The oddest controversy has been taking place in Cairo over the last few days. Last Friday, al-Masri al-Youm published an interview with Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni in which he regretted that the veil had become so popular in the country. By Friday afternoon, the Muslim Brotherhood had already issued a scathing statement condemning Hosni and accusing him of having insulted the Egyptian people. On Sunday, he did not attend the opening of parliament and Hosni Mubarak’s speech there (more on that later), allegedly because of “high tension.” On Monday, parliament discussed the scandal and a coalition of Muslim Brotherhood and NDP MPs – 130 altogether – put out a joint petition calling his resignation. He was attacked in parliament by top NPP figures such as Speaker Fathi Surour, presidential chief of staff Zakariya Azmi and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Moufid Chehab. At least two MPs accused Hosni of being gay, and many more wanted him to resign or be sacked. Rarely has an attack against a minister gotten so personal. Even though Hosni had issued an apology (albeit a pretty mild one), the government promised to bring him to parliament to answer MPs’ questions. There are even lawsuits being prepared against him, although I’m not sure on what grounds. Yesterday, Hosni told the press he would
refuse to come out of his home “until I have been rehabilitated and my honor restored by the Assembly.”
Farouk Hosni has been culture minister since 1986. He is known for being close to First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, and was protected by Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif (read: someone higher up) last year after calls for his resignation over the Beni Suef theater fire scandal. There must be some interesting conversations taking place around the presidential dinner table these days…
One thing that strikes me about all this is that religious politics have been coming back with a vengeance for the last third of this year. For the first six months, all the MB could talk about was political reform. Now they grab every opportunity to score points on the religious issues. And why is the NDP tagging along? Who in the regime wants to get rid of Hosni? To make room for another Gamal Mubarak acolyte maybe?
Oh for crying out loud – this is basic mass politics. Hosni knew he was getting into tricky territory, especially with the veiling controversies in Europe that have received much international media attention, and the Brothers would have to be fools not to use the god-given opportunity to accuse the regime of being alienated and immoral in addition to repressive, and out of touch with the national sentiment, etc. That is their forte.
I think Farouk Hosni needs more support from us! some people may not agree is what he said but it’s the freedom of speech! and such cases are showing the true face of the Ekhwan who are all the time criticizing the government for not giving us enough freedom… while they can’t someone to have different beliefs then them! The support of the NDP to El Ekhwan in the parliament in Farouk Hosni case shows how this party is becoming weaker everyday and how they r becoming more powerful everyday.
As ahmed Ragab said yesterday in 1/2 kelma:
خالص التهاني للاخوان المسلمين الذين أصبØوا أقوي من الØكومة التي تزعم أنها تØكم مصر.
Have to say I agree with Hosni’s comments on the veil: religion is increasingly based upon outward appearances today. One only has to look at the common place sexual harassment of women – whether veiled or not – as a sign of this malaise that has taken hold of Egyptian society.
I also agree with Mina Raid: Hosni should be allowed to say what he likes.
Why is it that Egyptians are getting so uptight about such trivial matters as what one person thinks of the hijab, whilst they let the government, its agencies and unscrupulous individuals oppress them on a daily basis. Not only that, but they are being oppressed in ways that completely and utterly extinguish their dignity and what sets them apart from animals: their ability to determine their own destiny.
What a sad state of affairs…
I totally agree with u leo.
The best part of Hosni’s comment on the veil was the part when he said “al hejab howa hjeab al nafs wal damir wa laysa hejab al mazhar”… and i think that this is the problem we r facing in Egypt.. we r externally religious but not internally.. if u go to any governmental place to do some papers.. u will wait for an hour because the employee leaves his work to pray and then when he comes back he ask u for money so he finishes ur papers.. what a contradiction!!!! i believe that this is not the message of a great religion as Islam. In addition, the Ekhwan got 88 seats in parliament because they told people that they r gonna work on fighting against corruption… and now they r loosing our time on creating big issues because someone one just said what he thinks about the veil.
We need a third strong party to work for the best of this country because with either NDP or Ekhwan.. there is no future for this great country.
well, you cant really blame the honorable MPs! After all, they have successfully solved all the pressing issues of government and the great country of Egypt is pioneering all frontiers of science, economics, and social reform. There’s nothing much to talk about.
I just discovered this blog and I must say I am deeply impressed. Until recently, my career and lif was in Cairo. I now live in the US. As an Egyptian and an American, I can’t say how great it is to see and hear your voices from Cairo.
As for the subject of the post, all I can say is that the tyranny of the mob, as noted by Socrates, is the greatest threat to democracy. In many ways, Egypt has moved to the tyranny of the mob without ever enjoying the fruits of democracy.
Farouk Hosni is a buffoon and always has been. However, he is also a politician and his words, even if he has the right to say them, show that he is out of step with the mood of the country. Frredom of speach is a right but it is also a responsibility; it is also a freedom that a politican may not be free to exercise.
What would be tragic is if the average Egyptian becomes too cowed by the tyranny of the mob to speak up. Thanks to all of you, that day may never come!
U r right Dahlia.. freedom of speech is also a responsability.. but i have a different point of view in this subject.. i don’t think what Farouk Hosni said was a mistake or that he didn’t really mean what he said… but in the contrary i guess that he was told to say so.. it is as we say “TAWAGOH 7EKOUMI”… it begun a month ago with the issue at University of Helwan when they didn’t allow the “monakabat” to enter the university.. i know that this is not the mood of the country… but people must learn to listen to stuff they don’t like because we don’t all have the safe beliefs and opinions.. but what’s happening now is really sad.. it is the 1st time in history that the NDP and the Muslim Brotherhood agree on smth in the parliament.. it’s sad that they agreed on killing the freedom of speech…
Leo – you make very good points, it is depressing that people are preoccupied with the essentially trivial matters in comparison with real injustices in Egypt.
Dahlia, I do not understand the meaning of your words, are you really saying that Farouk Hosni does not have the freedom of freedom of speech? And yet your next comment that it would be tragic if people did not have the freedom to speak up? Farouk Hosni was voicing the opinon of many people and they deserve a voice too. What exactly are you advocating?
CIAO MIO ZIO SONO HAZEM RAGAB TE SCRIVO SU QUESTO SITO PERCHE FINA ADESSO NON SAPEVO LA TUA E MAIL PERSONALE .ANCHE SE NON SO SAI IL ITALIANO O NO. MI MANCHI MIO ZIO Hazem Ragab