From: abde@troi.cc.rochester.edu (Tamer A. Abdelgawad)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.arabic
Subject: Re: Political cleansing in Egypt
Summary: The Egyptian government is not perfect ( :-) ) but let's be fair!
Date: 17 Dec 92 03:10:23 GMT
Organization: University of Rochester (Rochester, NY)

In article <Bz9u1F.7Mp@newsflash.concordia.ca> ilyess@ECE.Concordia.CA (Ilyess Bdira) writes:
>>>
>>>The egyptian government have been ruling by decree and imposed emergency
>>>measures since 1981 and it is extending it every time it expires..
>>>You say that there is freedom of speech, mabe compared to Tunisia, but
>>>it would not compare favourably even with Cuba.
>>>
>>
>>Didn't we have this discussion before?  Do I have to remind you again that 
>>Egyptian opposition newspapers (Elwafd, ElSha'ab, ElAhrar,...) write what
>>they want, and they spare the government no criticism (usually valid)?
>
>O.K I forgot to admit that, I also forgot to mention that SOME judges
>are independent in Egypt, which is something that is unheard of in Tunisia
>or most other Arab countries.
>Still, there is no use when the opposition is allowed to speak to
>a very small minority that can both read and buy a newspaper that is
>half their daily wage.. Those who do that know how corrupt the government
>is in the first place. I read those newpapers (at least Ashaab and ElAhrar)
>and it is clear that there are strict limits on what they can publish.

I agree that the Egyptian government has an unfair advantage in getting its
point of view heard:  After all, they have ultimate control over T.V. and
radio, as well as the 'official' newspapers.  But we have to be fair.  The
government exercises minimal political censorship over the media in Egypt
(for example, I believe personal attacks on Mubarak are considered a 'faux
pas' and even the most critical opposition newspapers will not do that.  
Also, calls for the violent overthrow of the regime are strictly censored)
Almost everything else is fair game.  Egyptian media is overflowing with
criticisms of the bureacracy, corruption in government agencies, etc..

BTW, those who cannot read (unfortunately, the majority) can, and do, listen
to those who can.

>>
>>>Of course you yourself know that there will be much more freedom
>>>under the strictest of Islamists than there is in Egypt right now,
>>>you just have to say what you said because it fits your agenda.
>>>
>>
>>The "strictest of Islamists" are shooting innocent tourists.
>>
>I will believe that when they are convicted in a fair trial in
>a democracy. Something that is not about to happen very soon
>

C'mon.  You really don't believe that fanatics are killing tourists in Egypt?

>>>I do not know if you are ignorant about this, but don't you know already
>>>that the Egyptian government is envolved in drug trade just like
>>>Noriega was when he was under CIA payroll? Do you know of Drug scandal
>>
>>You can claim anything you want.  But if you want to be taken seriously,
>>you have to back up your claims.
>>
>All of my "claims" are from western sources freindly to al of the
>regimes, they would not lie about their own allies.
>Many Egyptians I met also mentined that the police is envolved in drug
>traffic and that many new policemen were kicked out because they made
>wrong moves by stopping some influencial drug dealers.
>

We will not disagree that there is corruption in the Egyptian government.
But inferring that it is widespread to the extent you mention based on
unsubstatiated rumors is not fair.

BTW, don't believe everything Egyptians tell you :-)

Tamer Abdelgawad
Xref: sparky soc.culture.arabic:5787 soc.culture.australian:5211