Income differentials portend a tidal wave of human unrest, write Gamal Nkrumah and Mohamed El-Sayed Economic and social conditions in Egypt today have emerged as matters of primary concern for the pundits, reflecting the general public's misgivings about rampant inflation and the general state of flux in the country. The income differentials between rich and poor Egyptians in particular has become an increasing focus of the pundits, not only because it is morally wrong but because of its dire consequences and implications. Many commentators not only decry the deplorable situation but also warn that if unequal incomes continue to widen a revolution of colossal proportions might ensue. This is no laughing matter; it is a serious concern, laments Nobel chemistry laureate Ahmed Zuweil who was quoted in the daily independent Al-Masry Al-Yom as saying that something must be done at the highest level to remedy the untenable circumstances of the poor and disadvantaged. "There are in Egypt individuals, the wealth of one amounting to LE40 billion, while the poor are getting poorer." Zuweil also zinged private education in Egypt: "I'm not content with private universities in Egypt since they are aimed at generating profits. And it is different from education in other [developed] countries, where individuals do not own universities and do not seek profit, which makes their universities at the forefront." When a person of the calibre and international stature of Zuweil voices concern over such an issue of vital national interest, then it is time that the Egyptian nation listens and the government takes action, the paper concluded. Indeed, the government's performance came under increasing scrutiny. Many a newspaper reflected on the national football team's winning the Africa Cup of Nations, wondering whether the government's performance could be on par with that of the national team. The daily liberal-leaning Nahdet Masr ran a front page headline deriding what it views as the government's poor performance. "What if the government had the same team spirit of the national football team?" Many an expert interviewed said that the government cannot do the same as the national team. Mahmoud Murad in the official daily Al-Ahram reflected on the significance of the Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana 2008. He made specific reference to the enthusiasm of the Ghanaian populace for the Egyptian team. He reminisced about the special historical bonds that bind Ghana and Egypt and mused about the inspiration Egypt provided to Ghana and many other African nations in the struggle for independence against colonialism. Murad remembered Fathia Nkrumah, the late first lady of Ghana, an Egyptian national who is buried next to her husband, the first president of Ghana, the first country in Africa south of the Sahara to gain independence from a European colonial power. (The Nkrumahs, symbol of African unity, found a final resting place in a mausoleum dedicated to Nkrumah in the heart of the Ghanaian capital Accra). The victory of Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations brought back the significance of these very special memories and underlined the special role that Egypt can play in Africa, and the esteem with which it is held on the continent. On a similar but equally pertinent note, Al-Masry Al-Yom quoted Deputy Chairman of Egypt's National Council for Human Rights Ahmed Kamal Abul-Magd as emphasising the prime importance of inculcating the younger generation of Egyptians with the modern history of their country. "Political transformation in Egypt now is difficult because there is a generation that has not seen but individual rule," Abul-Magd was quoted as saying. On an entirely different note, the motives of Washington were brought into question. Officials have become more vociferous in voicing disgruntlement with the policies of the United States especially in the Arab and Muslim worlds. The weekly independent Al-Osbou quoted Speaker of the Shura Council Safwat El-Sherif as launching a scathing critique of US policies in the region, and in particular in Egypt. "America wants to bring about constructive chaos in Egypt," El-Sherif was quoted as saying. Focussing more emphatically on the domestic scene, in an exclusive interview in Al-Masry Al-Yom, Amr Khaled was quoted as saying there was a dire need to end sectarian conflict. "Sectarian strife is rising to the surface in Egypt," Egypt's most popular Muslim preacher was quoted as saying. He added that the phenomenon was not limited to Egypt but the entire Arab world. "Arab youth do not feel freedom either in school, home or university, and have only hope or extremism," Khaled explained. Khaled also criticised the flood of fatwas, or religious edicts, issued every now and then. "Nowadays fatwas do not respond to the requirements of contemporary life," he concluded. The future of the Arab media also preoccupied the pundits. Essam Kamel of the daily opposition Al-Ahrar commented on the Arab Information Ministers Council's meeting last week in which they agreed on a convention aimed at "regulating" the work of Arab satellite channels. The document signed by the ministers was seen as an attempt from Arab regimes to contain independent Arab channels that criticise them. "The whole issue should have been discussed with concerned media people to come up with an agreement on the concept of the freedom of [media]." In much the same vein, and writing in Al-Ahram, Abdel-Moeti Ahmed defended the principles agreed upon in the Arab information ministers meeting. "Some of the satellite channels have deviated... by fomenting religious extremism, sectarianism and fanaticism by broadcasting false, unknown fatwas." Writing in Al-Masry Al-Yom, Magdi El-Gallad harshly criticised the government's failure in the Toshka project. "Fourteen years have passed since the Toshka project was started, and it was accompanied with media hype that depicted it as a mega national project... that will change the face of life in Egypt. And in spite of the reservations and criticisms against the project expressed by senior experts, the government insisted on going on with the project... and poured billions of pounds into the sands of Toshka. Year after year passed, but the rocky land of Toshka remained unwilling to be reclaimed." El-Gallad continued, "I have a suspicion bordering on certainty that the secrets of [the failure] of Toshka will never be released now, and they will take many years to be exposed. The reason, I guess, is that the entire government is involved in this big illusion from top to bottom." Other domestic concerns were tackled in the press. Writing in the daily liberal Al-Wafd, Abdel-Nabil Abdel-Bari criticised the People's Assembly Speaker Ahmed Fathi Sorour for depriving an independent MP from attending parliamentary sessions until the end of this round of sessions after accusing police leaders of corruption during the pilgrimage season. "If independent and opposition MPs are terrorised in the People's Assembly because they told the truth by criticising the government's incorrect policies, then it has become crystal clear that our esteemed parliament has unfortunately become non-representative of the people," Abdel-Bari warned. And, back to sports and pan-Arab sentiments, writing in the daily official Al-Akhbar, Galal Aref praised the celebrations that took place in many Arab capitals following the Egyptian national team's winning of the Africa Cup of Nations. "The celebrations around the Arab world were a clear message [sent by the Arab audience] that sports can repair what politics have spoilt... for sports reveals the genuine feelings that bind millions of Arabs in the entire Arab world," Aref noted.
