FRI 29 - 3 - 2024
 
Date: Mar 15, 2011
Source: The Daily Star
Egypt youth coalition urges referendum 'no' vote

Tuesday, March 15, 2011


The youth coalition which spearheaded Egypt’s pro-democracy revolution called Monday for a “no” vote in next weekend’s referendum on constitutional reform.


“We have decided on our position, we are saying ‘go and vote but say no,’” said Shadi al-Ghazali Harb, a member of the coalition which helped to overthrow President Hosni Mubarak last month. “We want a new constitution and an extension of the transitional period with the formation of a presidential council,” he told AFP.
The changes to be voted on in Saturday’s referendum include limiting presidential terms, easing restrictions on presidential candidates and bolstering judicial supervision of elections.


Egyptians will also vote on removing the president’s right to order a military trial for civilians.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which took power after Mubarak’s resignation on Feb. 11, has pledged to oversee a transition to a free democratic system.


There are increasing calls for the referendum to be postponed or cancelled, including from presidential candidates Amr Moussa, head of the Arab League, and Mohamed ElBaradei, former chief of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, who say it is not enough merely to fiddle with the Constitution.
Only the Muslim Brotherhood, which was suppressed under Mubarak, has called for a “yes” vote Saturday.
Egypt is also witnessing a flurry of diplomatic visits.


U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit Egypt and Tunisia from March 15 to March 17 to press transitional leaders there to make good on pledges for democratic reform.
Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton Monday discussed a proposal to hold an Arab, African and European summit to discuss Middle East developments, in talks with chief of the Arab League.

 

“One of the proposals being discussed is how we all work collaboratively together in terms of the African Union, the Arab League and the EU,” Ashton told reporters after her talks with Moussa in Cairo. “As well as the discussions about a broader summit-style meeting which were discussed at the European Union, we have also wanted to discuss the practical ways in which we can collaborate in the future.”


“We want to be partners in seeing a future transition with democracy, economic growth and development at the roots of what is happening,” she said.
Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister Trinidad Jimenez was also in Cairo for a two-day visit which ended Monday. She held talks with the chairman of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Armed Forces, Mohammad Hussein Tantawi.


In another development, Christian protesters said Monday they would suspend more than a week of protests that were sparked by the burning down of a church in Egypt, the official Middle East News Agency reported.
Thousands of Christians have been protesting since March 5 in front of the state television building after the torching of a church in Helwan, on the outskirts of Cairo, over a row started by a romance between a Christian man and a Muslim woman.


The case has fueled sectarian clashes that Health Ministry reports said killed 13 people and wounded 140 others, posing an early test for Egypt’s military rulers as they seek to re-establish order after weeks of political turmoil.
The army which has governed Egypt since nationwide protests forced Mubarak to resign as president on Feb. 11, pledged to rebuild the church and make it ready before Easter holidays.


The protesters said they would suspend their protest until March 25 to see if it was being rebuilt and warned they would return to the streets if no progress was made, MENA reported. – Agencies



 
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