[CPProt.net] Egypt: Culture Minister unshakeable, not stirred

[MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)]

Tuesday September 20 - 2005 
Culture Minister unshakeable, not stirred  

By Mohssen Arishie

Minister of Culture Farouq Hosni has remarkably survived the ever-growing
repercussions of the Beni Sueif theatre fire, in which more than 44 people
were killed. More remarkable is that the minister, who is known for his
intelligent manoeuvres in his showdowns with his fiercest opponents, must be
confident that he will survive the Cabinet reshuffle, scheduled for after
the parliamentary elections later this year. 
Emerging from his meeting with the Prime Minister two days ago, Farouq Hosny
proudly confirmed that the government would offer a generous LE100 million
budget to refurbish cultural palaces nationwhide. 
Hosni added that the Premier had given the thumbs-up to his plan to
modernise state-owned theatres in cities and provinces and upgrade their
safety systems. 

Ward off critics

The minister's triumphantly bounced back after his resignation. Forced into
a corner after the fire in a theatre in Beni Sueif, the minister retaliated
cleverly by announcing that he would resign in order to ward off further
criticism from his opponents. He also accused his opponents of exploiting
the suffering of victims' families for political gains, at the expense of
his reputation that he has earned during his 18 years in office. 

'Seaweed' storm

Perhaps the minister's ambition to secure Egyptian culture prominent place
on the international map could well be what prompted the merciless attacks
against him. This may explain that, unlike his predecessors, the current
minister has regularly appeared before Parliament and the press alike to
defend his policies and actions.
Some years ago, the minister was the centre of a row when Al-Azhar scholars
and students took to the streets to protest against Hosni's allowing the
publication of the allegedly blasphemous novel Banquet of Seaweed by Syrian
writer Haidar Haidar. 
Hosni appeased students' anger by rushing to the Parliament to confront
Islamist MPs, forcing them to withdraw their questions by saying that before
his arrival, he had 'dismissed officials who allowed the book to go to
print'. He also drew the attention of his foes under the Dome to a statement
by the then President of Al-Azhar University, Ahmed Omar Hashem, who was
also the head of the People's Assembly Religious Affairs Committee. The
statement said that copies of the offending book had been withdrawn from the
shops and distributors across the country. 

Thefts

Hosni also survived heavy bombardment over the allegedly systematic theft of
antiquities from the nation's museums and archaeological sites. 
He has always won, and his adversaries have to wait to fight another day.
Hosni's resignation brought immediate results. The cultural community was
divided in half. His supporters, who seem to outnumber his detractors,
appealed to President Hosni Mubarak not to accept the minister's resignation
in acknowledgement of his achievements of the last 20 years. 
Since he assumed his office in 1997, Hosni, a painter of international
acclaim, has galvanised the cultural and artistic community. 

Dialogue

He spearheaded a plan for interactive cultural dialogue between Egypt and
international community. He sponsored the Experimental Theatre, which has
come under fire from conservative and liberal members in society for
different reasons. 
Hosni is also acknowledged for sponsoring major international cultural
events, art biennales and workshops, which attract the attention of hundreds
of world's artists. 
His colleagues in the Cabinet, who are likely to go forever in the
forthcoming reshuffle, are envious. They thought that they would have been
equally wise if they had acted likewise, threatening to resign. But their
threat would be immediately appreciated by the Prime Minister and they would
be axed prematurely. 

http://www.algomhuria.net.eg/