User:Ocaasi/Khaled Ali sources

President

 * rights lawyer. also Khaled Aly. platform of social justice. "as an independent young man who is sided with the poor against the military ruling" "I have no fear as long as I am backed by the poor and indigent who revolt for their freedom and dignity".  41 years old.  former head of the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR).  youngest candidate so far.  known for "filing and winning the court case that obliged the government to set a minimum wage compatible" with current cost of living.  has labor sector support. founding member of the Front for Defending Egypt's Protesters (started in 2008). founing member of Hisham Mubarak Law Center.  says he doesn't speak for the revolution, which can't be represented by any one person.  pending collection of 30,000 signatures, required for running.  late entry to the race.  critics thing his chance of winning is low, concerned he could split the vote or political efforts in a way that would sway the election towards representatives of the prior regime.  views: focus on relationshipo with Iran and Turkey to strengthen regional economy apart from American involvement; wants public sector to regain its status and social importance by "providing affordable goods and proper employment policies"; not against the private sector, so long as it doesn't violate labor laws" The worker will not have to visit his employer every day to kiss his hand to get consent.  Only law would regulate the relatinoshipo between employees and their employers.  won court verdicts ordering the renationalization of privatized companies, citing their corruption.  against efforts of military leaders to politicize police or army.  says army should hand over economic institutions to the public sector and let unemployed work rather than conscripts. “I know that they will try to defame me, but even if they killed me or imprisoned me … you are the ones who will [continue] calling for your rights,” he said. collect the 30,000 signatures from citizens of at least 15 governorates as required. Registration for candidacy is to open on March 10 and end on April 8, but the elections date is yet to be set. "They (former regime) normalized relations with Israel. But we will not lose Iran as an economic partner," he said."Stop the use of police and army in media and politics." http://thedailynewsegypt.com/egypt/youngest-presidential-hopeful-promises-to-achieve


 * against the rule of the military council. response to labor, student and political powers.  wants to achieve the revolution's goals of providing freedom and a better life for every Egyptian. "I know what may happen to me and I am not afraid as long as I have all the simple people, all of Egypt's workers, famers and fisherman who believe in justice, freedom and dignity".  doesn't belong to a party and never did. http://allafrica.com/stories/201202280266.html


 * declared his candidacy at 40, before which he wasn't old enough to run for president. lawyer and labor activist. "My entire platform is built on the basis of social justice". led prosectution of government corruption during Mubarak's rule, suing governernment officials for illegally selling public land and public sector factories.  in some of his cases, rulings resulted in the return of large companies to the public.  influential in a 2001 ruling to give professional and worker syndicates more freedoms. platform: regional economic strength, protecting natural resources and mineral wealth, undoing prior corrupt deals, rehabilitating farmland, and fixing unemployment and worker's rights.  came from a modest rural family in the Daqahlia Governate and worked on a small legal NGO. http://www.worldcrunch.com/late-entry-anti-corruption-crusader-leaps-egypt-s-presidential-race/4770


 * wants to delay drafting the constitution until military rulers hand over power to civilians. "It is not reasonable to hold presidential elections while drafting the constitution at the same time". criticized transitional phase as targeting youth and revolutionaries. "let the wheel of production stop until it turns with justice...under Mubarak, the wheel increased poverty of the poor while increasing the wealth of the rich".  stated social justice was more important to him than winning the election.  http://allafrica.com/stories/201203020813.html


 * "legendary anti-corruption crusader" http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2011/1071/ec1.htm


 * "In 2010, Ali won a landmark ruling whereby the courts mandated a 1200 Egyptian pounds per month as a minimum wage for all workers.In the aftermath of the January 25 revolution, Ali continued to represent protesters accused of wrongdoing by the state as well as families of martyrs.Again, in 2011, Ali secured another major legal victory for public sector workers who lost jobs to privatisation schemes during the Mubarak-era when he convinced courts to re-nationalise three major companies that were previously sold to private investors. In 2010, Ali won a landmark ruling whereby the courts mandated a 1200 Egyptian pounds per month as a minimum wage for all workers.In the aftermath of the January 25 revolution, Ali continued to represent protesters accused of wrongdoing by the state as well as families of martyrs.Again, in 2011, Ali secured another major legal victory for public sector workers who lost jobs to privatisation schemes during the Mubarak-era when he convinced courts to re-nationalise three major companies that were previously sold to private investors." http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/35418/Egypt/Politics-/Youngest-candidate-enters-Egypt-presidential-race.aspx


