Egypt's Shiite minority, eying political representation, plans to float party

Cairo: The Shiites in Egypt are planning to float a political party, which will be open to all their fellow citizens, according to a self-styled spokesman for the Shiites.

"It will not be a religion-based party, but a party with a political, economic and social platform," Saleh Al Wardani told Gulf News.

The number of Shiites in predominantly Sunni Egypt is not known. Their adherence to the rule of taqia or concealing identity makes it difficult to know their exact number. Researchers, however, estimate their number to be around 1 per cent of Egypt's 73 million population.

Al Azhar, the highest Sunni authority in Egypt, recognised the Ga'fari (also called the Twelver Shia) as an official school of Islamic thought.

Harrassment

The Shiite followers in Egypt say they have been harassed by security agencies.

Since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, a suspected link between the Egyptian Shiites and Tehran has apparently prompted occasional security crackdowns.

Al Wardani himself was detained in 1988 in connection with what then came to be known as the Organisation of Khomeini, in reference to the Iranian revolution's spiritual leader.

"Shiites are spread across Egypt. Many of them observe taqia due to the misunderstanding by many Sunnis of the Shiites. Some even regard Shiites as infidels," said Al Wardani.

He, however, sounds optimistic about the future of Shiites in Egypt. "I think the Shiite sect will gain ground in Egypt because fundamentalism, which has held sway in the past decades, has not projected a good image of Islam." He categorically denies receiving financial support from abroad.

The writer is a journalist based in Cairo

EPA

In support

Chairman of the Egyptian Judges Union, Zakaria Abdul Aziz (centre), and other Egyptian judges stand in support outside the Egyptian

Supreme Court with accused Judge Mahmoud Mekki (behind Aziz) who was to appear in court for a disciplinary hearing after speaking

out about election abuses and fraud yesterday. Clashes broke out between supporters of the judges and security forces.

Reuters

Clashes

An Egyptian plainclothes policeman (right) scuffles with a protester during a demonstration in Cairo. Security men beat, kicked and clubbed protesters.