Archaeologist at Large: News and politics

Tourism, not terrorism, anchors Bedouin culture

Sat, 29 Apr 2006 16:54:28 GMT

AL-ASALEH, EGYPT -- On the floor of a rectangular room with glass doors facing the Red Sea, a group of about 20 Bedouin men in long white galabiyehs drank sweet cups of tea and heatedly discussed for a second day who was behind the bombings that hit Dahab this week and how they would prevent them from happening again.

The men have a vested interest in preventing terrorism: They are mostly leaders from the extended Um Zeina family, the largest tribe in southern Sinai and the one that owns the land of Dahab, the nearby tourist town where three bombs killed at least 21 people on Monday.

Tourism is their bread and butter -- or rather, their bread and ful, a traditional fava-bean dish.

More @ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060427.SINAI27/TPStory/International

Sectarian Violence in Egypt

Sat, 29 Apr 2006 14:53:24 GMT

In the early morning of April 14, 2006, Mahmoud Salah al-Din Abd al-Raziq, a Muslim, entered the church of Mar Girgis (Saint George) in Alexandria’s al-Hadra district and stabbed three parishioners who had gathered for a service. Abd al-Raziq then proceeded to attack worshippers at two other churches, according to police accounts, before being arrested en route to a fourth. Nushi Atta Girgis, 78, died from his stab wounds, while several others were injured, some severely.

These regrettable events in Egypt’s second city were worrisome enough, but concerns were greatly amplified by the controversy sparked by the stabbings. On April 15, during the funeral procession for Girgis, clashes broke out between Muslims and Christians, prompting police to disperse the crowds by firing live ammunition into the air and using tear gas. One Muslim died, more than 40 people of both faiths were wounded and dozens more were arrested. The following day, street fighting erupted once again after Christians marched down one of Alexandria’s main thoroughfares bearing crosses and shouting Christian slogans such as, “With our blood, with our souls, we sacrifice ourselves for you, O Messiah.” The protest angered local Muslims, who apparently felt that the slogans insulted Islam. Many area stores were damaged in the commotion, and still more dozens of Alexandrians were wounded in battles with riot police.

More @ http://www.merip.org/mero/mero042806.html

Egypt thwarts plot to attack tourist areas

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 09:38:16 GMT

News from CAIRO, this happened last week but slipped under my radar, interesting in light of recent events

The Egyptian government said Wednesday that it had broken up a group of at least 22 militant Islamists planning bomb attacks on tourists, a gas pipeline near Cairo, and Muslim and Christian leaders

More @ http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/04/19/news/egypt.php

The crash of civilizations

Sat, 04 Mar 2006 17:33:30 GMT

Interesting article by staff writer Niall Ferguson:

On a recurring interest of mine the so called clash of civilizations

He starts-

IT HAS BEEN nearly 13 years since Samuel Huntington published his seminal essay "The Clash of Civilizations?" in Foreign Affairs. As works of academic prophecy go, this has been a real winner — up there with George Kennan's epoch-making 1947 essay "The Sources of Soviet Conduct," which laid out the rationale for containment of the Soviet Union.
"In this new world," wrote Huntington, "the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations…. The fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future

Celebrating Tut's birthday

Sun, 11 Dec 2005 09:25:33 GMT

As Egypt celebrates the 83rd anniversary of the discovery of the boy king's tomb, the Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibition has arrived to Florida on the second leg of its American tour. Nevine El-Aref looks at how the young king is acclaimed at home and abroad

Al-Ahram Weekly | Heritage | Celebrating Tut's birthday