News Roundup

Compiled by Miret el Naggar

Al Badeel (independent daily newspaper)

-Front-page headline: Mubarak’s regime confronts the workers, the judges and the journalists.

Several of the independent daily and weekly newspapers will go on strike from Sunday and for two weeks, in protest of the state’s crackdown on freedom of speech.

-Human Rights activist and Social Sciences professor Saad Eddin Ibrahim predicts Egypt will experience a period of chaos in the near future, and that the military will sort it out and secure the transition of power from President Hosni Mubarak to his son Gamal.

-Rumors are circulating about the state cracking down on the popular TV host Amr Adeeb, who mocked the Egyptian government on his show for producing low quality bread. On the show Adeeb presented a tiny black loaf of subsidized bread and described it as unfit for human consumption.

Rose Al Youssef ( government-backed daily newspaper):

-Safwat al Sherif, Egypt’s head of upper house in parliament, and chief of the government-backed supreme council for journalism, criticized the White House for intervening in Egyptian affairs. Sherif's comments came in the light of the White House's condemnation of the Egyptian state cracking down on freedom of speech.

-Egypt’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboulgheit said Gaza is Palestinian territory, and must be governed by Palestinian authorities, adding that Israel must not export its problems to Egypt. Aboulgheit made the comments in New York in response to some Israeli politicians and newspapers suggesting that Egypt should administrate Gaza.

-The World Bank praised Egypt in its annual report as the country with the highest level of economic reform world. The report acknowledged that Egypt reduced the capital for establishing a company from 50,000 pounds (equivalent to $8,900) to 1000 pounds ($175), and for reducing the time and paperwork required to half.

-The ruling National Democratic Party is intending to elect more female candidates as heads of committees and other administrative positions.

Al Dustour (daily opposition newspaper)

-Gamal Mubarak recently played in a friendly football tournament. Al Dustour held a comparison between him and Egypt’s admired football champ Mohamed Abu Treka.

"Treka joined the Ahly team in 2003 and managed to conquer Egyptians’ hearts during the past four years. Gamal Mubarak returned from London in 2000, and still hasn’t gained popular support, though he has a whole regime backing him.

Treka became popular for scoring countless times, enabling his team to win matches and tournaments. Mubarak depends on his father’s influence to score.

Since Treka appeared, he has been a constant joy for Egyptians, while Mubarak’s appearance has only given them constant reason for sorrow."

News Roundup

News compiled by Miret el Naggar from daily newspapers.

Al Masry Al Yom: (independent daily new)

- Workers in a government-owned weaving factory entered their third day of strike and their first day of hunger strike in northern Egypt. The 3000 workers, who are now living in the streets of Al Mahalla city, are protesting against their low wages and for not receiving neither their monthly incentives nor their annual raises. Last December al Mahalla workers staged a similar strike that sparked demonstrations and strikes in factories across the country.

-Egypt's four major opposition parties met to discuss a reform memorandum that includes an initiative for a new constitution. Yehia al Gamal, a prominent Egyptian thinker and head of the Democratic Front party said this alliance between political parties is the only hope to boost Egypt's dormant political atmosphere.

-Gamal al Banna, an Egyptian a liberal Islamist thinker: "Our universities are no longer platforms, but cemeteries for ideas."

Al Ahram (Egypt's main official daily newspaper)

-Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboulgheit said Egypt refuses any interference in its internal affairs, and that he found U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice very understanding of this position. In his meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Aboulgheit expressed Egypt's view that Israel must be more flexible in negotiations with the Palestinian side and provide a chance for relaunching the peace process.

Al Dustour (a daily opposition newspaper):

- Al Dustour's editor Ibrahim Eissa, accused of publishing false rumors likely to disturb public order might be tried by a state security court, meaning the verdict cannot be appealed. Human rights activists considered this move a further infringement of freedom of speech in Egypt. Eissa's trial is scheduled at the beginning of October.

Lebanon postpones elections

By Miret el Naggar

Lebanon's parliament on Tuesday failed to elect a candidate to succeed pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, further deepening the rift between the Western-backed majority, known as March 14, and the Syrian-allied opposition led by Hezbollah.

