CAIRO: With rumors circulating about thugs roaming the streets, safety has become a major concern post-the January 25 Revolution, forcing many Egyptians to embrace their newfound freedom with a gun in hand.
Panic ensued when police pulled from the streets on Jan. 28 and news of prison breaks and looting broke out. This prompted people to take matters into their own hands and form neighborhood watch committees to protect their families and homes.
The committees were armed with weapons ranging from sticks, fire extinguishers, kitchen knives, to guns.
Ever since, not only has owning a gun been common in Egypt, it has become a necessity for some families.
However, not all of the guns people own are necessarily licensed. “Being part of the neighborhood watch we had to be armed, my grandfather has a collection of guns so I took one with me,” said 33-year-old Mohamed El Nemr.
“I now carry it around without a license because they are not issuing any licenses at the moment but I need to protect myself and my family,” he said, “I find it ridiculous that the state are spreading fear from thugs and yet they are refusing to give us the means to protect ourselves when they are actually not even protecting us,” he explained, referring to the absence of the police from the streets last month.
In order to issue a license for guns in Egypt, owners have to be over 21 years old; and the license is issued specifically for said gun, with its serial number. If the owner buys a new gun, they have to register it under a new license. Licenses are acquired at police stations.
According to the Ministry of Interior, only licensed gun owners may lawfully acquire, possess or transfer a firearm or ammunition.
Reasons for which gun ownership licenses are granted include hunting, target shooting, personal protection and security.
Background checks are usually done on applicants for a gun or firearm license, this includes a check on criminal, mental and domestic violence records.
Some people had acquired licenses in the past but never have a specific use for their guns, that is until the neighborhood watch groups started forming.
“I have owned a licensed gun since 1991 for the protection of self and property,” said Samieh Ismail, 60. “I work between the city and the countryside so I’m always traveling on unsafe highways which is why I needed it although I didn’t always carry it around.
“However after the January 25 Revolution and all the prisoners and thugs on the loose I always have it on me,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Ismail’s son, Ahmed Samieh, 23, just acquired his gun license last month. Although, after the revolution licenses were hard to acquire, he was able to get one issued at a police station in the governorate of Sharqeya.
“I provided them with the documents proving I have land in the area and need to protect it,” he said.
The people who are not as lucky as Samieh and failed to acquire licenses resorted to air guns.
“I work in Wadi Degla and I live in Heliopolis so my route includes driving through slum areas and by Tora Prison so I had to have some sort of self defense so I bought this air gun for LE 1,600 from a store Downtown,” said Mona Salama, a 26-year-old broker.
Other women chose to take shooting classes in order to develop the skills needed to carry a gun.
“I refuse to give in to fear and stay at home, I want to go out freely so I’m taking the precautionary measures to protect myself when the time comes, whether it is at home or out on the streets,” explained 25-year-old Sahar Nadi.
Nadi said that she has several friends who are keen on carrying guns with them during this period in Egypt.
“We bought an air gun and we use it between my mom, my sister and myself, the thought of carrying a gun is definitely scary but thinking of the reported cases of violence I don’t think a taser or pepper spray will work,” said Manar Ahmed, 38.
It was always widely believed that the highest percentage of citizens bearing weapons is in Upper Egypt and among the Bedouins. However, Mokhtar Showeib, a journalist and author of a number of books on terrorism, disputes what he believes is a misconception.
“It is a myth that only Upper Egypt is the hotbed for personal weapons in the country,” he previously told Daily News Egypt. “With the current economic boom leading to the creation of a business elite, we can’t assume that competition among them is always peaceful.
“Browse through the crime pages and you will be surprised to see that not only are business tycoons armed, but so are a large number of people living in villages surrounding Egypt’s northern cities,” he said.
