Individual Support and Solidarity Letters and Emails

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Fri, 20 Jul 2001 14:19:04

Dr Nawal El Saadawi,

As a reader of your books and novels, and a person who found your work intriguiing and inspiring, holding a great passion and interest for
women's rights, soon will be adopted as a profession and mission since I am doing my masters in gender and women's studies, I find the trial filed against you and your husband Dr. Sherif Hetata absolutely appaling and revolting. It only sadenned me to hear about all this. I hope that sense starts kicking in these people's heads for once and for them to realise that they have done a grave mistake and done you wrong. There are millions of people supporting you and find the trial filed against you absolutely ridiculous, I hope this hard period you are going through ends soon and I know it will.

Endless support, regards and wishes,
Amal Elmohandes

Thu, 19 Jul 2001 10:00:10 +0200

Subject: hola seniorita

Hola, I'm with you for your fight, the men must making progress, they live in other stupid centerys, this situation is not acceptable. Why, i don\'t really know,in europe the woman, are to discreted, is more psycologic, many men say \"wowan are inferior...\", in europe thr free country, it\'s a hide.Sorry for my english.
good bye, and the fight not finish, so many bad
institutions to burns.

graph-fred

Je suis solidaire
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2001 14:39:07 +0200


Bonjour Madame Saadaoui;
J'ai pu avoir votre adresse electronique en lisant un article paru dans
le journal Lemonde. Je tiens à vous dire que je suis solidaire avec vous ,
tant que vous defendez "L'ESPRIT LIBRE".
Je n'adhere pas à un grand nombre de vos idées et positions, mais je
tiens à vous exprimer toute ma sympathie ( et ma solidarité ) quant au courage et pertinence de vos idées.
Question: Pourquoi les intellectuels egyptiens n'ont jamais condamné le double jeu des autorités Egyptiennes,consistant à vouloir eradiquer
les islamistes d'une part et d'autres part les soutenir quand il s'agit
d'attaquer un intellectuel, faire des fatwas retrogrades, et en general
tenter de ramener l'egyptien au moyen âge?
Je vous remercie et souhaite une reponse de votre part.
( A.Taoufik (Franco-Marocain)

Just a short note to say we`re thinking of you admiring your strenght!
Yours
Lisbritt Lilly- Vendel
Margareta Linden
Sweden

Kerstin_Jonsson_Rosén

Subject: support from Sweden
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 22:05:03 +0200

I would like to express that I admire your courage,both yours and your husband´s. I read about the case in a Swedish paper,the Dagens Nyheter.
I will write to the Egyptian Abassay in Stockholm.
Yours sincerely
Kerstin Jonsson Rosén
Amnesty group 92 in Landskrona

Mon, 09 Jul 2001 14:56:27 -0700
Subject: be strong

I read the article about you in the Swedish newspaper today and just
want to
write and say that Im thinking of you. It is fantastic to know about
such a
stong and brave woman like you. Your work is so important for womens
right
and also for the repressed people. Im proud of you.
Yours sincerly Annika Bergström

July 3, 2001

hi. i don't speak english very well, i dont' know what i could right
here.
please, exscuse me. i hope for a better future for you, for your
nation, for
your daughter. in italy we say: forza e coraggio! buy and sorry for my
english.
loredana.
roma.
italy

May 31, 2001

Dear Dr. Nawal Alsaadawee and Dr. Shareef Hitata

I would very much like to express my support to both of you.

I think this is very bad price, but it is a price of being free and brave as Dr. Abo Zeid said " the price of thinking and of wanting to change the bad face of the life"

I would like to tell you that we are going to make a big symposium to express our support and love to you, and our support to the right of statement, especially for those who defend the human right , although we hope that the charge will be deleted before the symposium.

I represent the Arab association of Human Rights , my colleagues are from "kayan"- feminist organization, and "Siwar"- feminist organization, the three of us are Palestinian NGOs, from the Palestinian minority in Israel.

I also wrote an article about the case, discussing the issue of apostasy. it will be published on Friday 1-June in "Fasl elmaqal" news- paper, it is the news paper of the national democratic assembly- leaded by Dr. Azmi Bishara.

With best regards
Areen Hawari

May 30, 2001

Dear Dr. Nawal Alsaadawee and Dr. Shareef Hitata

I would very much like to express my support to both of you.

I think this is very bad price, but it is a price of being free and brave as Dr. Abo Zeid said " the price of thinking and of wanting to change the bad face of the life"

I would like to tell you that we are going to make a big symposium to express our support and love to you, and our support to the right of statement, especially for those who defend the human right , although we hope that the charge will be deleted before the symposium.