Security was tight on Tuesday after last week's assassination of anti-Syrian lawmaker Antoine Ghanem, thousands of military troops and police forces surveilled the area and pro-government legislators were escorted to the parliament building.

Members of the majority displayed posters of their colleagues who were assassinated, while the opposition roamed the hallways of the building and boycotted the session.

Lebanon's rival political camps are locked in a power struggle over how to choose the next President. The majority wants a head of state from their own ranks, and threatened to elect a president with a simple majority if no consensus is achieved. The opposition insists on the two thirds quorum and, in turn, threatened to elect their own government if the majority moves ahead with its plan.

Parliament will adjourn on October 23rd.

Did u hear the latest joke?

By Miret el Naggar

For more than quarter of a century, Egypt has had one ruler, 79-year-old Hosni Mubarak. He has ruled since 1981. Naturally, he became the the subject of many jokes, not just from people who oppose his policies, but from people who are simply fed up of being ruled by the same person for 26 years.

I compiled some of the jokes that i had recently heard from friends, or read on other blogs.

"Mubarak's aides one day came up to him, after he had fallen ill, and said: Sir don't you think it's about time you write a farewell speech to your people? Mubarak answered: Why? are the people leaving?"

The following joke shows how much Egyptians are a non-confrontational people and their sole purpose is to get through the day with no trouble. I read it on a blog called "From Cairo with Love," but i have also heard it from several friends.

"Mubarak was getting restless and annoyed that Egyptians are not complaining and seem to be so happy with everything. He gathered his ministers and told them that he's starting to get worried, and they should think of something to annoy the people, and then solve the problem they've created, and this way he can praise himself and prove that he's been solving the people's problems.

After long waiting, the ministers came up with a plan to install a checkpoint on 6th of October bridge (a bridge where traffic is always slow) stopping every passing car, and slapping the driver on the back of the neck (considered insulting and humiliating in Egypt) before letting them go. Mubarak delighted at the idea.

A few weeks pass by and Mubarak gets more restless, gathers his ministers: "are they starting to complain yet? are they unhappy yet?" The ministers say "No, they're happy and thanking you for all your graces, and praying for you every day". He decides to give the people a harder time, so a thoughtful minister suggests, "let's add more checkpoints on the bridge, and have them slap the driver as well as the passengers." They all agree, and Mubarak agreed to the new plan.

A few weeks go by and Egyptians still didn't complain.

Frustrated now, Mubarak decided to see for himself why no one had complained. He goatherd the Egyptians, and gave a speech on how his only concern is the good of the people and the future of our next generations. Then he opened the floor for questions, and requested that people ask freely, and raise any issue or problems that they might be having in their daily lives. After a while of silence, a guy shyly raised his hand for a question. "Yes, yes, that guy at the back, what's your question". "Mr. honorable president. We thank you for all your great efforts and for your hard work in making Egypt one of the best countries in the world. This is the best time in Egypt's history, and its all because of you. I just have one little request regarding those checkpoints on the bridge". Hosni felt relieved that finally someone is going to complain about it, so he can then solve the problem.

The man: "We think the checkpoints are a great idea, and feel very safe for having them, and the guys who slap us are very nice people, but I was wondering if we can increase the number of people who slap us in order to speed the process a bit?"   

Another joke i heard from a friend, is about how Mubarak's family is entrenched in the country's politics and businesses.

"Mubarak was on his deathbed, so his aides asked him whether he had any wishes. Mubarak said: I want my son Gamal to succeed me as president. His aides said, but Mr. president, the people won't accept it, what should we about that? Mubarak answered: Let them eat dirt ! (my friend used a more obscene word, but i decided to go with dirt.) Mubarak's aides said: What about the parliament? Mubarak: let them eat dirt! The aides: What about the opposition? Mubarak: Especially those, let them eat dirt!

The aides said, sure boss. Anything else you wish for? Mubarak answered: Yes, i want my elder son Alaa to own the dirt franchise!

