LETTER FROM ALEXANDRIA: RAMADAN I

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 ALEXANDRIA 00535

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PINR PGOV PINS EG
SUBJECT: LETTER FROM ALEXANDRIA: RAMADAN I


1. (CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.)


2. SUMMARY: THIS IS THE FIRST MESSAGE IN A TWO-PART
SERIES WHICH DISCUSSES THE JUST-COMPLETED MONTH OF RAMADAN,
AND THE ENSUING FEAST PERIOD, IN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA.
ALTHOUGH THE MONTH PASSED WITH THE TRADITIONAL GAIETY, THIS
YEAR THE MUSLIM HOLY MONTH OF DAYTIME FASTING WAS CELE-
BRATED AGAINST A BACKDROP OF APPARENT RISING FUNDAMEN-
TALISM, CHALLENGES TO THE PUBLIC ORDER, AND THE CONTINUING
SAGA OF THE "TRIAL BY PRESS" OF ALEXANDRIA'S GOVERNOR.
END SUMMARY.


3. RAMADAN, WHICH LASTED FROM MAY 20 TO JUNE 17 IN EGYPT,
WAS CELEBRATED IN TRADITIONAL FASHION IN ALEXANDRIA. BUT
THIS YEAR, UNLIKE LAST, IT WAS AGAINST A BACKDROP OF
GROWING FUNDAMENTALISM AND SECURITY CONCERNS; WORSENING
QUALITY OF LIFE, AND A DETERIORATING URBAN ENVIRONMENT;
AND MORE THAN A WHIFF OF POLITICAL SCANDAL, DUE TO THE
ONGOING INVESTIGATION OF GOVERNOR MA'1"'S STEWARDSHIP OF
THE CITY (FOR BACKGROUND ON LATTER, SEE ALEXANDRIA 435).
FOR ALL THE GAIETIZ OF THE SEASON, ONE SENSED THAT SOME OF
IT WAS PROBABLY FORCED: MANY OF THE ALEXANDRIANS WE KNOW
ARE WORRIED, BOTH ABOUT THEIR COUNTRY AND THEIR CITY.
RAMADAN--WHEN THE ADVANCE GUARD ARRIVES OF THE 1.5 MILLION
CAIRENES WHO EVENTUALLY SPEND THE SUMMER IN ALEXANDRIA--
TURNED OUT TO BE A GOOD TIME TO REFLECT ON LIFE IN THIS
CITY, AND TO COLLECT COMMENTS FROM OUR CONTACTS ABOUT
ISSUES WHICH CONCERN THEM.
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4. IFTARS: "IFTAR" (OR, BREAKFAST),THE MEAL WHICH
BREAKS THE FAST AT SUNSET, IS A TIME OF RESPLENDENT
FEASTS IN ALEXANDRIA. THE REPORTING OFFICER DID NOT
ATTEND ANY AT WHICH THERE WAS LESS THAN FIVE TIMES THE
AMOUNT OF FOOD NECESSARY FOR THE NUMBER OF GUESTS PRESENT.
SOME OF THE FOODS ARE TRADITIONAL--FOR EXAMPLE, EGYPTIANS
OF ALL CLASSES ACTUALLY BREAK THE FAST WITH "FUL" (RED
BEANS)--INCLUDING IMPORTED ITEMS, SUCH AS THE APRICOT
PASTE (FROM SYRIA)WHICH IS USED TO MAKE THE RAMADAN-ONLY
DRINK, AMAR-EL-DINE. THE PASTRY "KUNAFA" IS MADE ON
TURNING GRILLS, PLACED OUTSIDE ON SIDEWALKS DURING RAMADAN,
AND IS OFFERED AT EVERY IFTAR. WHILE THE MEATS MAY VARY,
SHRIMP IS NOT A TRADITIONAL RAMADAN FOOD AND PRICES IN
ALEXANDRIA, KNOWN THROUGHOUT EGYPT FOR THIS DELICACY,
ACTUALLY PLUMMET DURING THIS TIME. (ONE HOTEL MANAGER
OF OUR ACQUAINTANCE STOCKS UP,AND FREEZES, SHRIMP FOR THE
ENTIRE SUMMER DURING RAMADAN.) WHILE IFTARS IN ALEXANDRIA
ARE MORE SOCIAL, THAN RELIGIOUS, OCCASIONS, THIS YEAR WE
ATTENDED OUR FIRST HOME IFTAR WHICH HAD A SHAYKH PRESENT
TO LEAD THE TWO EVENING PRAYERS ON PRAYER RUGS ESPECIALLY
LAID OUT ON THE LAWN OF THE HOST'S VILLA FOR THE OCCASION.
COMMENT: IT IS PROBABLY WORTH NOTING, IF ONLY IN PASSING,
THAT NOT ALL OF THE VEILED WOMEN PRESENT, EITHER THIS YEAR,
OR LAST YEAR AT SIMILAR FUNCTION, JOINED IN THE PRAYERS.
IN ADDITION TO EXTREMELY HEAVY RELIGIOUS PROGRAMMING
DURING RAMADAN, EGYPTIAN TELEVISION ALSO RUNS SPECIAL
VIEWER PARTICIPATION GAME SHOWS AND SERIALS IN THE EVENINGS.
LARGE COLOR TELEVISIONS ARE EVEN BROUGHT OUT OF DOORS
FOR GARDEN IFTARS. BOTH YEARS, THE SERIAL WON OUT OVER
THE LAST EVENING PRAYER FOR AT LEAST A FEW OF THE VEILED
FEMALES. END COMMENT.


