CAIRO - NO one has the right to accuse the Egyptian revolutionaries of attempting to destroy or burn the Egyptian cultural heritage even if there are some images of young people setting fire to the L'Institut d'Egypte building housing Egypt's historic scientific collections. On one hand, we have to remember that Egyptian revolutionaries protected the Egyptian Antiquities Museum in Tahrir Square from repeated attempts of looting and setting fire in its components during the first 18 days of the revolution. At that time, hundreds of young people formed a human shield with their bodies around the huge building located on the northeast of Tahrir Square. So how could one believe that these same noble young protesters could come today and set fire to L'Institut d'Egypte that contained rare and valuable books, documents, manuscripts and maps dating back to the 18th century? We have to admit that the majority of citizens of all ages, even well educated ones, knew nothing about this great institute and its location in Qasr el-Aini Street before losing it in the events of last week's black Friday. This world-famous institute that houses priceless national archives was not part of the Ministry of Culture's plan for maintaining and restoring historical sites nor was it ever included as a tourist site for Cairo visitors. Even schoolchildren had never visited such a significant place within their school trips nor read a single item of information about it their history book. The reason is that the toppled regime showed little interest in science and its history and did not wish to enlighten citizens about the glorious scientific achievements of their ancestors. Even if one assumed that one of the revolutionaries committed such a despicable act, could one blame an angry young man for setting fire to an unknown building located close to the buildings of the Cabinet and the People's Assembly (Lower House of the Egyptian Parliament)? The military police had launched their brutal attacks on him and his fellow protestors from this location for daring to organise a sit-in in the street of the Cabinet expressing their opposition to the selection of a new premier, who did not express the aspirations of the revolution. However, images shown by different satellite channels, news agencies and newspapers prove that those who targeted the ancient building were some teenagers and street children, who could never be considered as part ofthe revolution. Another proof that the revolutionaries are innocent of this accusation was their later attempt to salvage the rare contents of the institute, even though the security forces continued to target them and some unknown figure were stoning them from the roofs of nearby governmental buildings. To establish the identities of the actual perpetrators of the crime of burning the historic building, we might need to remember some of the statements made by some senior officials shortly before the event. On taking office as the Minister of the Interior, Mohamed Ibrahim asserted that the sit-in would soon be ended so that the cabinet of the new National Salvation Government could hold its first meeting in its Qasr el-Aini Street premises. However, the minister did not convey to the public by what means this goal would be achieved and no steps were taken by any authority to launch a dialogue with the protesters on ending their strike. Early on the morning of Friday December 16, people woke up to the eruption of violent clashes between the demonstrators, whose number had declined to few dozens of youth, and the military police. Initially, the satellite channels referred to a silly story of a young demonstrator breaking the window of the Cabinet building while playing football with his friends at dawn, which occurrence had caused the clashes between the two sides to start. Then came another story of the same young man insulting and even beating an armed officer, which matter ended in this man being severely beaten and thrown into the street, where he was seen in this state by his friends, who sought to avenge him. Before analysing the silly story and its catastrophic consequences, the thick black smoke of the Institut d'Egypte building erupted to blind the public to the plot cooked up to end sitin once and for all after tarnishing the image of the demonstrators. They were claimed to be a group of thugs and rioters that not only threaten the stability of the country and its political process, but also its great heritage! Ahead of making any unfair judgements against our youth, it is better to contemplate the whole picture. We should try to answer this question: why do some thugs and rioters suddenly appear every time the revolutionaries are organising a demonstration or protest to push the authorities into implementing some of the goals of the revolution? Further, why have investigations in all previous violent events never ended in discovering the names of the perpetrators and who are spreading insinuations to defame some famous political activists symbolising the revolution? Another important question comes to mind with the statement made by member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces [SCAF], General Adel Emara, who declared that the Armed Forces have been exhibiting self-restraint in the face of provocative acts of the protesters. What is this self-restraint he is talking about, when the whole event started with such a trivial cause: a football or insulting an officer? And how did it end with soldiers firing on protesters, viciously battering and dragging them along the ground and beating and undressing one of them, and stamping on her chest in that horrible shameful way? The investigation into the Qasr el- Aini's events are not expected to end with any party being charged with the crimes committed not only against the buildings housing Egypt's historic Scientific Collections but also against the young Egyptians of whom Egypt lost 18 per sons, dying from their bullet wounds. Those who are crying for the devastated institute and its rare collections might be pacified by the pledge of the Emir of Sharjah Sheikh Sultan Al-Qasimi. He has promised to contribute to the restoration of the Institut d'Egypt building, together with providing it with rare manuscripts and other original versions of the books recording Egypt's heritage, including the monumental Description de l'Egypte. However, who could calm the nation for the great loss of our young people we continue to suffer? Those who are weeping at the loss of our rare books should know that the actual heritage and indispensable wealth of Egypt is her young people. We have also lost a reputable and enlightened religious scholar, who might have become a great Mufti, if he had only been allowed to live longer. A young medical student was also killed, whom we had wished to develop into a notable scientist and researcher if he not been targeted by the weapons of the security forces. The great January revolution was intended to end our dependence on our ancient heritage and enhance our hopes for Egypt's future and development. Thus, the military council and all those that continue to charge the revolutionaries with this crime, should know that Egypt does not want her heritage to be protected at the cost of the lives of her sons and daughters. "On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for speading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people; and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people." (Surat Al-Ma'eda, verse 32).