Sectarian clashes in Egypt

News compiled by Miret el Naggar:

Copts and Muslims clash in Alexandria

Police on Saturday arrested 25 people in the northern port city Alexandria following clashes between Christians and Muslims that left nine people injured.

The mob hurled bottles and stones that damaged around nine cars and several shop displays.

There were two accounts as the why the fight occurred.

In one account, a bicycle repairman saw Ahmed Abdelhamid,22, a Muslim, fighting with Samy Rustum, 21, a Coptic Christian, because the latter was allegedly accompanying a Muslim girl into a residential building. Both young men then called for their friends for help.

In the second account, a witness saw a group of Muslim youths trying to sell drugs to a Coptic Christian, who then called for his friends and family members to help him fight of the Muslim group.

Security forces arrived shortly after the fighting started and rounded up the mob for questioning.

Coptic Christians make up around ten percent of Egypt's 77 million people. Sectarian tensions this summer left 10 people injured and scores of shops damaged after a group of Copts accused Muslim villagers of preventing them from building a church.

In 2006 two people, a Copt and a Muslim died after a man attacked three churches in Alexandria. Security forces later said the attacker was mentally impaired.

Workers go on strike

In a separate incident, thousands of workers in the eastern city of al Mahalla went on strike today in protest of their low wages and for not receiving neither their incentives nor their annual raises.

About 27,000 workers at the "Mahalla Weavers" factory demonstrated in front of the factory's executive office to announce their demands.

The labor union later announced it came to a compromise with the factory to give the workers 40-Day's worth of salary, and will negotiate the rest of their demands.

News Roundup

News headlines for this weekend are compiled by Miret el Naggar.

-The pages of the opposition daily Al Dustour were filled with news about the case of the four editors who were sentenced to year in prison for publishing allegedly false rumors about the health condition of Egypt's President Mubarak.

A committee from the journalism union is debating the issue with the government and the ruling National Democratic Party, which Mubarak heads. A group of journalists and human rights activists demonstrated yesterday in the eastern city of Mansura against the humiliation of the press.

The website of the Pan-satellite channel Al Arabiya published yesterday an interview with the lawyer who represents the plaintiff in the case against the four editors. But more interesting than the interview were the comments. Out of a total 130 comments, about a handful backed the lawyer.

"Those journalists have nothing in mind but to malign the president and the government, and tarnish their accomplishments," said Sameh from Egypt.

HAZ said "this is a rented lawyer, representing a system collapsing system that hides behind cowards like him. I wish to know what was how much he was repaid, maybe they will make him minister, since the current cabinet is not much better than him.

Farkhonda wrote that those journalists "are the most honorable people. Stop insulting people's intelligence, we've had enough."

-The independent daily Al Masry al Yom reported that a university in upper Egypt referred 26 students belonging to the banned Muslim Brotherhood group to a disciplinary committee, and 25 others were barred from the dormitories. Head of the university Ezzat Abdallah he refused that the university is turned into a platform for the ideas of the Muslim Brotherhood, or any other politically active group and insisted the university stays a place for learning only. The students got into trouble for making a reception for the fresh students, where they took them on an orientation tour and handed them printed schedules, a way of welcoming the new students. But it's also an effective method of recruiting supporters for the Muslim Brotherhood, which is the reason behind the university's crackdown on the students.

-Saudi Prince Talal Bin Abdulaziz, brother to King Abdullah, came under harsh criticism for suggesting the formation of a democratically elected political party. After making the comments in Cairo, he went back to find the atmosphere "electric," as he described. The Lebanese newspaper Daily Star said Talal tried to downplay his remarks by saying he would never do anything without the King's approval. Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy, that doesn't have an elected parliament or political parties. In 2005 after domestic and international pressure for reform, the king allowed the country's first-ever municipal council elections, in which adult Saudi men were able to vote.

Egypt to restore ties with Iran

Egypt's foreign ministry announced Tuesday that talks with Iran are underway to re-establish diplomatic relations that have been severed for over two decades

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki said in a statement: "There has been an agreement to continue dialogue between both sides in particular over bilateral relations on the level of senior officials and then foreign ministers."

