Water, Water, Everywhere

[Jamal]

Mark Twain is attributed with first saying "Whiskey's for drinking, water's for fighting over." However, it's hard to say who said something first over a hundred years ago, and it doesn't appear in any of his writings.

It is still true in fact, one of the simple truisms of nature that touches almost every single human conflict, although sometimes not so obviously.

It's certainly the case in the Nile basin. There's no real fight going on, at least on the surface. There are harsh words, though. Egypt has stated that it would consider upstream Nile countries drawing more water than set forth in a colonial era treaty as an act of war.

After Anwar Sadat signed the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty in 1979, the Egyptian president said, "The only matter that could take Egypt to war again is water."

It's not quite war yet, but certainly a war of words. A new agreement signed by Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda was generally greeted by Egyptian press as a "death sentence" for Egypt.

Egypt uses most of the Nile water, but contributes nothing to the watershed. Ethiopia by most estimates contributes the most, 85% being the number generally stated.

Even Israel is rumored to be connected with this issue with some reports claiming that Israel is trying to purchase water from Nile source countries.

The issue of Israel amongst this all is fascinating. For decades Ethiopia has been trying to finance water projects to draw more water from the Nile with only limited success. This is something that should have been a no brainer. Ethiopia has water, Ethiopia has famine, therefore it needs to use the water. Has Egypt been using its clout as one of the only Arab countries to recognize Israel to stop financing of water projects?

It is an interesting question, one that Christian Zionists should consider since drought and famine has been endemic to Ethiopia at the same time it has plenty of water to draw from the Nile River in Western Ethiopia. Has a maniacal, unquestioning support for Israel resulted in the starvation of people in a majority Christian country? How many Christian Zionist preachers bring this up when talking about how God wants Jews in Israel?

The politics of foreign intervention is an ugly business littered unintended consequences.

[Guest.Raynald]

The idea that Israel is responsible for Ethiopia's water situation is whacked. You're nuts.

[Yaaluwa]

Sometimes history, mythology, and such are more comfortable to deal in than the endless
parade of present day conflicts.

The Nile is the site of much romance, mythology, and history.

I have never been to Egypt nor have I seen the Nile. But the river and its fame have been part of my imagination,
maybe always.

My good friend who used to be married to an Egyptian and still has a daughter, son in law and several grandchildren there,
and I were talking about the river yesterday. I had many questions, and she had very interesting answers.

She did not know about what is said here as the origin of the famous Cinderella story.

http://perankhgroup.com/cinderella.htm

She was very interested in my version of it when I told her about it. All the action takes place on the banks of the Nile.
Horus plays a part in it.

There is no Horus or similar character in the European version, is there?

[Jamal]

In the European version Cinderella loses her slipper at a ball she was crashing with the help of some sort of fairy creature I think. I guess the fairy would be the closest thing to Horus because she was responsible for getting her into the ball where she lost her slipper. A prince fell in love with her at the ball and used the slipper to track her down.

I think all the Cinderella stories symbolize the organic, grass roots renewal that is necessary to challenge entrenched power structures. We in America think that since we have "democracy and freedom" we don't need that grass roots renewal anymore, but US governments and power structures have another thing coming.

I spent a couple of days at a hotel in Cairo that was on the edge of and overlooked the Nile. It had strangely a European feel to it for me since I'm used to suburban America with freeways and strip malls. I'd like to go back, although probably in the winter or spring because the summer was very hot when I went.

[Yaaluwa]

True. A relationship that Cinderella has to movements and struggles concerns the work that needs to be done to get things going.

Cinderella had to do all the work, while the others want to just enjoy the benefits. This happens in the internal situations of movements and can often be a reason for their breakdown and betrayal. Unlike in the Cinderella story, in the US, you also have to contend with some people - not all - who only want to watch, and gaze. It's like a movie to them.

There is something very sinister about the fact that even when people get killed and stuff in social and political struggles, to some watchers, it is the same thing. The movie of life goes on.

About fairies and Horus. In the ancient Egyptian version Horus has a high position. Maybe even higher than the Pharoah. Fairies are not necessarily higher in status than humans.

In the English version the Prince has high rank. The hero. Or perhaps the ball is higher. I am not sure.