At least seventy-four people were killed in skirmishes between Morsi supporters and armed men this weekend
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Palestine: Palestinian Authority Police Beat Protesters
10 Injured, Including 3 Arrested at Hospital
"(Jerusalem)– The Palestinian Authority should order an immediate and impartial investigation into alleged police beatings and arbitrary arrests of demonstrators in Ramallah on July 28, 2013. Police injured about 10 protesters and arrested 5, including 3 who were forcibly removed from a hospital where they had received emergency treatment. At least one policeman appears to have suffered injuries needing hospital treatment.
Several hundred people gathered in downtown Ramallah in the West Bank on the afternoon of July 28 to demonstrate against the US-brokered resumption of final-status talks between the Palestinian Liberation Organization and Israel. When regular and riot police blocked their route, protesters shouted and some threw sticks and later stones. The police responded with apparent excessive force, striking protesters, including those demonstrating peacefully, with batons, witnesses told Human Rights Watch. A member of parliament who was among the demonstrators told Human Rights Watch that police pushed her to the ground and beat her.
“The police beat protesters and then arrested injured people, some even from the hospital,” said Tom Porteous, deputy program director at Human Rights Watch. “The Palestinian Authority needs to make clear to the police that this is no way to handle a demonstration.”....."
"(Jerusalem)– The Palestinian Authority should order an immediate and impartial investigation into alleged police beatings and arbitrary arrests of demonstrators in Ramallah on July 28, 2013. Police injured about 10 protesters and arrested 5, including 3 who were forcibly removed from a hospital where they had received emergency treatment. At least one policeman appears to have suffered injuries needing hospital treatment.
Several hundred people gathered in downtown Ramallah in the West Bank on the afternoon of July 28 to demonstrate against the US-brokered resumption of final-status talks between the Palestinian Liberation Organization and Israel. When regular and riot police blocked their route, protesters shouted and some threw sticks and later stones. The police responded with apparent excessive force, striking protesters, including those demonstrating peacefully, with batons, witnesses told Human Rights Watch. A member of parliament who was among the demonstrators told Human Rights Watch that police pushed her to the ground and beat her.
“The police beat protesters and then arrested injured people, some even from the hospital,” said Tom Porteous, deputy program director at Human Rights Watch. “The Palestinian Authority needs to make clear to the police that this is no way to handle a demonstration.”....."
Egypt: Police must be reined in to prevent further bloodshed
"Evidence that the security forces have once again used unwarranted live fire and other excessive force underlines the crucial need for police reform, said Amnesty International after a weekend of violence left 90 dead.
Security forces used live rounds and tear gas to disperse supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsi during demonstrations on Saturday, leaving 80 people dead. A further 10 people were killed by gunfire during clashes in Alexandria.
“The latest bloodshed should serve as a wake-up call to the Egyptian authorities over the urgency of police reform,” said Philip Luther, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.
The Interior Ministry has denied using live ammunition to disperse protests on 27 July. However, testimonies from injured protesters and eyewitnesses as well as medical and video evidence collected and examined by Amnesty International casts serious doubts on the Ministry of Interior’s version of events....."
What the appointment of Martin Indyk as US special envoy tells us
Appointing the former ambassador to Israel for Israel-Palestine negotiations was nothing beyond the usual status quo.
By Richard Falk
Al-Jazeera
Secretary of State John Kerry recently appointed known pro-Israeli Martin Indyk as US special envoy [Reuters]
The only other candidates considered for the job were equally known as Israeli partisans: Daniel Kurtzer, former ambassador to Israel before becoming Commissioner of Israel's Baseball League and Dennis Ross, co-founder in the 1980s (with Indyk) of the AIPAC-backed Washington Institute for Near Eastern Policy who handled the 2000 Camp David negotiations on behalf of Clinton.
The winner among these three was Martin Indyk, former ambassador to Israel (1995-97; 2000-01), onetime AIPAC employee, British born, Australian educated American diplomat.
Does it not seem strange for the United States, the convening party and the unconditional supporter of Israel, to rely exclusively for diplomatic guidance in this concerted effort to revive the peace talks on persons with such strong and unmistakable pro-Israeli credentials?......"
Real News Video: More than 70 Morsi Supporters Killed As Military Clampdown Tightens
Military carries out second major massacre of Muslim Brotherhood supporters as fears increase of escalating violence and a return of widespread political repression
THE CLOWN AND THE MOSSAD OPERATIVE
THE CLOWN AND THE MOSSAD OPERATIVE......
THE CIRCUS IS IN TOWN AGAIN.
ARE THERE ANY PALESTINIANS STILL BREATHING OUT THERE?
