27 Sep. - 3 Oct. 2001
Issue No.553
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 27 Sep. - 3 Oct. 2001 Issue No.553 |
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Current issue | Previous issue | Site map | ||
OIC speaks up
PEOPLE'S Assembly Speaker Fathi Sorour pledged that Islamic countries were ready to participate in world efforts to confront all forms of terrorism. Addressing a conference of the Parliamentary Union of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) in Rabat yesterday, Sorour joined more than 300 parliamentarians in condemning the 11 September terrorist attacks against New York and Washington sites."Islamic parliaments, however, reject the attempt of some Western circles to make use of the terrorist assault on America to associate Islam with terrorism," Sorour said. He added that global efforts should be mobilised to protect the Islamic holy sites in the city of Jerusalem against Israeli aggression and expropriation.
"I would also like to bring to the attention of the international community Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's terrorist attacks against the Palestinian people," said Sorour.
Outraged!
RESIDENTS of the village of Abu Senna, north of Cairo in Qalyoubiya governorate, were enraged this week when another life was taken on the infamous Nile Delta highway that runs through their town. Sixteen-year-old Basma Ismail Sayed was killed by a speeding car on Saturday while crossing the highway on her way to school. Scores of people have been killed or injured along the stretch of road, which runs from Cairo to Alexandria.The latest casualty, and the getaway of the driver, triggered the wrath of the villagers, who blocked the main road with burning tyres, broke the windows of around a dozen vehicles, and hurled rocks and metal rods onto railway tracks, halting the movement of trains. Three vehicles and eight public buses were destroyed in the three-hour-long riot. Police fought people back with batons and tear gas. In the mêlée, 26 rioters and three policemen were wounded. Police arrested 40 people.
Similar riots broke out last year in the town of Mit Nama, two kilometres away, after a child was killed crossing the same road. One protester died in the ensuing violence. Residents of Abu Senna have long been demanding a pedestrian bridge, like the one constructed near Mit Nama; authorities agreed, but no action was taken.
Qalyoubiya Governor Adli Hussein said that LE1.5 million was allocated for this purpose last July and that three bridges will be set up. Work is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks.
Flights cancelled
CITING security reasons due to the expected US reprisals for terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, EgyptAir stopped running flights to Pakistan and Yemen on Sunday. The airline formerly ran flights twice a week to Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi via Dubai, but does not fly to Islamabad.Flights to Dubai will return to Cairo rather than continue on to Karachi. EgyptAir also cancelled its twice-weekly flight to the Yemeni capital Sanaa, as well as its weekly flight to the port city of Aden.
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