"Narrative Summit" Releases 2025 Recommendations to Cement Egypt's Position as a Global Tourism Destination    Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Monday''s papers: Maspiro violence tipping the scale to complete lawlessness?
Published in Almasry Alyoum on 16 - 05 - 2011

A night of violence between unknown assailants and Coptic protesters in front of the Egyptian state television building, Maspiro, from Saturday night until Sunday morning had the country on its toes regarding the brimming sectarian tension.
But it is starting to seem that newspapers are purposefully keeping away from criticizing the military - a post-revolutionary “free press” is under threat.
The armed forces, along with police, have so far made many arrests in connection with the violence, which independent Al-Dostour says was between Coptic protesters and others who wanted the road reopened. The clashes began with rock throwing, followed by Molotov cocktails, and eventually, gunshots. Seventy-eight were injured.
Independent Al-Shorouk cites a report by the government saying that those who attacked the protesters were upset that the protesters would not let them through on their motorcycles without searching them. They apparently came back with armed thugs in retaliation. Police also blame a tea salesman who helped add fuel to the fire by spreading rumors to infuriate extremist Muslims and incite them against the protesters.
Newspapers somehow received different estimates of the numbers of arrests. Al-Shorouk says that 16 were arrested during the clashes - eight Muslims and eight Christians - and are being investigated. Al-Dostour and Al-Wafd say 55 were arrested. Al-Wafd calls the area where the fighting happened a "battlefield" and says 11 cars were burned.
Protesters are still at Maspiro and unwilling to move until a variety of demands are met. State-owned Al-Ahram says that Prime Minister Essam Sharaf is taking steps in that direction by ordering 16 churches reopened. Al-Ahram - which is sometimes a little over the top with its brown-nosing to authorities in power - adds that some of the priests thanked the military for their role in maintaining order.
State-owned Al-Akhbar neglects the news altogether on its front page. Further in, however, they mention that Pope Shenouda III called on the Copts at Maspiro to disperse, saying, “You will be the losers if you continue the protests." Al-Shorouk quotes church sources as saying the Coptic Church is upset as some religious rites were performed at the protests, outside of church, and that the protesters are preparing for “death or martyrdom.” Al-Dostour says that the Maspiro area is secure now after the arrival of military and police reinforcements.
Lawlessness in Cairo is on everyone's mind, and the Coalition of Police Officers, according to Al-Shorouk, said that they have not been present on the streets due to orders from superiors. The spokesman for the group, however, later told other media outlets that these statements were inaccurate.
Al-Akhbar dedicates its front page to the second-most important news of the day, the desire by some to protest the 63rd anniversary of the 1948 creation of Israel by marching to the Israeli borders. While Egyptian protesters at the border were unharmed, Israeli soldiers opened fire and killed many protesters in Gaza, Lebanon and the Golan Heights.
Al-Shorouk says that this is largest pro-Palestinian Arab mobilization. “There are traits of a third intifada,” the paper reads.
Sticking with the theme of Arab nationalism, Al-Shorouk mentions the appointment of former Egyptian foreign minister Nabil al-Araby as secretary general of the Arab League, after previous candidate Mostafa al-Fiqqi was snubbed. At the time of press, almost all papers were buzzing with this news and the fact that Qatar withdrew its nominee.
Al-Dostour unnecessarily includes a large headline stating “Mubarak is not dead,” responding to a rumor that it independently decided was spreading across the country. All the papers reported however, that Suzanne Mubarak underwent a catheterization procedure after being hospitalized for her 15-day detention period while being investigated for corruption. A doctor told Al-Ahram that the Sharm el-Sheikh hospital is fully equipped for open heart surgery if needed. Al-Wafd says that the reason the Interior Ministry were preparing to transport Suzanne to the Qanater prison was that the interior minister reportedly told them she was in good health.
In the corruption cases, Al-Akhbar reports that Gamal and Alaa together received around LE250 million in interest alone from their investments overseas.
There seems to only be bad economic news these days. A more prominent headline in Al-Dostour reads, “Egypt's security and economic collapse.” The paper's second headline talks about the shortage in fuel gas, which many truck drivers use. According to Al-Shorouk, there's a 30 percent shortage. While the shortage is seasonal, it is made worse by the economic situation and the fact that some “remnants of the old regime” have an interest in spreading chaos. Industry and transportation are both being affected by the shortage, according to Al-Wafd, with areas coming to a standstill in the worst cases, and at best increasing transportation costs in minibuses and such.


Clic here to read the story from its source.