CAIRO: The four main tribes inhabiting Rafah near the Gaza border have announced their intention to hold a conference on Dec. 15 to discuss their political and economic problems with the government. The four tribes - Tarabin, Sawarka, Rumelat and Tahaya - released a statement announcing their wish for a conference to be held as well as taking the government to task over its failure to contain these political and economic problems. "It's a result of the government asking the tribes to state their demands. The plan is for the government to take into account all these demands and then meet with tribes on the day of the conference to address them, said North Sinai Tagammu party member Hussein El Qayem. Referring to a recent report by the Defense and National Security committee of the People s Assembly, the tribes lamented these "falsities about the danger they seem to pose to the country's security. They also bemoaned the treatment they suffered at the hands of security forces in Sinai, pointing out recent clashes between the two which resulted in the deaths of four Bedouins. The tribes stated that "the state deserted [the children of Sinai] to an enemy that is not governed by agreements or ethical or religious standards, without any consideration to their humanity or dignity or constitutional, civil and economic rights, the statement read. The Defense and National Security committee of the People s Assembly warned that the current situation in North Sinai constituted a threat to national security along the border with Israel. "We want the police to be more effective and the judiciary as well, but in a fairer way because the tribal laws can sometimes be manipulated, El Qayem said. A spate of clashes ensued after a Bedouin was shot at a police checkpoint last month, which led to angry tribesmen actually seizing an entire police station. Bedouin anger was further fuelled when three bodies were discovered partially buried in the desert. Footage of the dead bodies spread like wildfire across North Sinai. Eventually an olive branch was extended and a conference was held to appease the situation between government representatives and the tribes. "The government is trying to handle the situation but is dealing with it in the wrong way, because they are listening to the wrong people in Sinai, El Qayem said, "They must repossess all the weapons that people are carrying around. There must also be a development plan; we cannot continue to have constant water and gas shortages.
