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Goodbye Mubarak: Egyptian-Armenians Talk
Emerging from the recent revolt that ended Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year dictatorship is a jolted Egypt at a crossroads. Amid uncertain times and powerful currents, the small Armenian community of Egypt stands to weather the winds of change. Mostly willing to adapt to whatever rolls its way, a mix of cynicism, skepticism and optimism pepper its discourse. The sea of people that overtook the streets chanting “Down with Mubarak!” voiced concerns afflicting Egyptians from all walks of life, includi
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” My personal military vehicle—the protector of our shop and defender of our civil liberties. Hallelujah! Who needs the police when we’ve got tanks ! ”
Like in Beirut ?
“ We have survived Nasser, and we will survive any kind of regime as long as our children and grandchildren remain Armenian, speak Armenian, and follow Christ wherever He takes them. ”
Yes, Inshallah.
Excellent story, Ms. Nanore, with your accustomed insights & inspirations re the powerful changes going forward all over this wonderful old wicked world, whatever our backgrounds or beliefs or needs or abilities may be.
Many thanks !
The Muslim Brotherhood only renounced violence in Egypt in order to survive. Their intent is to implement fundamentalist sharia law in Egypt which is already in effect outside the major cities. If you listen to the Copts and progressive Egyptians you would know this. The Egyptian revolution is just beginning and will only go in one direction: the Muslim Brotherhood will in effect take power and implement sharia law, then we will be singing a different tune.
Here’s a video to watch on the Muslim Brotherhood by progressive ex-Middle Eastern Muslims in Europe, especially the second half:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f1P-d3gFEk
Dear Nanor, thans for this informative article.
Dear Dr. Mazloumian, After all these years, it’s so nice to hear from you. I know you when as a child, I have attended your wedding and also from Ararad serah in Heliopolis. You are married to the prominent Mr. Levon Ohannesian’s daugher, and your sister-in law was Oriort Alice Markarian from Noubarian School and she was my neighbour in Heliopolis. I am so glad that you are in charge of Hai Tahd in Egypt and you are doing a great job. Dear Doctor, I hope your hopes and aspirations for both the newly formed Egyptian government and the people to make it a democratic state will come to fruition. I also wish that the Armenians as it was in the past would be able to take part within the newly elected government, that would be great.
Personally, as I grew up in Cairo, the Muslims were very kind people. Great neighbours, great friends and actually also very funny sort of people. I only carry with me wonderful memories of my childhood years in Cairo, Egypt. Yes, Armenians were mostly prominent in both Cairo and in Alexandria; but as a host country, the Egyptians were pretty good. Although most Armenians have emigrated when the government in the late 60’s and early 70’s started nationalizing the businesses at the time of Gamal Abd El Nasser’s presidency. One thing for sure; Armenians in Egypt have a much better chance of not assymilating than in Europe, in Australia or in the United States.
Pyramidians’ Fury at Hubris-Tyranny
So called a president
How long wants to silence
Poor …Hungry…Jobless Youths’!
He is so well-fed
That he can’t reach to
His peoples’ mouths and
Smell their breathe!
He has greedy crones
They spread roars to please him
Elevating to the sky
His old-gold-broken-chair.
After three decades of hubristy
Hence, advanced to tyranny…spreading germs
Multiplying..infecting…covering with lies
The eighty-million spirits of his populace.
Many workers travel far away
From their dancing Nile
To smell real bread
Sending to their beloved.
That piece of bread already exist
On the sands of the pyramids
There…where every tourist arrives
To pray…as if its theirs’ pilgrimage.
Jesus’s Bethlehem seems so far away
No one wants to wonder there…
To bear unjust bombs…checks…
Thus, westerners lost ‘Both Altars’
So…where they’ll hymn their prayers
I do wonder where?
In Delhi!…Damascus!…or Dakar!
Tomorrow’s twitter will fly to tell!
