Building for the future

Press Syndicate elections are a barometer of everything from politics to architecture. But who got Shaden Shehab's vote?
UNITED UNDER A NEW ROOF:A vast majority of journalists choose Ibrahim Nafie as Press Syndicate chairman, while taking in the still unfinished, but already imposing, headquarters constructed during his previous term
photo: Kamal El-Garnusi
Tuesday's Press Syndicate elections for the post of chairman were possibly among the most intense in the syndicate's history. Not only did the incumbent chairman, Ibrahim Nafie, face a strong challenger in the person of Magdi Hussein, the chief editor of Al- Shaab, but the elections were also being held at a time of profound crisis for the profession.
Nevertheless, Nafie's victory was overwhelming. Out of 2,753 valid votes, Nafie won 2,197, approximately 80 per cent, against 469 for Hussein. The other candidates shared a meagre three per cent. Mohamed Abdellah, a former Al-Ahram journalist, garnered 36 votes; Nadia Hamdi, former chief editor of Radio and Television magazine, 20; Mohamed Abu Luwaya of Al-Shaab, whose publication is still suspended, 17; Abdel-Moneim Zico, formerly of Al-Ahram, eight; Ali Abdel-Azim, with the weekly magazine Al-Iqtisad Al-Arabi, four; and Fathi El- Sheikh, with Sada Al-Osbou, also a weekly, only two.
The ride to the finish line was anything but smooth, though. Some five years ago, journalists, under Nafie's leadership, fought an arduous battle to have law 93/1995, which stiffened penalties for publication offences, repealed. They failed in achieving their ultimate objective: doing away altogether with imprisonment as a punishment for libel offences. The syndicate, led by Nafie, who has served as chairman for five terms, has continued to lobby for this objective while fending off a host of other problems. Chief among these was the suspension of Al- Shaab, the newspaper of the frozen Islamist-oriented Labour Party. The struggle for press freedom, already complicated by the proliferation of "yellow journalism," took another blow when the independent Al-Nabaa insulted Copts by publishing a scandalous story, complete with photos, dealing with the sexual activities of a defrocked monk. (see related stories, p.3)
Against this backdrop, Nafie pinned his campaign for re-election on the need to continue the fight for press freedom while defending professional ethics and standards. Indeed, the decline of these ethics seemed to cast a shadow over the electoral battle itself, with some syndicate members lampooning each other in the most abusive and libelous of terms with leaflets (both attributed and anonymous) as well as on the Internet.
When Al-Shaab's Hussein, a member of the Syndicate Council, decided to run against Nafie, further complicating the picture, most journalists were stunned. Nafie's lobbying efforts, many believed, were Hussein's best chance to get Al-Shaab back into publication. Even more seriously, the Press Syndicate is considered unique in having remained immune to the polarisation between Islamists and secularists that has wreaked havoc on other professional syndicates, often bringing them to a standstill. Journalists often pride themselves on having a syndicate council that reflects the full range of political and ideological orientations in the country. A victory for Hussein would have been viewed -- by outside observers as well as within the profession -- as tantamount to an Islamist take-over of yet another syndicate.
Such fears of ideological polarisation proved unfounded. Days before the election, Labour Party leader Ibrahim Shukri declared that Hussein was not an official candidate of the party, which, he asserted, supported Nafie for the post. Nafie's sweeping win on Tuesday put a final seal on the issue.
The election was also an occasion for journalists to tour the new syndicate building, where voting took place for the first time. Although still under construction, the building impressed the crowds of voters, used to elections being carried out in cramped conditions, whether in the old building or at the temporary headquarters. The spacious, air-conditioned new building -- which Nafie regards as one of his great achievements -- was a relief. Construction work began in 1996 and is scheduled to end at the end of this year. "The new building is not just a beautiful construction, it will also host the latest technology and information services," Nafie told Al Ahram Weekly.
"I cannot tell you how happy I am as journalists gather today in this new building. My dream, and my promise to all journalists, have come true," he added.
Voting took place between 9am and 5pm, but over 50 per cent of the registered 4,054 journalists had already cast their ballots by 3pm. Proceedings were calm and ordered. Lists of voters' names, classified according to the organisation to which they belong and in alphabetical order, were posted on the ground floor. In a quite literal show of transparency, journalists cast their votes in glass boxes before 16 committees supervised by 65 judges. For the first time, too, journalists and other observers could check the results on- line at www.ejs.org.eg.
By 6pm the judges had completed the count and news of Nafie's victory circulated quickly. "I thank you all. I am very happy and I will do all I can to fulfil what I promised," Nafie told the cheering crowd. "You all know that the next phase is crucial for the future of the press. I ask for your help so that we can overcome this crisis," he reminded them enthusiastically.
"A preparatory committee will be formed in September to chart the ways of facing the latest problems of the press. Let's revive the dignity of journalists," Nafie said, before a crowd of well-wishers converged to convey their congratulations.
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Onward, journalists! 27 April - 3 May 2000
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