Nieuws Arabische wereld

As the Syrian conflicts escalates, showing little sign of abating, or of effective intervention, the whole world has been abuzz with the prospect of Syria slipping into a sectarian scenario reminiscent of Iraq and Lebanon.
Syria is a complex not homogenous landscape. 

A breakdown of the ethnic minorities and the religious sects of Syria uncovers a picture of confused and conflicting allegiences beset by an ambivalence in orientation toward the regime. The diverse make-up of the minorities of the country alone are not simple to decipher. To make matters more interesting, minority complex usually spawns secretive religious sects who dissemble or refuse to discuss their religion, in order to avoid persecution and so as to increase prospects of survival.

» Lees meer

Religious figures from different Egyptian Christian sects have taken opposing stances on the involvement of Copts in the planned protests on 25 January, one year after the start of the Egyptian uprising.

Some church leaders have called on Coptic Christians to boycott the demonstrations, while others have encouraged participation. In defense of the boycott, some church leaders say that the democratic transition is being conducted in accordance with the timetable set by the military council.

“Egypt is moving towards democracy, and the parliamentary elections were fair,” said Shubra al-Khaima Bishop Morkos. “What we need now is presidential elections and a new constitution.”

» Read more

An assertive new generation of women's rights activists is emerging in Libya - They helped smuggle weapons and ammunition to fighters during the revolution. Now, Libyan women have their own battle to fight - for empowerment.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us," says Sara Mazik, from Women for Libya, a new group of women who have recently returned from exile. Women now head two ministries in the new government - health and social affairs.

Salha Soussi, smartly dressed in a head scarf, high heels and a modest black gown, is unimpressed. "That is not very good for us," she says. "But we are going to push for the inclusion of more women in the future. And we're going to make sure it happens." 

» Lees meer 

Preliminary results of the first phase of parliamentary elections came in favor of its Freedom and Justice Party, followed by the Salafi Nour Party and the liberal Egyptian Bloc Coalition, the Muslim Brotherhood has announced.

The Brotherhood said that voters did not vote for the remnants of the disbanded National Democratic Party who formed new parties after the revolution, which means that the people have “isolated them politically,” as the Brotherhood put it.

In its seventh statement on Wednesday, the party said it received the most votes in the Fayoum governorate, followed by the Red Sea, Cairo and Assiut governorates, while competition against the Nour Party was fierce in the governorates of Alexandria and Kafr al-Sheikh.

The statement also said party candidates running individually in the elections have swept votes in several constituencies.

CAIRO — Two weeks before parliamentary elections billed as a first big step toward democracy, there are new signs that the generals ruling Egypt are trying to steer the transition to preserve their vast political and economic power.

A widening circle of critics say that new proposals from Egypt’s ruling military council suggest that the generals are backing away from a pledge to quickly hand over authority to elected leaders. They note that guidelines put in place by the generals have prolonged the transition to democracy, allowing them to stay in place as de facto rulers until after presidential elections that could be held as late as 2013.

The deceleration could allow the generals time to protect their vast commercial holdings, which extend from large tracts of prime real estate to water-bottling plants to factories that manufacture air-conditioning units. In recent proposals, the generals have pressed for rules that would forbid civilian oversight of the military budget and grant the military council, rather than a new parliament, the most influence in the writing of a new constitution.

» Lees meer