Egypt under the military rule

after the Arab SpringMahboob Thaha

Research scholar

Centre for West Asian Studies

Jamia Millia Islamia

Main aspects of the paper

Constitution

Referendum

Salafist’s stand

Freedom of press in Egypt

Muslim Brotherhood

Constitution - 2013

Amr Mousa lead the draft committee

Members of the draft committee –

even actors and directors

SCAF has been given more authority

to control the government

Term of defense minister – 8 years

No one has access to military budget

including the president

Referendum of Jan 14th & 15th

2014 Government’s advocacy of majority

votes

98.1% majority, 38.6% said yes and

1.9% no

Analysis of the referendum present

another picture of the referendum

Leading dailies and international

agencies and observers opine that the

referendum happened in a situation

where free and fair elections cannot

take place

Referendum during Morsi’s term – almost whole

nation participated

But the recently held referendum – boycott from

different corners. Then from where did the 98.1%

majority come from?

‘Observatory of Arab Rights and Freedom’ -

11.3% & ‘The Egyptian Center for Media and

Public Opinion’- 8% participated in the

referendum.

‘National Democratic Institute’ and ‘International

Republic Institute’ who were observers in the

2012 referendum were expelled from the country

during this referendum.

Al – Nour party and the Salafist

dilemma Called its followers to vote for the

referendum, but the response was

cold

Trying to fill the gap left by the Muslim

Brotherhood and become their heir

Dilemma of participating in the political

process of Egypt

Relations with the civil society,

compromise on the ideology etc.

haunts the party

Freedom of press

Media and channels trying to expose the true face of Egypt have come under the scanner of the military regime.

Typical example is the case of Al Jazeera

Many of its staff are in jail

Peter Greste, correspondent of Al Jazeeraarrested on Dec 29 said in a letter from prison “The state will not tolerate hearing from the Muslim Brotherhood or any other critical voices. The prisons are overflowing with anyone who opposes or challenges the government.”

Muslim Brotherhood

Designation of terrorist organization using the statement

of ‘Ansar Bayt al Maqdis’ on the bomb blasts in

Mansura.

“Media guided by the security forces insist on

portraying the protests against the military coup

and the interim government as “a struggle between

the people and the Muslim Brotherhood”, as if

those protesting against tyranny are protesting

against the popular will” – Azmi Bishara

Article 86 of the Penal code: “the punishments

legally prescribed for terrorism will apply to

anyone involved in the Brotherhood activities

or who promotes the group verbally or anyone

funding the group’s activities”.

Two main consequences of tagging the

Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group:

1. Closure of doors of dialogue and

reconciliation with the military regime

2. Chances of Muslim Brotherhood activists

taking up arms and indulging in violence

Algerian example

The military regime is trying to create

an Algeria in Egypt.

Islamists who lost their confidence in

democracy resorted to violence and

this gave the military an opportunity to

suppress them totally

Two lakh people died in the conflict

Muslim Brotherhood leadership in jail and their contact with their followers is less

The military is waiting for this chance of provocation.

But the history of Muslim Brotherhood depicts a different story, they have the example of Algeria, Conflict will never resolve the issue – MB knows it, it will lose its support if it resorts to violence

Strategy now – to face the arrests and detention calmly and quietly

Thank You