Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Egypt Tuesday dissolved an internal security and spying agency whose reputation for brutality helped ignite the uprising that swept Hosni Mubarak from power last month, in a move that coincided with the arrival of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

In another development, the Egyptian army’s chief overseer warned Tuesday that the military will decree arrangements for the transition if voters reject proposed constitutional changes in a weekend referendum.
The Interior Ministry replaced state security with a new National Security Force, which would serve “the nation without interfering in the lives of citizens or their right to exercise their political rights,” the state news agency reported Tuesday.

The new security agency would be tasked with guarding internal security and fighting terrorism in line with the Constitution and the principles of human rights. The dissolution of state security was one of the main demands of the activists who rose up against Mubarak, forcing him to step down on Feb. 11 and hand power to the military. 
“The choosing and appointment of the officers of the new force will take place in the coming few days,” the agency added.

Many protest leaders have said that despite the fall of Mubarak and his government, the agency remained active in protecting the old regime and trying to sabotage the democratic transition.
A spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist movement that had been banned by Mubarak, described the dissolution of state security as “a step in the right direction.”

As with the Stasi in East Germany, state security had wide powers, intervening in everything from university elections to public sector appointments.

“What is needed now is the trial of the leadership of the apparatus for what happened in the January revolution, the killing of demonstrators,” said Abou Elela Mady, a reformist politician. “Disclosure is important for appeasing and satisfying the people.”

Ayman Nour, an opposition figure who himself came under close state security scrutiny, echoed those demands and said the Interior Ministry should make a formal apology.
He has said Egypt must follow the example set by Germany after unification, holding to account people who had spied on fellow citizens.

Visiting U.S. Secretary of State Clinton, meanwhile, was pressing Egypt’s transitional leaders Tuesday to follow through on pledges for democratic reform and, in particular, to ensure respect for human rights.

Clinton held evening talks with her Egyptian counterpart Nabil al-Arabi at the old Foreign Ministry building next to Tahrir Square.

Arabi said in his opening remarks: “We hope our very close relationship with the United States will continue to flourish in the future.”
Clinton is also expected to meet other members of the new civilian leadership, members of the pro-democracy youth movement and the country’s old military leadership.

Clinton’s talks in Cairo come at a sensitive time in the transition, with Egyptians due to vote Saturday on a series of amendments to the Constitution which are intended to pave the way for a swift return to civilian rule.
A youth coalition which spearheaded Egypt’s revolution called Monday for a “no” vote in the referendum.
The judicial commission overseeing the referendum warned Tuesday that a “no” vote would force the military to impose the arrangements for the transition by decree.

“If [the amendments] are rejected, we will face a legislative void, which will be filled by a decree of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces,” the commission’s chairman, Mohammad Atteya, said.
“The decree of the SCAF may be a Constitutional declaration, which would include fundamental principles of public rights and responsibilities, in addition to a text to determine the process by which we will move on to another stage,” he said.

“It would not be to amend the Constitution. This would be a limited Constitutional declaration to govern the transitional period to a new authority, to a modern and civilian state.”
Atteya described the referendum as among “the first fruits of the revolution,” and urged the 45 million eligible voters to seize the opportunity to cast their ballot.

In a sign of ongoing chaos, 30 suspects in a detention center in the Nile Delta city of Belbeis escaped Tuesday, apparently assisted by relatives and armed men. Security officials said the suspects were being moved to another prison when thugs wielding guns and swords began firing in the air to create chaos.  – Agencies