President Mohamed Morsi has promised to order a review of court rulings given in absentia to some Sinai residents under the rule of former president Hosni Mubarak.
During Morsi’s visit to Sinai on Friday, some Bedouins voiced their anger that members of the old regime had sent Sinai Bedouins without fair court proceedings.
Morsi told Bedouins that he has not authorised a single criminal decision against any of them since he has been in power.
“The age of oppression and discrimination has reached an end. Sinai is part of Egypt and is equal to other parts of Egypt,” Morsi said.
The president also promised to establish a committee of Sinai Bedouins to give advice on local issues affecting 600,000 residents when needed.
Bedouins also asked the president to grant them the ability to own land in Sinai, as they had previously been prevented from doing so due to security reasons.
Ahram