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    SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    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.



Decoding Egypt: Mubarak's regime against the Washington Post
Published in Daily News Egypt on 29 - 12 - 2010

CAIRO: Egyptians feel so bitter today as they see their country, an ancient civilization and a political powerhouse in the Middle East, sink into poverty and underdevelopment at home and nearly recede into irrelevance regionally and internationally. After decades of authoritarian rule, the ambitions of the regime are now limited to maintaining its grip on power and polishing its image abroad.
While Turkey, Iran and Israel are vying for regional leadership, Dubai turns confidently into a world-class commercial and tourist hub, and Qatar makes history by becoming the first Arab state to host the football World Cup, Egypt is content with the spectator's seat it has been occupying for years.
History tells us that political regimes could be differentiated by the objectives they seek to accomplish, and by which of these goals are identified as top priorities. In this regard, the Mubarak regime has a long history of committing monumental follies and blunders; the latest merits close attention. Instead of steering the path towards real political reform, or devising creative policies that would promote growth, reduce unemployment and alleviate poverty, the Egyptian regime has indulged itself in meaningless media wars.
Ahead of parliamentary elections, it targeted Egyptian media, closing down independent satellite channels, harassing dissident journalists and bloggers, and intimidating owners of private newspapers. But in the age of information technology, national barriers cannot stop the flow of information and ideas or sustain the monopoly over information. Cairo's rulers therefore turned globally and aimed at international media, flexing their muscles particularly against The Washington Post.
A well-coordinated campaign against The Washington Post in Egyptian governmental newspapers is all too obvious. Hinting at The Post, Osama Saraya, chief editor of the state-run daily Al-Ahram, accused on Nov. 12 "international media" of blindly following the lies of Egyptian opposition. When it comes to Egypt's domestic affairs, he added, "we know what is best for us more than others."
In the same month, Abdallah Kamal, chief editor of the daily state-run Rosa Al-Youssef and member of the ruling party, dedicated one full article to Jackson Diehl, Deputy Editorial Page Editor of The Post. Diehl's views on Egypt are "ideologically motivated," "extremely naïve" and they "reflect ignorance" of Egyptian affairs. "It is as if he is writing about Iran or Myanmar," Kamal wrote.
The escalating campaign quickly acquired a blatant official stance. On Nov. 24, the Egyptian ambassador to the US, Sameh Shukry, sent an official complaint to Marcus Brauchli, executive editor of The Post, complaining about the "biased" and "irresponsible" editorial policy of the paper. Since March 2008, the ambassador protested, The Post published 24 articles on Egypt (12 editorials, 8 op-eds and 4 letters to the editor). Though attention is normally an asset, to authoritarian regimes, too much attention from international media is clearly detrimental.
To the regime, The Washington Post has surely turned into a real nuisance. A recent op-ed in the independent daily Al-Shororuk carried the title "Jackson Diehl: Headache to the Egyptian Government in Washington". No doubt, within the circles of Egyptian diplomats, particularly in Washington D.C., Diehl and The Post are regarded as the enemies of the state.
To be sure, The Washington Post and the rest of international media are only the enemies of the regime, not the majority of Egyptian people who aspire to democratic governance and better living conditions. Over the past few years, these newspapers, along with new internet-based means like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube, have played important roles in exposing the malpractices of Mubarak's regime, and pressuring the international community to adopt a bolder stance in support of political reform in Egypt and the entire Mideast.
Cairo's rulers are surely lowering themselves, and offending the great country and people they are unfortunately representing — or, rather, misrepresenting. By over-reacting to an editorial published in this or that paper, the Egyptian regime shows how precarious and unpopular its rule has become.
Egypt's sham parliamentary elections (conducted on Nov. 28 and Dec. 5) have changed the standing of its ruling party in parliament from hegemony to monopoly. With main opposition rivals undermined, and as Egypt gears up for crucial presidential elections next year, more vicious attacks on international media are expected over the coming year.
Defenders of liberty and democracy, remain on guard.
Nael M. Shama, PhD, is a political researcher and writer based in Cairo. He can be reached at: nael_shama[at]yahoo[dot]com.


Clic here to read the story from its source.