Support Egyptian people power
As history unfolds in Egypt, I am in awe of the courage of ordinary citizens as they express their hopes for their country. The situation is very fluid, and it’s unclear if Egypt’s government will fall. Right now we’re working to avoid a more violent crackdown on protesters.
The United States has supported the current regime in Egypt with billions of dollars of aid, so Egyptian President Mubarak will listen to what the U.S. government says. Please write President Obama and your members of Congress and ask them to:
– Put sustained pressure on the Egyptian government for an immediate end to violent political repression, as well as torture and arrests of democracy activists.
– Push President Mubarak to allow free speech, and stop crack downs on access to the internet, media, and mobile phone communications
– Immediately end US military aid to Egypt, which pays for weapons that are being used against protesters, if the regime does not honor the basic rights of its citizens to protest and organize.
As protests began in Egypt earlier this week, the Obama administration kept its distance, reiterating Mubarak’s importance as an ally in the Middle East. In the last few hours, the President has begun making clearer statements in favor of democratic rights. But we can make sure Congress and the administration step up pressure on President Mubarak to support peaceful protests and free speech.
These brave women and men, many of them young people, are going up against a brutal regime and risking their safety and even their lives for a better life. They are fighting for the kinds of rights and economic security that many people in our country take for granted. As people living here in the US who care about what happens beyond our borders, you and I can play a supporting role at this historic moment. Please click here to take action.
To stay up to date on what’s happening, al Jazeera in English has had riveting live-streamed internet coverage. Check it out here. We’ve also got more resources posted here.
