A Statement

From The Committee of Solidarity with Egyptian Farmers – Egypt

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After the removal of Mubarak’s rule on February, 11^{th 2011, the people of Egypt continued their uprising to achieve their goals that they expressed during the 18 day protest.}

The Egyptian Revolution took place in many Egyptian cities, but major protests were centered in Cairo, Suez, Alexandria and El Mansouria. These cities represented the core of the uprising. Outside of the big cities, the strength of the revolution faded away gradually. The country side didn’t participate considerably in the revolution, especially in small villages and remote communities.

There was actually a need to include the country side in the uprising in order to reach the same level of strength witnessed in cities. Also the country side needed the practical, political and tactical support of those who started and managed the revolution, especially after some of those who didn’t even participate in the revolution started reaping its benefits in the country side.

The summary of this diagnosis is: The revolution started in the center and the margins had to support it at the same increasing level of strength and expertise.

The political forces that really believed in the goals of the revolution had to realize that the continuation and the success of the revolution will not take place without reviving the margins and protecting the center and that the death of revolution is when it is left alone –without political and practical support- facing the counter-revolution led by the forces of the former regime and the new anti-revolution forces.

In fact, the historical background of most of the political forces in Egypt prevents them from going in this direction (supporting the revolution). These forces have been copted by the former regime and their political activism was reduced to delivering speeches in conferences and participation in ceremonial carnivals . They have been disconnected from their organic ties with the struggles of the underprivileged, the oppressed and the unorganized masses.

The Committee of Solidarity with Egyptian Farmers has been aware of all of what has been stated above since the downfall of the regime’s head and its action isn’t limited to issuing this statement. The committee is taking action in the field in which it operates..

The committee has simplified its vision to many farmers, and it participated in what it called the second phase of the Egyptian revolution that started on the 14th of February 2011. This phase witnessed the retrieval of farmers’ land in many towns in Bahira Province. Subsequently, famers retrieved their land in Maamoura and also in Dahqiliya. Moreover, the committee participated in protests in Cairo that focused on specific demands of famers from a number of Egyptian provinces. Also it launched an initiative to remove the ban on growing rice in Fayyoum Province based on a court’s decision against the ban.

Finally, the Committee of Solidarity with Egyptian Farmers calls on all political forces- the ones concerned about maintaining the revolution and making sure that it achieves its goals- to immediately start working with famers and workers and the marginalized in the provinces in order to build a real defense line that protects the revolution and also to provide the center of the revolution with expertise, ideas and practical tactics to resolve the current impasse and keep the revolution safe from the counter-revolution forces.

Sunday, July 31st