Monday, July 29, 2013
Egypt restores feared secret police units. Is Tamarrud Cheering??
Military-backed government seems to have no intent of reforming practices that characterised both Mubarak and Morsi eras
Patrick Kingsley in Cairo
The Guardian,
Egypt's state security investigations service, Mabahith Amn ad-Dawla, a wing of the police force under President Mubarak, and a symbol of police oppression, was supposedly closed in March 2011 – along with several units within it that investigated Islamist groups and opposition activists. The new national security service (NSS) was established in its place.
But following Saturday's massacre of at least 83 Islamists, interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim announced the reinstatement of the units, and referred to the NSS by its old name. He added that experienced police officers sidelined in the aftermath....."
Patrick Kingsley in Cairo
The Guardian,
Egypt's interim government was accused of attempting to return the country to the Mubarak era on Monday, after the country's interior ministry announced the resurrection of several controversial police units that were nominally shut down following the country's 2011 uprising and the interim prime minister was given the power to place the country in a state of emergency.
Egypt's state security investigations service, Mabahith Amn ad-Dawla, a wing of the police force under President Mubarak, and a symbol of police oppression, was supposedly closed in March 2011 – along with several units within it that investigated Islamist groups and opposition activists. The new national security service (NSS) was established in its place.
But following Saturday's massacre of at least 83 Islamists, interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim announced the reinstatement of the units, and referred to the NSS by its old name. He added that experienced police officers sidelined in the aftermath....."
Egypt rights groups demand interior minister's dismissal
Excessive use of violence against protesters and impunity for state forces severely criticised by rights groups
Ahram Online
"Egyptian rights groups have called for the interior minister's removal after at least 80 people wear killed at a pro-Morsi protest on Saturday.
Supporters of former president Mohamed Morsi must also shun violence, they added.Nine rights organisations said they were "severely alarmed by the massacre" in Cairo and by deadly clashes in Alexandria over the weekend.
They went on to deplore alleged cases of torture by pro-Morsi protesters in their protest camp in Cairo's Nasr City.
In a Monday statement, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, among other groups, claimed interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim, who was appointed by Mohamed Morsi, had yet to be held accountable for the killing of protesters during Morsi's period in office.
"He was further rewarded by the current interim president by retaining his post."
The groups slammed the use of "excessive, lethal violence" by security forces against protesters in recent days. The scenes were reminiscent of behaviour used by police during the reigns of Hosni Mubarak and the military council, they added.
Saturday's violence has thrown Egypt into deeper turmoil, further stalling the country's transition to democracy.
"If the current violent political polarisation continues amid the continued absence of political will to achieve justice…Egyptians can hope for nothing more than fewer victims at future massacres," read the statement.
The security forces have violated international principles on the use of force and firearms against demonstrators, the groups claimed......"
Ahram Online
"Egyptian rights groups have called for the interior minister's removal after at least 80 people wear killed at a pro-Morsi protest on Saturday.
Supporters of former president Mohamed Morsi must also shun violence, they added.Nine rights organisations said they were "severely alarmed by the massacre" in Cairo and by deadly clashes in Alexandria over the weekend.
They went on to deplore alleged cases of torture by pro-Morsi protesters in their protest camp in Cairo's Nasr City.
In a Monday statement, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, among other groups, claimed interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim, who was appointed by Mohamed Morsi, had yet to be held accountable for the killing of protesters during Morsi's period in office.
"He was further rewarded by the current interim president by retaining his post."
The groups slammed the use of "excessive, lethal violence" by security forces against protesters in recent days. The scenes were reminiscent of behaviour used by police during the reigns of Hosni Mubarak and the military council, they added.
Saturday's violence has thrown Egypt into deeper turmoil, further stalling the country's transition to democracy.
"If the current violent political polarisation continues amid the continued absence of political will to achieve justice…Egyptians can hope for nothing more than fewer victims at future massacres," read the statement.
The security forces have violated international principles on the use of force and firearms against demonstrators, the groups claimed......"
Video: مسيرة ضد المفاوضات والتطبيع تتحول إلى اشتباكات مع الشرطة في رام الله
"خرج العشرات ظهر اليوم في مسيرة دعت لها الجبهة الشعبية من أجل التنديد بعودة السلطة الفلسطينية للمفاوضات مع الاحتلال، حيث توجهت المسيرة نحو مقر المقاطعة ولكن حاجز الشرطة منعهم من الوصول واشتبك الشبان مع الشرطة بالعصي والحجارة والأيدي مما أسفر عن وقوع عدد من الاصابات في الجانبين.
