Today is going to be the day that I’ve been dreading for quite sometime now. Today is the day I walk away from this blog. Done. Finished.
There are many reasons, each would take a post to list, and I just do not have the energy to list them. As anyone who has been reading this blog for the past month, I think it is apparent that things are not the same with me. There are reasons for that:
One of the chief reasons is the fact that there has been too much heat around me lately. I no longer believe that my anonymity is kept, especially with State Secuirty agents lurking around my street and asking questions about me since that day. I ignore that, the same way I ignored all the clicking noises that my phones started to exhibit all of a sudden, or the law suit filed by Judge Mourad on my friends, and instead grew bolder and more reckless at a time where everybody else started being more cautious. It took me a while to take note of the fear that has been gripping our little blogsphere and comprehend what it really means. The prospects for improvement, to put it slightly, look pretty grim. I was the model of caution, and believing in my invincipility by managing not to get arrested for the past 2 and a half years, I’ve grown reckless. Stupid Monkey. Stupid!
It’s pretty grim. Read for Sandmonkey’s analysis of what’s happening to the Egyptian blogosphere, the growing risks, the fact that there is no one of consequence to defend bloggers’ rights. Can’t say I blame him.
are you kidding? this is the only decent blog i have found to tell me- an egyptian in the diaspora- of what is going on in internally so that i can not only stay updated, but also make a difference with the knowledge you empower me with.
this just can’t be. if you really do quit this blog then all of the very freedoms and rights you discuss and inform us about will have just been words in cyberspace… nothing else.
oh dear… while it is sad to see sandmonkey go only for environment in which the author is leaving… i thought in my previous message that it was from the author of the arabist, in which case i would have really been upset as you see above.
please, don’t ever let this site shut down!
no no… after a second look i realized that it was not THIS blog which is leaving us…. thank God!! I meant it when i said this is truly the only great blog i have found to tell me, an eygptian living outside of egypt, what is happening in our country… thank you and please never let your blog disappear!
Good riddance to bad people.
Whether or not one agrees with Sandmonkey is immaterial in the larger picture this represents- which is State-sponsored harassment of people exercising freedom of speech/journalism in the blogosphere. Rice’s comment that Egypt represents the Arab world’s progression towards democracry grows ever more ludicrous in the light of this kind of thing.
My God, i thought that you Issander is the one who will leave his Blog. My feelings now are mixed up, kinda happy that it is not Arabist, also very depressed because there is a new victim for the State Security Democracy even if i disagree with sandmonkey sometimes.
thank god i am planning to be a psychiatrist, may be i can help myself in such future situations specially i am sure that the implementation of state security democracy will continue.
long life SSD
El-Houdaiby about Sandmonkey’s decision to stop blogging
Sandmonkey’s decision to stop blogging sends very serious signals about the political climate in Egypt, and the effect of the notorious constitutional amendments on the margins of freedom in the country.
The already-restricted margins of freedom are significantly eroding, and the blogosphere, the activists’ last resort, is now under attack. The past few months witnessed the imprisonment of Kareem Amer, the arrest of Abdel Moneim Mahmoud, investigations with Alaa Seif and others, and finally threats that forced Sandmonkey to quit blogging.
Freedom advocates and pro-reform groups are losing ground on daily basis. The regime’s capitalization on Western silence is turning Egypt into one large prison cell.
As an Islamist activist, I condemn this crackdown on Sandmonkey, Amer, Moneim, and all other bloggers and civil opposition activists. As a blogger, I feel insecure, and am particularly worried about the regime’s crackdown on tolerant members of all groups, who are coming closer together, defending each others’ right, and building a strong, broad, democratic alliance capable of facing the regime’s tyranny, corruption and authoritarianism.
I do not know what’s next. Phones are monitored, freedom of speech in newspapers is restricted, and blogger are intimidated. You are asking what leads to radicalism and terrorism? This is what leads to terrorism. I never find violence justifiable, but in a context where people are not allowed to think out loud, I could understand why some people resort to violence.
——————————————————————————–
Ibrahim El-Houdaiby, an advisor to the Muslim Brotherhood and board member website, http://www.ikhwanweb.com
Other Topics:
So long Sandmonkey
Arabist Blog
Shooting The Messenger
Elijah Zarwan, newstatesman.co.uk – Cairo, Egypt
Rantings of a Sandmonkey » Done
Sand Monkey Blog
Egyptian blogger offline after ‘harassment’
Courier Mail – Australia
Free Monem?
Abu Aardvark, Abuaardvark Blog, US
Egypt: Release Journalist Who Criticized Torture
Human Rights Watch, USA
Concerns Grow Over Bloggers Quitting Due To Govt Intimidation
Sandmonkey’s decision to stop blogging sends very serious signals about the political climate in Egypt, and the effect of the notorious constitutional amendments on the margins of freedom in the country.
The already-restricted margins of freedom are significantly eroding, and the blogosphere, the activists’ last resort, is now under attack. The past few months witnessed the imprisonment of Kareem Amer, the arrest of Abdel Moneim Mahmoud, investigations with Alaa Seif and others, and finally threats that forced Sandmonkey to quit blogging.
Freedom advocates and pro-reform groups are losing ground on daily basis. The regime’s capitalization on Western silence is turning Egypt into one large prison cell.
As an Islamist activist, I condemn this crackdown on Sandmonkey, Amer, Moneim, and all other bloggers and civil opposition activists. As a blogger, I feel insecure, and am particularly worried about the regime’s crackdown on tolerant members of all groups, who are coming closer together, defending each others’ right, and building a strong, broad, democratic alliance capable of facing the regime’s tyranny, corruption and authoritarianism.
I do not know what’s next. Phones are monitored, freedom of speech in newspapers is restricted, and blogger are intimidated. You are asking what leads to radicalism and terrorism? This is what leads to terrorism. I never find violence justifiable, but in a context where people are not allowed to think out loud, I could understand why some people resort to violence.
what a shame… it means there’s more room for outlets like this one to voice their xenophobic opinions without being countered.
I must say that I find some of the comments in this thread a bit bewildering, esp adieu. Am I reading things incorrectly? In any event, I just wanted to say from my vantage point in Morocco that I am so sorry at the lack of political space in Egypt that makes bloggers feel under threat. As you know, many bloggers from around the region are watching the Egyptian case with much sympathy and concern.