“AUCians Against Coup” Voice Their Opposition on Facebook

 

By: Norhan Ibrahim El Araby

 

Many members of the AUC community, with different political affiliations joined a Facebook page this semester named “AUCians Against Coup,” criticizing what they describe as a “military coup” in Egypt.

 

According to the page’s anonymous administrator who identifies himself as an AUC student, the page was created to voice views of members of the AUC community who are against the June 30 events that led to the removal of former President Mohamed Morsi.

 

“Facing repression and injustice is a consensus. We believe in this page that the Armed Forces practice [those measures] against the Egyptians,” said the admin, adding that the group’s activity is legal and they are free to express their views.

 

Admins of the group refused to provide the Caravan with further information, such as their names, expectations about the page, whether the page belongs to any political entity, and if they would host any events or protests.

 

Ahmed Ibrahim Omar, an electronics-engineering graduate who is a member of the page and of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), said that he thinks the message behind the page is to let people know that AUCians share the opinions of many other Egyptian students who are against the removal of Morsi.

 

Omar said that what happened on July 3 was a military coup that humiliated people’s will and their hope for a free democratic country.

 

He added that he joined the page in hopes that the latter message would be delivered to the AUC community.

 

Mariam Hazem, an architecture major who is not a member of the MB, said the page represents people from different factions of society; not just the Brotherhood or even Islamic factions. She added that she joined the initiative because she fits into its community.

 

Hazem added that the page might show people that many others share their views.

She said that the page also clarifies that there are Egyptians who have opposing views and are, in fact, against the military-backed government.

 

“I’m anti-coup and I was overwhelmed by the fact that there’s something that AUCians are doing [contrary] to the norm [on campus],” said Nada Swilam, a business senior and a member of “AUCians Against Coup.”

 

“I joined the page to support fellow anti-coup AUCians and help make our voice louder,” said Mohamed Afifi, a construction engineering graduate who is a member of the page and MB.

 

Like Omar, Afifi thinks the page’s main objective is to show that all sectors of society refuse the “coup” that took place and all its subsequent “massacres.” He joined all the marches since the dispersal of the Rab’aa sit-in.

 

On Aug. 14, police dispersed pro-Morsi and anti-coup sit-ins in Rab’aa and Al-Nahda squares, killing hundreds in what was described by Human Rights Watch as “the most serious incident of mass unlawful killings in modern Egyptian history.”

 

Egyptians took to the streets on June 30 to protest against former President Mohamed Morsi. Egyptian Army Chief and Defense Minister, General Abdelfattah Al-Sisi, removed Morsi from power after four days of nation-wide protests against Morsi and his regime.

 

Nouran Omar, an integrated marketing and communications senior, said, “I think June 30 was the first time the majority of Egyptians from different social classes, backgrounds and ethnicities came together to change what they saw as a flaw in our government; this is not a military coup.”

 

Omar added that although she is against describing Morsi’s removal as a military coup, Egyptians should not demonize Morsi and MB supporters.

 

“I was part of the June 30 demonstrations and I am still proud,” said Reem Deif, a psychology junior, adding that she is against the page’s idea.

 

She said that after going through the page, she did not like the posts because participants tended to link verses from the Qur’an with political issues. “I think this is so absurd,” added Deif.

 

Afifi said the page should unite with pages from other universities to create a stronger front that refuses the “coup.” “I hope at least to have a movement to show some solidarity with AUC Martyr Ahmed Sonbol, who was killed during the massacre of Rab’aa,” he added.