Update 29 January 2021

We would like to thank everyone who has signed and shared previously, but unfortunately the situation of Amr and Karin’s house has still not been solved. It will soon be two years ago that we first started this petition and yet, new situations and difficulties seem to be brought up, pushing possible demolition of their home further to the forefront, yet again.

We truly start to lose the logic of reasons given and ‘evidence’ provided. Almost 1 year ago, out of the blue, Karin and Amr were presented with ‘evidence’ of having built during times of Corona, which was supposed to be a crime. All building was prohibited during these times, but the fact is: Karin and Amr didn’t build! All buildings and other structures were there long before Corona even started. Yet, they were given a hefty fine and were ordered to break down what they had supposedly added illegally. They chose to break down said structures -that had been there for much longer already- on their own initiative and costs.

Then, all of a sudden, government officials merged an old case/file about the house being illegally built -which was in the name of the previous Bedouin owner of the land- with the current case of building illegally ‘in times of Corona’ - in the name of Amr. That in itself is not legally valid, as these are cases in different names, merged together.

Another reason given by government officials why the house shouldn’t be where it is, ask us to deny the laws of physics and gravity… by stating that the house is in a floodway, which has supposedly become more dangerous since a new dam has been built further down the wadi where their home is located. Karin and Amr have always known floods flow through the wadi with heavy rains, which is why the house is built away from floods and with extra protection from these floods.
The dam, however, is at least 65 meter lower in altitude and 1 km away from their house. If floods were to be so heavy that even the reservoir of the dam comes to overflow, the dam would probably break and the water would flow downhill, threatening the buildings below the dam and further down the wadi and other parts of Dahab. It is literally impossible for the water to flow uphill and reach Karin and Amr’s house. With the house having existed for 10 years now, previous floods have never reached or threatened their home.

We are at the stage of scratching ourselves behind the ears in wonder; what type of logic is used…?
1. Karin and Amr are being held accountable for having built extra structures during a time when building was illegal, when they didn’t. It’s impossible that there is evidence that they did. Yet, they were fined and ordered to break down, which they complied to.

2. A case in the name of someone else about the same land is merged with their case (under number 1), which is legally invalid.

3. The argument that the new dam causes a threat to their home and therefore they can’t live there, asks us to deny the laws of physics, as water should be able to flow uphill in case of a serious flood.

It seems there are many things that don’t make sense, yet the struggle continues. Their home, their life’s work and their stability continues to be threatened. We would like to ask the government politely, though urgently, to seriously consider alternative solutions that do not include eviction from and/or demolition of their house.

Please sign if you haven’t and/or share with your network!