Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debt

The Egyptian authorities have recently started a wide campaign of arrests of activists who actively oppose and resist a new agreement that will allow the handover of the Egyptian islands “Tiran and Sanafir” to Saudi Arabia.

Among the arrested people were members of the newly-founded party “Bread and Freedom” as well as leaders from other parties such as: the Movement for Dignity, the Popular Alliance, the Constitution Party, the Revolutionary Socialists, the Egyptian Social Democratic party, but also journalists in various regions of the country.

The police repressed the protests organized by the opposition parties against this agreement and used teargas to disperse the crowds. Opposition parties have called for citizens to massively demonstrate against the parliament’s decision in Cairo’s squares and in other regions around Egypt, which has led to the formation of a popular front to defend the land.

Egyptian Activists and organizations reject this shameful accord that contributes to providing further protection to the imperialist and Zionist interests, as well as further the stability of the reactionary oil Kingdoms that are fuelling counter-revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt and the rest of the countries in the region. They equally consider that the parliament vote on this agreement will not give it any legitimacy and will not make it an irreversible fact. On the contrary, it will open a new era of resistance and struggle for popular sovereignty.

Thus, in support of all forms of legitimate mobilization led by various militant organisations against the unlawful “Tiran and Sanafir Agreement”, we:

• Strongly condemn the arrests and assaults the Egyptian regime is perpetrating against a growing number of activists;
• Call for the immediate release of the arrested people and a halt on prosecution procedures;
• Call our partner organizations to join efforts in enlarging this solidarity campaign to regional and international scopes to support the activists against the repressive and brutal response the Egyptian authorities have adopted.

Signatories:

• ATTAC Maroc –member of the Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debt (CADTM)
• ISNED National campaign for the support of social movements – Tunisia
• Popular Committee for resisting Shale Gas – Algeria
• National Committee for the Defence of the Rights of the Unemployed- Algeria
• Algeria Solidarity Campaign – London
• Environmental Justice North Africa
• Tharwa Nfatma Nsoumer Association – Algeria
• Ligue of Leftist Workers – Tunisia
• Agro-ecology and Green Environment - Tunisia
• Mounadila Movement – Morocco
• Socialist Forum (Lebanon)
• Socialist Workers Party, Algeria
• Federation of Workers’ Councils and Unions in Iraq, Iraq