5. IFTAR CONVERSATIONS:

-- (A) VEILS: ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NO SCIENTIFIC DATA, THERE
WAS VISIBLY A SHARP INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VEILED
FEMALES IN ALEXANDRIA DURING THIS RAMADAN. FEMALE, MUSLIM
STAFF MEMBERS OF THE CONGEN (NONE OF WHOM IS VEILED) HAVE
EVEN COME TO US TO EXPRESS CONCERN. THIS ISSUE--PERHAPS
CODE TO DISCUSS DEEPER WORRIES ABOUT THE RISE OF FUNDA-
MENTALISM-- WAS DISCUSSED REPEATEDLY BY OUR CONTACTS
DURING RAMADAN. (COMMENT: "VEILS", AS USED BY OUR
CONTACTS, AND IN THIS MESSAGE, DESCRIBES THE CURRENT
EGYPTIAN FASHION OF COVERED HEAD, HAIR AND THROAT--BUT
WITH FACE STILL VISIBLE, UNLIKE IN THE GULF--ACCOMPANIED
BY LONG SLEEVE BLOUSES AND FLOOR LENGTH SKIRTS. END
COMMENT.) WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE (MODERATE) CHIEF JUSTICE
OF EGYPT ADDRESSED THE BLUE-RIBBON EASTERN ALEXANDRIA
ROTARY CLUB DURING ONE RAMADAN IFTAR. THE SUBJECT OF
VEILS APPARENTLY CAME UP DURING THE DISCUSSION, AND HE
ASSERTED THAT THE KORAN DOES NOT CALL FOR VEILING. HE
WAS HEATEDLY DENOUNCED FROM THE FLOOR TO THE DEGREE THAT
OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS ROTARY (COMPRISED MOSTLY OF THE
PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESS LEADERSHIP OF ALEXANDRIA) FELT
OBLIGED TO STAND UP AND DEMAND APOLOGIES FROM THEIR FELLOW
ROTARIANS. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BUSINESSMEN IN
EGYPT, MOHAMED RAGAB, IS A MEMBER OF THIS ROTARY. HIS
WIFE ADOPTED THE VEIL DURING RAMADAN--AND THAT HAS PRO-
VOKED MUCH COMMENTARY AMONG THE CITY'S ELITE (WHOSE WIVES
ARE GENERALLY UNVEILED). COMMENT: IN A COUNTRY WHERE
FELLAHIN WOMEN TRADITIONALLY COVER THEIR HAIR WITH A
SCARF, AND WHERE URBAN WIDOWS, PARTICULARLY AMONG THE
POOR, OFTEN ADOPT HEAD COVERING, "VEILS" ARE NOT UNKNOWN.
WE ARE TOLD, HOWEVER, THAT THEY ARE NOT TRADITIONAL AMONG
EDUCATED, URBAN FEMALES. SOME OF OUR CONTACTS HAVE
ALSO EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERN THAT SO MANY YOUNG WOMEN ARE
ADOPTING VEILS. THIS, IN FACT, IS WHERE THE SHARP RISE
IN HEAD COVERINGS HAS OCCURRED. BASED ON OUR TRAVELS IN
THE DELTA, IT REMAINS AN URBAN PHENOMENON. END COMMENT.