"
The Assassination of Julian Assange
"We Steal Secrets": A Masterclass in Propaganda
By Jonathan Cook
CounterPunch
"I have just watched We Steal Secrets, Alex Gibney’s documentary about Wikileaks and Julian Assange. One useful thing I learnt is the difference between a hatchet job and character assassination. Gibney is too clever for a hatchet job, and his propaganda is all the more effective for it.
The film’s contention is that Assange is a natural-born egotist and, however noble his initial project, Wikileaks ended up not only feeding his vanity but also accentuating in him the very qualities — secretiveness, manipulativeness, dishonesty and a hunger for power — he so despises in the global forces he has taken on.
This could have made for an intriguing, and possibly plausible, thesis had Gibney approached the subject-matter more honestly and fairly. But two major flaws discredit the whole enterprise.......
How is it possible to remain transparent, open, honest — even sane — when every electronic device you possess is probably bugged, when your every move is recorded, when your loved ones are under threat, when the best legal minds are plotting your downfall, when your words are distorted and spun by the media to turn you into an official enemy?
Assange is not alone in this plight. Bradley Manning, the source of Wikileaks’ most important disclosures, necessarily lied to his superiors in the military and used subterfuge to get hold of the secret documents that revealed to us the horrors being unleashed in Iraq and Afghanistan in our names.
Since he was caught, he has faced torture in jail and is currently in the midst of a show trial.
Another of the great whistleblowers of the age, Edward Snowden....."
By Jonathan Cook
CounterPunch
"I have just watched We Steal Secrets, Alex Gibney’s documentary about Wikileaks and Julian Assange. One useful thing I learnt is the difference between a hatchet job and character assassination. Gibney is too clever for a hatchet job, and his propaganda is all the more effective for it.
The film’s contention is that Assange is a natural-born egotist and, however noble his initial project, Wikileaks ended up not only feeding his vanity but also accentuating in him the very qualities — secretiveness, manipulativeness, dishonesty and a hunger for power — he so despises in the global forces he has taken on.
This could have made for an intriguing, and possibly plausible, thesis had Gibney approached the subject-matter more honestly and fairly. But two major flaws discredit the whole enterprise.......
How is it possible to remain transparent, open, honest — even sane — when every electronic device you possess is probably bugged, when your every move is recorded, when your loved ones are under threat, when the best legal minds are plotting your downfall, when your words are distorted and spun by the media to turn you into an official enemy?
Assange is not alone in this plight. Bradley Manning, the source of Wikileaks’ most important disclosures, necessarily lied to his superiors in the military and used subterfuge to get hold of the secret documents that revealed to us the horrors being unleashed in Iraq and Afghanistan in our names.
Since he was caught, he has faced torture in jail and is currently in the midst of a show trial.
Another of the great whistleblowers of the age, Edward Snowden....."
Did Hamas really help the Muslim Brotherhood break open Egypt’s prisons?
AN IMPORTANT STORY
By Ali Abunimah
"The Egyptian military regime has charged President Muhammad Morsi, who was overthrown in a military coup on 3 July, with “espionage” and “collaborating” with the Palestinian resistance organization Hamas.
As the Los Angeles Times reported, “the charges stem from a prison escape by Morsi and other political prisoners, including members of the [Muslim] Brotherhood, during the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak” in January-February 2011.
“The accusations have been discussed in judiciary circles for months and have recently gained traction as the army seeks to impose order, marginalize the [Muslim] Brotherhood and move beyond more than two years of unrest,” the Los Angeles Times said.
Lurid claims that Hamas has assisted Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood have been disseminated by the Egyptian media, along with incitement against Palestinians, leading to a climate of fear for Palestinians in Egypt.
The rumors have been used to justify Egypt imposing travel restrictions on Palestinians, tightening the siege of Gaza as well as a renewed campaign to destroy tunnels that are lifeline for the Palestinian population there.
Hamas has consistently denied the accusations. But is there any basis to them?
The Electronic Intifada transcribed the interview as it was a rare, informed discussion, and an antidote to the wild rumors fed by Egyptian media. Bennett-Jones began by asking Ashour what he thought of the accusations:
.......
Omar Ashour: I think there was a possibility that Hamas was involved when they saw the collapse happening, when they saw that the ministry of interior is opening prisons.
They had some of their men in these prisons so they may have possibly just acted afterwards. Or you had some of the families – because the Egyptian border draws lines between tribes, so you have half of the tribe in Gaza and half of the tribe in Sinai.
So some of these guys from the Palestinian part – the Gaza part – had their relatives over there and went directly to try to help them out. And this happened among several families, clans and tribes in Egypt. It was not only the ones affiliated with Hamas.
