'A case of massive negligence'

By Nevine El-Aref

Ismail El-Mufatesh Palace, a historic Islamic monument, surrounded by heaps of refuse

A week after fire had gutted the Musaferkhana -- a unique 18th century Ottoman building --a small fire broke out in Ismail El-Mufatesh Palace in Cairo's Lazughli area, which was quickly contained, thus averting a major disaster.

"The use of Islamic sites as administrative buildings is completely wrong," said Ayman Abdel-Moneim of the Islamic Cairo Development Project. He explained that Al-Muizz Street, for example, houses 630 Islamic sites, many of which are used as government offices, workshops and commercial establishments.

"The problem is that the Ministry of Al-Awqaf owns and controls these monuments, using them as ordinary buildings and not as historical sites that are part of the national heritage," said Farouk Hosni. "The Ministry of Culture is only empowered to maintain and restore these monuments."

Hosni charged that the Ministry of Al-Awqaf has put up four Ottoman monuments for auction. However, the auction was delayed until February because the ministry's reserve price was not met, he said. These monuments are Sabil-Kuttab Nefissa El-Bayda, the façade of Wikalet Nefissa El-Bayda, Hammam Al-Sokariya on Al-Muizz Street and El-Shebshari house in Atfet El-Tettari.

Mustafa Abdel-Fattah, head of the Al-Awqaf Authority, hotly denied Hosni's charge. Abdel-Fattah said the Nefissa El-Bayda's buildings are under the Supreme Council of Antiquities' (SCA) supervision, which recently opened them to the public after restoring them. The other monuments are private Awqaf property, belonging to the heirs of their original owners. "The Ministry of Al-Awqaf only has the authority to supervise these buildings. It does not have the power to sell them or put them up for auction," he said. Moreover, the Ministry of Al-Awqaf is planning to turn over its supervisory role to the Ministry of Culture, Abdel-Fattah added.

Abdallah El-Attar, head of the Islamic and Coptic monuments department of the SCA, said that the SCA guards acted quickly at the time of the palace fire, thus helping to minimise the damage. He said that while fire-fighters were trying to extinguish the blaze, seven gas cylinders and 10 refrigerators were quickly removed from the building. "It is a classic case of massive negligence," El-Attar asserted.

The Ismail El-Mufatesh Palace, built in 1866, and including fittings exquisitely carved, painted and inlaid with gold, was registered as a historic Islamic monument 12 years ago. It is one of three palaces constructed in the area by Ismail El-Mufatesh, minister of finance during the reign of Khedive Ismail. The complex of buildings is surrounded by an ornate fence.