Sinai residents complain of violations by Egypt army

SHEIKH ZUWEID, Egypt — The despair inflicted upon Sinai's residents is rising at a time when the Egyptian government is declaring that it has made gains in its daily fight against terrorism. Residents are complaining of an increase in dangerous abuses and violations of their rights.

Major military operations were launched in the Sinai on Aug. 7, 2013, a month after the ouster of Mohammed Morsi, and have been continuing ever since. Combat troops from the Egyptian army, heavy military vehicles and helicopters are participating in these operations, which allowed the army to enter the Sinai for the first time since the signing of the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel in 1979. While this agreement prevents the entry of these forces and heavy vehicles into the Sinai, accommodations between the Egyptians and Israelis allow the suspension of the military stipulations of the agreement until terrorism is eradicated.

Security violations against civilians in the Sinai started as soon as the military campaigns began, said Salama Sawarka, a resident of the town al-Shalaaq, south of Sheikh Zuweid. Salama said governmental offices and banks closed as a result of the daily Internet and phone service cuts. These cuts lasted from eight to 14 hours per day, and coincided with the movements of the military campaigns, he said. This was followed by the uprooting of thousands of olive trees on farms surrounding the international highway from El-Arish to Rafah, which stretches for 50 kilometers (30 miles). Trees were also uprooted along the 15-kilometer (9-mile) road leading to the provincial airport.

"We tried to find out why they had uprooted our trees, but an officer fired bullets above our heads and said: 'Whoever says a word will be considered to be helping the terrorists,'" Salama told Al-Monitor. "Thus we remained silent, despite the fact that these trees have been our only source of livelihood for 40 years, in light of the absence of the state."