Censorship in MENA

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

When I was reading the book "The Caliph's House" by Tahir Shah he mentions the censorship police at the ports in Morocco and that they wouldn't allow him to have some of his books and a certain poster of Africa because West Sahara wasn't the same color as Morocco. So he cut out West Sahara and gave it to the censorship police and kept his poster.

Now I read this article about similar censorship police in Egypt in regards to books. I know in Libya their government also suppressed the press and TV Media as well as some of the Arts. I wonder about other MENA countries and what kind of censorship they have and what are their opinions on it?

I know of the views my Husband has and some of the stories he's told me in relationship to raising children in a better environment. That it was for the better to keep the country more pure. One example he gave me is a man from Sudan moved his family from the US to Egypt because he didn't want his children to be exposed to the advertisements of pix of super models displayed nearly naked on billboards like they are in Western Countries selling their sex next to products.

Here in the US we value our freedom of speech and our freedom of press. What do you all think about this difference in our cultures? How does it affect where you want to raise your families? Have you and you SO had conversation about censorship in their region vs our region?

Egypt censors book fair

1 hour ago

Egyptians visit the Cairo Book Fair

CAIRO (AFP) — Egypt has banned a number of Western and secular books from the 40th Cairo International Book Fair, including works by Czech author Milan Kundera and Morocco's Mohamed Choukri, publishers said on Monday.

The Cairo book fair, the Arab world's largest, is dominated by Islamist and educational works, an AFP correspondent reported, and the authorities have not said why the other works were seized at Cairo airport.

"The Egyptian authorities have given no explanation, we were neither informed nor consulted about this measure and the books have not been returned to us," said Rana Idriss, director of Lebanese publishing house Dar al-Adab.

She said that four works by Kundera, including "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" and "The Book of Laughter and Forgetting," were barred from the fair.

Germany's Al-Jamal publishers said the authorities had seized copies of Moroccan author Mohamed Choukri's autobiographical "For Bread Alone" which contains references to teenage sex and drug use and is banned in several Arab countries.

The taboo-busting "Love in Saudi Arabia" by young novelist Ibrahim Badi has also been banned, along with "Women of Sand and Myrrh" by Lebanon's Hanan al-Sheikh.

The story deals with the position of women in the Gulf and mentions homosexuality.

Elias Khoury, a renowned Lebanese writer who describes himself as atheist, secular and left-wing, had his "As If She Were Sleeping" seized.

Egypt's State Information Service says that the Cairo book fair has "over the past years become a great cultural event, and a spacious scene for conducting dialogue among intellectuals, men of letters and artists."

Source

[I love Ashraf 0]

I feel as adults we have our own minds and the right to read,see and hear what ever we wish but as for our children it is our duty to keep them away from things in the world that they are not mature enough to process and understand.I also think that children should be allowed to grow and learn but I don't think that can happen in a closed society.As children get older they should be allowed to see the world and experience different things,I want my children to be raised here so that the freedom to chose what they will or will not allow to be apart of their conscientiousness as they grow and learn,it is not my right to tell I can guide them and give them morals and values but at some point they will become their own person and will have to decide if what reading materials and different art forms appeal to them based on who they are and how they live their lives.

There are books that some state here have tried to ban like Huck Fin,To kill a Mockingbird,Valley of the Dolls,Forever by Judy Blume.And there have been certain works of art that people have tired to ban like the Danny Simmon's verison of The Last Supper,and there are other examples in American cultural of various art forms that people have tired to censor or ban.But I think this is senseless because we need different voices and view points to help humanity to continue to grow.And art and books allow people to express themselves and express what they see in the world around them.Music,visual art,books and poetry show the beauty and the pain of the world and sometimes gives a voice to the voiceless so I do ever want to live in a place where that does not exsist or I am told what I can read see or hear because that is the same as telling me what to feel,think and believe.We have never talked about it but is food for thought and something that we might need to talk about.

Maranda

Edited January 29, 2008 by I love Ashraf

[sara535 15]

that article regarding the Cairo book fair gave me some suggestions for what I want to read next

[Ban Hammer 12,880]

oh i thought this was gonna be a thread complaining about something lal did

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Thx for your comments. Anyone else? No one?

