Egyptian Court Rules to Disband the Cairo Association for Peace

October 03, 2002 No.425

Egyptian Court Rules to Disband the Cairo Association for Peace

The Egyptian opposition weekly Al-Usbu' reported on an Egyptian
administrative court's decision to disband a voluntary Egyptian organization
that was founded to strengthen the peace process. The article's author,
journalist Muhammad 'Abdallah, described the court's decision as "a new blow
to the advocates of normalization." The following is a translation of the
report.(1)

Ruling to Disband Association Has Finally Been Published

"After four years of litigation in the administrative court, the
report of the state attorneys on Case No. 1796, regarding the disbanding of
the Cairo Association for Peace and the abolition of all decisions stemming
from the decision [to establish it] has been published."

"The report, which is considered a mark of honor. for the Egyptian
court, silenced the tongues that sought to sell out the reputation of the
Egyptian legal [system] and to hint that pressure [was applied] on the
administrative court so that it would not publish a decision in this suit,
on the pretext that the political circumstances of the Arab homeland do not
permit confrontation with Israel or its supporters."

"On September 17, 1998, a suit was filed in the administrative court
by attorney and Ambassador Ibrahim Yusri, former director of the Foreign
Ministry's Department of International Law and Agreements. The suit sought
the disbanding of the Cairo Association for Peace, Registry No. 392, 1998,
and the suspension of all its activity and the abolition of all decisions
concerning it."

"This was because this association's activity is not subordinate to
the clauses of the Law of Associations, and is even considered political
party activity. Similarly, considerations of public interest require caution
towards any activity that concerns Israel, out of fear for the well-being of
the land and [for the sake of] state security. This matter makes the
decision to [find] the association null and void…"

Disseminating the Culture of Peace Does Not Serve the Law

"The report states that conducting research, holding conferences and
scientific conventions to disseminate the culture of peace in the full
meaning of the term, and the exchange of visits with similar groups from
Israel are not considered cultural, scientific, or religious services for
which the association was established, in accordance with the sense set out
by law."

"Similarly, none [of these activities] are included in the areas
specified in the statutes of the Law of Associations and private
institutions or those for which a ruling is issued by the Minister of Social
Affairs…"

"The plaintiff attorney, Ibrahim Yusri, stresses that the ruling is
not unusual in the Egyptian legal system. which does not surrender to
pressure, and that the other party [the defendant] tried to hint that
pressure was applied to prevent the publication of this report. He stressed
that the political circumstances of the region, Israel's acts of aggression,
the siege of the Palestinian president, and the slaughter of dozens of
defenseless Egyptian [sic] people on the occupied land, all call for the
non-recognition of anybody calling for normalization of relations or making
contact with the Zionist enemy."

"[Ibrahim Yusri] stresses that the [Egyptian] political leadership
decided to freeze all forms of normalization except for what could serve the
[Palestinian] issue. The activity of the Cairo Association for Peace
deviated from this framework, because it calls for a culture of so-called
peace at the height of a sweeping tide of blood pouring out onto the land of
Palestine."

"Similarly, the so-called peace movement in Israel has made no
concessions and has not called for such concessions as have been called for
by the forces of submission in Egypt. Ambassador Ibrahim Yusri noted that
public opinion polls in Israel show the absence of influence of these forces
[for peace] in every decision made on the part of the State of Israel."

The Ball is in the Court of the Associations Opposed to Normalization

"Now that the committee of the state attorneys published its ruling
[on] abolishing the Cairo Association for Peace, the ball is in the court of
the associations opposed to normalization, who awaited a verdict of this
kind so that they could focus public opinion in Egypt and in the Arab world
on resistance to the associations of surrender, which apparently do not feel
pain at the sight of the blood of Palestinians being shed by the oppressing
occupation."

Endnote:
(1) Al-Usbu' (Egypt), September 30, 2002.