The Egyptian Organization for Supporting Democratic Development and the Egyptian Center for Development and Democratic Studies, revealed –after sending fact-finding committee to the shantytown Al-Doweeqa- that there are cases of nepotism in allocating housing camps for those affected from Al-Doweeqa crisis.

Rights institutions demanded rapid intervention by the concerned authorities for the provision of housing accommodation to all bereaved families, providing all possibilities to rescue victims from under rockslides, providing adequate housing for homeowners and still threatened families in this district, above and under the collapsed plateau.

They also demanded activating the roles of local councils in making control and solving problems at Al-Doweeqa neighborhood, elimination of slums in Egypt, to reduce such disasters, because these regions are important tools for crime and terror incubation. They are also spreading phenomena such as, “child labor, drugs and lack of health and cultural awareness.”

They added that they have to empty Ezbet Bekheet and surrounding areas, under Al Muqattam rocks to prevent further catastrophes, to pay compensations to the distressed and families of the deceased from the impact of the disaster, and to detect cracks and faults inside the mountain that have arisen due to wastewater leak, and using latest technologies satellites and radars after removing slums from Al Muqattam.

The fact-finding mission uncovered that residents have complained to the neighborhood’s authority from years, but no one of those responsible interacts with them, they have demanded from years to move to Susan Mubarak housings, which is far away from them about 200 meters only, the reply was “only those whose houses were destroyed or have got victims, are going to go there”.

The absence of local councils role, concerning control and problem solving at Al-Doweeqa neighborhood, as the mission stated and they criticized what they called “the slow policy” with which the authorities deal with the catastrophe, and described the district as the most dangerous slum in Egypt, where criminals and ex-criminals control and impose royalty on residents to protect them and to let them live freely. And the surprise showed by the mission is that quartering camps are by nepotism.

They uncover the fact that there are about 70 injured, 54 killed and 700 under rockslide, till last Tuesday, September 9, 2008.

The organization and the center, both expressed their deep sorrow for this humanitarian catastrophe, demanding accountability for those responsible and a rapid movement to empty the slums under Al Muqattam plateau, finding new housing for them as the least right for a human being is to live in an appropriate house.

The mission stressed on what stated by the international charters and the Universal Declaration for Human Rights, that the right to live is a human right. They also narrated many tragic stories, which were told by Al-Doweeqa residents.

Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics stated that, 12 million Egyptians live without housing, they inhabit grave yards, plate camps, garages, mosques and under stairs. They reported that, 1.5 million Egyptians live in Cairo on tombs such as in, Al Basateen, Attonesy, Al Imam Ashafaey, Bab Alwazir, Al Ghafir, Al Mugawereen, Al Imam Allethy, Gabanat Ein Shams, Al-Doweeqa, Mansheiet Naser, Ezbet Abu Hashish (at Ghamra district- down town.)