First-Ever Inclusion: Hope for Egypt's Nubians
Jan. 31, 2014—Egyptians this month overwhelmingly approved a referendum on a draft constitution that for the first time included mention of Nubians. Many Nubians were relocated for construction of the Aswan High Dam some 50 years ago, and they now hope they can return to their historic homeland by the Nile.
Transcript
Samira Ali, 37, Resident of Karkar settlement (ARABIC)
One year before I come here, I felt we’d have a lot of family who will come here. And we’ll have public services available and support from the government. They used to tell us, “There are no people in the village.” But even if there is one person in the village, doesn’t he count?
Ahmed Maher, 45, Resident of Karkar settlement (ARABIC)
We are almost isolated right now. The hospital is not even open.
Samira Ali, 37, Resident of Karkar settlement (ARABIC)
We feel there is only building and facilities. Take this dead thing and make it alive. Can I make it alive on my own? No I can’t.
Mohamed Sobhy, Founder of Animalia cultural museum (ENGLISH)
The Nubians are the people who live in the South of Egypt and North of Sudan.
They used to live on both sides of the Nile. They are Nile people.
It was the blessing to the Nubia. Giving water for irrigation. Giving fish
But the Nile was the blessing and then after became the curse after building the high dam.
Radwan Abdel Ghaffour, 83, Resettled to Kom Ombo in 1964 (ARABIC)
We were forced to migrate in 1964. They brought us to the new village of Toshka Sharq. And this became our home. We prepared our furniture, the beds, the couches, the mattresses and everything we owned to transfer it to here. When we were leaving, we were very happy and excited to go and live in the city. But unfortunately, as you can see yourself, these are the houses we found. It was even worse. It was a wreck.
Ahmed Maher, 45, Resident of Karkar settlement (ARABIC)
Here in Karkar we are about 7km from the Nile. So that's why people don't want to come back. They want houses on the Nile. Or they wont accept it.
Samira Ali, 37, Resident of Karkar settlement (ARABIC)
If the dam didn’t exist, the Nubians wouldn’t have been dispersed. The Nubians made a great sacrifice for Egypt. Because when we look around, we see all the people with their families except for us. The Nubians were the only ones who were dispersed everywhere.
I hope that what we call the dream, will come true. Will it turn out like how we were separated outside of Nubia? One here, and one here, and one here. or will we reunite again? I don’t know.
