The end of police presence on Egypt's university campuses and an Arab League proposal to expand are the focus of Doaa El-Bey and Rasha Saad Newspaper front pages covered a number of problems, especially rising prices and the viral conjunctivitis eye infection known as pink eye that has affected more than 2,000 people, mainly students. Al-Masry Al-Yom on Sunday headlined, 'Protests against soaring prices continues' and Al-Wafd on Saturday, 'Volcano of anger erupts in three governorates; Egyptians go to the street to express their anger because of rising prices'. Al-Gomhuriya on Monday wrote, 'Black smoke the cause of pink eye', Nahdet Masr on Sunday had, 'Ministry of Health warns of danger from the viral pink eye', and Al-Ahram on Sunday bannered, 'No need to worry; the virus does not cause blindness'. There was some good news, according to some writers, including the ruling issued by the Supreme Administrative Court banning police from entering university campuses. It was hailed by many writers this week, with Mohamed Amin describing it as a historic ruling that conveyed a big lesson and message. The lesson delivered by the court, Amin wrote, was that ordering the Interior Ministry's security units out of university campuses would enable the police to carry out its duties elsewhere to ensure security for citizens throughout the country. Providing such security is more important than controlling universities or monitoring students. "The ruling is a victory for liberty and the independence of universities," Amin added in the daily Al-Wafd, the mouthpiece of the opposition Wafd Party. The writer wondered whether the Interior Ministry would bow to the ruling and withdraw its security personnel from universities and spread them out throughout the country or look for ways to challenge the ruling though the court emphasised that the ruling was final and could not be challenged in any court. He also questioned whether the ruling would apply to security guards at Cairo University or to all universities in Egypt. The issue of international surveillance of next month's parliamentary elections continues to be controversial. While some writers argue that it represents an encroachment on the state's sovereignty, others believe that it guarantees fair and transparent elections. Gamil Kamal Georgi agreed with officials who rejected international surveillance because it is a form of interference in the state's internal affairs. He wrote in the daily Al-Gomhuriya that officials are fully justified in their stand because Egypt is not a newly independent state that needs that kind of observation; but an ancient and deep-rooted country with a historic experience in the political life. The other reason behind the government's refusal, as Georgi added, was that accepting the principle of international monitors meant abolishing the role of the Higher Committee and that of the social and civil institutions which monitor the elections. "The practical experiences of countries around us proved that political surveillance is an evil that pushed these countries into dark tunnels. Perhaps Iraq, Sudan and Lebanon are good examples," he wrote. Suleiman Gouda disagreed. He wrote that the leaders of the NDP and the members of the government who hardly agreed on anything agreed on the categorical rejection of any international surveillance of the upcoming parliamentary elections. In fact, he added, such rejection raised doubts as to the honesty of the electoral process, because it indicated that the government wants to hide things during the electoral process. "Otherwise, according to common sense, any government that has no intention of rigging elections will not mind any party being observed," he wrote in the independent daily Al-Masry Al-Yom. Of course, Gouda added, there is always the argument that allowing international surveillance represents interference in the country's sovereignty. However, that argument could be easily refuted because all respectable countries with complete sovereignty, in particular the US, allow international monitoring of their elections. If that argument is correct, he elaborated, then we are required to refrain from sending our experts to monitor any elections outside our borders, because sending those means an explicit acknowledgment that these countries are of incomplete sovereignty. The government should find other excuses, because that one does not fool a child, he concluded. President Hosni Mubarak's visit to Toshka in the south of the valley opened the file of the value of the projects in that area. The editorial of the official daily Al-Ahram said that during the visit, Mubarak is expected to open a giant siphon considered the biggest in the Middle East and which will provide water to 300,000 acres. The siphon is the last step in the construction works in the project, after which Egypt can start reaping the fruits of one of its largest projects. However, the edit added, the controversy over the project was due to its high cost which it said was normal in such strategic projects that are intended to achieve important goals over a long period of time. In fact, the resources and potential for development and investment in the South Valley are great, and it also has strategic value related to the national security of Egypt. Thus, Toshka supports the goals of strategic development given the possible outcome of the project that includes increasing development, population and services in the area. In the hope of casting light on the importance of the project, the edit added that the idea of developing the land around the Toshka depression was contemporary to that of building the High Dam in order to improve the management of water and provide Toshka with its need of water directly from the High Dam Lake. Since then, several proposals have been suggested regarding the infrastructure, sites and areas proposed for development in this region. The press covered the latest developments in Sudan with concern over the future of the African state after the referendum on the future of the south. Sherif Riad wrote that Sudan is passing through the most dangerous of phases as its people may wake up on 11 January to a divided state if the results of the referendum back separation. He added that all indications and opinion polls showed that separation is coming and that all foreign plans aimed at dividing Sudan have succeeded. In the light of that situation, Egypt is keen to provide the suitable conditions to guarantee the success of the referendum. "If the results of the referendum support the unity of the north and south, that would be a blessing from God. If not, the two regions should live in peace and cooperation that guarantee stability and development in the interest of both peoples," Riad wrote in the official daily Al-Akhbar. However, he called on both parties to act wisely or the situation will get more complicated for all Sudanese who are currently living on a hot tin roof.
