VIEWERS and supporters of the Islamic satellite channel al- Rahma are up in arms against a recent decision to ban the channel and consider it a tool for fuelling religious tensions. They say the channel, which was removed from the Egyptian satellite NileSat, does not spread hatred to non- Muslims as its critics say. “This is a moderate channel that seeks to present correct information about the Islamic religion,” said el-Shahat el- Guindy, a secretary of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of Egypt's Ministry of Waqfs (Religious Endowments). “But presenting correct information about Islam seems to be a crime these days,” he added. The French government decided to cancel al-Rahma weeks ago on the grounds that it presents programmes that fuel anti- Semitism. France's Conseil Superieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA), a governmental agency that oversees public broadcasts in France, says al-Rahma presented a programme on October 31, 2009 when it incited violence and fanned anti-Semitism. A short time later, the State-owned Egyptian Satellite Company, which used to broadcast the channel on its NileSat, allegedly bowed to pressure from the French government and banned al-Rahma. This has triggered local objections and debates about national sovereignty and freedom of expression in this populous country of 80 million with a majority of Muslims. “Objections raised by France against the content of the channel violate freedom of expression,” Mohamed Khalil Quweita, an MP from Egypt's ruling party, said. “Banning the channel is also a violation against the Egyptian Constitution,” he told members of the Egyptian Parliament a few days ago. But the ban imposed on the channel threatens more than just a violation of the Constitution, some people say. It pits Muslims, particularly from Egypt, against Westerners, particularly from France, they add. The supporters of al-Rahma, which used to broadcast its programmes in Arabic, playing host to several noted preachers from Egypt, say banning their favourite channel is yet another affront aimed by Westerners at Islam. “What do we expect from our enemies?” asked Mohamed Dauod, an Islamic cleric. “We should be smart enough to understand that Westerners and Zionists have nothing good to give us,” he told a large gathering at the Egyptian Press Syndicate on Monday. Like-minded Muslims say banning the broadcast of the channel is yet another episode in the gloomy scenario of the inter-faith clash. They say the fact that a number of French Jewish organisations championed the case against al-Rahma proves that dialogue among religions and religious peace is a far-fetched dream. “This is a war against Muslims, and liars are those who claim the contrast,” said Sabri Abdel Ra'ouf, a jurisprudence professor at Al-Azhar University in Cairo. “It's also a declaration of enmity against Muslims,” he added. He exhorted his audience at the Press Syndicate, men with long beards and women who were covered from head to foot, to work hard to prevent non-Muslims from humiliating what he called the “Islamic nation”. “Muslims need to be united against such attacks,” Abdel Ra'ouf said. “They need to understand that without this unity they'll continue to fall prey to the enemies of Islam,” he added to the cheers of his audience.
