Hassan El Masry - Cairo
With eyes full of anxiety and fear, Abdul Wakil, a resident of Al Warraq Island, turns his gaze between the streets of the island, fearing that he will be deprived of looking at his home and the island where he was born.
And the leaves of the largest islands of the River Nile, an area of about 1400 acres (5.7 km 2), and the population of nearly two hundred thousand people, and follow the province of Giza, and 80% of its people live in houses not exceeding seventy square meters.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi promised to compensate the population following the failure of the campaign to oust him a year ago, but returned two days after the start of his second term in office at a meeting last year.
Abdul Wakil, who lives on the island since childhood, lives in a house he inherited from his father, and asserts that he has no intention of selling his land and home or even going to any other area.
"How can I give up my house in order to get an apartment, and how does my family live in one apartment?" He asked angrily. "Even if they offered 6,000 pounds per meter, I would not sell my land."
| A copy of the plan to convert Al-Warraq Island to a business center as published by the company's website " |
Quick steps
A few days ago, the Official Gazette published in its 47th edition (c) the decision of the Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli No. 49 of 2018 concerning the expropriation of land within 100 meters on both sides of the Road El-Farag (the axis) and the land within 30 meters, , In a new step towards a government project to exploit the territory of the island located within the River Nile.
The decree stipulates that "the land necessary for the implementation of the public utility project shall be seized by direct execution without waiting for the owners of the land to be identified. The Egyptian Survey Authority shall prepare them for compensation."
A number of the people of the island have filed lawsuits against the decision to withdraw their land on the pretext of public utility, and these cases are still before the courts of the Council of State, but the new decision did not wait to adjudicate cases and decided to remove land.
The Council of Ministers claims that there is a general plan and vision for the island to become a high-quality urban cluster, including the provision of various services to the people.
In the words of its spokesman, Adviser Nader Saad, the government put three options in front of the people of the island of Al-Warraq to leave them with the aim of working to develop them:
Resettlement in the island again after development and construction of suitable and decent housing that respects international standards.
The possibility of moving to one of the new cities in the city of 6 October or New Cairo or Badr City for those who wish.
To obtain a payment for the sale of his home or land, to buy himself in another area if he wishes to leave the island and does not want to move to one of the new cities implemented by the state.
| Residents of Al-Warraq Island fear government schemes to expel them forcibly from their lands and hand them over to investors and businessmen (Al-Jazeera) |
Parents' fears
The inhabitants of the island work in agriculture and fishing, one of the reasons that Abu Abdullah sees as the reason for the impossibility of abandoning the people from their land, which is one of the most fertile land and the most beautiful, especially as it directly overlooking the Nile, as well as their source of livelihood.
Although the residents refused to move to any other area, Abu Abdullah said, "the regime insists on expropriating land. This is what has already been done. The security services have demolished many houses while the case we filed against the demolition decision Repeatedly in the State Council. "
The security forces had tried in the summer to storm the island inhabited by tens of thousands of residents on the pretext of carrying out the removal of buildings, but failed because of the resistance of the people who said they are adhering to their property and do not accept attempts to forcibly evict them.
Clashes broke out between the security forces and the population, which resulted in the injury of both sides and the killing of the population. The angry residents stormed Al-Warraq hospital and took the body of the victim of the clashes and marched with chanting slogans against the government and the UAE.
Mr. Abu Mohammed fears that the operation will extend from the demolition of a number of houses to the evacuation of the island, as happened with the people of the Triangle Maspero who have been forcibly evicted from their homes, pointing out that they are affected by the recent decision on expropriation, and despite this will not go to any Place until die.
"Where will the population go in the face of rising prices in Egypt, and what will they do if they move out of their land?" He asks angrily.