Vol. 75/No. 19 May 16, 2011
Letter from Egypt
Thank you so much for sending me the article about the textile workers in Mahalla! [See May 2 Militant]. They’re going to like it and appreciate it. I am happy American workers are also interested in this.
I need to tell you something, though. The distinction between the army and the police is very important here. The article says of Kamal Fayoumy that “In 2008, like many other leaders of the textile workers, he was imprisoned by the military in an attempt by the government to turn back the workers’ protests.”
It wasn’t the military, it was a specific division of the police, belonging to the ministry of interior, usually referred to vaguely as government security forces or the Central Security Forces. They are a paramilitary division that the regime typically relied on for crackdowns and the like.
You have to keep in mind that the military was completely isolated at this point, at least physically. They did not come onto the scene except in the later stage of the January 25 uprising.
Alaa Murad
Cairo, Egypt
Great to know I’m still alive
I’m an inmate at a federal correctional facility. I was curious as to whether or not the Militant has donation subscriptions that I would be able to receive. I would happily share the papers with fellow inmates. We only get paid 17 cents an hour here. I have a little over 20 years left of my sentence to serve. It’s a great feeling to know that I’m still alive on the other side of these fences.
A prisoner
Florida
In reply—We are starting your subscription with this issue. Complimentary and reduced-rate subscriptions are available to prisoners thanks to donations to the Militant Prisoners’ Fund. We encourage workers behind bars to subscribe as part of staying alive politically in face of the dehumanizing abuse they receive from the capitalist justice system. We urge other readers to send subscriptions to friends or relatives behind bars. To contribute to the fund, see box below—Editor
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