Readers' corner
Violence and religion
Sir-- Regarding the pope's recent comments about Islam, I wish to commend Pope Benedict XVI for having the courage to express what modern man rarely has in practice the foresight to acknowledge, namely that "violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul". The pope's comments were nothing more than a decisive and uncompromising renunciation of the present cycle of violence in the name of religion as well as an invitation to dialogue between religions. Terrorism is and always will be a show of inhuman ferocity that, precisely for this reason, will never be able to solve conflicts among human beings. Only reason and love are the valid means of surpassing and resolving disputes between people. No situation of injustice, no feeling of frustration, no philosophy or religion can justify such an aberration. When fundamental rights are violated, it is easy to fall prey to temptations of hatred and violence. Nonetheless, we must keep in check our base impulses and together work to build a global culture of solidarity that restores hope in the future to the young.
Paul Kokoski
Ontario
Canada
Moral compass
Sir-- I already know what Al-Ahram will be printing for your next issue: a long diatribe criticising the pope's remarks and nothing criticising Arab and Muslim apathy in regards to the real genocide in Darfur. Why doesn't Al-Ahram become the moral compass of the Arab and Muslim world and get angry over innocent people killed by Muslims than a few misplaced words (which were taken out of context) by a non- Muslim?
Jane Doe City
Washington
USA
Fundamental flaw
Sir-- Fundamentalism, just like terrorism, has been one of the most popular concepts in the recent political rhetoric ('Why America won't attack' Al-Ahram Weekly 14-20 September). We all talk about fundamental groups, fundamental movements, fundamental attacks, and are quite afraid of the damage that fundamentalism can cause. However, when it comes to define fundamentalism nothing but just the cavemen in Afghan mountains comes to mind. Religion is most of the time situated in the middle of almost all the fundamentalist movements in the contemporary era. But it will be not very wise to blindly accuse religion, particularly just one religion, as the source of crazy forms of fundamentalist movements. When different fundamentalist movements are analysed, in detail and without prejudice, it is explicit that not religions themselves, but social conditions are crucial in their development. There are religious people all around the world, but (religious) fundamentalists emerge only from the problematic areas. Sometimes in the form of suicide bomber, sometimes in the form of merciless terrorists and sometimes in the form of unadaptable migrants.
Haytham Al-Wassif
Al-Ain
United Arab Emirates
Arab interests
Sir-- The time is long overdue that Arab leaders wake up and begin to realise that it is in their best interest to form military and financial alliances with one another and put an end to the divide and conquer strategy that the West has used to secure Arab subservience in the region ('The power of deterrence' Al-Ahram Weekly 14-20 September). As indicated by the recent decisions of the EU to back US and Israeli plans to destroy the Palestinians' democratically elected Hamas government through starvation, as well as the recent US-backed destruction of Lebanon at the hands of Israel (using US military technology and funding) and US-Israeli threats of war directed toward Iran, Arab governments can no longer afford to look at Western governments for either safety or security. One immediate step that can be taken toward independence from Western coercion would be to eradicate Western financial aid from the region. As demonstrated by actions of the US and Israel, this aid was provided not for the purpose of goodwill but a means of securing access to natural resources and obedience to the West when atrocities are committed against Arab citizens. Perhaps these recent tragedies will serve as a warning that Arab leaders need to resolve their differences and pull together immediately before the next US-Israeli invasion.
Timothy Stinson
Florida
USA
Other media
Sir-- There is endless unchallenged brainwashing in all the Western media but especially those in English that systematically stereotype Arabs and Muslims as terrorists while downplaying the state terrorism and military asymmetry in their wars in Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan and their endless imperialist meddling in the affairs of all countries, not least those in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. The Arab world must fund alternate media to counter the propaganda we receive. Napoleon talked about the power of journalism. Al-Ahram is a light but you need more in the Anglophile world.
Robert di Scipio
New York
USA
Influence yourselves
Sir-- In your story about the situation in Gaza ('Gaza beyond desperate' Al-Ahram Weekly 7-13 September) acting speaker of the PLC Ahmed Baher told crowds: "Workers and teachers have the right to strike tomorrow, but you should be striking against the Americans and the Israelis." Mr Baher, you have no influence on the United States and you have no influence on Israel. You do have influence on your own government and the people of Gaza. Do you not have the wisdom to see the difference?
Robby Brodsky
California
USA
Gaza's remedy
Sir-- The answer to the terrible conditions in Gaza is the following:
- Stop attacks on Israel. Give no excuse for Israeli incursions into Palestinian territory by controlling armed groups.
- Establish a coalition government.
- Negotiate. Start up the Euro plan for peace in the region.
Richard Delaguardia
Panama City
Panama
Vain invasion
Sir-- The Bush administration should realise that choosing invasion to combat terrorism is in vain. Invasion creates a political vacuum filled by terrorism and anarchy.
Mohamed Mesbah
Cairo
Egypt
Violent Sudan
Sir-- In 'Sudan's chilling challenges' Al-Ahram Weekly 14-20 September) Hassan Turabi comments on the horrific murder of Sudanese journalist Mohamed Taha Mohamed Ahmed. Turabi fails to mention the fact that his son Essam had a very public and violent spat with Taha in the early 1990s, during which Essam Hassan Al-Turabi threatened Mohamed Taha Mohamed Ahmed with a loaded gun. The disagreement was over the contents of Taha's writings about Sheikh Hassan. Until Sudan's political dinosaurs resign themselves and their selective memories and moralistic diatribes from the political scene, Sudan will not move forward.
Asim Babiker
London
UK
Wrong to compare
Sir-- Comparing President Karzai with Barak Karmal or Najeebullah is not correct ('Afghanistan: a lost cause' Al-Ahram Weekly 7- 13 September). The Communist regimes of Barak and Najeebullah did not come through free elections like that of Karzai. I know the presence of foreign elements on both sides of the conflict can have some resemblance but still the international intervention in Afghanistan is UN- sanctioned whereas Soviet occupation was not. There is a big difference between the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and the involvement of the international community today. The Soviets were not attacked by anyone on Afghan soil compared to the attacks of the United States. The Afghans for the first time elected their leader with majority consent. And Afghans freely chose their representatives to the Afghan parliament.
Khushal Arsala
New Jersey
USA
Inspiring read
Sir-- 'Faces of Islam' ( Al-Ahram Weekly 7-13 September) is a very inspiring article. We need many more people, especially intellectuals like him to change the view of Islam as portrayed in the media these days.
Shameem Jabbar
Georgia
USA
Learn Danish
Sir-- About the Middle East festival in Denmark ('A hall of mirrors' Al-Ahram Weekly 7-13 September) I was left puzzled by an anonymous Iraqi grocer in Copenhagen: "I don't think the Danes will ever want to have a dialogue. Since it is a festival about the Middle East, the least they could do was print a programme in Arabic, so we could have known about it." Since the man has obviously lived in Denmark for years, instead of complaining about the lack of information in Arabic, learning Danish would have been a good option.
Victor Navidad
Berlin
Germany
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2006/813/letters.htm