(bitterlemons-international.org) Rifaat al-Said - Since the establishment of modern Egypt under Mohammed Ali, all of the intelligentsia have become government or ruling party employees in one way or another, such as working for a newspaper controlled by the ruling party. When Westerners look at the Middle East, they have to remember they are looking at a closed circle. The rulers refuse to give any concessions to the people, protecting themselves with the law, police, and government contacts, fortified by support from religious leaders. The writer is president of the National Progressive Party and a member of the upper house of parliament in Egypt.
2004-06-18 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive