Corruption
It is not surprising at all to hear about greedy traders or manufacturers. But when an unlicensed factory threatens the entire community, this is outrageous. That a factory proprietor has been arrested for producing ‘meat’ from a mixture of leather, fats and spices to sell to famous restaurants in Cairo and Giza is shocking news. It is perhaps not strange, then, to find that a high percentage of Egyptians are infected with cancers, kidney and other diseases that were previously rare. On the other hand, we never hear about the role of the officials or supervisors at the Ministry of Health. It seems that people’s health is not important enough to be given attention, let alone priority.
Ezzat Aziz, Assiut
Handmade
Most of the handmade crafts that used to be a traditional part of our national regions have diminished in quality and value. Imitations and new technology have taken over. Such crafts include making hasseer an Egyptian style of mats made of woven rushes. When I was young I used to see these being made in our house and our neighbours’ houses. A few weeks ago I visited an exhibition at l‘Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris to find another Arab country presenting a variety of hasseer, which is a purely Egyptian craft. There I saw how French people admired such work. So why don’t we have a governmental or non-governmental organisation to support handmade products?
Youssef Helmy, Sohag
Stop this humiliating act
Male circumcision is a religious commandment in Judaism; it was considered important for males to be able to begin a new life with God. Now, however, it has become more of a matter of health or cleanliness, a bit like cutting one’s nails. As for female circumcision, this is banned in both Christianity and Islam. We believe that the purity of a woman comes from deep in her heart and not from a genital organ. It is a great humiliation to women to have a vital organ cut. There are many countries that know nothing about female circumcision: Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia Iraq and other Gulf countries among them. I hope a law might be drawn up with serious penalties for perpetrating this humiliating act.
Magdy Faltas, Sohag
Is this equality?
In the district of Deir al-Malak in Hadaeq al-Qubba, Cairo, a church named after the Archangel Michael was built some years ago. Since it appears that a mosque with a higher minaret ought to be seen beside any church, a mosque had to be built quickly nearby. But in the very overcrowded square of Deir al-Malak, the officials could not find a suitable free space, so they selected the nearest building to the church and built a mosque there, taking a wide space from the vital but already crowded square. Those who built the mosque in such a way flagrantly broke the building regulations—and the law. Whereas officials hinder by all means the building or restoration of a church or even a toilet inside it, it is obvious that this mosque had quickly acquired all official approvals that led to its establishment.
Nabil Kamel, Cairo
Only in Cairo
All over the world a taxi is supposed to be the means of transport that you hire, according to the rule, so as to reach your destination quickly and easily for a set amount of money. But in Cairo it is different. A taxi driver drives at very high speed, not responding to people who try to hail him. If he does stop he refuses to go to the place you want. And when it happens and he accepts, he asks you for double the usual fare because he did you a favour and drove to a place he didn’t want to go to. When a driver feels that you are in hurry or in urgent need of a taxi he makes use of that chance to demand a higher amount. He never takes into consideration the aged, the sick, or the mother carrying her child on a very hot day or anyone standing in the rain.
Tawfiq Mikhail, Cairo
To say nothing of drivers smoking, playing loud music or Qur’an, wide open windows on a cold day, no brakes or suspension, switching bank notes, or pick-pocketing mobile phones… The editor
