The Climate Conference in Sinai must function as a platform to listen to the grievances of Sinai’s people
A recent press release for The Sinai Foundation for Human Rights demands that environmental activists, human rights activists, and independent organizations participating in the conference not be allured by the false allegation of the Egyptian regime regarding the human and civil rights situation in Egypt. The statement stressed using COP27 as a chance to shed light on the violations taking place a stone’s throw from their position in Sharm Elsheikh.
The Sinai Foundation for Human Rights highlighted the wretched living conditions of marginalized people who live in North Sinai and how they have officially and intentionally suffered from human rights abuses since 2013 in the name of counter-terrorism in North Sinai. The actions affect the environment, infrastructure, and rights of indigenous people. For a decade, the Egyptian regime committed many violations against those living there, starting by displacing tens of thousands of people of North Sinai and destroying farmland and infrastructure.
Ahmad Salem, the executive director of the Sinai Foundation for Human Rights, stated that environmental activists, human rights activists, and independent organizations participating in COP27 should raise concerns regarding the rights of indigenous people in North Sinai. Especially after the international bodies and human rights organizations declared that North Sinai is a non-international armed conflict territory, where laws of war apply.
As the living condition deteriorated severely in North Sinia, the Government eradicated any conventional forms of expression or views and peaceful assembly in the Sinai. It arrested anyone who dared to think of forming any civil initiative to involve the public in the decision-making process. As a result of suppressing peaceful actions, the influence of armed and extremist groups is growing in those areas.
This escalation made the humanitarian work inside North Sinia severely dangerous and jeopardized the life of people working on the ground with the human rights groups. The statement highlighted how the Egyptian Government worked relentlessly during the last months to enrol its pro-governmental organizations to attend COP27 while excluding all the NGOs that could criticize their policies or those not working according to the government agenda. The Egyptian regime even started to throw false statements regarding the right to protest during COP27 while restricting any independent or protest actions. For the complete report, click here https://sinaifhr.org/show/158