I feel as adults we have our own minds and the right to read,see and hear what ever we wish but as for our children it is our duty to keep them away from things in the world that they are not mature enough to process and understand.I also think that children should be allowed to grow and learn but I don't think that can happen in a closed society.As children get older they should be allowed to see the world and experience different things,I want my children to be raised here so that the freedom to chose what they will or will not allow to be apart of their conscientiousness as they grow and learn,it is not my right to tell I can guide them and give them morals and values but at some point they will become their own person and will have to decide if what reading materials and different art forms appeal to them based on who they are and how they live their lives.

There are books that some state here have tried to ban like Huck Fin,To kill a Mockingbird,Valley of the Dolls,Forever by Judy Blume.And there have been certain works of art that people have tired to ban like the Danny Simmon's verison of The Last Supper,and there are other examples in American cultural of various art forms that people have tired to censor or ban.But I think this is senseless because we need different voices and view points to help humanity to continue to grow.And art and books allow people to express themselves and express what they see in the world around them.Music,visual art,books and poetry show the beauty and the pain of the world and sometimes gives a voice to the voiceless so I do ever want to live in a place where that does not exsist or I am told what I can read see or hear because that is the same as telling me what to feel,think and believe.We have never talked about it but is food for thought and something that we might need to talk about.

Maranda

Ah! Be sure to put them in the MENA Book Club thread after you read them! The thread is starting to get dusty.

that article regarding the Cairo book fair gave me some suggestions for what I want to read next

oh i thought this was gonna be a thread complaining about something lal did

[SaadBell 0]

Having a very bad week, but now I think I will go out and purchase some books. I hate censorship period, for anything. Reminds me of the old days of Communism and just gives me the creeps. I could go on and on about this subject, but let it stand. NO CENSORSHIP EVER, maybe one day this will not be a dream but a reality.

[Alhamdulillah 0]

Um Hussain said it best in one of "her" plays when "she" was asked:

"What do you love best about America?"

"So much freedom!"

What's the worst thing about America?"

"Too much freedom!"

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Here here! Although I am curious to also hear what you have to say about the old days of communism if you ever feel up to it.

Having a very bad week, but now I think I will go out and purchase some books. I hate censorship period, for anything. Reminds me of the old days of Communism and just gives me the creeps. I could go on and on about this subject, but let it stand. NO CENSORSHIP EVER, maybe one day this will not be a dream but a reality.

Ah shoot I didn't bring my head phones to listen to the clip. I'll have to do that later! Thx for the reply!

Um Hussain said it best in one of "her" plays when "she" was asked:

"What do you love best about America?"

"So much freedom!"

What's the worst thing about America?"

"Too much freedom!"

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Thx Amy!

Egypt removes censorship

AFP Published:Jan 31, 2008

CAIRO - Publishers at the 40th Cairo International Book Fair said that the authorities had allowed them to sell a number of Western and secular books that were forbidden only two days ago.

Nabil Nofal from the Lebanese publishing house Dar al-Adab said that "we have received all of our books that were confiscated," including four works by renowned Czech author Milan Kundera.

Germany’s Al-Jamal publishers said the authorities had returned copies of Moroccan author Mohamed Choukri’s "For Bread Alone," which contains references to teenage sex and drug use and is banned in several Arab countries. Other publishers also said their books had been released from customs at Cairo airport.

As with the seizure of the books on Monday, no explanation was given as to why the authorities had now allowed the books to be put on display.

The Cairo book fair, the Arab world’s largest, is dominated by Islamist and educational works, an AFP correspondent reported.

Egypt’s State Information Service says that the book fair has "over the past years become a great cultural event, and a spacious scene for conducting dialogue among intellectuals, men of letters and artists."

Source

[doodlebugg 10]

That's good to know! I asked my husband about this and he had no idea about the censorship but is getting me a ton of books. I can't wait!

[melly 0]

As to where to raise kids, I would actually prefer to raise them in Egypt. From an Islamic standpoint, I feel there are far to many things here that I'd rather my child not be exposed to until they were older. And even if everyone in Egypt isn't practicing Islam in the best way, it's still alot more than here in the U.S.

As to censorship, well.... hmmmmm