On Tuesday morning, August 25, 2015, a demolition force from Giza governorate combined by police forces and bulldozers demolished the poor shacks that located at Al Sudan Street and went into bloody clashes with the poor inhabitants who contested the demolition because most of the families did not get alternative housing from the governorate.

The governorate claimed that it allocated 75 flats for the families, however and according to the families; the total number of families is 300. In addition, the 75 flats are without water and electricity.

The police used sticks, tear gas, and rubber pullets against the inhabitants that led to the injury of tens of them. (See the attached photos).

Ironically enough, such procedures were arranged in cooperation between the Ministry of Interior Affairs and the new established ministry, which is the Ministry of Urban Development, a ministry which we, as activists in the field of housing rights, were looking at as a positive step towards solving the problem of informal areas in Egypt in a human rights base, especially that the Ministry is headed by Dr. Laila Iskander, who has served many years in the field of civil society!

Egyptian Center for Housing Rights' fact finding mission visited the area and met the people. After collecting information, the Center prepared a notification to submit it to the General persecution for investigation. A delegation from the inhabitants came to the office today signed the notification, and combined the Center's lawyers while they were submitting the notification to the GP's office. Furthermore, the Center issued a press release condemning forced eviction, using excessive force with the inhabitants, and demanding the rehabilitation of the people and open investigation on using excessive force.

It is quite hard that not only the government draws a negative image of the inhabitants, who live in informal areas, but also the mainstream society adopts such image calling them thugs and drug dealers and it is good to get ride to them.

It is worth to mention that 16 million of people live in informal areas in Egypt due to the biased housing policies of the consecutive governments, who have always neglected the poor people in the state's housing plans and concentrated on building luxury housing for rich people.

Before the Egyptian Uprising in 25 January 2011, we as housing rights activists have reached understanding on a number of principles related to the right to adequate housing with the former regime. Now, there is a derogation of such principles however, the right to adequate housing was adopted in the Egyptian Constitution for the first time in 2013!

The political circumstances are playing a very important role in housing rights derogation, as the main stream society is ready to accept human rights violations under the pretext of fighting terrorism and achieving peace and stability; anyone who would talk about human rights violations is considered to be a traitor. In addition, the government listens to nobody about its policies, and much worse, there is a step back even at the level of the judiciary system regarding human rights.

The Center will continue his efforts in working with the people by different approaches.

However, we, at Egyptian Center for Housing Rights are calling for your help by sending a protest letter to the following parties demanding them by fast rehabilitation of the inhabitants, investigating the truth about using excessive force against them, and stopping the policy of forced eviction.

Thank you in advance.

Sincerely,

Manal Tibe

Director of ECHR

Egyptian Center for Housing Rights

33 Kasr Al-Nile St., Ninth Floor

Cairo, Egypt.

Phone: + 202 23922194

Fax: + 202 23952952

Email: info@echronline.org

Website (under development): www.echronline.org