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Ongoing protests leave EAP students, faculty in Egypt in a state of uncertainty

By James Barragan and Nicholas Greitzer

Feb. 1, 2011 1:18 a.m.

With the evacuation of more than 1,200 Americans from Egypt, it is uncertain what steps will be taken to ensure the safety of UC students currently participating in study abroad programs in the region.

After days of turmoil, unrest continues as Egyptians take to the streets to protest against poverty, high unemployment and a lack of democracy in the Middle Eastern nation.

More than 100 people have been killed in the protests, which began last week as citizens called for the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled the country for 30 years. Since protests began, Mubarak has dissolved the Egyptian government but has refused to step down himself.

There are currently a small number of UCLA students and faculty, many from the archaeology department, who are involved in study abroad or research programs in the region, said UCLA spokesman Phil Hampton.

“It is a very fluid situation that we are monitoring closely,” said UC Office of the President spokesman Steve Montiel. “We are working through the appropriate channels to keep any students traveling in the region informed.”

At this point, representatives from the UC and from the UCLA Education Abroad Program were unable to divulge any further details about evacuation plans as they were concerned that such information could compromise the safety of those few students still in the region.

Willeke Wendrich, a professor of Egyptian archaeology, said the revolution in Egypt has been a long time in the making.

Wendrich lived in Cairo until she moved to Los Angeles 10 years ago, and said she noticed the lower classes seemed to lack any sense of freedom.

“It is pent up anger and frustration that has boiled over,” said Wendrich, who most recently traveled to Egypt in December when she and a number of archeology students spent five weeks in the now fractured region.

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