This is quite an unexpected turn of events. President Hosni Mubarak in 2006 enraged Shiite populations in Arab world when he remarked that Iran and Shiite Muslims, when he said their allegiance is to Iran and not to their countries. During the Israeli war on Lebanon last year, Mubarak blamed the SHiite militant group Hezbollah for the attacks. The remarks widely shocked Egyptians, and others in the Arab world. So the attitude towards Iran was rather an interest to curb its influence, not to maintain good diplomatic relations with it.

Egypt was infuriated by Iran when it named a street after Khaled Islamboully, the mastermind of former President Sadat's assassination in 1981. Iran condemned Sadat striking a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, and for hosting the ousted Shah Reza Pahlavi in the wake of the Islamic revolution in in the same year.

written by Miret el Naggar.

Drawbacks on Democracy

News roundup compiled by Miret el Naggar.

An Egyptian court last week sentenced four opposition newspaper editors to a year in prison and a fine of 20,000 Egyptian pounds (equal to $3500.) The editors were found guilty of "publishing false information likely to disturb public order."

"The recent sentences handed down by an Egyptian court on September 13 against four editors are part of a concerted campaign by the authorities to stifle criticism and reflect the urgent need for a revision of the country's controversial press law," said an Amnesty International statement.

The charges were evoked by a campaign in the independent and opposition newspapers during summer that discussed 79-year-old President Hosni Mubarak's health.

Leading the campaign, outspoken editor Ibrahim Eissa wrote a series of articles saying Mubarak's health was deteriorating and published medical reports that allegedly were Mubarak's. The campaign sparked a rumor that spread like wildfire among Egyptians, that Mubarak had died. For weeks after that it was the talk of the town.

In another example of democracy setback, security forces closed down Egypt's leading human rights and political freedom association.

Earlier this month Cairo's governor issued a decree to shut down the Association for Human Rights Legal Aid (AHRLA), citing a legal code that prohibits NGOs from receiving financial grants from foreign countries. The group's website was also suspended. The funds under investigation date back to 2003.

"Although Egypt is a member of the UN Human Rights Council, it is preventing its citizens from maintaining an association that combats human rights violations," said Human Rights deputy director for the Middle East Joe Stork.

AHRLA provided legal advice for victims and details human rights violations.

Finally, the state is currently studying a program that gives university deans and security forces powers to supervise student elections and strike out any students they deem problematic.

"It basically gives the university dean the right to strike out members of the Muslim Brotherhood student body, or any other group that goes against the wishes of ruling National Democratic Party," said Emad Mubarak, director of the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression. The list isn't a new invention though, it has been in the university code of law since 1979, universities will merely re-establish it.

Several clashes occurred between students and security forces last year during student union elections. Read more about it in our story.

First day of Ramadan

McClatchy special correspondent Miret el Naggar in Cairo attended the start of Ramadan. This is her account of the holy month's first day.

Ramadan starts today !!

For as long as i can remember, Ramadan has always been a happy month. The atmosphere is equivilant to that of Christmas in the West, only that Ramadan is a month-long celebration.

Ramadan is not just the holiest month of the Muslim calendar, it is also the happiest. It's the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when believers fast from dawn to dusk. After sunset families gather for  feasts and later relax around platters of syrupy pastries.

The beauty of Ramadan is that it surprises you you from every corner. On the streets you see decorations hanging from rooftops and in the shop displays. People greet each other with "Have a blessed Ramadan." Coming to the office today Am Abbas the doorman greeted me with the oldest Ramadan joke "Are you fasting this year, or not, as every year?" And as the custom goes I answered back: "No, as every year!"

TV and Radio stream special series, soaps and programs, since Ramadan has the highest viewership rates. Our story about Ramadan's similarity to sweepsweek is here. Of course food ads nearly quadruple during Ramadan compared to the rest of the year.

