 'People had an instinctive sense of the historical importance of a place.They had an innate affiliation with historical buildings. Perhaps today they do not convey the same meaning to the younger generation.' -- Abdel-Moneim Said, director of Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, on the public gloating after the Shura Council fire.  'We ought to learn from our mistakes.Unfortunately, we turn a blind eye to them. I am not sure how long we can continue in such a way.' -- Milad Hanna, former head of the Housing Committee in parliament, after eight huge boulders broke off the Moqattam hills and flattened more than 60 houses  'Having expected [Mamdouh] Ismail to be convicted, we were deeply shocked when the court acquitted him.' -- NDP MP Hamdi Tahhan said when the owner of Al-Salam ferry was found not guilty of responsibility for Egypt's worst maritime disaster  'Currently 111,000 buildings are subject to demolition orders in Egypt though few are likely to be pulled down given that court orders for demolition are routinely ignored.' -- Official reports after the collapse of a five-storey building in Boulaq Abul-Ela  'Only a global approach will help us in solving the problems [between Muslims and Christians].' -- Boutros Ghali, head of the National Council for Human Rights parent page (1 - 6 January 2009, issue #928) |