Our Martyrs... Our Heroes

This post is translated from Arabic. You can find the original Here  in the  words of blogger extraordinaire and activist Mona Seif

The Adel Imam You Should Know 

I met him at the doors of Zeinhom morgue, home to the bodies of all our fallen heroes. 

All he wanted was to take his son's body to Tahrir Square.  

To honor him with a funeral march and prayer in the Square that bore witness to his son's final hours and demise at the hands of the Ministry of Interior and Army goons.

We started to spread the word and rally for a march. The local crowd, however, advised the father against it, and so he left, along with the boy's mother.

But our paths were destined to cross again,  on the following Friday. The one we designated " Martyrs Friday."  

This time it was at the entrance of the  notorious Mohamed Mahmoud Street, home to the Egyptian Ministry of Interior,  where hundreds were injured and many lost their live ­—and most important where Adel's young life was snatched away from him.

We stood there staring at the list of Martyrs.

Hesitantly, he asked, "Is Adel's name on there somewhere?"

Confidently, I answered, "Of course it is." Then I started to scan for his name—Adel Imam.

"Here it! Here it is!" I pointed at the name excited. "Right up there, on the left."

He stared at the name and called out to his wife, Om Adel, " Adel's name is on the list...here it is!" He said sobbing.

Adel's father only wanted recognition. He sought no compensation, no vain words,. His parents only wanted Adel be recognized as the hero and the martyr that he is. Instead, what they got is the constant denial of police authorities that live bullets were used. But they knew better. They saw the hole in their son's head with their own two eyes. 

The real story behind Adel Imam's death is a story we will not be hearing any time soon. We will not be hearing the truth as long we have notorious officials who dare stare at the bullet-laden bodies of the fallen and claim that no bullets were fired. As long as Egyptian national media only cares about the better-looking bourgeois of the revolutionary lot. A long as the international media insists on reducing the Egyptian revolution to social media and  As long as the media is obsessing over Islamophobia and ignoring anything else. 

We will never be reading  this story—the true story of Adel Imam —anywhere:

Adel Imam , a young manual worker, who went to Tahrir demonstrations behind his parents' back.
Adel Imam is a martyr who was murdered in cold bold on February 21st.
Adel Imam was killed with a bullet in his head, and a receipt in his pocket—a receipt for the medical supplies he bought, with the pennies he makes, for the Tahrir field hospital.

It thus remains our responsibility to spread the word and tell their stories. Tell their stories to our friends, our families, our children. Etch them in our memory so that we may never forget.

It is our responsibility to document the true history of our revolution. It is our responsibility to sing the names of the fallen heroes and hang their pictures everywhere...until one day we overcome,  or become one of these untold stories waiting to be sung.

The Adel Imam who doesnt matter

For those who ask when will the Egyptian revolution be complete, I answer: when "Adel Imam" becomes a name synonymous with this young hero and not a proregime hateful actor. 

Please pray for our unsung heroes... our martyrs.