-- (B) GOVERNOR MA'AZ'S PROBLEMS: THE PARLIAMENTARY
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE (SEE ALEXANDRIA 435) FINISHED
ITS WORK IN ALEXANDRIA DURING RAMADAN. THE REPORT IS
SLATED TO BE PUBLISHED IN EARLY JULY, BUT ALREADY THE
PRESS IS REPORTING THAT THE COMMITTEE IS "SPLIT"--NOT
ON HIS GUILT, BUT ON WHETHER TO REFER HIS CASE TO THE
REGULAR COURTS OR THE SOCIALIST PROSECUTOR. MEANWHILE,
THE NDP MEMBER OF THE PEOPLES ASSEMBLY WHO STARTED THE
AFFAIR, GEBRIL MOHAMED, IS SEEN CARRYING SHEAVES OF
PAPERS AROUND TOWN (PRESS REPORTS NOTE THAT HE HAS AN
ADDITIONAL 39 CHARGES TO OFFER TO THE COMMITTEE) CLAIMING
THIS CASE WILL BE "THE EGYPTIAN WATERGATE." EARLY DURING
THE INVESTIGATION, THE ACCUSER SAID THAT HIS LIFE WAS
IN DANGER (THE WINDSHIELD WAS MYSTERIOUSLY BROKEN ON HIS
CAR, FOLLOWING WHICH HE HAS TAKEN TO PARKING IT OVERNIGHT
ON THE GROUNDS OF THE NDP PARTY HEADQUARTERS)--CERTAINLY
AN EXAGGERATION, BUT CALCULATED TO GARNER EVEN MORE
PUBLICITY FOR HIS CAUSE. THERE IS CONTINUED EXTENSIVE
COVERAGE OF THE INVESTIGATION IN THE "WAFD" AND MOST
OTHER NATIONAL PRINT MEDIA. DURING RAMADAN, THE GOVERNOR
GAVE AN INTERVIEW TO THE NEWS MAGAZINE "OCTOBER" CONCERNING
HIS PERSONAL REAL ESTATE DEALS IN THE NEARBY BEACH RESORT
OF AGAMI: HE LIED, AND THE "WAFD" SUBSEQUENTLY PUBLISHED
PHOTOCOPIES OF THE SALE AND TAX RECORDS. ALTHOUGH
PRESIDENT MUBARAK HAS NOT SPOKEN OUT PUBLICLY ON THIS
ISSUE, GOVERNOR MA'AZ WAS NOTABLY ABSENT FROM THE LIST
OF GOVERNORS WHO RECEIVED AWARDS FROM THE PRESIDENT AT
THE JUST-CONCLUDED CONFERENCE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN
CAIRO. WE HAVE RECENTLY LEARNED THAT WHEN THE PRESIDENT
CAME TO ALEXANDRIA MAY 13 TO INAUGURATE VARIOUS PROJECTS,
INCLUDING THE USAID TELEPHONE PROJECT, HE TOLD THE
GOVERNOR ON ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT THAT "IF WHAT THEY
SAY ABOUT YOU IN THE PRESS IS TRUE, THE CASE WILL GO TO
THE COURTS." COMMENT: WE CONTINUE TO BE INTRIGUED BY
HOW THE PRESIDENT HANDLES THE CASES OF SENIOR GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS PUBLICLY ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION. IN BOTH THE
MOUSTAPHA EL SAID CASE, AND NOW APPARENTLY WITH GOVERNOR
MA'AZ, HE PERMITS A "TRIAL BY PRESS" AND THEN LETS THE
COURTS TAKE OVER. FOR LESSER LIGHTS (EG. THE RECENT
NUMEROUS FIRINGS AND FORCED RETIREMENTS IN THE CUSTOMS
ADMINISTRATION (SEE FORTHCOMING SEPTEL),THE RECKONING
DAY ARRIVES MORE SWIFTLY. WE WONDER IF THIS OTHERWISE
ADMIRABLE LOYALTY TO HIS SENIOR OFFICIALS--FOR EXAMPLE,
NOT SUSPENDING THEM DURING THE PRESS ATTACKS--MIGHT
BE MISPLACED? END COMMENT. AS ALEXANDRIANS ARE WELL-KNOWN
FOR BEING (IF OUR READERS WILL PERMIT) ALEXANDRIA-CENTRIC,
THIS ISSUE, ABOVE ALL OTHERS, DOMINATED RAMADAN CONVER-
SATIONS HERE. THE GOVERNOR HAS VERY FEW DEFENDERS AMONG
THE ALEXANDRIA ELITE, WHOSE PRIME INTEREST NOW, APPEARS
TO BE SPECULATING ON HOW THE GOVERNOR'S RIGHT HAND MAN
(AND WIDELY VIEWED AS CORRUPT, UNLIKE THE GOVERNOR),
GOVERNORATE SECRETARY-GENERAL SHAKER ABDEL SALAAM, HAS
MANAGED TO KEEP HIS NAME OUT OF THIS INVESTIGATION.