In Ramadan  life turns nocturnal. It has a slow pace during the days,  occasionally turning tense when driving through Cairo's traffic jams. This year traffic police banned vacations during Ramadan and deployed extra officers to help maintain an easy flow on Cairo's streets. After breakfast Cairo bursts with life.

Kindness and affection towards the other is also a feature of the holy month. On every corner banquets filled with food are set up for the disadvantaged. Quarrels are forgotten and there is an overall atmosphere of merriness.

Shabolla's New Song

Egyptian pop singer Shaaban Abdel Rehim a.k.a "shabolla" is currently producing a song about the latest rumors concerning President Mubarak's health, which many believe is deteriorating. State media aired a full hour live today of Mubarak visiting a government construction project, the shots included several close-ups of Mubarak.

Abdel Rehim's song is called "Rumors" and its words are:

"Alot of talk surfaces and spreads quickly / The talk is baseless and hurtful, and is all rumors.

The President is meya meya (100%, in coloquial arabic it means in best shape) thank god for his wellbeing / The picture clear, no lying and no stunt man.

A lot of insulting talk the liars spread around / And those who have interests are the ones who sparked the rumors.

Talk spread in the air and this increased the rumors / Our president is also human and deserves a few days off."

Abdel Rehim became famous after a series of pop songs that included harsh criticism against the United States and Israel. His song "I hate Israel" in 2001 was a hit, especially among the middle and lower classes. Another one of his hits "Striking Iraq" came in 2003, and it included cartoons mocking President Bush and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Over the years he produced several songs in past years about the war in Lebanon, the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and the hanging of Saddam Hussein. Listen to his song "two faces of the same coin," about the United States and Israel. It also has english subtitles.

This blog item was written and translated by Miret el Naggar

Weekend News Roundup

This is the news roundup for the weekend of the first week of September, 2007, compiled from newspapers by Miret el Naggar.

-Prime Minister Ahmed Nazief said that President Mubarak's health is good, and the rumors that his health has deteriorated are all wrong. "The president is very active, and the National Democratic Party intends to maintain him as President until the end of his term," Nazief said. Mubarak heads the NDP that has 317 out of 444 seats in parliament.

-Tamer al Saied, 27, returned from Libya in mid-August and told shocking tails of how he was detained and tortured there. "I used to hear the other detainees screaming, and i would cry out of fear as i waited for the cell door to open and they take me to be tortured." Said he was detained when he asked a police officer in the street why he was arresting another Egyptian, the officer then arrested him as well. He accused the Egyptian embassy in Libya of negligence. " I met many detainees, who have spent years in Libyan prisons without charge."

-A key witness in the case of opposition figure Ayman Nour was found dead in his cell on Thursday. Ayman Hassan had formerly testified against Nour, but then withdrew his testimony saying security forces had threatened they would harm his family. Nour was President Mubarak's main contender in the country's first multi-candidate elections in 2005. He was then imprisoned for allegedly forging signatures to establish his al-Ghad (Tomorrow) party. The trials and charges have been largely deemed by analysts and human rights activists as a farce.

- Reports show that Egypt has reached its highest economic growth in decades, but that high unemployment rates and rising prices hamper this flourish from reaching the masses.

-Around 5000 Bedouins protested on Thursday demanding better services and better treamtment by the local security forces.

-A Norwegian company has won a bid to extract oil and gas from Egypt. The company will invest $50 million over a period of five years.

-A columnist in the opposition newspaper Al Dustour warned that the continuing crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood will create an Islamic void, that might result in other more extremist groups filling it. Over the past year the Egyptian government has fiercly hunted down members of the group. The latest crackdown included scores of parliamentarians and buisnessmen, the latter who finance the group. Now the group's key political figures are in prison and is suffering financially as well.

-Egypt's official newpspaper Al Ahram reported that police forces will install cameras everywhere in Cairo, enabling them to monitor traffic and make traffic flow easily. For those who've never visited Cairo, it has disfunctioning traffic lights, and traffic police are on each corner and crossroad, organizing traffic as a shepheard would organize his herd. But it's still fun to drive, because it's a daily challenge to play the game of getting from one destination to another.