 * Earlier this week, Khaled Ali, an anti-corruption crusader, launched his presidential bid, dubbing himself the “candidate of the poor”. http://gulfnews.com/news/region/egypt/line-of-candidates-for-egypt-s-top-job-grows-longer-1.98


 * "Many of his supporters are students and activists who were on the front lines of the popular uprising a year ago that forced out the last Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak. Ali says whoever is elected must be more accountable to Egyptians than Mubarak, who spent nearly 30 years in that post. Ali vows that if he's elected, he'll empower impoverished Egyptians and defy the ruling generals and other Mubarak allies still wielding power in the country." http://www.scpr.org/news/2012/02/28/31431/egyptians-prepare-for-wide-open-presidential-poll/


 * ""We will fulfill our dream" is the campaign slogan of Egypt's youngest presidential candidate". enjoys a wide popularity among labor and student movements for his constant strive for social justice. graduated in 1005. known for his protest activism and calls for radical reform.  emphasizes importance of education as primary tool to free nation from povery.  reviving the public sector "with or without U.S. consent".  warned of propaganda and state-media manipulation surrounding the election. "We must stand in solidarity with Syria, but meanwhile, we must also support the Palestinian struggle against the Zionist occupation; we must collaborate with the Palestinian resistance and lift the blockade on Gaza", Ali said. http://allafrica.com/stories/201202280726.html


 * unveils first plank of political programme at well-attended press conference at Egypt's press syndicate. Along with Ali, seven other would-be candidates have announced their intention to run in Egypt's first post-Mubarak presidential contest. "Khaled Ali will rise, rise against capitalism," attendees chant upon Ali’s arrival. "Who is Khaled Ali? He's the farmers' favourite." "Am I the candidate of the revolution? Am I the candidate of the young? No! I'm only one voice of many,” Ali declared from the podium. He went on to note how certain politicians and media figures had exploited Egypt's Tahrir Square revolution for their own short-term advantage. He stressed that his primary focus as president would be on the renationalisation of Egyptian state assets. He went on to stress, however, that he was not opposed to the principle of private property, without which "no society can properly develop." But he did issue calls for a mixed economy in which the public, private and cooperative sectors can all work in partnership so as to prevent price fixing and other monopolistic practices. Ali also pointed to the economic wealth accumulated by Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), emphasising the need to renationalise factories and other assets currently owned by the Egyptian Armed Forces. “It is precisely this plethora of institutions they own that prevents them from properly carrying out their mandate," Ali asserted.He went on to say that foreign companies had exploited some 120 of Egypt's lucrative gold mines, stressing that a clear plan was needed to determine how such national mineral wealth would be used developed in the coming period." Against support of Syria and against blockate of Gaza strip. http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/35626/Egypt/Politics-/Egypts-youngest-presidentia


 * Activist Khaled Ali said on his Twitter account Monday that he will hold a conference at the Journalists Syndicate on Monday at 6 pm to announce he is running for president. He was born in Daqahlia and received his degree from Zagazig University’s law school. He received the Egyptian Fighter Against Corruption award in 2011 from the Egyptians Against Corruption movement. http://www.egyptindependent.com/node/683076


 * presidential slogan. "we will realize our dreams". recently turned 41-years-old, reaching the legal age stipulated by law, which makes him eligible for presidential race, will become the youngest candidate. founder of the “the coordinating committee for the defense of the rights and freedoms of association,” and the president of the defense team for insurance and pension funds.He was also one of the defense team that successfully managed to halt the privatization of the General Authority for Health Insurance.http://bikyamasr.com/59529/labor-lawyer-activist-becomes-egypts-youngest-candidate/


