MEDIA REACTION: SUDAN, WAR, FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL

UNCLAS MUSCAT 001089 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD, NEA/P, INR/R/MR LONDON FOR GOLDRICH PARIS FOR ZEYA USCENTCOM FOR PLUSH FOREIGN PRESS CENTER FOR ASILAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO KMDR OIIP MU SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: SUDAN, WAR, FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL -------------- Sudan's Shining Path -------------- ¶1. The government-owned Arabic daily "Oman" published an editorial on July 11 entitled "Sudan on the Right Path": "After an interminable period of conflict, Sudan finally took a step forward when it decided to push ahead with a national compromise. This compromise serves as a lesson on how to overcome problems, and how to promote national interests instead of personal ones.... Sudan is now in need of political stability, in order to develop its resources for the benefit of its long-suffering people." -------------- You Can't Handle The Truth -------------- ¶2. "Al-Watan," a privately owned Arabic daily, carried an editorial on July 10 by Saud bin Ali al-Harthy under the headline "Truth Is The First Victim In War": "If we can characterize peace as a time when culture and art flourish, then surely we can characterize war as an evil time where human cruelty reigns supreme. Can any war truly be called `sacred,' when innocent people are killed and cities are destroyed? Can a war really create democratic systems or principles of freedom? The war that the United States continues to wage against Iraq purportedly aimed to bring freedom to the Iraqis and rid the country of weapons of mass destruction - but everybody knows that it is America that possesses the weapons to destroy humanity and freedom." -------------- James Smithson Triumphs Again -------------- ¶3. "Al-Watan" featured an editorial on July 7 entitled "Oman: Desert, Oasis And The Sea In Washington": "A society's traditional culture provides outsiders with a pure image of that society, untouched by political controversies or technology. The core of any civilization is reflected in its original traditions. At the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC, we noticed the many American visitors who were attracted by Oman's traditions, and who admired the diversity of Oman's geography and people. One of the visitors stated that she learned a lot about Arab culture, and she hoped that political influences will not block further understanding and communication between the two societies." BALTIMORE