It was an unusual Friday in Egypt. Residents within the vicinities of Abbasiya would usually throng the Mosque of Nur at 12 pm to listen to the Friday’s sermon but today, residents turned up earlier and came in almost double the usual number. At this point, the Military’s Special Unit held in several batches of tanks and soldiers equipped with firearm were eyeing everyone closely for untoward events of chaos. Passers-by remained unfazed while holding a complete knowledge that a major military crackdown could occur if they initiated a demonstration within a barricaded area. I quickly walked towards the mosque in my blue Malay wear while others followed behind me. We secured an isolated spot in the mosque and sat attentively to the sermon with the anticipation of danger around us while the preacher continuously threw disparaging remarks to the military personnel. The crowds were deeply spirited with occasional chanting in between, showing no signs of giving up. Nothing happened until a group of them started to yell right after we completed the Friday prayer, echoing off the interior of the mosque with relentless chants which marked our first encounter of demonstration right before our eyes.
Studying medicine abroad, means witnessing first hand, historic or tragic events of our adopted countries. From natural disasters to wars to military coups, we find ourselves in the middle of situations we would never dream of in our own country. I was in Egypt, that fateful time in 2011.
Nationalists began to take over the mosque but the police and military forces were even well-prepared. They had taken some necessary steps beforehand to safeguard the surrounding area following a controversial bombing attack targeted to a church in Alexandria last week. Abbasiya houses, the largest Cathedral in Egypt and known to be the melting pot of unity between Muslims and Christians who had lived peacefully together without religious tensions for years. Protesters took themselves to the streets and clashes erupted after several minutes. We stayed put in the mosque while watching an important historical event unfold from afar. Every Malaysian was told to stay inside. The protesters insisted to keep us safe or we might otherwise risk unnecessary danger. Everything seemed to happen so fast that we could not remember each insident that occured. Although burning under the scorching heat of the Egyptian sun, no-one could bear to sit. Everyone wanted to be a part of history, that day.
The air was filled with hostility towards the authority. Some adamant protesters who responded with force were cuffed and sent to the jail while others remained steadfast waiting for their time to come or simply waiting for death. Polices entered the scene opposing several hundreds of protesters. Another wave of protesters barged in and they had to fire tear gas and water canon to control the situation. We swiftly reached for any piece of cloth to cover our mouth and nose. Escaping the massive protests was not an easy task. We had to wait for almost an hour before we could safely depart to home, traumatised each time we heard a gunshot or fireworks. Fortunately, after five years in Egypt, we had learned how to tell the difference. Shops were all closed for fear of burglars and thugs. Our cooking gas ran out after a few days and banks were shut down. There was no one to contact for help except neighbours. There was a ban on social media and conventional communication lines were down.
Hard days continued. We were basically stranded with no food and communication. As the skies got darker, the streets were as silent as graves. I could fathom what might happen next. It was then that we knew that curfew was called right after the clashes. That was like a slap to my freedom. We were not able to commute to a safer place for shelter, no source of light during the night and the government rationed all food sources. The only time where we got to go out was early in the morning. That was when we searched for food and necessities although the price was ridiculously expensive most of the times. At times like this, everyone had to compete for food so fist fights were always part of the competition. The streets were terrifying. Banks and universities were ransacked. To sum it up, every part of the country had turned into a battle field.
When the phone lines were finally functioning, I managed to contact my parents who were relieved that that their son was safe. They informed me the extent of the situation in Egypt. At this point, we were ready with our belongings should we be asked to evacuate immediately.
After a few weeks, we were ordered to evacuate and brought to Malaysian Hall before the biggest wave of protest from Tahrir to the Presidential’s Palace happened, a day after we were evacuated. Arriving at the place, there were several thousands of other Malaysians seeking shelter making the place really crowded. We settled in one of the rooms with seven other people in it. The plan was to fly all of us to Malaysia via Saudi Arabia. We were flown to Jeddah by a military aircraft as there were no commercial flights willing to take the route. We were stuffed in hundreds sitting closely next to each other in the aircraft. There was also not enough food making the four-hour flight felt long and exhausting but exhilarating for some of us who savoured the experience once in a while. We were then transported to the Malaysian Pilgrims settlement in Jeddah where we were provided a place to stay for another week. We stayed in a hall full of other Malaysians of varying backgrounds while the remaining thousands settled in dormitories. We simply did not know how to engage with one another without having to share stories about the evacuation. Some transformed the situation into an opportunity to catch up with old friends and find new friends too. We were safely flown home by chartered flights after several days of waiting in Jeddah and welcomed with joy and tears of our hopeful parents.
There were times when I found that it was too much to bear but in the end, it was the experience that made up for all the difficulties. Sometimes, conflict creates the opportunity to be thankful and strong at heart. Many would have not realised how far we could go in extreme situations such as war, hunger, and emergency without first hand experience. In many ways, adversity nurtures strength, and my experience in Egypt will hopefully shape me into a better doctor.
Ameerul Aiman is a 5th year medical student in Ain Shams University of Cairo, Egypt. Know more about him under the Young Columnists tab.