So it could have happened like that, but the principal actor who opened the prisons and who opened the cells, and who got the order for doing so, was the Egyptian ministry of interior, was the minister of interior at the time Habib el-Adly. And that’s an official report. The interesting part is they never sent the 100-pages to the public…"
By Ali Abunimah
"The Egyptian military regime has charged President Muhammad Morsi, who was overthrown in a military coup on 3 July, with “espionage” and “collaborating” with the Palestinian resistance organization Hamas.
As the Los Angeles Times reported, “the charges stem from a prison escape by Morsi and other political prisoners, including members of the [Muslim] Brotherhood, during the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak” in January-February 2011.
“The accusations have been discussed in judiciary circles for months and have recently gained traction as the army seeks to impose order, marginalize the [Muslim] Brotherhood and move beyond more than two years of unrest,” the Los Angeles Times said.
Lurid claims that Hamas has assisted Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood have been disseminated by the Egyptian media, along with incitement against Palestinians, leading to a climate of fear for Palestinians in Egypt.
The rumors have been used to justify Egypt imposing travel restrictions on Palestinians, tightening the siege of Gaza as well as a renewed campaign to destroy tunnels that are lifeline for the Palestinian population there.
Hamas has consistently denied the accusations. But is there any basis to them?
Egypt’s Interior Ministry, not Hamas, opened the prisons
On Newshour at 20:00 GMT on 26 July, the BBC World Service’s Owen Bennett-Jones interviewed Dr. Omar Ashour, Senior Lecturer in Middle East Politics and Security Studies at the University of Exeter in the UK, about whether Hamas really did collaborate in a jailbreak with Muhammad Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood.The Electronic Intifada transcribed the interview as it was a rare, informed discussion, and an antidote to the wild rumors fed by Egyptian media. Bennett-Jones began by asking Ashour what he thought of the accusations:
.......
Omar Ashour: I think there was a possibility that Hamas was involved when they saw the collapse happening, when they saw that the ministry of interior is opening prisons.
They had some of their men in these prisons so they may have possibly just acted afterwards. Or you had some of the families – because the Egyptian border draws lines between tribes, so you have half of the tribe in Gaza and half of the tribe in Sinai.
So some of these guys from the Palestinian part – the Gaza part – had their relatives over there and went directly to try to help them out. And this happened among several families, clans and tribes in Egypt. It was not only the ones affiliated with Hamas.
So it could have happened like that, but the principal actor who opened the prisons and who opened the cells, and who got the order for doing so, was the Egyptian ministry of interior, was the minister of interior at the time Habib el-Adly. And that’s an official report. The interesting part is they never sent the 100-pages to the public…"
Gaza: Let Media Offices Reopen
Accused of ‘Fabricating’ Reports
"(Jerusalem) – The Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip should immediately revoke the summary closure of two media offices. Gaza officials’ allegations that the media offices had “fabricated” reports do not justify their closure under international law. The authorities’ refusal to provide the media offices with copies of the closure order impedes their ability to challenge the closures before the courts.
In a statement to the news media, Ismail Jaber, the Gaza prosecutor general, said on July 25, 2013, that he had ordered the closure of the Gaza offices of the regional broadcaster al-Arabiya and the Ma’an News Agency, a Palestinian outlet, because they had “fabricat[ed] news and diffused false rumors and baseless information, threatening civil peace and harming the Palestinian people and their resistance.” The two outlets had broadcast and published reports implicating Hamas in supporting the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.
“If the Gaza authorities think that these news outlets have misrepresented them, it should be easy enough to provide accurate information and debunk their stories, but they shouldn’t just shut down their critics,” said Tom Porteous, deputy program director at Human Rights Watch. “These actions do not square with Gaza authorities’ claims to respect media freedom.”....."
"(Jerusalem) – The Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip should immediately revoke the summary closure of two media offices. Gaza officials’ allegations that the media offices had “fabricated” reports do not justify their closure under international law. The authorities’ refusal to provide the media offices with copies of the closure order impedes their ability to challenge the closures before the courts.
In a statement to the news media, Ismail Jaber, the Gaza prosecutor general, said on July 25, 2013, that he had ordered the closure of the Gaza offices of the regional broadcaster al-Arabiya and the Ma’an News Agency, a Palestinian outlet, because they had “fabricat[ed] news and diffused false rumors and baseless information, threatening civil peace and harming the Palestinian people and their resistance.” The two outlets had broadcast and published reports implicating Hamas in supporting the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.
“If the Gaza authorities think that these news outlets have misrepresented them, it should be easy enough to provide accurate information and debunk their stories, but they shouldn’t just shut down their critics,” said Tom Porteous, deputy program director at Human Rights Watch. “These actions do not square with Gaza authorities’ claims to respect media freedom.”....."
