Points of View
European and American reaction to « Nag Hammadi » attacks in Egypt: Which result?
On January 6, Coptic Christmas Eve, three assailants opened fire on worshipers as they leave the midnight mass, in "Nag Hamadi, some 700 km south of Cairo. Seven people were killed: six Copts and one Muslim policeman. These attacks that mark a real warning signal have generated considerable discussion in Europe as well as the United States. In this article, we attempt to analyze these reactions, and the meanings they give and the results they generate.
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The Unity Government… A delicate Cohesion in Lebanon
For the first time a government in Lebanon gets the confidence of 121 over 128 parliament members. A high score that reveals the new context of harmony amongst different parties in Lebanon, a harmony that was mainly initiated by the positive regional context following the Saudi-Syrian summit held in Damascus. More than 95% of confidence seems to be different for Hariri who was nominated prime minister for the first time in June by a majority of 86 of parliament members' votes, and this difference between the two majorities equals the so called "Harmony" in Lebanon. While trying to put pressure on the opposition to urge it to abdicate some of its demands in forming the government, Hariri resigned, and then was nominated again in September but with a minor majority. Thus, this maneuver was completely reversed to benefit to the opposition, especially after the Saudi-Syrian reconciliation, which urged Hariri to meet the demands of General Aoun, leader of the Free Patriotic Current FPC.
Presidential Elections in Egypt: EL Bardei conditions: A Hope for Change?
A special statement was the subject of various reactions in Egypt. It is the statement of Mohamed El Baradei, the prominent Egyptian diplomat and the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency in which he affirmed its acceptance to stand for the Egyptian presidential election of 2011. This statement, if it has caused a feeling of joy for much of the opposition and especially the youngest among it, on the contrary, it caused a real concern for the political regime. The many articles written in the official newspaper "Al Ahram", denouncing and criticizing El Baradei statement affirm this fact. In this context, we will try in this paper to analyze the issues this statement tigers and the possibility of its realization in Egypt.
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Analysis
Strike "April 6" in Egypt: Abortion of a rising labor movement?
Introduction :
During the last years, and in a context of an increasing number of social protestation movements, Egypt has witnessed one of the largest social movements since 1975: The “Mahala EL Kobra” labor’s movement. Since the great strike of December 2006, a "spillover effect" occurred with an increase of the workers' strikes in Egypt. However, the 6th of April 2008 strike, had witnessed a transposition of the "Mahala" workers strike into the national level. The political opposition has based on this strike to declare a general strike in whole Egypt, a strike that never happened unless virtually. The workers' strike, for it, was aborted. Paradoxically, a huge popular uprising, the largest since 1975 has ignited.
In this context, our objective is to present the dynamics of the day April 6 in order to demonstrate: 1 - The limits of the political opposition. 2 – The obstacles that prevent the “Mahala” labor movement from being transformed into a political reality.
Obama's Middle East policy, one year on
November, 2008: to great acclaim, Barack Obama wins the US Presidential elections. From the previous administration he inherits two wars, namely in Iraq and Afghanistan, frayed international alliances and a series of challenges in the Middle East. One year on, little has been achieved, his critics say. But in October, 2009 the American President is controversially awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his undaunted commitment to multilateral diplomacy and a world free of nuclear weapons.
CERMAM asks Professor Roberto Aliboni (Vice-President of the Istituto Affari Internazionali -IAI- in Rome and expert on Middle Eastern and Mediterranean affairs) for an early assessment of Obama’s Middle East/Islamic world policies.
Interview realised by Chiara Sulmoni
Slavery behind closed doors in the Gulf monarchies
The International Labour Conference is taking place in Geneva at the moment, with some 3000 delegates from 178 countries. The agenda is the same as it has been for many years now: establishing the extent to which labour norms are respected. We already know that hundreds of speeches will be made about the violation of workers' rights in Palestine. On the other hands, some topics will never make it to the limelight. Or if they do, they will fall victim to political doublespeak.
However, today, as never before, the rights of millions of workers in desperate situations are overlooked. Whereas the Gulf countries are showing record-beating incomes due to the rise in oil prices, this economic prosperity only benefits a few people. This minority is eager to spend its money on itself and makes no contribution to improving the standard of living of the people who helped them make such profit in the first place.