Bikya Masr
"Egypt is on the brink as the government of President Mohamed Morsi appears to be pushing through a constitution despite numerous withdrawals from the drafting committee, ongoing strikes, protests and a large sit-in in Tahrir Square against the president.
The iconic square, the heart of the January 2011 uprising, has been in full swing for the past week, with protesters building up a strong showing daily and a makeshift tent city having been erected demanding that Morsi withdraw what has been described by activists and opposition political leaders as a power grab to rival the Mubarak era.
Activists have continued to block of Tahrir Square, a new wall was added to downtown Cairo on Qasr el-Aini street near the square and protesters attempt to clean garbage that has been strewn across the center of the capital.
More and more groups have joined the opposition sit-ins, including the judiciary, which is threatening to push Egypt into a massive shutdown of the country.
Making matters worse, on Thursday, Morsi and his fellow conservatives began pushing through a constitution that has most liberals and secular activists angry that during this crisis the government would attempt to pass a document seen as divisive and limiting on freedoms.......
The constituent assembly, despite seeing the withdrawal of all women and many other members in protest over the Salafists – Islamic puritans – went forward with ensuring Islamic statutes and Islamic law, or Sharia, would remain a focal point of the document.
It means that Islamic law will continue to be the main source of legislation, unchanged from the previous constitution under deposed President Hosni Mubarak.
The role of Islam has been long disputed and has frustrated many Egyptians who had hoped that civil law would supercede any religious tendencies......
Egypt is facing a political impasse many say is similar to early days of the January 2011 uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak."
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