Hossam el-Hamalawy's Library tagged Sadat →  View Popular, Search in Google

In 2007, there remains the  general sense that Egypt's economic growth is benefiting only  a tiny portion of the population

Mubarak relishes his self-image as a benign, paternal  leader, tough but fair. Still, he has shown signs of moving  toward Sadat's modus operandi in dealing with political  opponents. In the past year, Mubarak has arrested upwards of  a thousand Muslim Brothers. While some have subsequently  been released and only 40 are facing trial before a military  tribunal so far, the message is unmistakable: after allowing  the MB to participate in the 2005 parliamentary elections as  "independents" (in which they won 88 seats, 20% of the  Assembly), Mubarak is cracking down. Another similarity is  the recent phobia Mubarak has developed towards the press.  The Egyptian media, arguably as free as it has ever been (and  certainly freer than it was under Sadat), is suddenly facing  a cost for that liberty. In early September, four editors of  independent newspapers were convicted of insulting the  president and other GoE officials, while another editor is  facing trial October 1 for allegedly spreading false rumors  about Mubarak's health which were damaging to Egypt's  reputation and to its economy. These arrests have been  widely seen here as blatant attacks on the freedom of the  press, much as Sadat's rounding up of journalists was in  ¶1981.

As the situation becomes more desperate, Egypt has moved closer to, its American patrons. More arms deals have been signed, and a 1.8 billion dollar aid programme agreed. The bulk of this money will go to food subsidies (estimated £511 million this year) and payment for previous loans. At the same time relations with Russia have reached an all-time low. In mid-March trade and diplomatic agreements were torn up, and Russia denied any military facilities in Egypt. Aimed at disciplining Moscow for its failure to produce more arms, or to reschedule the enormous Egyptian debt, the move was seen by many as an irrevocable step towards the West. Sadat kept his Moscow line just open, however, by signing a new agreement on trade in early May.

Simultaneous with the break with Russia Sadat ordered Prime Minister Salem to introduce a full programme of ‘austerity measures’. This must be a bitter joke for the millions of Egyptians whose lives are already unbearably austere, especially in view of the wave of luxury consumption which followed the lifting of import restrictions. ‘Conspicuous consumption and corruption provokes anger and invites retribution’. (Sunday Times 29.3.76) Within two weeks Egyptian workers had responded with strikes and demonstrations. As reported in Socialist Worker (3.4.76) seventeen thousand textile workers at Damietta struck in protest at the withholding of bonus payments. Salem’s police attacked them with batons and teargas. In Cairo several hundred workers marched to demand wage increases to keep up with price rises, and for better living conditions. Sadat commented that ‘strikes, disturbances and pressure from any element against the government are strictly forbidden.’

الفيلم تم بإشراف وربما بتكليف مباشر من رأس الدولة حيث اجتمع جمال عبدالناصر وعبد الحكيم عامر وأنور السادات بـ فريد شوقي حيث تم الإتفاق على صناعة الفيلم.

وكتب السادات بخط يده كلمة ليضمها الكتيب الخاص بالفيلم وكافة مواد الدعاية له