 * “My entire platform is built on the basis of social justice,” said Ali. social justice is that his program is a leading policy and guiding principle, “not just decoration,” he said. Most notably, Ali was able to get verdicts on cases that returned some large companies to the public, such as mega-retailer Omar Effendi, the Nile Cotton Weaving Company and many other factories. He was also a driving force behind a 2001 ruling to grant professionals’ and workers’ syndicates more freedoms, as well as a 2010 decision to increase the national minimum wage. His campaign announced that a final, full platform would be released at the end of March, while releasing working papers on each individual point in the platform at five to 10 day intervals in the meantime. In his speech, Ali maintained his anti-military rule rhetoric, saying that it is in the military’s best interest to not sour its relationship with civilians as the police have already done. He was also critical of the military’s ownership of industry and manufacturing facilities. The announcement came exactly a day after Ali’s 40th birthday. http://www.egyptindependent.com/node/684631


 * Elections are slated for May 23 and 24. Ali is not known to the majority of Egyptians. And for the few who know him, his decision to run is often met with surprise. His profile doesn’t beat those of star contestants in the presidential race, Many of Ali’s supporters see him as the man to fill the gap of Mohamed ElBaradei, former head of the UN nuclear watchdog who arrived in Cairo in 2009 with an undefined yet hopeful call for change. “The people want a president from Tahrir,” chant Ali’s supporters resolutely on Monday evening.“I can’t deny I was scared [of running for president] at the beginning,” Ali says, addressing them. “I am a candidate from one of Egypt’s villages,” he adds before quickly being interrupted by the crowd.The crowd then chants, “A humble farmer, a president from Tahrir.” “Yet I decided to pursue the race as a young man, inclined to support the poor, against military rule and with the rights of our martyrs. I am not afraid, so long as I have the support of all those who dream of freedom, justice, and dignity,” But while he says he is not afraid, many remain cynical of his candidacy. “The democratic and revolutionary movement has hit an impasse after ElBaradei’s withdrawal and it’s an important and active movement,” says Samer Soliman, professor of political science at the American University in Cairo, adding, “I am not sure Khaled [Ali] will play this role. The presidential candidate has a certain profile that needs to be kept in mind, such as going through an electoral race like that of the parliamentary elections.” Ali’s program, instead, deploys this kind of language: “Organizing the authority of social justice in the Egyptian revolution” and “redrawing the relation between the private, public, and cooperative sectors of the economy.”While many, even in the revolutionary bloc, remain cynical of Ali’s candidacy. http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/meet-khaled-ali-president-against-odds


 * “Khaled Ali is the candidate who would be able to bring the more radical calls for reform into action,” said Gamal Eid, another prominent leftist lawyer and the director of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information. Ali’s program may focus on certain points, such as dropping Egypt’s foreign debts, social equality, legally restoring public property that was corruptly sold off during Mubarak’s regime, and taking a more steadfast opposition to the Israeli occupation, according to Eid.Eid, who is working on the campaign, said that a group of activists and labor workers have already began campaigning for Ali, who will officially announce his candidacy at the Journalist’s Syndicate on 27 February. On 26 February, he turns 40, the minimum age for candidacy.But no party has yet endorsed Ali, and his lack of experience as a politician worries some. Eid believes that his experience in court and popularity among laborers and activists is a good starting point.Socialist Popular Alliance Party and Egyptian Socialists members told Egypt Independent that backing Ali’s candidacy is being seriously considered in their meetings.“Up until now, the situation is unclear. Khaled may be our choice. Some are proposing a potential partnership between Khaled Ali and Abouel Fotouh [where Ali can run as his deputy],” Farouk said. “Khaled Ali is a real candidate, and we are not in the elections only to raise certain issues,” Eid said. http://news.egypt.com/english/permalink/86489.html

History

 * Workers, activists demand national minimum wage (2/05/2010) "The government represents the marraige between authority and money--and this marriage needs to be broken up" "We call for the resignation of Ahmad Nazif's government because it only works for businessmen and ignores social justice. We call for a minimum wage and a maximum wage, as well as the connection of wages to prices.  We also call for annual wage increases in line with inflatino rates.  We are against the privatization of the health insurance sector and call for the fixing of all temporary labor contracts." http://www.egyptindependent.com/node/38584


