DSE: Opposition takes to the net

Opposition takes to the net

By Pakinam Amer
First Published: March 30, 2006

CAIRO: A “free opinion” Web site launched by a group of Islamists and political activists who are seeking sanctuary in London and who were allegedly persecuted in Egypt has become a subject of controversy in the Egyptian political scene.
Shunned by government supporters and popular among the opposition, the London-based Save Egypt Front presents its unconventional side of the story when it comes to Egyptian politics. More often than not, the articles and news pieces included in the Web site are highly critical of the Egyptian government’s policies, particularly those policies initiated by the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP).
The Web site publishes regular news and updates of Egypt’s opposition forces and parties, posting images of their protests and conferences. Though compiled by the Save Egypt Front group, the articles feature news from reliable sources, and often publish opinions of opposition leaders and well-trusted political, economic and social analysts.
The Web site has used its presence in London to gain supporters from Egyptian and Arab residents, creating a “front of opposition” against the Egyptian government in the British capital. Over the past year, the group has risen in protest several times in support of the Kefaya (Enough) movement and now-imprisoned political figure and former El-Ghad leader, Ayman Nour. The groups have organized street marches and sit-ins, with the pictures reportedly published on their websites.
Following Nour’s indictment for fraud, the Save Egypt Front London group had organized a conference in support of Nour. Gamilla Ismail, Nour’s wife and El-Ghad party spokeswoman, has personally met the Save Egypt Front founders and praised their support for her husband.
“They helped me organize a press conference for Ayman’s cause in London,” Ismail told The Daily Star Egypt. According to Ismail, 10 members of the Save Egypt Front were present along with journalists.
“They regularly send us opinions and articles to publish in the El-Ghad newspaper and sometimes they republish some of Ayman Nour’s articles ... articles he files from prison,” said Ismail, who added that the Front constitutes a strong pillar in the case of Ayman Nour; numerously calling for his and other political activists’ release.
Aside from their calls that the government release Nour and endorse true democracy, the Web site demands that all Islamists and prisoners of conscience be pardoned and immediately released. The Save Egypt Front deems this demand a priority, side-by-side with the abolishment of the decades-long Emergency Law, calling their claim “The National Patriotic Initiative.”
“Because of [the sites] name, it attracts many people … It is very popular and the site is visited by a huge number of people,” said Ismail. “Maybe this is why it is effective … It also includes in its founders and supporters an interesting diversity of Egyptians who were either deported from Egypt or left willingly for political reasons.”
Save Egypt Front spokesman and principal founder, Osama Roushdy, is an Islamist who left Egypt after he was accused in a terror case. Roushdy, a former member of Al-Gamaa Al-Ismaliyya (Islamic Group), had reportedly mediated between the Ministry of Interior and Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiyya in an attempt to impede the wave of violence and terror that Egypt experienced in the early 90’s. In return, he allegedly demanded the release of hundreds of Islamists, detained for security reasons.
Roushdy has a personalized column published regularly on the Front’s Web site titled “Oh my country!” In his column, he discusses controversial issues in Egypt. Recently, he had been posting columns commenting on the recent ferry tragedy and freedom of expression. In many cases, Roushdy’s tone is often accusatory of the NDP and Egypt’s upper-house.
The Front, however, includes other high-profile activists, including figures like former Muslim Brotherhood leader Kamal Al-Hilbawy, who also has a regular column on the site’s homepage.
In one of his recent columns, Al-Hilbawy warmly congratulated political analyst Osama Ghazali Harb for leaving the NDP; Al-Hilbawy had called the move one of “honor.”
Many of the NDP supporters have labeled the Web site slanderous and defamatory to Egypt’s image, and those who founded it as unpatriotic.
In addition to opinion columns, the Web site features an online radio channel and an archive of news, opinions, feature articles and radio broadcasts. It has special sections for Human Rights issues, reports and groups, and another for the Egyptian national and independent press. The Web site also welcomes readers to submit and publish their own opinions and columns in an attempt to give Egyptians a free space to publish their thoughts on government-related issues.

Link: http://www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1043