Nubians protest Aswan violence at Journalists Syndicate

Nubian protesters declared they would boycott the upcoming presidential elections unless the government took action to stem the violence that has held Aswan hostage since Friday.

Dozens gathered at the Journalists Syndicate on Monday to decry the bloodshed, chanting against the Interior Ministry as well as the governor of Aswan.

A parallel protest was also held in Alexandria.

The protesters read out a list of six demands, such as sacking the interior minister and the governor as well as Aswan’s security director, his deputy and other security officials. The protesters also called for charges to be brought against the officials.

Other demands included obliging the justice minister to assign a judge from Cairo to begin an immediate investigation into the violence, confiscating weapons from those implicated in violent acts and creating a security cordon around the area until the conclusion of investigations.

“We will boycott the elections because of the blood of my brother, who died,” the protesters chanted, and “The Hilail are thugs,” while carrying signs that read, “He who started it is more unjust.”

Blood clashes between two tribes in Aswan, the Hilail and the Nubian Dabodeya, have continued to escalate over the past three days, leaving at least 25 dead.

While most protesters were Nubian residents of Cairo, some came from Aswan to participate.

Abdel Sattar Ezz Eddin, who made the long trip from Aswan to Cairo, highlighted the need to confiscate weapons from both sides, but still expressed reticence about laying down his own arms.

“I am willing to hand in my weapon,” he told Mada Masr, “but I won’t put down my weapon unless my opponent puts down his.”

Shaimaa Hassan, member of the Nubian Youth Coalition, raised questions about Nubians’ access to weapons.

“It is the first time for me to hear that Nubians carry weapons. Who brought them in? Where did they come from and why is the government silent?” she told Mada.

Hassan asserted that all Nubians were at risk of getting killed in the streets, and asked how the fighting had escalated beyond a conflict between the two tribes.

Abdel Moneim Bashir, secretary general of the Dabood Association in Cairo, also pointed to the easy access to arms as a main factor in the quick escalation of violence. He called on security forces to confiscate all unlicensed weapons in Aswan.

Both parties on Monday agreed to stop the fighting for at least three days, a move mediated by Aswan Governor Mostafa Yousri.

However, Ezz Eddin remained skeptical as to whether the peace would hold.

“Only God knows what will happen after those three days,” he said. “There are people who lost their wives and children and who can afford weapons, so there are no guarantees.”