 * Labour unrest in Egypt on privatisation moves. May 23, 2007: large strikes and occupying factories, "Taboos were broken during the past few years of political ferment, and workers grew less afraid" http://www.financialexpress.com/news/labour-unrest-in-egypt-on-privatisation-moves/199845/0


 * Labor activists give gov't a month to implement minimum wage ruling. 05 Apr 2010. Around 300 workers gathered outside the cabinet office on Saturday where they protested against government privatization policies and condemned the Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF). During the demonstration, ECESR director Khaled Ali and others left a copy of the court order at the cabinet's office, before emerging to announce that the government has one month to implement the order."We'll give them a month. If after a month the verdict hasn't been applied in a manner acceptable to workers, all the workers forces taking part in this protest will stage repeated protests until it is implemented," http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20100406035729?


 * General strike did not aim to harm the economy, says expert. April 6, 2008.   "The point of the strike was not to harm the economy.  The point was to make a strong statement and to take a stand." http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/general-strike-did-not-aim-to-harm-the-economy-says-expert.html


 * Pending legality: The growing politicization of Egypt''s labor. 04 - 10 - 2009. Disillusioned with the 52-year-old, state-controlled Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF) and facing unemployment due to the government's privatization plans and the global economic crisis, calls for establishing independent trade unions to defend workers' rights are finding even greater resonance. Following the December 2008 founding of the General Union of Real Estate Tax Authority Employees (RETA), several industrial and service sectors' workers and employees have voiced similar intentions. “The RETA set the example for other workers and civil servants to follow. It's indeed the single most important independent political project in 2009," said Khaled Ali. “Workers are extremely suspicious of political parties trying to take advantage of their own causes, so they always strive to deliberately distance themselves from them," said Khaled Ali. “There is also a tactical dimension to trying to avoid the wrath of the government and its security apparatus." http://www.masress.com/en/almasryalyoumen/25348

2011 revolution

 * 1/05/2011 labor movement distanced itself from political parties, Ali supports that. noted Muslim Brotherhood controls professional syndicates. "“However, there needs to be a link between the workers’ discourse and that of political groups,” Ali adds. “For years, labor constituted the social heart of the progressive political movement, which in turn served as the political brain for labor. That was important for the labor movement to articulate its discourse and negotiate its demands.”" http://www.egyptindependent.com/node/419155


 * Egyptian Uprising Fueled by Striking Workers Across Nation FEBRUARY 18, 2011. "Strikes across Egypt did not stop after Mubarak’s resignation. On the contrary, the strikes escalated, and new sectors began participating in the strikes, including the police force and bank workers, who protested wage disparities and corruption." "But the success of the revolution for the workers is not simply the departure of key officials from the old regime. Its success means an improvement in their living standards, the existence of social justice and guaranteed steps that their lives will get better in the future. That's why worker protests across different sectors are calling for a removal of corrupt officials in these institutions and companies. And they see the presence of these officials as a continuation of the old regime. The workers’ actions right now are the best means of preserving the gains of the revolution." "You can’t deny the role of middle-class youth in the revolution, and you can’t deny that youth are the ones who sparked this revolution. But there’s a big difference between those who sparked the revolution and those who continued on with the revolution and are still continuing on until all its demands are met. There is no revolution in the world that doesn’t take place without reasons. And we had many reasons — economic and political and social — which pushed people to take to the streets and remain steadfast for 18 days. I agree that youth played an important role, and I say that this revolution represented the desires of all the Egyptian people across different classes." "But the workers were part of this revolution, as well. The workers have successfully launched and sustained the largest wave of labor mobilizations this county has seen, from 2004 until 2011. The workers are the ones who brought down the structures of this regime in the past years. They are the ones that have been fighting for independent organizing on the ground, and they’re the ones who created Egypt’s first de facto independent trade union. And they insisted on the right to have pluralistic trade unions, not just unions that are stacked with government supporters. They’re the ones who brought their grievances to the streets. Last spring, workers were protesting in large numbers in front of the upper and lower houses of the Egyptian parliament, bringing their grievances to the streets. Workers laid the ground for the emergence of this revolution, and I believe that any analysis which says otherwise is superficial." "We are in the process of collecting documents about the numbers of people who died and who are injured. Among them — among the questions that we’re asking people is, "Where did the deceased live? Was he a worker, or was he unemployed? And do they work on a temporary basis? Are they government employees? Are they permanent workers? How much was their salary?" Until now, most of the cases we have encountered are cases of people who were poor and lived in poor neighborhoods. They’re the ones who came out and joined these street battles during the revolution. They’re the ones who are not afraid of being shot. They’re the ones who are killed. These people gave their lives without ever claiming that they were the owners of this revolution. We need real documentation to know how this revolution truly succeeded." http://www.democracynow.org/seo/2011/2/18/egyptian_uprising_fueled_by_striking_workers


