A Response to Egyptian Criticism of American Race Relations
BY: Kristina Perry/Contributing Writer
This past week, Egyptian officials released a statement condemning recent police brutality in the United States, and called for an exposure of the hypocrisy of American stances on human rights violations. Egypt has frequently been a subject of criticism from the United States government and international community for their human and civil rights abuses, especially following the rise of military dictator, President Sisi.
Sisi personally oversaw the crushing of democratic protests in 2013 that killed over 1,000 and detained more than 10,000. In subsequent trials for protestors and activists that have resisted the military rule, Egyptian military-run courts have sentenced more than 200 people to death. Unfortunately, in their criticism aimed at the United States, Egyptian officials got several key details wrong.
As global outrage against the US mounts due to the killing of two black men by police last week, Egyptian lawmakers have decided to weigh into the issue condemning cops for “crushing peaceful protests.”
“I think that all Egyptian MPs and defenders of human rights should move to condemn the repeated brutal use of force against black Americans and expose the bloody face of the United States and its politicized use of the issue of human rights to extort other nations,” said MP Margaret Azer, deputy chairman of Egypt parliament’s human rights committee.
“The United States, which likes to give lectures on human rights to other nations and issue periodical reports on civil liberties in the world, was caught red handed violating human rights and crushing the peaceful protests of black Americans in the city of Dallas and other US cities.”
This statement is factually incorrect, as the Dallas protest was shut down by a tragic attack on police that killed five officers. Pictures from the attacks show protestors and police alike working together to protect one another, and before the shooting started, no conflict between police and protestors had been reported.
Independent MP Yosri al-Moghazi blasted America’s record on discrimination, police brutality and social inequality.
“Instead of reforming themselves, the Americans opted to put a cover on these ills and extort other nations on the issue of human rights,” he said.
Moghazi also called for a review of the recent incidents in America by the Egyptian parliament’s human rights committee.
This should be conducted in the same way “committees in the US congress not only issue periodical critical reports of the record of human rights in Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries.”
The United States issues several reports on a yearly basis regarding human trafficking, environmental damage, drugs, terrorism, and human rights violations as a means to monitor international issues, as well as to determine foreign aid packages. Countries that fail to meet minimum internationally agreed upon standards of behavior on key issues, such as trafficking, human rights abuses, and others, are subject to significant reductions in aid or even a severing of diplomatic relations with the US.
Egypt does not offer significant aid packages to the international community; neither does its military operate on a global scale. However, Egypt has operated significantly within its own borders to silence protestors and journalists with the very brutality it claims occurred during the Dallas protests.
In 2013, in a move to solidify power, President Sisi oversaw the army deploy methods such as tear gas, rubber bullets, and live rounds, being fired into crowds of protestors calling for democracy. Following his rise to power, oppositional parties have been criminalized, freedom of speech has been strongly curtailed, and thousands remain jailed and face a death sentence for challenging the military reign of the country.
The recent protests in the US led by the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement were described by MP Abdel Rehim Ali as the possible beginnings of an “American Spring” that could “expose the falseness of the white man’s democracy in America.”
The independent MP and journalist also took a shot at human rights watchdogs Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch for their “silence” after the incidents of violence against black US citizens by police.
“The fatal shootings of black Americans on American streets have erupted amid silence from radical liberal organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International,” said Ali, the New Arab reported.
“We know why they kept silent, because they get money from America.”
That is despite the fact that Amnesty International did issue a letter to Baton Rouge police, warning them to act within the confines of international law.
There have also been multiple travel warnings issued regarding the safety of black, African, and Muslim travelers heading to the United States.
While criticisms of police brutality and calls for accountability within the United States have their place, foreign officials that consistently utilize torture and human rights abuses as a means to control a state will never have the moral capability to criticize police and race relations in America.
Source: tasnimnews.com