Readers' corner

---

Friends with Addis

Sir-- I am among millions of Ethiopians pleased with the Egyptian diplomatic representatives who visited our country recently. Their presence among us shows how love and close relations govern people more than anything else.

The Egyptians and we Ethiopians have to maintain this progressive practice until it reaches its maximum and results in prosperity for both countries.

Adane Kiflu
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia

---

Sectarian stand

Sir-- I am pleasantly surprised about how the new Egyptian caretaker government has been handling sectarian violence in Egypt. When thousands of people tried to storm the Israeli Embassy recently, Egyptian officials realised that law and order must prevail and showed the protesters that it is one thing to protest peacefully and quite another to attempt violence.

The same is true in terms of violence against Christian minorities in Egypt. The government has strongly stated that this will not be tolerated. This is an important moment for Egypt and for the rest of the Muslim world that could learn from this.

Gale Harris
Florida
USA

---

No plans

Sir-- The pivotal aspect of a revolution is having a plan as it relates to what comes after the tyrants' ousting. Historically speaking I see our founding fathers as the only group who had a decent idea to replace the existing regime. Even the French and their glorious revolution only succeeded in clearing the way for an even bigger whack-job (Napoleon) than their hated king. Then they went and restored the monarchy soon after. Nice. Lenin's "workers revolution" became a death machine under Stalin, as did Mao's China, Hitler's Germany and Pol Pot's Cambodia. Iran gave their new-found freedoms to the ayatollah and he flushed them down the toilet, and Lebanon let Hizbullah in.

If you do the research, since 1776, revolutions have been a generally good idea, with universally bad results. Now Egypt, and Libya, soon to be followed by Yemen and Syria -- what side of the historic coin will they fall on? If the past 300 years of history is any indication, and I'm certain it is, this fact, coupled with the complete lack of any after-ousting plans or ideas on the part of these nations, and a complete failure on the world's part to even so much as throw out a suggestion or two (wouldn't want to meddle, right? We can send planes to kill people, but actually showing them how to build a stable, peaceful government is somehow crossing the line) will pretty much insure that these revolutions, like the dozens of others that have followed the same historic lines will end in a spectacularly ugly fashion. But hey, 300 plus years of history could be wrong... right?

Mel Ott
New York
USA

---

Region of revolutions

Sir-- Congratulations to Egyptians for their tidal wave of wrath which swept away the previous regime.

The ray of hope and freedom of the revolution in Egypt is spreading to people in other countries. We deserve to achieve our aspirations to restore the leading country in the Middle East.

Mohamed Abdel-Hadi
Daqahliya
Egypt

---

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.