Readers' corner

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Historic move

Sir-- I'm writing today in order to voice my deepest appreciation for President Mubarak's decision regarding the amendment of the constitution.

Through this unprecedented step, the president knocked out the US's blatant interference in our domestic affairs. Moreover, he turned the tables and now the ball is in the court of the opposition. Now we can elect our president through free and transparent, multi-candidate direct voting.

Alaa G Abdel-Hakim
Assiut
Egypt

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Breath of fresh air

Sir-- This is a letter to President Mubarak.

Mr President, I am 25 years old, in graduate school, and like many of my peers followed closely your historic decision to amend the constitution to allow many candidates to run in the presidential elections.

Let me say that this is the first time I feel my vote will make a difference. I used to be lazy about going to the ballot box, but now I have no excuse not to have an electoral card and positively participate in the upcoming elections.

I believe you will go down in history as the first Egyptian who took this courageous step, allowing us to breathe the new air of democracy.

Ahmad Abdel-Tawwab
Cairo
Egypt

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A prosperous future

Sir-- All Egyptians have great admiration for President Mubarak. Amending the constitution to allow for the selection of a democratically elected president indicates a high degree of democracy, which is an extension of previous freedoms such as freedom of thought, opinion, expression, and a multi-party system. And now, to crown it all, is the freedom to select a future president.

Mohamed Ali Naseb
Alexandria
Egypt

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Working together

Sir-- Regarding Emad Gad's article 'In place of strife' ( Al-Ahram Weekly, 17-23 February) I was heartened to read his rational ideas. I'd like to thank him because we are in dire need of those who consider Egypt's interest as a major priority. I deeply support his urgent calls to stem the venom of hatred that has been a malignant syndrome of Egyptian newspapers, who care about their sales and don't bear in mind the subversive ideas with which they are poisoning their readers' minds with.

In the latest dilemma of the pastor's wife, most newspapers -- with the exception of Watani and Al-Ahram Weekly -- transcended rationality and objectivity by delving into fabricated and vile details, which seriously threaten Egypt's unity as well as the security of the Copts.

Nonetheless, I'm sure that the vast majority of Egyptians, whether Copts or Muslims, are not so naïve as to be deceived by such silly tales. I call on your liberal forum to consolidate tolerance and acceptance of the other.

Isaac Bandry
Qena
Egypt

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Different drummers

Sir-- While my comment does not intend to refute or deny any of the arguments expressed by Mr Azmi Bishara in 'Death, lies and politics' ( Al-Ahram Weekly, 24 February--2 March) whose rational rhetoric I've always respected, I would like, however, to highlight a few facts to the readers who might come out with confused impressions regarding the current Lebanese opposition.

Today's opposition, thanks to what remains of a democratic system, is not a homogeneous entity. It encompasses individuals of different sects and parties of different -- if not clashing -- ideological backgrounds.

The loud ongoing calls for a full Syrian pullout and dismantling of the intelligence apparatus were not generated a few weeks ago by the shocking murder of Rafiq Al-Hariri; they trace back to the early 1990s when both the Lebanese and Syrian authorities showed no signs of willingness to implement the Taif Accord.

The result was 14 years of an iron Syrian grip on Lebanon and the puppeteering of the daily political life; a situation which the US was indifferent towards for years.

The opposition gathered momentum only six months ago, following the inconceivable extension of President Lahoud's term, contrary to the Lebanese constitution and the will of the people, heedless of the international warnings. The decision formed a very good pretext for the UN to issue the 1559 Resolution. The assassination of Al-Hariri was a blow at the heart of the opposition, which gained its third dimension and considerable popular support when Al-Hariri silently joined its meetings a few weeks before his tragic death.

Syria was immediately "held responsible" for two main reasons: First, because the maintenance of the interior security was always claimed to be Syria's raison d'être in Lebanon. Second, because the opposition, a few weeks prior to the murder, was continuously receiving direct or indirect threats and accusations from Lebanese and Syrian authorities -- threats that were first translated into (or gave an excuse for) the failed attempt to assassinate MP Marwan Hamadeh a few months ago.

If demands for Lebanese independence, sovereignty and freedom are now being made by both the Lebanese opposition and the US administration, that doesn't mean the two sides have a common agenda or are conniving together against Syria. The opposition today speaks for millions of Lebanese inside and outside the country. It is patriotic and wise enough to acknowledge the wild American storm that is blowing in the region, and is ready to handle it responsibly -- unlike the corrupt Lebanese-Syrian coalition whose series of unwise practices have led us to this critical situation.

Diala Kabbara
Beirut
Lebanon

Al-Ahram Weekly reserves the right to edit letters submitted to Readers' Corner for brevity and clarity. Readers are advised to limit their letters to a maximum of 300 words.