Zahi Hawass on development damage in Damietta
Al Ahram Weekly
This isn't about archaeology but is actually quite interesting:
What happened in Damietta is a lesson from which all of us -- governors, government officials and every Egyptian -- can learn. As we all know, a Canadian company, E Agrium, was pursuing the construction of a fertiliser factory on the Ras Al-Barr island, and because of the controversy parliament appointed a committee to study the case. This committee decided to move this factory away from Ras Al-Barr.
First, I would like to say that I am from Damietta, and I have always been proud of my origins. When National Geographic made a film about my life and work, I took them to Ras Al-Barr and the seashore where I spent my childhood. I took them to a unique place where the red water washed through the fertile land of the Nile joined the Mediterranean Sea, the beautiful setting called Al-Lessan (The Cape).
This area has been developed by the great man and architect, and the regional governor, Mohamed Fathi El-Baradei. If you go there at sunrise or sunset, you will see a remarkable coastline that does not exist anywhere in Europe. Many famous actors, writers and politicians used to spend their summers relaxing on this magnificent seashore. After the 1973 war the shore was ruined by immigrants who turned it into a town, but El-Baradei restored it to its former glory and made it into a national park. No one could believe that the authorities would allow an industrial factory to be built on one of our treasured shores, destroying the natural beauty and fish and wildlife habitat and polluting the atmosphere. How could this happen? We must also ask ourselves why the Canadian company wished to do this. Would they have accepted this damage if it was being done in their own country? Would they destroy one own of their national parks? I think not!
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