Readers' corner
Tough years
Sir-- Commenting on 'Khartoum's bare knuckle' ( Al-Ahram Weekly 19-25 January) by Gamal Nkrumah, and specifically to Dr Turabi's statement: "Repression and abuse of human rights have reached horrendous levels. The Sudanese people are utterly frustrated and downtrodden," Dr Turabi must be referring to the years 1989-99 when he was speaker of the Sudanese parliament and Sudan's leader in the shadows. Back then repression and abuse of human rights were both widespread and treated with impunity.
Regarding the ethnic split amongst the Sudan Liberation Army leadership, Abdul-Wahed Mohamed Nur is an ethnic Fur whilst Minni Arkoi Minnawi is an ethnic Zaghawa, like Chadian President Idris Deby.
Finally, as regards the incident at Hamashkoreb, there was tension but absolutely no fighting between the Sudanese army and the Sudan People's Liberation Army.
Abdel-Haleem Al-Mutaafi
Khartoum
Sudan
The best
Sir-- 'A monstrous rehabilitation' ( Al-Ahram Weekly 19-25 January) is really the best single article I've read about the war criminal Sharon since his lingering, not-quite-demise. It is certainly the funniest. Bravo to Azmi Bishara.
Ellen Cantarow
Massachusetts
USA
You got it
Sir-- Your article 'Impeaching Bush' ( Al-Ahram Weekly 5-11 January) is a refreshing rain after a long dry spell. We have been inundated by extremist views in our country and can barely see our government's behaviour for what it really is. With your conscious attempts to be even-handed, I believe you have it exactly right.
Brooke Horne
Texas
USA
Trust him not
Sir-- If we consider that the NSA can intercept e- mails and wiretap lines of communication within the US without permission, how are we to expect that they will respect any law outside of US jurisdiction? The admission of President George W Bush to the illegal activities of his administration leaves the door open to acts of a similar nature within the very US itself.
If after all its denials the US government admitted to the EU that it did have secret prisons in Eastern and Central Europe, then there is a glaring fact, that the US government will lie through its teeth to justify any illegal action on its part, where or whenever it becomes necessary. Which nation, then, can ever trust the word of the Bush regime?
Kenneth Tellis
Mississauga
Canada
Something for them
Sir-- I hope you would not be surprised at how many Americans agree completely with you. Bush and his cabal are a danger to our nation and the world itself. Now that we've found out that he's ordered domestic spying on whomever he wants to spy upon, it makes me think the reason the Democrats have not tried to impeach him is because Bush has some dirt on them.
Kat Ready
Washington
USA
Blame Clinton
Sir-- The vast majority of Americans agreed with President George W Bush's decision to disarm Iraq, and eliminate their capacity to wage war when it was thought Iraq was developing biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons that could be used against America, and other nations. Aided by the Democratic Party, the House and Senate overwhelmingly approved the Iraq War Resolution.
On 17 February 1998 President Clinton stated: "If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programme." Ted Kennedy, Al Gore, John Kerry and Hillary Clinton also believed that Saddam Hussein had biological, chemical, and nuclear programmes in place.
If President Bush is a liar, why aren't double- tongued Democrats held accountable? Do they think faulty intelligence on Iraq only came through Bush? They originally got it from Bill Clinton.
Vincent Bemowski
Wisconsin
USA
Accept others
Sir-- In 'The world is his oyster' ( Al-Ahram Weekly 12-18 January) Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali put his finger on the most effective remedy for most of our problems, that is education. He made it clear that our system of education should encourage our pupils to accept other people and not reject them. It should encourage us all to respect other cultures, other religions and other ways of being and living. It is high time that the Ministry of Education takes the concept of accepting others as one of its first priorities.
Nassef Naguib
Cairo
Egypt
The whole picture
Sir-- You state Israel's imposing of a new security zone in northern Gaza 'Full circle' ( Al-Ahram Weekly 5-11 January) but you never once state the reason -- that Qassam rockets are continuing to rain down on Israeli towns around Gaza despite the fact that Israel has withdrawn totally from Gaza. What do you expect the Israeli army to do against such rocket fire? Why don't you bother mentioning it as a reason? The reader of your article might think that the security zone is done for no reason at all.
Guy Blachman
New York
USA
Presidential paths
Sir-- I want to thank Gamal Nkrumah for his article concerning the Sudanese refugees in Egypt, 'The noose tightens' ( Al-Ahram Weekly 5-11 January). I am not Egyptian, I am African-American, hence I care about the issues concerning the people of Africa, including North Africans. I am ashamed of the Egyptian government in terms of how they handled the Sudanese sit-ins. The Egyptian government also has a reputation of "making things hard" for Coptic Christians. The government of Egypt ought to protect its citizens and be friends to its neighbours.
Your former president Anwar El-Sadat tried to walk in peace with his neighbours; Gamal Abdel-Nasser was a friend to other African countries. I hope Egypt will continue in this presidential tradition and not destroy its good name.
Nathaniel Sutton
Georgia
USA
Historical memories
Sir-- I would like to congratulate Jill Kamil on her piece on the Coptic Museum ( Al-Ahram Weekly 19-25 January) and its renovation -- albeit long- overdue. She skilfully squeezed a wealth of information gleaned during the limited time (half-an- hour) allocated by Gawdat Gabra, who is also to be congratulated for his efforts.
My recollection of the Coptic Museum goes back to the early 1950s when I visited it for the first time as a teenager, greeted as I cleared the front entrance by a bust of Morcos Samaika Pasha. Inside the museum, there were all sorts of reminders of the Coptic culture. The works combined beauty, art and science.
The visit is not complete without going through the Al-Moallaqa Church, featuring its magnificent columns and an icon of St Mary and baby Jesus, with St Mary's eyes looking at you no matter where you are and from what direction you are looking.
Nazih Salama
Melbourne
Australia
What boycott?
Sir-- Regarding the letter by Quentin Poulsen about London gaining the 2012 Olympics, 'Boycott 2012' ( Al-Ahram Weekly 22-28 December) perhaps Mr Poulsen would like to get his facts straight before making wild accusation. Firstly it is Britain and not England that compete in the Olympics. Secondly Britain has never boycotted an Olympic Games. In the 1980 Moscow Olympics, that we are meant to have boycotted, I'm sure most people will remember that Alan Wells, Seb Coe and Daley Thompson all won gold medals for Britain. I'm sure your readers would agree that this would be quite amazing if Britain had indeed boycotted the Games as Mr Poulsen seems to believe happened.
Alex Denslow
London
UK
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