Cablegate: Strife in Alexandria Blame Game; Parliament
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS CAIRO 008288
SIPDIS
NEA/PD FOR FRANK FINVER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KPAO KMDR OPRC SY EG
SUBJECT: STRIFE IN ALEXANDRIA BLAME GAME; PARLIAMENT
CHANNEL PREMIERS: EGYPTIAN MEDIA, OCTOBER 24 TO 30
1. Summary: Commentary on sectarian violence in
Alexandria on October 21 continued, with many commentators
condemning the violence and a few blaming religious leaders
for failing to control their followers. The editor-in-
chief of Egypt's leading newspaper, Al-Ahram, was critical
of the Muslim Brotherhood's alleged role in the violence.
The Egyptian media continued to have a negative view of the
U.N. Mehlis report, with many commentators alleging that
Syria was being "targeted," just like Iraq was, by the U.S.
An unsigned editorial in large circulation Al-Akhbar asked
on October 26, "Can anyone do something to stop America's
plans against Syria?" The Ministry of Information and
Egyptian TV (ETV) launched a new channel the Parliament
Channel on October 27 to educate and prepare the public
for November's parliamentary elections. End summary.
2. Alexandria: All pro-government newspapers emphasized
in October 24 news coverage that "calm" had been restored
to Alexandria, and over 100 arrests made, after rioters
attacked churches on October 21 after Friday prayers. A
columnist writing October 24 in independent daily Nahdet
Masr (circulation: 20,000) criticized the lack of "rule of
law" and religious leaders for their "failures" in
controlling their followers. Another commentator wrote in
pro-government Al-Akhbar (circulation: 800,000), "With
parliamentary elections coming up, is it sheer coincidence
that this tragedy occurred now and during Ramadan, as
well?" A conservative commentator in ardently pro-
government Al-Gomhouriya (circulation: 500,000) wrote on
on
October 24, "The Copts should be blamed for taking the
church as their country and feeling discriminated all the
time," and warned "if [Islamic] fundamentalists were given
the chance to take over, the Copts would then know the true
meaning of the word 'discrimination.'" A columnist writing
in opposition Al-Wafd (circulation: 50,000) on October 25
opined that "Egypt is as targeted as Iraq and Syria. Thus,
the sectarian strife in Alexandria is part of a plot
against Egypt." Osama Saraya, editor-in-chief of leading
pro-government daily Al-Ahram (circulation: 750,000),
criticized the Muslim Brotherhood's use of "religious
slogans for political reasons," which he claimed "was the
cause of the strife in Alexandria."
3. Syria vs. the world: Critical commentary in the
Egyptian media on the U.N. Mehlis report continued this
week, kicked off by the comments of a magazine editor on
Nile News on October 24, "The Mehlis committee conducted
its investigation with the Lebanese, Syrians, and
Palestinians, but not with Israel the only party that
will benefit from Hariri's assassination!" Nabil Zaki, the
Editor of opposition, Nasserite newspaper Al-Ahali
(circulation: 20,000) and a consistent critic of the U.S.
wrote the same day that the U.S. is "besieging Syria,
instead of siding with it as the victim of Israeli
occupation." The themes of "double standards" Syria
criticized by the international community while Israel goes
"unpunished," in the words of one commentator in Al-Ahram
and the "Iraq model" Syria being "targeted" by the U.S.,
in the words of several commentators were prominent last
week. "Any sanctions against the Syrian people will be
unfair and unleash an enormous wave of hatred for the
U.S.," warned an unsigned editorial in Al-Ahram on October
25. "Syria is going through the same process that Iraq
went through," commented a columnist in Al-Ahram the
following day. On October 26, the unsigned editorial in
al in
Al-Akhbar warned, "The region is heading toward another
Arab disaster because of Syria's position on the Mehlis
report. The question is, 'Can anyone do something to stop
America's plans against Syria?'"
4. Election coverage: ETV's Parliament Channel premiered
on October 27. (Note: The channel is broadcast on ETV's
Channel 10 and is an initiative by Minister of Information
Anas El Fekki to educate the public for November's
parliamentary elections. End note.) Over the weekend, the
channel broadcast historical documentaries about elections
during the Pharaonic, Roman, and Greek eras, as well as
modern-day elections. The channel also aired statements by
leading Egyptian intellectuals and journalists on the
importance of "participating in elections"; interviews with
people in the street on what they expect from their elected
representatives; press round-ups; and around-the-clock news
bulletins from the government, opposition groups, and NGOs.
RICCIARDONE