 |
Al-Ahram Weekly 24 Feb. - 1 March 2000 Issue No. 470 
|
||
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
|
Al-Ahram Weekly 24 Feb. - 1 March 2000 Issue No. 470
|
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Focus Heritage Profile Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters
Appeal for social peace
By Nadia Abou El-MagdIn an appeal to officials and the nation as a whole, at least 100 intellectuals put their names to a list of recommendations to eliminate future sectarian strife. "What took place in Al-Kosheh was not an external conspiracy or the result of some invisible hand; it is the outcome of an impaired education system, deformed media, incompetent security measures and discriminatory practices and policies against Coptic citizens," the appeal states.
It continued that what happened in Al-Kosheh "is not merely a Coptic affair, nor an Islamic one; it is a national affair that concerns all Egyptians -- government, people and civil society."
A petty quarrel between a Muslim customer and a Coptic merchant on New Year's Eve turned bloody two days later, claiming the lives of 21 Christians and one Muslim and resulting in the damage of more than 70 shops and houses belonging to Copts. The police have just arrested two fugitive Muslims accused of murder or attempted murder during the clashes. According to official sources, this brings the number of the accused to 68 so far, while 12 are still on the run.
The first sectarian clash after the 1952 Revolution took place in 1972, when Al-Khanka Church and the properties of several Copts were attacked. The late Gamal El-Oteifi, then deputy-speaker of the People's Assembly, headed an investigation and fact-finding committee. The committee issued a report which included a number of "prophetic" statements. "Unless we address the roots of the problem, probe the factors that lead to it and come up with a remedy, the follow-up efforts will stop when things calm down," the report said. It continued that there would be "a loss of interest in finding a permanent solution in place of the temporary sedatives which threaten the recurrence of the hidden disease that will become more serious and fatal."
The first recommendation in the intellectuals' appeal is to implement the recommendations of the El-Oteifi committee. According to the appeal, at least 40 sectarian clashes have taken place in different villages across Egypt since then. Al-Kosheh was the latest and the bloodiest.
"The recommendations are realistic, neither far-fetched nor provocative. They are the product of many intellectuals who put a lot of thought into the matter," prominent professor of political economy at Cairo University Said El-Naggar told Al-Ahram Weekly.
El-Naggar, 79, presides over the New Civic Forum, an NGO founded in 1991 with the objective of promoting liberal economic, political and social reforms. He has been discussing with others who signed the appeal the wider phenomenon of "intellectual terrorism" that mars dialogue in Egypt.
El-Naggar emphasised that sectarian strife "is a domestic affair and solving it is the responsibility of the citizens of this nation." He added that the appeal would "have an impact on decision-makers and make them look more seriously at the causes and solutions of the sectarian problem."
Milad Hanna, one of those who signed the appeal, told the Weekly that he did so "to exert some kind of pressure" and because it is the only way to tell people that "there is a serious problem and we are trying to prevent its recurrence."
Hanna is the author of several books on the relationship between Copts and Muslims, including: Yes Copts -- but Egyptians; Egypt is for all Egyptians; and Accepting the Other.
Prominent columnist Salama Ahmed Salama signed the appeal because he believes that "it is the duty of intellectuals who care about this country and its future to make their viewpoint heard." He hopes that the recommendations of the appeal will have weight and will be discussed by officials. "The recommendations involve long-term policy and solutions, because when the fire was extinguished in the past, there were still flames under the ashes," he added.
Among the appeal's nine recommendations are: the introduction of political and constitutional reforms to assure equality among all citizens; making appointment and promotion to leading posts exclusively based on merit and efficiency; that the media and education should enrich the spirit of brotherhood, religious tolerance and orientation of all Egyptians; acknowledging the culture of Copts and their contribution to Egyptian civilisation; the standardisation of rules related to the building and maintenance of places of worship; the absolute neutrality of security forces and authorities in all sectarian disputes, and the exclusion of elements suspected of any bias.