Sylva Portoian, MD
February 11, 2011
Dr. Armen Mazloumian sent the following comment to the Weekly:
“About the Muslim brotherhood coming to power, I would like to add the following comments:
1- Aside from the fact that today, the Muslim Brotherhood are the most organized but also suppressed opposition movement, it is worth noting that they represent at most 30 percent of the population. That means that during free elections, they can earn at most 20-25 percent of Parliamentary seats.
2- The current political situation suggests and even mandates that their leadership presents itself as a democratic Islamic movement that strives, like other forces, to establish rules and norms integral to the democratic game, through which they stand to gain much, despite the fact that in reality they have an appetite to take over the leadership.They need to have a face-lifting operation first of all. By no means anarchy or chaos is what they need today. They need democracy more than other powers on the political scene. They need time to establish themselves, first by founding legal political parties (which was not allowed for them for 30 years), and second experiencing democracy … May be not on religious grounds, which is refused by all other political parties.
3- Finally… Egypt is no Iran by all means…”
Thanks Admin and Doctor Mazloumian for the above news. I think this news gives us optimism and confident that the Muslim Brotherhood is most likely not to lead the country (with 20-25% Parliamentary seats). That’s why Dr. Mazloumian sounded optimistic for the possibility of the country’s governing party in his writings. Of course the democratic islamic movement is far more appealing to me and I hope they’ll win.
What a nicely written article! I taught at the international school in Maadi in the early 1980’s and have many fond memories of the Armenian community – especially in Heliopolis and Iskendraya (Alexandria). I wonder if Joe Papazian is related to the Papazians – they have (had?) a watch shop in Cairo. Sadly, we’ve lost touch.
I remember the Artinians (dentist) also from Alex, and a jovial brother (jeweler?)
and sister Ani, (a travel agent?).
What about the church in Cairo? Is it being protected?
Hopefully, Armenians will be able to live in Egypt with peace and dignity. Many have survived various obstacles and consider Egypt their home. My thoughts have been with them.
Hi Nancy.
I am sending you Ashod Papazian e-mail if you want to contact him.
he is nerso’s brother, and they still have the watch shop in el ataba.
ashod_papazian@hotmail.com
” My personal military vehicle—the protector of our shop and defender of our civil liberties. Hallelujah! Who needs the police when we’ve got tanks ! ”
Like in Beirut ?
“ We have survived Nasser, and we will survive any kind of regime as long as our children and grandchildren remain Armenian, speak Armenian, and follow Christ wherever He takes them. ”
Yes, Inshallah.
Im glad were proud of our personal military vehicles,can we concentrate on our national army instead and brag about that. also we have survived is questionable, have we really, our are children speaking Armenian, going to church. Inshallah——is that Armenian, or is that the language of your adopted country where you feel safe.
Lets get real Armenia is free, if we need to defend anything and have a real future we have to go there NOW, or soon well be defenseless everywhere.
Hello Nancy, I know the Papazian and the Artinian children from the Armenian School in Heliopolis. You know, the Armenian Church in Cairo, my mother used to say that it was made from the exact replica of Etchmiadzin Mother Church. It was a beautiful huge Church and I hope that it’s alright now. My own father’s business was in Kasr El Nil across the street from Cairo’s Radio Station. Yes you are right, the Armenian community in Heliopolis, Cairo and Alexandria were just wonderful. At Ararad serah in Heliopolis, we were like a big nice family. Truly I carry with me the best childhood memories from Egypt.
Hello, I would like to get in touch with Dr. Mazloumian. I am a friend of the family but I lost his email. Can somebody please give him the message? That would be so kind! Thank you so much! Best regards, Ann from Belgium.
A very well-written article about that era of Egyptian modern history. Am not Armenian myself, but also neither fully Egyptian. Away from Ethnicities here, because a good man is a good man wherever he goes. Everybody knows how deeply Armenians participated in Modern Egyptian Renaissance, and the cultural effect is indeed very deep. Your existence is enrichment to Egyptian society, which I believe is very mixed society unlike what they have been telling us. Thank you, and I hope one day, such effect played by Armenians before, to be played again, it is one land, and one species.