CAIRO: More than 12 million Egyptians live in inhumane conditions in slums and thus had legitimate grievances during the January 25 Revolution, said Director of Amnesty International Kate Allen. Amnesty International presented its report, "We Are Not Dirt: Forced Evictions in Egypt's Informal Settlements," at the Egyptian Press Syndicate today. The report began its documentation immediately following the ousting of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. It highlights cases of forced evictions, which negatively affected hundreds of Egyptian families living in slums. “It is illegal to deprive anyone of the right to appeal an eviction verdict, especially if there are no alternative houses,” Allen said. "The report will be submitted to the Egyptian ruling military council and to Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf as well as all concerned ministries," she added. The report recommends that Egypt adhere to its legislation making condemned facilities, much like those found in many Egyptian slums, unsafe. “Residents living in Egyptian slums should express their opinion regarding solutions for housing problems but the authorities did not respect human rights, said Allen, adding that residents were arrested when they opposed eviction orders. The 123-page report is based on research conducted by Amnesty over the past two years. According to official sources there are around 850,000 people living in areas considered unsafe and 18,300 condemned housing units in Egypt. The shortage of reasonably priced housing for the poor forces some to live in slums, according to the report. Approximately 40 percent of Egyptians live under the poverty line – two U.S. dollars a day. The government, urged to conduct a study after the collapse in the Mansheyat Nasser slum, estimated that 404 unsafe housing units exist in Egypt. The report also claims that Egyptian women face discrimination when seeking alternative housing.
