, 2017.
To
see the original article, go to:
#alahram
#ahmed_elgammal #Suez #Egypt
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