A debate that has been continuing for the last four weeks between the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Ministry of Electricity shows signs of calming down, says Nevine El-Aref The National Democratic Party's announcement a month ago that Egypt is seeking to revive its nuclear programme and means to build a large power station neighbouring the Graeco-Roman site of Tel Al-Dabaa on the Alexandria-Marsa- Matrouh road caught the headlines of newspapers and sparked uproar among archaeologists who feared the construction would destroy a major archaeological site. Conflict also arose between the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) and the Ministry of Electricity which will lead the construction process. The press has weighed in daily to offer a plethora of contradictory opinions, leaving the public confused as to the genuine issues. Rumours have spread that the conflict has been deliberately created by the SCA and the ministries of tourism and construction in an attempt to ensure another location is found for the nuclear station and Tel Al-Dabaa is left free for abuse by a mega tourist project like the huge complex at Marina Al-Alamein. Last Monday, however, a committee of SCA experts and Ministry of Electricity officials embarked on an inspection tour of the 70 sq km site of Tel Al-Dabaa and finally came up with concrete ideas to suit all parties. Mohamed Abdel-Maqsoud, head of the central department for ancient Egyptian sites, told Al-Ahram Weekly that an early inspection had uncovered remains of a number of Graeco- Roman monuments such as chapels, water wells, windmills, and a date processing factory, as well as some blocks of an ancient light house and a collection of clay pots and pans. Hence, to spruce up archaeological digs and at the same time provide all the facilities required for the construction of the nuclear station, the SCA has allocated LE50,000 for excavation work. The SCA and the nuclear stations authority have also stopped any further press announcements until the excavations are completed in an attempt to protect the uncovered monuments and so as not to create obstacles to what they call an important national project. "The SCA always lends a hand to national projects," Zahi Hawass, secretary-general of the SCA, said, adding that this was manifested in a number of projects implemented over the past 50 years such as the High Dam construction and the salvage of the Nubia temples, the building of the Al-Salam Canal and the salvage of the North Sinai monuments, and Toshka and the prehistoric site of Napta Playa. Abdel-Maqsoud says that building the station will "by no means" destroy the monuments since they will be within the safe zone of the nuclear station. He also squashed the rumours that have been current in the press as unfounded, on the grounds that when Tel Al-Dabaa was set aside for the construction of the nuclear power station, the site was enclosed within a five-metre-high wall and declared a military zone. Even archaeologists were prohibited from inspecting the site. Now, with Egypt deciding to go ahead with the project, the site could be inspected by archaeologists just like any other area in Egypt. According to the antiquities Law 117/1971, the SCA must inspect any area allocated for construction in Egypt before the start of any construction work.
