An Egyptian woman who lives in Angus has told The Courier a romantic rendezvous in Cairo with her husband was overtaken by the protest threatening to topple President Mubarak.
At one point her car was stopped by vigilantes armed with staves, but she was not harmed.
Mervat Walton lives in Forfar and runs Mervat’s Village Gallery in Meigle. Husband John is a lawyer for the Total oil company currently posted to the Yemen. Son Sandy is a former pupil of Dundee High School, where his brother Ramsay is in his final year.
Mervat, who makes frequent trips to Cairo on business and to see family, planned to fly out on January 26. The previous day she phoned her relatives in case there was trouble and was told there were peaceful demonstrations in the city centre and there was nothing to worry about.
The Egyptian side of the family live in the Pyramids area, out of the city centre. Mervat has an apartment in the suburb of Heliopolis, where President Mubarak has his residence. Close by is the Almaza headquarters of the Egyptian air force.
On the evening Mervat arrived, she saw no signs of impending turmoil. Her family took her to supper at a hotel near the Pyramids and all was quiet.
The next day, Thursday, John arrived from the Yemeni capital Saana.
The couple were looking forward to spending a long weekend together. They decided to visit the Red Sea port and resort of Ain Al Sokhna, about two hours drive from the capital.
Mervat takes up the tale.
“When we got back we went for dinner to a hotel by the Nile where we met for the first time in 1988. We were talking about coming back later in February with the boys. That is how peaceful it was.
“Next day, Friday, we went out for breakfast in a shopping mall. There was a TV on and for the first time we saw the demonstrations were gaining strength.Flights cancelled”We decided on the spot to go to my apartment, which is 10 minutes from the airport, and see if John could get an earlier flight back to Saana, but then we found that all Egyptian Air flights were cancelled.”
At this point the couple realised the seriousness of what was unfolding in Tahrir Square and the possible repercussions.
There was an added difficulty when an early evening curfew was imposed. John never had a chance to see his Egyptian relatives.
Fortunately, John’s office was able to arrange a ticket for him to the Yemen. Mervat was anxious to get home to Scotland and knew Sandy and Ramsay would be worried until she was on the plane out.
A hurried search for a hotel room near the airport was abortive. Every room was taken.
“It was very stressful,” Mervat said, “I had to go home.” On her way there the car was stopped by what looked like a neighbourhood militia. The men had sticks but not guns, and on realising she was Egyptian they were “very respectful.”
Luckily, she was able to get a flight to Scotland the next day, despite chaotic scenes at the airport. She has mixed feelings about what she saw.
“If it were not for my boys,” she said, “I would be in Egypt now, in Tahrir Square with the demonstrators.”
What about the danger of Muslim Brotherhood radicals coming to power if President Mubarak is pushed aside?
“I do not think that will happen. The Muslim Brotherhood has the support of less than 5% of the population, I should say, but Egyptians want to be free. They want democracy particularly the Facebook generation.
“I am worried about the whole country, not just for my family, but I will go back as soon as I can.”