I represent the Arab association of Human Rights , my colleagues are from "kayan"- feminist organization, and "Siwar"- feminist organization, the three of us are Palestinian NGOs, from the Palestinian minority in Israel.

I also wrote an article about the case, discussing the issue of apostasy. it will be published on Friday 1-June in "Fasl elmaqal" news- paper, it is the news paper of the national democratic assembly- leaded by Dr. Azmi Bishara.

With best regards

Areen Hawari

May 30, 2001.
Ma chère Nawal,

C'est à Dakar lundi matin que j'ai appris le procès inique que vont te faire les obscurantistes égyptiens. Les mouvements de femmes à Dakar sont prévenus. Nous allons envoyer nos protestations aux autorités égyptiennes qui se déshonorent en permettant ce procès digne de l'inquisition.

Chère Nawal,je t'embrasse ainsi que Sherif

Isabelle Eynard - Amin

(et les founous qui tiennent la plume)

May 30, 2001
Madame,

Je viens d'apprendre par la presse la dramatique situation à laquelle vous êtes confrontée. La colère et la honte m'étouffent en tant que membre de cette communauté qui se dit musulmane & arabe.

Vous êtes et restez la conscience de la grande Egypte. Ne baissez pas les bras, vous n'êtes pas seule.

Docteur Taya Alami - Pédiatre - Rabat

Dear Dr. Al Saâdawi,

Let me first introduce myself: my name's Shams Sahbani and I am a Moroccan woman who read most of your books. Al Wajh Al Ari Lil Marâ al Arabia was the first book I read at the age of 17 which really turned my life upside down.

I was really surprised to hear that such abuse would really happen in Egypt. There is a lot of information that goes beyond my comprehension: how can a human being judge the extent of "religiousness" in another human being when both claim to be Muslim. Is this imam or whoever a god? or does divergence in opinion means blasphemy? How can you be asked to divorce your husband? and why? suppose you are not a muslim, do you have the right first not to be a muslim? why should you divorce? is your husband a muslim? and even if he were, are not men allowed to marry non muslims in our "merciful" religion?

Shams Shabbani

May 30, 2001

Nawal, this is Fatma Alloo from Tanzania. This is to assure you that we have been receiving the news and statement through the network and definitely are with you. It is the first time I am coming across such an action of separating forcefully what is marriage under law of God!!!!

Wishing you all the strength and to let you know internationally you have a community which supports what you have been striving for - justice.

Fatma Alloo

May 29, 2001

APRES AVOIR LU UN ARTICLE CONCERNANT LES ATTEINTES A LA LIBERTE DONT
ESTVICTIME MME.NAWAL EL SAADAWI JE TIENS A LUI TEMOIGNER
MA SYMPATHIE ET A L ASSURER DE MON SOUTIEN TOUT AU MOINS MORAL
PUISQUE LOINTAIN.
CHARLETTE CUGAT GALANO
ARTISTE PEINTRE

May 29, 2001

Dear Madam,
Please accept my most sincere congratulations and support for your courageous
fight for truth, justice and freedom.

What an example for alll the women in the world, moslem or not!
Madam, Please carry on

Signed :
Salah Bouchami, Arabo-Berbère, Frenchman and Moslem

May 27, 2001
Dear Dr. Saadawi,

My name is Estrella Balcera Fernández, I´m a lawyer of 34 years old, from Sevilla (Spain), and i want to send you all my solidarity. I want you to know that I´m sending emails to President Mubarak and another authorities complaining for your situation. Opinion is not a crime. Religion is a right, not an obligation. I´ve read some of your articles, and, personally, i don´t think they are offensive. I´ve also read about the intention to obligate your husband, Dr. Hetata, to divorce you. How can anybody decide in the private life of another person? Which kind of law admit it? What kind of persons thinks that they´ve got the right to violate the fundamental rights of the others?

There´s something very dangerous in the people who is doing it to you and your family, they must be stopped, not only for you, but also for all the people who will be the victims after you, if we let them continue with their criminal behaviour. We´ve got the best arms because they are pacific: the words, the ideas, and the intelligence of the people like you. I hope the next news i´ll receive from you will be that you are free, at home with all the family, and with nobody disturbing your life and your work.

Yours,

Estrella Balcera Fernández

May 27, 2001
Madame,

Ayant appris, par un article paru dans le journal "Le Monde", le combat qui est le vôtre et la pression que vous subissez pour vous résoudre à y renoncer, je me permets de vous exprimer toute ma sympathie et mon admiration. Votre cause étant éminemment juste, je tiens à vous faire part de mon soutien moral. Il est poutant navrant de constater que des "religieux", souvent à court d'argument, ne savent que prononcer l'excommunication, l'anathème ou l'apostasie, allant même jusqu'à prôner, au nom de Dieu, l'assassinat! Et on se dit religion de tolérance! Oui, à condition de penser comme eux! Acceptez, Madame, mon profond respect et tous mes remerciements.

