Egypt -- Report from Imbaba

By John Ballard

No one expected a post-Mubarak Egypt to be free of civil unrest but observers will be watching closely to see how problems like this are handled. Impressions from a distance are confusing because it is tempting for observers to ascribe blame according to preconceived ideas. Without asking I already know that conservative Christians where I live will reflexively presume this to be a strraightforward example of Muslims attacking Christians, and no evidence to the contrary will change their already made up minds.

The Twitter stream is all over the place as a look at #Imbaba will show. Interest from outside Egypt adds to the already muddled picture (#Egypt must realize that their sectarian violence will have direct effect on #Syria Christians decision 2 stop supporting #Bashar) Copts are protesting at the American Embassy in Cairo. BBC can't make heads or tails of what's happening but they're giving reporting their best shot. [Update: Checking later, I see BBC is doing a good job, and still running the request "If you have any information about this incident to share with the BBC, please send us your details using the form below."] Deaths and injuries of both Christians and Muslims are still being tallied, with moderate Muslims blaming Salafists, Copts blaming anyone non-Christian and others blaming "regular thugs," whatever that means. Here is a link to the WSJ version of the story citing attacks by "ultraconservative Muslims" attacking St. Mena's church "in the Cairo slum of Imbaba." No mention of thugs. I dunno. The pictures are not too clear but when I see the word slum I don't imagine multi-story buildings and big shurches, but I'm fairly provincial.

I will be watching to see which of several conflicting narratives will prevail. Meantime, here is a timely report, including photos, via Adam Makary, Cairo, Egypt, producer for Al Jazeera International. "I tweet on all things Egypt and Egypt-related."

At least 9 killed, 144 injured in last night's #Imbaba sectarian clashes #egypt

#Egypt PM Essam Sharaf calls crisis cabinet meeting after sectarian violence in #Imbaba

Every #Copt I've talked to so far has blamed the Salafis for last night's violence

Still no word on the case of Dorothy Parvaz, one of our journalists taken away by authorities in #Syria 9 days ago #freedorothy

Government's response to sectarian violence in #Egypt: "It's like treating brain cancer with asprin"

I'm on Sharaa Wahda in #Imbaba where the violence took place last night, amn merkezy, army tanks and crowds of ppl present

#coptic priest of the izarah church calls this #Salafi terrorism, not sectarian violence

#Egypt's interior and health ministers to present reports to PM on causes & needed security measures to prevent further sectarian violence

Army tried to enter the church, #Copts went HYSTERICAL - @RawyaRageh and I are inside the church now #egypt 1 hour ago

On my way now to another church that was attacked, Mar Mina #Imbaba #egypt 50 minutes ago

PM Sharaf: "I feel deep sadness for the events in #Imbaba last night. Those responsible of those incidents will be severely punished"

#Mar Mina church COMPLETELY blocked from both ends, heavy security presence, CNN correspondent was hauled away from the scene

#US #Obama administration planning $1 billion debt relief for #Egypt

Reports that Salafis had returned to Mar Mina church in #imbaba to avenge those Muslims killed, gunfire heard

TWO churches were attacked in what's being labeled as #Salafist terrorism act by #Coptic priests in #Imbaba

Military officer confirmed to me that #Salafis tried to enter the grounds of St Mina church, then gunshots to disperse them

#Egyarmy released statement saying 190 people have been arrested and will now face military trial over last night's #imbaba clashes

Six of the ten people killed last night believed to be Muslim � Rows of military and police are blocking the way to Saint Mina church in #Imbaba

On my way to #Tahrir hospital now.

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UPDATE: Better reporting is now available through The Arabist with reports by Ursula Lindsay, Zeinobia and Sara Carr.

?Zeinobia's account is light years ahead of all the other sources together, replete with photos, video and a load of details.
THIS is the the go-to place at this moment to find out what happened (and continues...).

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In other Egyptian news, check out this op-ed by Isandr El Amrani (the Arabist) commenting on recent Palestinian initiatives to bridge internal political differences. There is a marked difference between how New Egypt and Old Egypt handle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The people who really handled the Palestinian file during the last decade � in General Intelligence and the presidency � had their own reasons to oppose Palestinian unity. Omar Suleiman would regularly tell foreign dignitaries that he intended to crush Hamas, and that Egypt saw the group to be as much of a threat as did Israel. But for all his bluster Suleiman could never actually deliver. While he tried to keep tabs on Hamas through Egyptian spies operating in Gaza, Suleiman was caught off-guard by the Islamist group's takeover of the strip in June 2006. This despite the high likelihood that he was plotting with Fatah strongman Muhammad Dahlan (and Israeli and US intelligence) against Hamas. In other words, Egypt�s foreign policy under the late Mubarak era was not just morally abject and unpopular, it was also bumbling and incompetent.

Compare this with the quiet way Egypt moved ahead on Palestinian reconciliation in recent weeks. The deal came as a surprise (no doubt causing some discomfort among Israeli and US officials) and was announced without great fanfare. Officials from countries that have supported Palestinian reconciliation, including ones such as Turkey and Qatar that Mubarak had viewed as rivals rather than potential partners, were invited to the signing ceremony. So were EU officials who now have the chance to break with the moribund Middle East quartet demands � for instance that Hamas recognize �Israel�s right to exist�, even though Israel has never recognized Palestine�s right to exist.

This week's little noticed concert in Gaza by Daniel Barenboim and musicians from Berlin, Vienna, La Scala and Paris is hugely symbolic. And the Rafah crossing at the Egyptian end of Gaza is soon to be open continuously, another Egyptian diplomatic gesture with great significance. Israel and the US undoubtedly regard this loosening of the noose around Gaza as UNdiplomatic, of course, but the a international landscape with the Mobaraks in jail is a different place from when they were in control.

The next expected test of diplomacy will be the scheduled Freedom Flotilla II, commemorating last year's attempt by a Turkish vessel to break the maritime blockade of Gaza, This year's plans are for ships from Canada, France, USA, UK, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, and other countries, to be included. The blockade was/is officially enforced by Israel and Egypt together.
Riiight.
I will be watching to see how Israeli leadership responds to this year's maritime direct action civil disobedience.