Algeria boycott divides Egypt's entertainers

Cairo: A decision by Egypt's entertainment industry to boycott Algeria, in reaction to spiralling tensions between the two Arab countries, has divided Egyptian actors.

Relations with Algeria should be severed in all fields, not in the field of art alone, said celebrated Egyptian actress Youssra.

"I feel angry because of what the Algerians did to us," she added, referring to violence blamed on Algerian fans in the wake of a World Cup play-off between the two countries in Sudan on November 18.

Youssra was one of three Egyptian actors who announced last week handing back awards they received from Algerian film festivals.

Egypt has recalled its ambassador from Algeria in protest against the Sudan attacks, which left 21 Egyptians injured, according to the Egyptian authorities.

The attacks have stirred angry protests in Egypt and calls for expelling the Algerian ambassador from Cairo. In a speech to parliament on November 21, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak vowed no tolerance to anyone who hurts Egyptians' dignity. He, however, stopped short of mentioning Algeria by name.

According to Ashraf Zaki, the chairman of the Egyptian Artistes' Association, all entertainment unions affiliated to his association, have decided to boycott all festivals and concerts in Algeria.

"I don't know what art has to do with sports disputes," said Egyptian film director Majdi Ahmad Ali.

"I see no reason for the Egyptian artistes to boycott festivals in other countries, particularly with an Arab country like Algeria with which we shared historical links," he added. Egypt supported Algeria in its struggle against French occupation, which ended in 1962. Algeria bankrolled Egypt's acquisitions of arms in the run-up to the latter's war against Israel in 1973.

"I'm married to an Algerian. Should I divorce her in reaction to the incidents in Sudan?" Ali, the Egyptian director, said sarcastically.

Protest

A group of Egyptian entertainers, led by internationally renowned Omar Sharif, Tuesday night staged a protest against Algeria at the foot of the Pyramids in Giza.

Egypt will lose from boycotting Algeria, said Lamin Merbah, the chairman of the Algerian Artistes Syndicate.

He told the Egyptian independent newspaper Al Masri Al Youm that over the past years, Egyptian films and TV serials have been shown.

In contrast, not a single artistic work has been shown at Egyptian cinemas or on television, he added. If Egyptian film producers and distributors insisted on the boycott, we would shift to Lebanon, Syria and other Arab filmmakers.