The tribes of Al-Howaitat, Al-Ramelat and Al-Tarabin in Rafah and Al-Sawarkah in Northern Sinai called on President Mubarak to "fulfill his promise to resolve their problems and improve their living and security conditions". Mohammed Al-Manei, a representative of Al-Sawarkah tribe, said in a statement at a conference in al-Agra district that they have not run out of patience yet while they and their Egyptian identity are being ignored by officials or ministers. They are an integral part of the legitimate sovereignty and will not hesitate to defend and safeguard this country's borders, he added.
The statement stressed the importance of reviewing the actions of security forces, which unlawfully detain people and make them feel there is injustice, oppression and discrimination. It called for equality and the protection of their rights, adding that" this is the responsibility of the state and its institutions". In addition, the statement called for releasing the detainees, canceling civilian and military rulings issued in absentia, and stopping taking women as hostages and raiding homes. It also called for stopping random arrests and killings, for security forces to treat people well, and for the debt of the Principal Bank for Development and Agricultural Credit to be rescheduled. The statement called for another conference to be held on next January 15 to discuss how important it is that these demands are met. For their part, the chieftains of Al-Ramelat tribe, which includes 21 clans, said their tribe is not with the illegal gatherings organized by chieftains. They added that their tribe has no problems with anyone.
The tribe has legitimate channels to solve its problems, Sheikh Darwish Abu Garad said, denying that his tribe had taken part in Al-Agra's conference yesterday. "The conference was attended by one or more people having special circumstances as well as the trends that have nothing to do with the tribe. Anyway, they only expressed their opinions" he added.