Bernard HEYD

Mai 27, 2001

J'ai lu l'article dans le Monde ce matin et ça m'a beaucoup choqué.
J'ai donc envoyé le modèle de lettre à l'ambassade en france.

Falter Nicole infirmière de 48 ans et mère de 4 enfants

May 23, 2001
Dear Nawal and Sherife

Herewith I want to send you all my love and strength in the upcoming events. Of course it would be ridiculous that anybody should have the right to force two people to divorce who chose to live together for such a long and loving way.
I sent my letter of protest to the minister.

Frans de Vette Director of the theatreplay FERDAOES
15 years ago.

Love and warm regards

Frans de Vette
The Netherlands

May 22, 2001
Ciao Nawal, we are with you.
Eros Baldissera & the students "musta'ribiin" in Venice University -
Italy
Ma... avete già osato a dare un'occhiata al mio sito? :-)
http://helios.unive.it/~arabic/arabiyat/Index.htm

We are appalled by what is happening to Dr. Nawal Sa'dawi. For us and many others, Dr. Sa'dawi means a great deal, she was the one who opened our eyes to many realities about real life and about the many oppressions of women in the Arab World. We grew up reading her books and still cherish them and give them to our daughters to read. It was probably because of Dr. Sa'awi that we spent many of our years and still do, fighting for equality within our societies.

Please let Dr. Sa'dawi know that we are thinking of her everyday, and please add our names to the letters you are sending.

Thank you for what you are doing to support Dr. Sa'dawi, you are actually supporting all of us. I will forward your letter to others to get more signatures.
Suheir Azzouni
Director General
Women's Affairs Technical Committee
Palestine

8 May 2001

I am a Palestinian women that was influenced by the ideas, thoughts, books
of Dr. Nawal Sa'dawi. I am a feminist, a political figure in my country.
I would like to say that all the Party " the Palestinian Democratic Union"
and the Federation of Women's Action are upset because of Dr. Nawals case.
I would like to sign as an individual and on behalf on the party and the
women's organization.

Zahira Kamal

With our support and encouragement,
Arab Women's Court to Resist Violence Against Women (Beirut Lebanon)

Saadia Abenaou
Morocco

I am writing on behalf of the global Steering Committee and Secretariat of DAWN, Development Alternatives with Women for a
New Era, a network of feminists from the South working for economic justice, gender justice and democracy.

We are very disturbed to learn of the outrageous attempt being made to anul Nawal Elsaadawi and Sherif Hetata's marriage, on the grounds that the views expressed by Nawal Elsaadawi, place her outside the bounds of Islam. We have enormous respect for
Nawal's courageous work over the last three decades in defence of women's rights and we remember Nawal's wonderful contribution to one of DAWN's first ever panel discussions, at the third World Conference for Women in Nairobi. Please add DAWN to the list of supporters of the letter you have drafted.

Thank you and please keep us posted on developments in regard to this case.

In sisterhood

Claire Slatter
General Co-ordinator, DAWN (Development Alternatives with
Women for a New Era)

Sincerely,
Elyssa Faison
Assistant Professor of History
University of Oklahoma

My name is Fadwa Boustany. I am a publisher and bookseller from Egypt and a great admirer of the writings and thoughts of Dr. Nawal al-Saadawi. I was deeply touched by the recent attack launched against her and therefore would like to add my name to the petition you are going to present to the Egyptian prosecutor.

I would be very much obliged if you could add my name to that list and keep me updated /posted with any new comings in this tragedy happening in our society and if possible, send me Dr. Nawal Saadawi's email address or telephone numbers.
Thanking you very much for all your assistance and wishing you all the best in your humanitarian and just cause.

Very Sincerely Yours,

Fadwa Boustany
Managing Director
Dar al-Boustany lil nashr wa al-Tawzi' (since 1900)

Please add my name to this petition. Many years ago I met Nawal el Saadawi at a conference in South Africa. I spent time with her, and her husband talking and communing in spirit. thank you.

Dionne Brand
Poet/Novelist
Ruth Wynn Woodward Professor
Women's Studies Dept.
Simon Fraser University
British Columbia, Canada

I am distressed by the events in Dr. Saadawi's life. Fortunately, I am meeting with my group this Saturday, and the subject is discrimination. Weare planning to send a statement re discrimination to the world conferencein South Africa. Tell Nawal that she can bet we will respond to herrequest by sending our protests on her behalf to the people she listed inher letter. I wish her the best.

Kathleen Geathers
Women in Africa & African Diaspora(WAAD)