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Following the November 29, 2014 acquittal of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak on charges of corruption and of responsibility for the deaths of protesters, TV host Muhammad Al-Dasuqi Rushdi broadcast a cynical statement saying that they must have been killed by aliens from outer space or by diplomatic corps cars with no driver.
Following are excerpts:
Muhammad Al-Dasuqi Rushdi: Good evening. Good evening to all the frustrated and the frustrating. Good evening to all the happy, joyous, and jubilant revelers. Things are just as God wanted. Some people don't care about the blood that was spilled, while others grieve over the blood spilled in vain. Some people can see what is going on, while others see only what is under their very noses. For some people, it is easy to lie, fabricate, and deceive, and they believe their own lies.
They do it in order to convince you that after 30 years, [Mubarak's corruption] amounted to nothing but three villas, and the renovation of a few walls. But the sheltered dreams and the lives that were destroyed are of no importance. Destruction is what [the Mubarak supporters] like. Well, only decay likes destruction.
We are sorry about the people who died. Sorry about their blood. We are sorry that some people are ululating because [Mubarak] did not get what he deserved. We are sorry about 866 martyrs, who took to the streets with their dreams of freedom and honor, and on whose greaves people who don't know the meaning of honor are now dancing.
We are sorry, Mustafa Sawi. We are sorry, Hassan Taha. We are sorry, Ahmad Basyouni. We are sorry, Adam and Salma – your father just dropped dead on January 28, at Tahrir Square. He was killed by aliens from outer space. We are sorry, Amru Gharib. We are sorry, Karim Banouna. We are sorry, Islam Rashad.
We are sorry, engineer Ahmad Ihab – it was written in the stars that you would not be married for more than two months. We are sorry, Islam Rafat – the car with diplomatic corps plates that ran you down on January 28 had no driver. It was driven by the wind. We are sorry, Seifallah. Did you really have to go demonstrate? You were only 16 years old. You must have shot yourself to death.
We are sorry for all the wounded, all the martyrs, and all the bodies bearing marks of rubber bullets, and fractured bones from the violence of the secret police. It was all meant as a joke, but you took it seriously… and died.
We are sorry that after 47 months, no one has been held accountable. They were all acquitted, and there is nothing we can do. All we can do is pray, but the prayer of the oppressed is more powerful. This is all we can do, along with a moment of silence. We ask that you observe a moment of silence and recite Surat Al-Fatiha in their honor. That is all we can do.
Silence
Sorry, but that is all we can do.
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