By Salama A Salama A few weeks ago I was sick in bed when a friend, a well-known doctor who had just come back from France, told me that Mohamed El-Sayed Said was undergoing treatment for cancer in Paris. He had been there for a few months and his case was believed to be terminal. Before his health deteriorated, Said had resigned his chief editor position at the newspaper Al-Badeel. I was horrified to learn that Said was undergoing treatment at the expense of the French, not the Egyptian, government. I was also shocked to learn that his wife, also a journalist, had to support herself with part-time work to stay near her husband in Paris. I have no details about what happened before or after that, and don't know if the government, or the foundation for which he worked, ever picked up part of the bill. When news of Said's death finally came, I was overwhelmed with the magnitude of suffering and pain this exceptional writer had to endure, just because he never, not for a day, sought to ingratiate himself with the powers that be. Said was a unique human being. Among his colleagues at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies he was known for his exceptional erudition and humility, as well as his outspoken views. Said spent much of his effort and knowledge promoting the cause of freedom, advocating democracy and promoting human rights. He wrote ceaselessly about the needs of the most vulnerable classes and defended the right of those detained without trial. As co-founder of the left- leaning newspaper Al-Badeel, Said may have hoped that newspapers that defend the poor and expose corruption would have an extensive readership. This didn't turn out to be the case. In fact, the underprivileged classes are often the least capable of defending their rights. Said made no attempt to curry favour with the authorities. He never compromised on his principles for money, power or fame. But throughout his career, he never abandoned the quest to touch the minds and hearts of the general public. His writing smacked of honesty, of a sincere desire to serve, of infinite faith in equality, democracy, and the right of ordinary people to have a dignified life. Said was alone in his final illness. He was in a strange country battling with a cruel and costly disease. It is sad that the government isn't interested in treating people who are not its own protégés. It is sad that medical treatment, especially abroad, calls for a stream of petitions and acts of begging that someone of Said's dignity cannot stoop to. Events such as this make one appreciate the greatness of countries that pay homage to their artists and intellectuals by looking after them in moments of need. As it turned out, France has no problem offering medical care to prominent thinkers and intellectual figures of Said's stature. How sad it is that our artists and writers if not closely associated with the government are left to their own devices. How sad it is that a man facing a terrible ailment cannot rely on the country to which he offered so much. Said was not close to authority. He was not once an apologist for the regime. And he was not a man to seek high position for its own sake. Said has left this world, but his legacy, his fortitude of belief, and his tenderness of soul will remain with us forever. He has left behind him dozens of books and studies, and numerous essays that speak of his love for humanity and country.
