Excerpt from document summary
(S/NF) Approximately 200 Sinai Bedouin held an open
protest in El Mahdeya village near the Egypt's Rafah border
with Gaza on October 1. The Bedouin issued a list of demands,
including the release of imprisoned leaders, a halt to the
issuance of verdicts in absentia against Bedouin, the ability
to construct and operate cement factories

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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #1889 2741433
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 011433Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3756
INFO RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1961
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1213
Content
S E C R E T CAIRO 001889

SIPDIS
NOFORN

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2019
TAGS: PGOV, EG
SUBJECT: RISING TENSIONS AMONG SINAI BEDOUIN

Classified By: Minister Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs
Donald A. Blome for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1. (S/NF) Approximately 200 Sinai Bedouin held an open
protest in El Mahdeya village near the Egypt's Rafah border
with Gaza on October 1. The Bedouin issued a list of demands,
including the release of imprisoned leaders, a halt to the
issuance of verdicts in absentia against Bedouin, the ability
to construct and operate cement factories, cancellation of
farmers' debts, permission for fishing at all sea ports along
the north Sinai coast, lifting the commercial "siege" at the
Mubarak Peace Bridge, prohibition of arbitrary and mass
arrests of Bedouin men, implementation of a comprehensive
Sinai development program, and resolution of water problems
in the region. According to (name and title removed), the Bedouin demands are
"reasonable and not anti-government." He stated that the
Government of Egypt (GoE) needs to compromise with the
Bedouin by meeting some of their demands.

2. (S/NF) (name and title removed)
, said
Bedouin leaders met throughout the night to find a way to
avert today,s protest, but were unsuccessful. He said the
situation in Sinai is "critical" and he anticipates that the
problems between the GoE and Bedouin will continue to
"escalate (name removed) also expressed concern about the "escalating"
situation in the region. He told us that the Bedouin were
intent on embarrassing the GoE to force it to reduce the
political and economic marginalization of the Bedouin and
halt the "random" arrests. (name removed) said GoE and North
Sinai Governorate efforts to forestall the protest by
speaking with Bedouin leaders were likely undone when a
"state security officer" on September 29 "randomly" arrested
a number of Bedouin "who have nothing to do with the
smuggling in central Sinai." This triggered a violent
confrontation with the Bedouin who beat the arresting
officer, leaving him with multiple facial fractures.
Scobey