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| Fr.Samir Khalil Samir, S.J. |
“What we need first of all is justice, equality, social reform because the gap between rich and poor is far too wide and this is the real cause of the Islamic fundamentalist movement”, says Egyptian Jesuit priest and Scholar on Islam, Samir Khalil Samir.
The Professor at Rome’s Pontifical Oriental Institute spoke to Vatican Radio about the current wave of protests that are sweeping Arab nations in North Africa and beyond.
“We need change, the Arab world must change. We need alternate parties but in our countries there is nothing”. Asked by Emer McCarthy if the Western concept of democracy is applicable to Egypt and the wider Arab world, the scholar replied it is “applicable but not yet practicable”.
“If you have authoritarian regimes they systematically destroy all the leaderships so only people who are in agreement with the current system are in power”. In the case of Egypt “Mubarack nominated his second in command, Omar Suleiman who is a good diplomat a military officer. But the question is this good for the country?”
Listen to the full interview: The Professor at Rome’s Pontifical Oriental Institute spoke to Vatican Radio about the current wave of protests that are sweeping Arab nations in North Africa and beyond.
“We need change, the Arab world must change. We need alternate parties but in our countries there is nothing”. Asked by Emer McCarthy if the Western concept of democracy is applicable to Egypt and the wider Arab world, the scholar replied it is “applicable but not yet practicable”.
“If you have authoritarian regimes they systematically destroy all the leaderships so only people who are in agreement with the current system are in power”. In the case of Egypt “Mubarack nominated his second in command, Omar Suleiman who is a good diplomat a military officer. But the question is this good for the country?”
Link (here) to Vatican Radio
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