Al-Ahram Weekly | Opinion | Letters to the Editor

		Al-Ahram Weekly Online 12 - 18 July 2001 Issue No.542
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875		Current issue \| Previous issue \| Site map

Wrong winner

Sir -- In Gone for a president's ransom (Al-Ahram Weekly, 5-11 July), we read that on 28 June 1389 Serb peasants (?!) defeated their Turkish overlords at the battle of Kosovo.
In fact, the Turks won the battle and the Serbs lost their independence.
Paolo Lombardini
12 Ahmed Sabri St.
Zamalek

The real culprit
Sir - I am writing to express my deep indignation at Mamdouh Mahran's attempt to defame Copts and their sacred places by publishing a scandalous and spurious story. What Mahran did could have led to a disaster but for the decisive measures taken by the state authorities and the wisdom of church leaders.
Muslim and Christian clerics rallied to condemn Mahran's attempt to harm national unity, while writers and intellectuals insisted that Copts were an integral part of the national fabric.
I fear, however, that when the dust settles the status quo will prevail until another Mahran again stirs things up with another fabricated story.
I think the main culprit is our system of education. It is this system which has produced people like Mahran: they are able to read and write, but cannot distinguish the worthwhile from the worthless. This same system has produced people with little learning who still claim to be the only professors of the truth.
I also believe that freedom of thought and expression in Egypt are at risk. Perhaps this is because ignorance has become the sole competitor in the cultural arena. Ignorance leads to prejudice, bigotry and intolerance.
Allow me here to quote Martin Luther King, who said: "Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksand of injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. There is little hope for us until we are tough-minded enough to break loose from the shackles of prejudice, half-truths and downright ignorance."
Finally, I completely agree with President Mubarak when he said: "Freedom does not mean corrupting society, because if our values become bankrupt, future generations will be lost."
Essam Hanna Wahba
Assiut

Under one flag
Sir- I would like to thank each of your staff members for the wonderful job they have done in covering the news of the Al-Nabaa newspaper court hearings. In response to the article titled "Unprecedented show of Coptic anger" (Al-Ahram Weekly, 21-27 June), I would like to point out that such anger didn't build up over night as a result of the Al-Nabaa story.
Anger and frustration has been building up for the past few years as a result other incidents and problems such as the outcome of the El-Kosheh trial, and the growing sense of isolation in today's Egyptian society by some 10 million people living in their own country.
I would like to note, as well, that during the past few years, we have also witnessed some major progress, e.g. the re- writing of public school history textbooks to include Coptic history, television programmes and films featuring Coptic characters and traditions.
For this trend to develop, and to help break the sense of isolation felt by many Egyptian Copts, I suggest that Egypt's Coptic heritage should be better represented in our contemporary life. For instance, by issuing postage stamps and currency with representations of Coptic heritage, such as historic Churches and monasteries.
Such steps would go a long way towards fulfilling the promise expressed in your article "United under one flag" (Al-Ahram Weekly, 28 June-4 July).
Ihab Azmy
Alexandria

Need for action
Sir - I was saddened to read Mr Zahra's letter in Al-Ahram Weekly (5-11 July). First ,I would like to offer my deep and sincere condolences to the Zahra family as well as to the other families who lost their dear ones in this terrible accident. Although I knew none of them personally, the news of their deaths cut a wound in my heart and, I am sure, in those of all Egyptians.
What is especially sad and painful is that this accident was the latest in a series of deaths and maiming of our young people caused by accidents on our roads.
It has become a point of great anxiety for all parents when our children say that they are driving somewhere. We suffer great impatience and anxiety until they call to say they have safely reached their destination.
I am sure we all agree with Mr Zahra's suggestions, and hope action will be taken to implement them. I suggest that the Weekly translate Mr Zahra's letter into Arabic and send it to Abdel-Wahab Metawie's Barid Al-Ahram (the Arabic language daily) so that a larger sector of the public can read it.
We appreciate the fact that you wrote this letter, Mr Zahra. We know how painful and difficult it must have been for you to do so. We all pray that something beneficial will come of it.
Dr Reine Naggar
Cairo

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