-- (C) NOT DISCUSSED: WE WERE STRUCK BY THE LACK OF
CONVERSATION ON THE FATE OF THE PERSONAL STATUS LAW, AS IT
HAS APPARENTLY GALVANIZED CAIRO (SEE CAIRO 16094, PLUS
NEWS REPORTS ON THE SAME SUBJECT). IF THE SUBJECT WAS
DISCUSSED, WE HAD TO RAISE IT. WE DID--ON TWO OCCASIONS
DURING RAMADAN. ONE EGYPTIAN WOMAN (AND FORMER WIFE OF
A SYRIAN VICE FOREIGN MINISTER) SAID THAT SHE HAD VISITED
THE NDP ALEX HEADQUARTERS TO TRY TO GET "SOMETHING"
STARTED AMONG THE WOMEN IN ALEXANDRIA, TO FORCE THE GOE TO
DEVELOP LEGISLATION TO REPLACE THE "JIHAN SADAT LAW"
STRUCK DOWN BY THE COURTS MAY 4. SHE REPORTED THAT HER
REMARKS WERE RECEIVED WITH HOSTILITY BY THE THREE FEMALE
PARTY WORKERS WITH WHOM SHE SPOKE, WHO ASSERTED THAT THE
JIHAN SADAT LAW WAS "CONTRARY" TO ISLAM. OUR FRIEND, WHO
RELATED THIS AT A TABLE WITH THREE WELL-EDUCATED FEMALE
FAMILY MEMBERS PRESENT, SUMMARIZED HER VIEWS THUS:
"SYRIAN WOMEN WOULD NEVER PUT UP WITH THIS. EGYPTIAN
WOMEN ARE UNSOPHISTICATED." (THE OTHERS PRESENT LET THE
REMARK STAND.)

-- ONE MEMBER OF THE SAME FAMILY DECIDED TO ASK FOR A
DIVORCE IN MAY, WHEREUPON HER HUSBAND PROMPTLY ASKED
HER TO LEAVE THE CAIRO APARTMENT WHICH HAD BEEN PURCHASED
FOR THE YOUNG COUPLE BY THE GIRL'S FAMILY. THESE KINDS
OF STORIES PROMPTED NDP ALEX PARTY CHIEF, MOHAMED
ABDELLAH, IN A LATER CONVERSATION, TO TERM THE GOE'S
CURRENT EFFORTS TO PASS A PERSONAL STATUS LAW (SEE CAIRO
16752) THE "FLAT ACT." THAT, HE ASSERTED, IS THE REAL
ISSUE. EGYPTIAN WOMEN ARE LESS CONCERNED ABOUT SECOND
MARRIAGES OF THEIR HUSBANDS (RARE AMONG EDUCATED--AND
POLITICIZED--EGYPTIANS, IN ANY EVENT),THAN IN SUDDENLY
FINDING THEMSELVES HOMELESS IN A COUNTRY WHERE THE
HOUSING CRISIS IS ACUTE, AND GROWING WORSE. COMMENT: EVEN
THE EXPECTED LARGE RETURN OF EGYPTIANS FROM THE GULF WILL
AGGRAVATE THE HOUSING PROBLEM IN ALEXANDRIA: MANY WOMEN,
INCLUDING SOME ON THE CONSULATE STAFF, ARE RESIDING,
WITH THEIR CHILDREN, IN THEIR PARENTS' HOME DURING THEIR
HUSBANDS' LENGTHY ABSENCES IN THE GULF. THESE PROFESSIONAL
COUPLES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AVOID FACING THE HOUSING CRUNCH--
THUS FAR. END COMMENT.