Talk of the town:

As the Muslim's holy month of Ramadan approaches, Egyptians worry about prices of basic groceries as milk, vegetables and bread that recently skyrocketed. In the Arab world Ramadan is a month of feastings and family gatherings, where Egyptians traditionally eat abundantly. Many families this year won't have that privilege. To make things worse, Ramadan coincided this year with the start of schools and universities. So parents not only have to worry about how to put food on the table, but also about tuition fees, uniforms, books etc. In a country where the average annual income of a person is $1,400 (according to the world bank report of 2001) these worries are serious.

Vacation

I'll be on leave for September, but Middle East Diary will continue five days a week with my Cairo bureau colleague Miret el Naggar posting a round-up of local Egyptian headlines as well as some items on whatever topic is making waves in the Arab world.

I also hope to include some links and commentary on the elections coming up in Morocco and Lebanon this month. If you have favorite election-related sites, please send me the URLs at hannahallam@hotmail.com so I can post them.

Happy Ramadan! See you in October.

News Headlines

This section includes headlines from independent and official newspapers, and a summary of events in recent months.

Al Masry Al Yom: (an independent daily newspaper)

- The Egyptian government admitted that prices of basic groceries have skyrocketed, rising up to 24 per cent of their original price.

- Residents of Al Kaylani, a village in Egypt's eastern province complained that they have been living without running water and electricity for the past 20 years. The water shortage problem topped headlines this summer, as villagers across Egypt gave shocking accounts of how they sometimes went days without drinking and that their cattle is dying from dehydration. Events turned even uglier when the government responded by sending ermergency water containers, as fights broke out over the water, and some were injured.

-The regional manager for UNAIDS in the Middle East stated that the number of people who tested HIV positive at the end of 2006 had risen to 460,000, which is 68,000 more people than the previous year.

-The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights published yesterday its annual report for 2006. The report stated 30 cases of torture in police stations, 23 cases of physical and mental abuse and 15 cases of detention without charge. In 2007 26 there were 26 cases of torture in police stations, resulting in three deaths. Most famous of these incidents was the case of a 12-year-old boy, who was beaten, electrocuted and stabbed in the chest by a heavy object. He died ten days after his detention. In another incident, a man died after receiving several blows to the head by a police officer.

Al Ahram: (government-backed daily newspaper)

-President Hosni Mubarak met yesterday with Jordan's King Abdullah II and with Middle East envoy Tony Blair. The meetings stressed that Middle East peace conference, called for by President George Bush, must bring about a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and establish and independent Palestinian state.

-the government will demand a budget of four billion Egyptian pounds from parliament, to subsidize prices of foodstuff that have risen due to climbing prices in the international market.

-Chief of Arab League Amr Moussa said Arab states would send troops to Iraq only if Iraq demanded so. In the light of British troops withdrawing from Basra in Iraqi, Moussa added that foreign troops shouldn't leave just to be replaced by a new foreign force.

Talk of the town:

This section includes the latest rumors, gossip, or whatever is occupying Egyptian minds at the moment.

Did you hear the rumor about the president?

I must have heard this line a hundred times (at least!) during the past ten days. Rumors that President Mubarak had died spread like wildfire across the country. The rumor was sparked by articles in the widely-read opposition newspaper al dustour, that discussed Mubarak's health and illnesses, and asserted that he was in no condition of running the country. In following days the rumor topped headlines in official and independent newspapers, and everyone was discussing the matter. I heard my father talking on the phone about it; in outings my friends discussed it; and TV programs held heated talks about this rumor.

Two televison appearances, and assurances in the official newspapers still didn't convince people Mubarak was alive. Scepticism was so high that the First Lady gave an interview on the pan-Arab satellite channel Al Arabeya, only to assure people her husband was still alive and described his health as "excellent."

As of Wednesday, state security prosecutior is questioning Ibrahim Eissa, editor in chief of al dustour and the one who sparked this debate. Among his charges are insluting the president, spreading false rumors to disturb the public, and harming the nations security.