Youth Spotlight

Interview with Esraa Ahmed Rashid

1. In April and May 2008, your name was everywhere in international media. Did you expect that
your Facebook group and its activities would draw such huge international attention?

Actually, when I first created my Facebook group named (6 April – General strike for Egyptian People) I didn’t expect any draw from the media, but after some time, when I found the increase of its members and the effective participation on its wall and discussion board, I received a lot of calls from media representatives, so I feel that group will have a great effect on Egyptians life in this period.
 
2. What went through your mind when you were organizing a demonstration through a Facebook group and waiting for people to actually show up at the demonstration?

If the Egyptians will actually participate in this strike or not, and if the issue of sharp rising prices is enough to make Egyptians participate. I wondered if Egyptian people can unite in one voice concerning a single issue. Can Egyptian people create pressure on the government to force it to cancel or modify its decision according to the Egyptian desire and will?

3. How did you get involved in democracy activism? Can you also explain how you and your friends and colleagues begun using Facebook for political activities?

I am a member of the Elghad party (Ayman Noor Leader) since 2005 , but since 2007 our friends and I knew of Facebook from internet searches and recognized that we can use it to spread our ideas and hold debates with people, and possibly even make campaigns through it . My first campaign was supporting freedom in cinema as shown in the last movie (It is Chaos) featuring Youssef shahin and Khalid Youssef. This movie explained many problematic situations in Egypt including non-democracy, injustice, and police assaults.

4. After being arrested at the April 2008 demonstration, you were quiet for several months. What was in your mind? What inspires you to come back and continue to fight for social justice?

In that time, I deeply needed to be alone to strategize how I could move towards achieving my objectives concerning democratic issues; I needed to be somewhat far from the possibility of losing my freedom again to keep doing my activities towards democracy. The upcoming elections (Presidential and Parliamentary) inspired me to comeback again. I believe that the next election is the most important election in Egyptian political life. Through it, we will achieve a change in our life or we will not.  So now I am an activist in a new campaign called (My vote … is my call ) calling for an e-voting election, checking IDs to vote, and international election monitors.

5. In 10 years from now, what do you think you will be doing?

In fact, no one in Egypt can think what he will do even after one year, or guess what the political situation will be in Egypt. But I hope that I will be a member in Egypt’s Parliament and this Parliament will have a great influence in our government’s decisions. I hope I can see Egypt with an e-voting election, and with free and fair elections without any fraud.

Please return to meet next month's Youth Spotlight activist from Venezuela.