NMSU Students Support Family Protesting In Egypt

A week after the first riots began, no sign of relief, only strengthening reform efforts. Some supporters, in our own backyard.

Soliman Oushy, a pre-med student at New Mexico State University, has extended family and friends in Egypt, thrust right in the middle of the paralyzing political unrest.

Soliman said, if he was not in school, he would be on the first flight out and be right there with them.

“There’s a lot more unity and people are actually proud of their country, which makes me proud to say, ‘I’m Egyptian, and I stand for my country,'” Soliman said.

Soliman said he understands the government’s iron fist that has silenced the country for nearly 30-years, under the rule of President Hosni Mubarak.

While the pictures are alarming, Soliman said, it is because the bigger picture is even more alarming – but feels mass rioting is the only opportunity Egyptians have to demand democracy and political rights.

“People see this as an opportunity to demand for their rights,” Soliman said. “I would really, really like to go and stand within the people and say, ‘I want my right.'”

Sarah Oushy, Soliman’s sister and also NMSU student, said she’s happy to see Egyptians promoting change on such a grand scale.

“I feel this is a great thing,” Sarah said. “I think this is the perfect time for this to happen. This is exactly what the people want so we just need to listen to them. I think people should just keep going; don’t stop it, keep calling for their rights.”

It is difficult to watch the waves of protests on television, like the rest of the world, instead of experiencing the proud moment first-hand, Soliman said.

While misconceptions are high, Soliman said, unless you have lived under Mubarak’s rule, it is hard to relate to the feeling of being afraid to stand up for freedom.

“There’s no other way, I really can’t think of any better way,” Soliman said. “The Egyptian people are not destroying their own country right now; we’re not that type of people, we don’t do that kind of stuff. We’re actually fighting against the people that are destroying our country.”

Soliman said his greatest fear is not having his friends and family rioting in the streets, but rather, how long they may be out there.

Nearly one million people are expected to march through Cairo and Alexandria Tuesday, the biggest protest to date.

Soliman said loved ones tell him protests will likely continue until Mubarak steps down from power.