From: barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us (Mr Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS: EGYPT: FUNDAMENTALISM, RESORT OF TH
Originator: barnhart@gagme
Organization: Evanston, Illinois
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 22:46:26 GMT

Area: Africa, southern
Reference: Population
Title: EGYPT: FUNDAMENTALISM, RESORT OF THE DESPERATE //SERIES//


an interpress service feature

by ruby ofori

cairo, aug 21 (ips) --a massive population explosion has
worsened already scarce access to land in upper egypt, base of a
recent resurgence of islamic fundamentalism.

in 40 years the population of upper egypt has trippled to 20
million. when attacks against police and christians began in
may, government sent 2000 troops to assyout, 600km south of
cairo, the hot-bed of islamic militancy, to comb the river banks
and arrest local emirs suspected of leading the local youths.
the area is under an 8pm to 10am curfew.

the average fellahin (peasant) farm in upper egypt is less
than five acres making it impossible to do commercial
cultivation.

as a result of the gulf war at least ten thousand
egyptians are said to have fled the gulf states. their
unceremonious return has meant a loss of remittances and an
added burden to cash-strapped families at home.

''throughout this century, whenever the economy was bad
fundamentalism grew, when things got better the movement
declined'', commented camilia rizkalla, an ngo officer
working in the area.

according to andre azzar, another ngo officer, ''in assyout
and dairout the muslims are doing exactly what the christians
used to do''. they have set up health units, schools and
kindergartens free of charge inside the mosques.

''we feel the government has been trying very hard to
improve people's standards of living but life is getting
harder and land is getting scarcer'', said rizkalla.

besides repressive measures the egyptian government is trying
to alleviate economic distress. recently it launched a social
fund of 650 million dollars donated by western governments and
multilateral bodies.

the money will be lent to small entrepreneurs as start up
capital to generate new companies and reduce unemployment.
families of poor pupils will also receive loans to help with the
up-keep of children in school.

a third element of government strategy against fundamentalism
has been the use of leading islamic clerics in the national
media. (more/ips)


egypt: fundamentalism (2)

there are even convoys of preachers to rural areas to
engage the young in discussions meant to turn them off religious
extremism.

these strategies are failing because the clerics are
stooges, says salama ahmed salama, manging editor of the al
ahram newspaper.

salama believes the television appearances of the mufti,
(official interpreter of koranic scriptures) and the grand
cheikh (paramount cleric) are a waste of time because their
concerns are out of touch with the needs of the young.

''i sit here and i see the whole world on tv. i see madonna
and i see bush. you have to deal with the problems of today, you
have to speak on the same wave length with the youth'', he said.

observers say most people view the official clerics with
suspicion. national newspapers have also tried to ''dissillusion
people and emphasised the point that fundamentalism is not only
against the christians but also moderate muslims'', noted
rizkalla.

another effect of fundamentalism in egypt is the new
fear it has spread within the liberal community. this
includes actors, directors, belly dancers all those who work in
what might be described as 'licentious' professions.

their fear is a result of the machine gunning earlier this
yeaer of the writer and intellectual faragh foda. he was the
most outspoken critic of fundamentalist ideas.

''he tried to explain his views to these young people in
such a provocative way, they killed him'', commented salama.

foda called for a complete seperation of religion and the
state and argued on much the same lines as salama, that was
islam was unsuited to modern state craft.

if economic distress is at the root of fundamentalism's
growth then egypt looks set for more. with the introduction of
an imf world bank structural adjustment programme 18 months ago
economic conditions for the rural poor are likely to worsen.

already prices of essential items such as petrol and bread
are rising as subsidies are cut. people in the marginalised
south ''will suffer more'', said salama.

he warned: ''if we don't make integral reforms which deal
with unemployment, social justice and corruption, the problem
will not go away''.

a british journalist noted that president hosni mubarak is the
main factor holding the country together. ''nobody dares think
what would happen if they killed him''. (end/ips/ro/oa/92)




-- 
Mr. Aaron Barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us -- posting from Evanston, Illinois