Cairo is set to host the region's biggest anti-war conference. Amira Howeidy reports
The silence of the "Egyptian street" vis-à-vis the imminent war on Iraq seems to be causing the nation's intelligentsia some embarrassment. This is not only because public demonstrations featuring loud anti-war voices have been taking place all over the world -- except here -- but because for many, the silence is misleading. "When I go to the vegetable vendor at the market," says Soheir Mursi, an academic and UN consultant, "the people are aware. They're concerned."
Mursi and a number of prominent intellectuals are trying to make sure the Arab world breaks its silence. A war on Iraq is, after all, an Arab concern. As a result, preparations are under way for an international conference called the "Cairo International Campaign against Aggression on Iraq" to be held in Cairo on 18 and 19 December.
The impressive list of participants includes former US attorney general Ramsey Clark, former Director of the UN Humanitarian Program for Iraq Dennis Halliday, former Assistant UN Secretary-General Vassely S Sevranchuk, New York University Professor of international relations Norman Finklestein, and British anti-war MP George Gallaway. Prominent Arabs and Egyptians participating include veteran political analyst Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, economist Samir Amin, historian Abdel-Wahab El-Messeri, Arab MK Azmi Bishara and Arab National Conference President Khayr Al-Dein Hassib.
The conference's sponsor is the Egyptian Popular Campaign to Confront US Aggression (EPCCUA), a broad coalition of Egyptian activists and intellectuals which was established several months ago. Its organisers say they intend to issue a Cairo Declaration that defines the strategic principles and commitments which guide the campaign.
..."It is how we have conceptualised the basis of US aggression -- that it's not limited to Iraq, and involves the entire region. We have conceptualised the Iraq problem in a global context. One has to only listen to what US officials are saying [in this respect]." Mursi cited a US National Security Strategy which was released in September, as well as a recent lecture in London given by a former CIA officer who spoke of America's targets after Iraq, which include, he claimed, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Any attempt to "atomise" the danger to Iraq and Palestine, argues Mursi, "leads us away from the US strategy that has been announced."...
<http://www.ahram.org.eg/weekly/2002/616/eg3.htm> -- Yoshie
* Calendar of Events in Columbus: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/calendar.html> * Anti-War Activist Resources: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/activist.html> * Student International Forum: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/> * Committee for Justice in Palestine: <http://www.osu.edu/students/CJP/>