UNPRECEDENTED OPENNESS?: EGYPTIAN MEDIA HAS FREE

UNCLAS CAIRO 005820 SIPDIS NEA/PD FOR FRANK FINVER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PGOV KPAO KMDR OPRC EG SUBJECT: UNPRECEDENTED OPENNESS?: EGYPTIAN MEDIA HAS FREE REIN TO SOUL SEARCH AFTER SHARM BOMBINGS ¶1. Summary: A surprisingly large amount of Egyptian media commentary critical of Egyptian society and the government has appeared since the July 23 Sharm El Sheikh bombings. While some commentators continue to blame Israel for terrorism in the region, many commentators have pointed fingers squarely at their own country nd in pro- government media outlets. One commentator on Egyptian TV on July 27 criticized "a culture gone wrong" in Egypt, while others blamed unemployment, poverty, and clerics discredited by government interference. While surprising in its directness and openness, the commentary reflects criticisms about the government and Egyptian society frequently heard by Emboffs from their Egyptian counterparts. The government is likely permitting such criticism in order to allow commentators to recover from the shock of the Sharm bombings. End summary. ¶2. While opposition Al Wafd (circulation: 70,000) and several commentators in the independent press continue to blame Israeli policies for terrorism in the region, a large number of commentaries critical of the Egyptian government have appeared in the government-controlled media in the wake of the Sharm terrorist attacks. Characteristic of some of the no-holds barred criticism and self-reflection was a July 29 column by Abdel Qader Shohaib, the pro- government editor of weekly magazine Al-Musawwar (circulation: 50,000): "There is no use in denying it e incited the crime of Sharm El Sheikh," Shohaib wrote. "The bombers are a product of a society that produces extremists with fossilized thought. Regrettably, they are incited by mosques, newspapers, and TV images ll of which are controlled by the government." Several commentators on Egyptian TV talk shows the evening of July 27 pointed to 'faulty' religion, with one independent commentator noting on Channel 1's program Halat Hiwar ("State of Discussion") that "wrong religious concepts spread when institutions such as Al-Azhar lose their credibility and the sheikhs are government-appointed." An Islamic commentator on the same program remarked, "Unemployment and poverty spread depression among our youth, who then turn into time bombs." And a third criticized "a culture gone wrong" in Egypt, singling out "poverty, unemployment, and a lack of freedom" as terrorism's cause. On Channel 2's program Bidoun Raqaba ("Without Censorship") on July 27, a commentator argued that "a lack of strong political parties does not allow people to express frustrations through legal channels," leading some to commit acts of violence. ¶3. Similar comments critical of Egyptian society, the government, and Islamic extremists in Egypt have appeared on website bulletin boards and chat rooms hough again, along with some comments critical of Israel for having given rise to terrorism in the region. One mid-level pro- government newspaper reporter claimed to sum up the feelings of his colleagues to a PA officer on July 26: "While U.S. and Israeli actions make people angry, they would already be angry without the U.S. or Israel ever existing. Why? Because we are cursed by an unresponsive and corrupt government on one hand and extremists who kill Muslims on the other. People want neither and are starting to shout about it after the Sharm attacks." ¶4. Comment: This outburst of self-criticism in the Egyptian media, though surprising for its openness, is not uncommon to Emboffs used to hearing criticism of U.S. policies from Egyptian counterparts mixed with criticism of their own government and society in private meetings. The shock of Egyptian envoy to Iraq Ehab El Sherif's murder and the Sharm El Sheikh terrorist bombings have likely encouraged many commentators to vent their frustrations and anger publicly, and the government appears to be also accepting this criticism in the pro-government media. End comment. JONES