By Salama A Salama Hotly contested elections at the Press Syndicate drew unprecedented attention from the government, political parties and public opinion, thus shaking the political and societal stagnation the country experienced since the flawed Shura Council elections. The syndicate's elections came at a time of deepening crisis between the government and the press, one that pitted the pro-government press against independent publications. Even the partisan press was drawn into the battle, with some newspapers reporting rumours about the president's health. In the ensuing squabble, four chief editors of independent newspapers were referred to trial and received prison sentences in a move that shook confidence in the future of democracy in the country. The political unease left its mark on the press. The ruling party, with an overwhelming majority, is getting impatient with the opposition. Meanwhile, the opposition is running out of steam, with the exception of the Muslim Brotherhood that is now being hunted by the regime. No wonder the syndicate was divided among supporters of the National Democratic Party (NDP), the Nasserists and the Muslim Brotherhood. The syndicate became a surrogate arena for political confrontation in the country as a whole. And the government wasted no time in accusing it of failing to discipline journalists who step out of line. As tensions ran high, reason ran out. These were the conditions against which the journalists held their elections. The elections came directly after a rallying conference during which the NDP tightened its grip on political life in the country. And journalists were unable to agree on which course to take. Some wanted reconciliation with the government, hoping for much- needed financial support but doubting the government's intention to end prison sentences for publication offences. Others wanted to stand tough. Financial gains, they maintained, cannot silence the press. The elections ended in victory for a senior candidate who is acceptable to the government. The majority of journalists, acknowledging the lack of other strong candidates, voted Makram Mohamed Ahmed into office. In some way, Ahmed's victory means that financial pressures featured higher on journalists' minds than other concerns raised by the opposition. Even before he was elected, the syndicate's new president obtained a promise from the government to raise journalists' pay by LE200 a month. But other points of concern still loom on the horizon. Chief of those is the need to free the four chief editors, abrogate imprisonment for publishing offences, and introduce a law for the dissemination of information. It is clear that the LE200 was crucial for the election of the syndicate's new president. We have to keep in mind that many journalists, both in the national and private press, are quite underpaid. Also, the independent press is suffering from a lack of finance as well as accurate information. The elections brought into the syndicate's board new members who are not affiliated with the NDP, along with some familiar opposition members. Consequently, journalists are faced with one of two possibilities. One is to allow for a period of calm during which the syndicate's new president would hold talks with the government on pending issues. This is a course many journalists hope to see produce tangible results. The second possibility is for a confrontation to emerge between the syndicate's strong-minded president and its interesting variety of board members. Neither of the above two possibilities is likely to end the problems of the press. Neither guarantees the freedom and independence of the press in the long run. So for now, here is the deal. Money is more important than freedom -- both for the public and the press.
