Swedish students in Egypt protest

Two Swedish students from Lund University are in the front line of the Cairo pro-democracy protests against the Mubarak government.

One of the students, Johnathan, is an archaeologist who travelled to Egypt on a project studying the Giza pyramids, the other, his friend Showan, travelled with him specifically to take part in the demonstrations. Their participation is also a protest against Swedish government arms sales to the country, they say.

See the latest pictures from Cairo here.

»We came to Cairo to support the demonstrations as soon as the protests broke out. Sweden is selling bullets to the Egyptian military, and I am here to protest against that,« one of the students, Showan, says to the University Post. He sleeps in the square.

Trouble with food supplies

»It has been difficult to reach the Tahrir Square, as we have suffered attacks from Mubarak supporters on our way here, but we have been here on the Square since Saturday morning,« he says.

»I have to do my study on Tuesday, so if I survive that long I will have to break off my revolutionary activities, but I want to be a part of it. It is shameful that everyone leaves and thinks about their own security. But everything is connected. Sweden sells ammunition to Mubarak«.

The contact to the two Swedish students was made by Saleh Fekry Mohammed, a Cairo university student, who has been giving the University Post updates from in and around the protests.

Saleh himself has been attempting to supply food to the protesters, who are encircled by the Egyptian military and outside this perimeter, marauding gangs of Mubarak supporters.

Warning from army friend

»The day before yesterday, we were taking food supplies in, with a taxi cab, when we were stopped by Mubarak supporters. We said we were doctors, but they did not believe us and took all our food,« says Saleh.

Rumours were rampant a few days ago, that the military would step in, and remove the demonstrators by force, he explains.

»An army friend of mine called me and told me to leave, as a warning. There were rumours everywhere, but people didn’t leave, people started to pray, but they didn’t leave,« he says.

See below youtube videos of the two Swedes posted by Saleh Fekry Mohammed.

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M71mn4ei7k&feature=related width:525 height:380 align:center]

And here:

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JWUIeca2ro&NR=1 width:525 height:380 align:center]

miy@adm.ku.dk

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