Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Egyptian provinces need elected governors

Islamists and military men dominate new appointments

By Brian Whitaker

"President Morsi's decree appointing new governors for 17 of the Egypt's 27 provinces has triggered a new wave of protests and further raised political tensions ahead of the mass demonstrations against Morsi which have been called by opposition groups for June 30.

Seven of the new governors are members of the Muslim Brotherhood and others are military figures but the most controversial appointment is that of Adel al-Khayyat as governor of Luxor.
Khayyat belongs to the political wing of Gamaa Islamiyya, which claimed responsibility for the 1997 Luxor massacre in which 58 tourists and four Egyptians were killed.

Although the Gamaa has since renounced violence, putting one of its members in charge of Luxor – with its huge economic dependence on tourism – seems an extremely provocative move. The Gamaa, which is seen as hostile to tourism and pre-Islamic monuments, once posted a notice on its website saying:
"Because tourist villages have aspects that anger Allah, including alcohol, gambling and other forbidden things, building these hotels and villages is considered aiding their owners in sin and aggression, and is not permitted."
Al-Masry al-Youm (in Arabic) suggests Morsi appointed Khayyat to appease the Gamaa "because it is the only party that stands beside the Brotherhood against the people".

Ahram Online reports protests against several other appointees....."

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