6. FASTING: WE KNOW SEVERAL PROMINENT BUSINESSMEN IN
ALEXANDRIA WHO HAVE STARTED FASTING ONLY IN THE PAST FEW
YEARS. EVERYONE WE KNOW, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, WHO NORMALLY
IMBIBES ALCOHOL, GIVES IT UP FOR THE MONTH, AS WELL AS
CIGARETTES DURING THE FASTING HOURS (THE LATTER IS PROBABLY
MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE HEAVY SMOKING EGYPTIANS). THE GOE
DECREE REGARDING THE SALE OF ALCOHOL DURING RAMADAN--IN
GENERAL, IT IS ONLY SOLD IN "TOURISTIC" HOTELS OR
RESTAURANTS, AND THEN ONLY TO FOREIGNERS--WAS SEVERELY
ENFORCED IN ALEXANDRIA THIS YEAR. THE GREEK CONSUL GENERAL
INVITED A VISITING DELEGATION FROM GREECE TO DINE AT A
LOCAL RESTAURANT, OWNED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE ALEXANDRIA
GREEK COMMUNITY. THE RESTAURANT HAS A RAMADAN ALCOHOL
PERMIT. DURING THE MEAL, A GENERAL INTELLIGENCE(MUKHABARAT)
OFFICER CAME INTO THE RESTAURANT, OBSERVED THE WINE BEING
SERVED TO THE GREEKS, AND ORDERED THE GREEK OWNER TO
APPEAR AT MUKHABARAT HEADQUARTERS THE NEXT DAY. DURING
THEIR MEETING, THE RESTAURANT OWNER WAS TOLD THAT, EVEN
WITH A PERMIT, IF HE SERVED ALCOHOL DURING RAMADAN, THE
INTELLIGENCE SERVICES WOULD FIND "OTHER" WAYS TO PUT
"PRESSURE" ON HIM. THE RAMADA, CURRENTLY ALEXANDRIA'S
BEST HOTEL, VOLUNTARILY DID NOT SERVE ALCOHOL DURING
RAMADAN, BUT HAD A SMALL BAR DISCREETLY SET UP IN AN
UPSTAIRS SUITE FOR FOREIGNERS. THE MANAGER TOLD US
THAT, IN THE CURRENT CLIMATE, HE FELT HIS DECISION WAS
"GOOD FOR BUSINESS."


7. QUALITY OF LIFE--AND CIVIL DISTURBANCES: THE CITY'S
GROWING PROBLEMS WITH PROVIDING SERVICES FOR ITS 3
MILLION INHABITANTS BECOME AGGRAVATED DURING RAMADAN,
DUE BOTH TO THE INFLUX OF VISITORS DURING THE FEAST
FITLOWING RAMADAN, AND TO THE DEPLORABLE WORK HABITS OF
FASTING CITY EMPLOYEES. ELECTRICAL AND WATER OUTAGES
WERE FREQUENT DURING RAMADAN, AND GARBAGE PICK-UP, A
CONTINUING, MAJOR PROBLEM HERE, ALMOST STOPPED TOWARD
THE END OF MONTH (AND THROUGHOUT THE SIX-DAY FEAST AT
THE END OF RAMADAN). THAT, COMBINED WITH HOT WEATHER AND
BAD TEMPERS PRODUCED BY THE FASTING, PROBABLY LED TO THE
NUMEROUS CIVIL DISTURBANCES, LARGE AND SMALL, THE CITY
WITNESSED DURING THE MONTH. AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS ARE
FREQUENT, AS ARE STREET FIGHTS OVER THE SLIGHTEST SCRAPE:
ONE CONGEN OFFICER REPORTED SEEING TWO STREET BRAWLS WITHIN
ONE BLOCK. THERE WERE ALSO SEVERAL MAJOR INCIDENTS BEFORE
THE END OF THE MONTH, ATTRIBUTABLE TO "RAMADAN CONDITIONS"
BY MOST ACCOUNTS:

