Dubai: Arab Media Forum visitors crowded around for a chance to take pictures, not with a renowned Arab media figure or celebrity, but with a simple woman from rural Egypt who told Obama to shut up his ”mouse.”
Mona Al-Beheiri, a suporter of candidate Abdel Fattah Al Sissi, became famous after a TV interview of her delivering a message in broken English to US President Barak Obama went viral.
The video became popular because of Mona’s pronunciation of mouth as ‘mouse’ in her now famous catchphrase ‘Shut up your mouse, Obama’.
Mona was invited to the forum because she represents how social media can turn ordinary people into become political icons over night.
Speaking to Gulf News, Mona said she was surprised that an ordinary lady like her would become so famous.
“I am a very simple woman from a poor background. I have three children and my husband is a mechanic, I never expected all this attention. I never even dreamt of being invited to Dubai to attend this forum.”
She said social media has helped her message and other ordinary peoples’ views reach the whole world. She also said she never thought that new media can be so powerful.
Mona who said she got a high school diploma in commerce 22 years ago, writes her short rants in Arabic then translates them to English.
When asked why she spoke out against President Obama, she said in broken English: “We are love the citizens America and we are don’t love Barak Obama. Why? Barak Obama interferes in affair in Egypt. The Affair in Egypt belongs to Egyptian only. We don’t interfere in America.”
Speaking about Dubai, Mona said that its people are kind, giving and polite and have overwhelmed her with their hospitality.
“I hope that the children of Zayed continue on prospering.”
