CAIRO: The Badil movement has presented a project to Minister of Agriculture Mahmoud Abaza that will “offer jobs to 600,000 Egyptians, and reduce the cost of a loaf of bread from 25 piasters to 5 piasters.
Abdel Khaleq Nasr, one of the founders of the organization, explained the project to members of the movement in a meeting held on Jan. 27. “The amount that Egypt spends on America to ship over wheat every year is immense and not necessary. According to the professor and engineer Ahmad Mustawgir, if we use sea water to fertilize the land on the North Coast from Rafah to Saloum, we could reduce the price of a loaf of bread to a fraction of the price.
When asked whether he thinks Abaza will respond positively, Abdel Khaleq replied, “He wants the best for this country, doesn’t he? He wants Egypt to advance? Then of course he will agree.
The meeting, titled “The First Public Conference of the Egyptian Alternative Movement: Agricultural-Politics-National Security, was held to celebrate the two-month anniversary of the transformation of the “Badil, or the alternative, from an idea into an active movement.
Made up of a collection of opposition party members and followers, the movement prides itself on “presenting real solutions rather than just chanting opposition slogans.
“We are opening a new page for a new year, said Maher Zahran, co-founder of the movement and chairman of the meeting. “We aim to present real and viable alternatives to all problems facing Egypt today, be they the housing crisis, food and agriculture or election corruption. But most importantly, it will be us, we as Egyptians who will be presenting those solutions. We do not want imported solutions.
However, despite words of encouragement and congratulation from the chairman and other founders, the Badil movement from its very first meeting was tainted by the black brush of inter-group strife and riddled with rumors of “state security influence.
The movement takes pride in its collective membership from the Ghad party and the Tagammu party. However, after what was seen as a sudden and disturbing change of heart, the Tagammu party announced that the meeting could not be held at its headquarters, as had been previously arranged.
“Some of the young people here who came despite being members of the Tagammu party think that state security had a hand in it, Zahran told Daily News Egypt. “Al-Ghad member Halim Kandil criticized Tagammu founder Rafa’ Al-Saad. We think this had something to do with it, but I can’t say for sure.
