Doors are open to freedom and democracy
Egypt, Politics, 2/12/2001

Egypt's Minister of Information Safwat Al-Sherif said that the Publications law deals with all imported publications and books and any citizen can file a suit before courts against any publication.

The principle is to preserve values and prevent the entry of sex magazines, rude pictures and any transgression on the religions," he said in a statement before the Shura Council Sunday. This came in a statement by the minister who was replying to questions presented by a number of the council members during a debate of a preliminary report on the future vision of cultural activity in Egypt.

" We believe in freedom, we have nothing to fear," he said.

He pointed out that several television programs deal in complete frankness with the various points of view and not in time of elections only.

"But we should draw a line between "cock fights," which tear society apart, and democratic dialogues," he said.

Safwat Al-Sherif said he was against entering into controversial exchange with some space channels in the area, particularly those which try to do harm to Egypt.

He said: "We open all doors to freedom and democracy. We welcome every point of view that is useful to this society and its issues. Individuals may tune to (various) dishes but they finally return to the dish of Egyptian civilization and culture."

He said that parliamentary debates are carried live to the outside world. There is talk about the freedom enjoyed by Egypt. He challenges anyone to say that he had issued one single instruction to delete the words of any member (of parliament) because there is nothing that we fear.

A dialogue means exchanging views and listening to the one point of view and opposite. This is a style of life. This is democracy and there are several Egyptian television programmes that portray the different points of view.

Rifaat Al-saeed (Tagammu) had asked for national and liberal curricula at schools and respect of the rights of women and other rights and to stress the fact that there is one fabric in Egypt and that the Muslims and Copts of Egypt made this history.

He called for a ground and not a space cultural channel with programmes to be drawn up in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture without adding new burdens on citizens. "I admit that we have a huge media edifice," he said and asked that television be an edifice for all and not for the government alone. "Open the doors to criticism on television at all times and not at 'the time of elections only," he said.

Mohammed Farid Zakaria (Liberal) complained that there was no "strategic plan" for culture in Egypt.

He lauded media and media policy in the reign of President Mubarak and the project of "Reading for all"(under the auspices of Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak), which made books avaible to all.

Majority representative Mohammed Ragab said there should be culture for all and not for the elite only. He criticized the fact that the state has not so far produced a film on the October 1973 war.

Minister of culture Farouk Hosni made a statement in which he reviewed his ministry's plans to serve culture.

Culture Minister Farouk Hosni said Egypt book house contains documents of 13 km long as one of the largest in the world. It's now subject to a modernization project.

"Now, Egypt has 60 libraries, a good number compared to other countries, "said Farouk Hosni. We started the Cultural Development fund as to improve the cultural scene in Egypt.

Previous Stories:
  Egypt's democracy, new stage of political action   (11/13/2000)
  Cabinet discusses five reports on results of elections first, second phases   (11/8/2000)
  Democracy and freedom, most important pillars of Mubarak's era   (11/7/2000)

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