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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 16 - 22 November 2000 Issue No.508 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 16 - 22 November 2000 Issue No.508
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters The homeland for all
In spite of all the infractions that took place in the People's Assembly elections, I feel they represent the best electoral process to take place in Egypt for many years -- a hypothesis that will be tested in the coming parliamentary term.
What pains me, however, is to find among the candidates few if any Copts. Equally painful to witness is the exploitation of Islam by one Muslim candidate to defame his Coptic rival.
How can anybody possibly resort to slandering the descendant of one of the most patriotic Coptic families in Egypt, manipulating religion in such a mean-spirited manner? What is even more mean-spirited is that the person in question is the government's candidate, and by definition supports national unity and opposes sectarian forces.
I still remember, in contrast, how Saad Zaghlul would deliberately nominate a Copt in a constituency with a majority or Muslims and vice versa, to emphasis the unity of the crescent and the cross. This prompts one to wonder whether we are moving forward or backward. One no longer really knows.
I was reassured, however, when I heard that the sheikh of Al-Azhar had stated that competence, rather than religion, should be the determining criterion of choice. And this will ultimately serve to confirm to the voters what we, the generation of 1919, still staunchly uphold: religion is for God, while the homeland is for all.
Based on an interview by Mohamed Salmawy.See Elections 2000
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