(A) COPTIC-MUSLIM BRAWL: DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE,
THERE WAS A MAJOR FIGHT BETWEEN COPTS AND MUSLIMS AT A
WHOLESALE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE MARKET IN THE NOUZA AREA
OF ALEXANDRIA. WE HAVE HAD TWO VERSIONS FROM POLICE
SOURCES AS TO HOW IT STARTED: ONE ALLEGES THAT A COPTIC
MERCHANT OR CUSTOMER WAS MAKING A"SHOW" OF EATING AND
SMOKING IN FRONT OF FASTING MUSLIMS. ANOTHER VERSION
SAYS THAT THERE WAS A SIMPLE DISPUTE, BUT WHEN THE TWO
CONTENDERS REALIZED THAT ONE WAS COPTIC AND THE OTHER
MUSLIM, A MELEE BEGAN, WITH BYSTANDERS JOINING IN. OUR
STATE SECURITY SOURCES CONFIRM THAT THERE WERE 15
ARRESTS AND 4 HOSPITALIZED; TWO CARS WERE BURNED AND ONE
HOUSE OR SHOP DESTROYED. COMMENT: AS COPTIC CONTACTS
HAVE NOT APPROACHED US ON THIS INCIDENT, WE CONTINUE TO
BELIEVE THAT IT WAS NOT RELIGIOUSLY-INSPIRED AND SHOULD
NOT BE VIEWED AS "SECTARIAN STRIFE"--BUT MERELY AN
EXPLOSION OF TEMPERS AMONG THE PARTICIPANTS. END COMMENT.
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(B) MURDER IN LABAN: THERE IS A TRADITION IN ALEXANDRIA
OF FOOTBALL GAMES IN THE STREETS DURING RAMADAN, EVEN
MAJOR THOROUGHFARES (MAKING TRAFFIC EVEN MORE OF A BLOOD
SPORT),IN THE LAST HOUR BEFORE THE "MEDFAA"--THE CANNON
WHICH IS FIRED TO SIGNAL THE END OF THE FASTING PERIOD.
IN THE WORKING CLASS DISTRICT OF LABAN, MEMBER OF THE GOE'S
ELITE CENTRAL SECURITY FORCES, UNABLE TO GET A GAME STOPPED
IN FRONT OF HIS ABODE, TOOK HIS GUN AND SHOT ONE OF THE
PLAYERS. WHEN THE YOUNG MAN DIDN'T DIE IMMEDIATELY, HE
SHOT HIM A SECOND TIME, WITH THE HORRIFIED FATHER STANDING
BY, ACCORDING TO OUR POLICE SOURCES. THE CSF MEMBER IS
NOW IN PRISON, BUT TEMPERS ARE RAW IN LABAN.

(C) KNIFE FIGHT IN MANCHIA: OUR INFORMATION IS SKETCHIER
ON THIS INCPQENT, BUT IT APGEARS THAT ZEALOUS CUSTOMS
POLICE, IN A VERY INFREQUENT APPLICATION OF LAW 119
(1978)--WHICH ATTEMPTS TO REGULATE PROFITS ON IMPORTED
ITEMS AMONG THE IMPORTER, WHOLESALER AND RETAILER--VISITED
SHOPOWNERS TO LOOK AT THEIR BOOKS. THE MANCHIA SHOPS
WERE FULL OF IMPORTED ITEMS AS RAMADAN, WHEN SALES APPROACH
THOSE AT CHRISTMASTIME IN THE U.S., IS THE TIME WHEN
RETAILERS MAKE A CONSIDERABLE PORTION OF THEIR YEARLY
PROFITS. THE CUSTOMS POLICE DEPARTED, BUT WHEN THEY
RETURNED THE SHOPOWNERS WERE WAITING FOR THEM WITH KNIVES.
ALTHOUGH NO ONE WAS KILLED, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WERE
QUITE A FEW INJURED DURING THE ENSUING KNIFE FIGHT.

COMMENT: ALTHOUGH THESE THREE INCIDENTS SHOULD PROPERLY
BE LABELLED "CIVIL DISTURBANCES," ALEXANDRIA'S SECURITY
FORCES WERE ON A STATE OF ALERT (ALL LEAVES CANCELLED)
THROUGHOUT THE FEAST WHICH FOLLOWS RAMADAN. THE CITY
EXPECTED VIOLENCE, OR AT LEAST PROHIBITED MARCHES, BY
MUSLIM FUNDAMENTALISTS DURING THE SIX-DAY BAIRAM HOLIDAY,
PARTICULARLY THE FIRST MORNING. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE LEARNED
OF NO VIOLENCE, THERE WERE, INDEED, FUNDAMENTALIST
ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING SOME IN CONTRAVENTION OF GOE
DECREES) AND THOSE WILL BE ADDED IN THE SECOND MESSAGE
IN THIS SERIES. END COMMENT.


COOK