We’ve been putting up with so much tragedy, frustration and things happening in this country, but this is enough. Yesterday, my news feed was flooded with an incident that broke my heart and left me infuriated!
A young engineering student studying at the German University in Cairo, Yara Tarek, was killed “by accident” on the premises of the university. Yes, I know what you’re thinking, but wait until you hear the rest of the story.
After Yara had finished her classes, she headed out to wait for the GUC bus to take her home safely, having no idea that this would be the last few moments of her tragically short life.
A GUC bus driver who had just arrived was reversing, obviously not even using his mirrors to realize he had run Yara over, and continued to reverse, getting her stuck between two buses. By the time he’d realized what had happened – probably because of everyone around him screaming – Yara was unconscious and bleeding to death.
Being an international university that every student pays a fortune to get into, the least the GUC could do is have a proper healthcare center on campus to ensure the safety of their students.
But because the system has and will always be messed up in a university that only cares about money, it took the ambulance over 10 minutes to get to a student on the same premises! By then, Yara had already lost too much blood and had lost her life.
And what do they do? Life continues, the rest of the buses leave like nothing happened, GUC tutorials and lectures go on, quizzes and assignments are still on track, just like nothing happened. Oh wait, the GUC sent an e-mail mourning the loss of the girl they killed! Forgiveness is in order!
As tragic as this is, it is extremely difficult to believe that parents who spend a fortune on their child’s education and who trust this private institution to at least be a safe environment for their kids, would have to mourn their daughter because her safe ride home killed her by mistake!
When will the lives of Egyptians start to matter? When will the money we pay actually be worth it? When will the system start giving us some rights? At least the right to survive.
We’re at a loss for words, but all we can say is that we’re sorry that you’re Egyptian, and that means you didn’t get your rights in your life, and you probably won’t in your death either.
Our hearts go out to Yara’s parents and all her loved ones. We know that it never crossed your mind that your daughter would be the victim of a careless system and we can’t even start to imagine what you must be going through. May she rest in peace.
***UPDATE:
After students have been protesting and not letting the buses leave, the GUC has given in and announced a three-day mourning period where the campus will be closed and all student activities will be stopped.
WE SAID THIS: Dear Egypt’s Road Authorities, You Killed My Best Friend