The Honora Abderahman S. Abderahman This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. Today's News

   www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/sto - [Cached]

   Published on: 4/5/2002   Last Visited: 4/5/2002

   Mr. Giora Becher, Consul General, Israel, Philadelphia; Marwan Jilani, UN Deputy Permanent Observer, Palestinian Authority; Dr. Hussein Ibish, American- Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC); Mr. Abderahman S. Abderahman, Minister, Embassy of Egypt; Raghida Dergham, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent of Al Hayat.

2. 2. News Release - 4 February 2002 - US Congressman Barney Frank - Rejects Invitation from Egyptian Government.

   www.gayegypt.com/newrelusconb. - [Cached]

   Published on: 2/4/2002   Last Visited: 4/8/2007

   Barney Frank (D-Mass.) released a letter to the Egyptian embassy in Washington, D.C. forcefully declining an invitation to attend a dinner discussion sponsored by the Egyptian government to increase cross-cultural understanding with members of Congress.
   ...
   In his letter to the Minister for Political and Congressional Affairs at the Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Frank criticizes Egypt's harsh treatment of gays, and states "Indeed, I would feel it a betrayal of men very much like me who have recently been brutally arrested and imprisoned by your government for no reason other than the way in which they chose to express affection to other human beings in a mutually consenting relationship.
   ...
   Enjoying the hospitality of those who have so harshly mistreated people because of a basic characteristic of personality which they share with me is not something I wish to do."
   
   Last year, 52 men were arrested in Cairo, Egypt on suspicion of engaging in consensual homosexual behavior, and 23 of these men were sentenced to hard labor prison terms of between one and five years. The government of Egypt continues to arrest and persecute men suspected of being gay.
   
   In August, Rep.
   ...
   In his letter to the Minister of Political and Congressional Affairs, Frank also states "I have written along with other Members of Congress to your government urging them to alter this harsh policy which so blatantly violates people's human rights.
   ...
   To date I have not even had the courtesy of an answer. Under these circumstances, I assume you understand why I have no desire to spend a social evening in the company of you and others who are perpetuating what seems to me a form of oppression against innocent people who have done no harm to you or anyone else."
   
   A copy of Frank's letter is attached.
   
   January 18, 2002
   
   The Honorable Abderahman S. Abderahman Minister for Political and Congressional Affairs Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt 3521 International Court, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20008
   ...
   I was interested in receiving the invitation you sent to a dinner-discussion on Wednesday, January 30. What was particularly intriguing to me was that you addressed this to me and my spouse. I am a gay man, and while I am not legally allowed to marry, unfortunately in my opinion, for me the equivalent of a spouse is the man with whom I have been sharing my life since October 1998. While the topic seemed interesting and I admire your effort to increase cross cultural understanding, I decline your invitation because given the harsh attitude evinced by your government -- and several other Arab governments -- towards gay men, I would not feel at all comfortable in such a gathering.
   
   Indeed, I would feel it a betrayal of men very much like me who have recently been brutally arrested and imprisoned by your government for no reason other than the way in which they chose to express affection to other human beings in a mutually consenting relationship. Enjoying the hospitality of those who have so harshly mistreated people because of a basic characteristic of personality which they share with me is not something I wish to do.
   
   I have written along with other Members of Congress to your government urging them to alter this harsh policy which so blatantly violates people's human rights.
   ...
   To date I have not even had the courtesy of an answer. Under these circumstances, I assume you understand why I have no desire to spend a social evening in the company of you and others who are perpetuating what seems to me a form of oppression against innocent people who have done no harm to you or anyone else.
   ...
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3. 3. Yahoo - A Different Battleground: Israeli and Arab Officials to Discuss Terrorism At La Salle University's Diplomat-in-Residence Conference

   biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020405/ph - [Cached]

   Published on: 4/5/2002   Last Visited: 4/5/2002

   Mr. Giora Becher, Consul General, Israel, Philadelphia; Marwan Jilani, UN Deputy Permanent Observer, Palestinian Authority; Dr. Hussein Ibish, American- Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC); Mr. Abderahman S. Abderahman, Minister, Embassy of Egypt; Raghida Dergham, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent of Al Hayat.