 * "Egypt’s best-known counselor and defender of independent unions and worker protests." http://www.counterpunch.org/2011/02/21/the-unfinished-revolution/


 * 3 February 2011. Crackdown by Egyptian security forces condemned. Was among about 30 detained during a raid by security forces on the Hisham Mubarak Law Centre (HMLC) in Cairo earlier today. They also include human rights activist Ahmed Seif Al Islam and Khaled Ali, director of the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR). http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/crackdown-egyptian-security-forces-condemned-2011-02-03


 * October 11, 2011New evidence emerged Tuesday night confirming reports that Egyptian soldiers drove over protesters with armored vehicles and fired live ammunition into a crowd of unarmed Coptic Christians in Cairo on Sunday night. The demonstrators were protesting about a recent attack on a church in southern Egypt.Khaled Ali, a human rights advocate working with the families of 17 of those who were killed, said in a television interview on Tuesday night that autopsies found that 7 died of gunshot wounds and 10 were crushed to death by vehicles." http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/12/world/middleeast/egypts-finance-minister-resigns.html


 * CAIRO: The Administrative Court began on Tuesday hearing the trials of two lawsuits filed by workers and labor activists, one demanding the disbandment of the official Egyptian Trade Unions Federation (ETUF) and the other cancelling Law 34/2011 criminalizing some protests and strikes. The court also listened to Khaled Ali, head of the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR), who demanded the cancellation of Law 34/2011 issued by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) and Cabinet, criminalizing some protests and strike. "Protests and strikes have always been workers' only weapon … since they have no ability to negotiate with the government — depriving them of this right is depriving them from voicing their suffering," he said. "The law was billed as the ‘freedom of work and preventing sabotage’ law, while it is actually meant to prevent workers and poor people from protesting," Ali said. http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/human-a-civil-rights/workers-take-demands-against-etuf-anti-protest-law-to-court.html


 * Two lawyers, Khaled Ali and Taher Abul Nasr, brought a case before Egypt's Court of Administrative Justice on behalf of a former military detainee, Rasha Azab, challenging the military's administrative decision to try civilians before military courts. The court held the first session in the case on April 19 and adjourned the case until May 10. If the court decides it is competent to rule on this issue, this would be the first step toward the judiciary reasserting control over the administration of criminal justice, Human Rights Watch said. Thus far, civilian judicial bodies have had little say over military abuses, and the Public Prosecutor has referred torture complaints against the military to military prosecutors. http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/04/29/egypt-military-trials-usurp-justice-system


 * Thirty-six NGOs condemn the campaign waged by the authorities against civil society organisations. 25 August 2011. In a press conference sponsored by 36 Egyptian human rights organizations this morning at the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), the NGOs announced their condemnation of the fierce campaign waged by the government and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) on civil society organizations and human rights groups. Khaled Ali, director of the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights, stressed that the defamation campaign aims to silence civil society organizations in the lead up to SCAF's seizing of power, stating his refusal of attempts made at monopolizing patriotism and defaming civil society actors who stood against Mubarak and his policies of privatization of state institutions, as well as against military trials of civilians out of the belief that their primary mission is to protect the Egyptian people.  Khaled Ali pointed out that the Ministry of Solidarity has no stance regarding the funding of such organizations, as the ministry does not take a decision on this matter before consulting with State Security authorities. He added that the problem for the government and the military council lies not in the funding, but rather in the outcome of it, namely constant criticism of the policies adopted and human rights violations committed by both the Cabinet and SCAF. http://www.ifex.org/egypt/2011/08/25/ngo_complaint/