Al-Jazeera Video: صلاح البردويل / قيادي في حركة حماس
"اتهمت حركة حماس الرئيس الفلسطيني محمود عباس وقيادة حركة فتح بالتورط في حملة التحريض التي يشنها الإعلام المصري ضد حركة حماس. وقال صلاح البردويل القيادي في حماس، إن الحركة حصلت على وثائق."
Reading Marx in Cairo
By Kaveh L Afrasiabi
Asia Times
""Every giant presupposes a dwarf ... Caesar the hero leaves behind him the play-acting Octavianus." - Karl Marx
When Egypt's new strongman, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, called on his supporters to show their solidarity with the army on Friday (July 26), the 57th anniversary of nationalization of the Suez Canal by the charismatic Gamal Abdel Nasser, this author's instinct reaction was to re-read Karl Marx's 18th Brumaire of Louis Napoleon for the sake of historical analogy. [1]
In Marx's book we find a timeless grasp of farcical repetitions in history, by comparing the French coup of December 1851 by a nephew of the great Napoleon who, even though he lacked the minutest genius of his uncle, called himself Emperor Napoleon III. From Marx's point of view, the 1851 coup was a caricature of Napoleon's coup of 1799, above all due to the "grotesque mediocrity" of the nephew.
In comparison, Sisi, whose ruthless snipers massacred dozens of demonstrators in Cairo and other cities in cold blood on Friday, is not even a pale replica of the pan-Arabist Nasser who ended the 72-year British domination of Egypt and thus became a hero of post-World War II anti-colonialism. Rather, Sisi increasingly resembles another Augusto Pinochet, much like what Marx's comrade-in arms, Friedrich Engles, wrote of Napoleon III as "the little corporal and his band of marshals".
Since President Mohamed Morsi's overthrow on July 3, Egypt's new emperor Sisi has descended the path of brutal dictators, showing little or no mercy to his opponents, and giving clumsy speeches about "confronting terrorism" as a lame excuse to unleash his rein of terror on a large section of the population that opposes the coup.
Ironically, Sisi wants to have it both ways: to earn legitimacy by linking himself with Nasser's proud legacy while at the same time attacking the deposed president Morsi for doing precisely what Nasser did in the mid-1950s: that is, promulgating a new constitution that largely monopolized power in his authoritarian hands......
This pseudo-Nasser, all consumed by enemies within, is operating as a force of
social disunity and discord, thus guaranteeing a doomed result. The secular
nationalist and liberal forces that back him are bound to lose legitimacy by
mere association with Cairo's new Pinochet, whose call for "national unity" is
now drowned in the Nile. At this stage, what the future holds for Egypt is
unclear, yet Sisi's place along the list of farcical leaders in Marx's narrative
is already a sealed fate. "Caussidiere for Danton, Louis Blanc for Robespierre,
the Montagne of 1848 to 1851 for the Montagne of 1793 to 1795, the nephew for
the uncle," Marx wrote, and the same caricature is apt in the circumstances of
the latest edition of thinly disguised military rule in Egypt."
Asia Times
""Every giant presupposes a dwarf ... Caesar the hero leaves behind him the play-acting Octavianus." - Karl Marx
When Egypt's new strongman, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, called on his supporters to show their solidarity with the army on Friday (July 26), the 57th anniversary of nationalization of the Suez Canal by the charismatic Gamal Abdel Nasser, this author's instinct reaction was to re-read Karl Marx's 18th Brumaire of Louis Napoleon for the sake of historical analogy. [1]
In Marx's book we find a timeless grasp of farcical repetitions in history, by comparing the French coup of December 1851 by a nephew of the great Napoleon who, even though he lacked the minutest genius of his uncle, called himself Emperor Napoleon III. From Marx's point of view, the 1851 coup was a caricature of Napoleon's coup of 1799, above all due to the "grotesque mediocrity" of the nephew.
In comparison, Sisi, whose ruthless snipers massacred dozens of demonstrators in Cairo and other cities in cold blood on Friday, is not even a pale replica of the pan-Arabist Nasser who ended the 72-year British domination of Egypt and thus became a hero of post-World War II anti-colonialism. Rather, Sisi increasingly resembles another Augusto Pinochet, much like what Marx's comrade-in arms, Friedrich Engles, wrote of Napoleon III as "the little corporal and his band of marshals".
Since President Mohamed Morsi's overthrow on July 3, Egypt's new emperor Sisi has descended the path of brutal dictators, showing little or no mercy to his opponents, and giving clumsy speeches about "confronting terrorism" as a lame excuse to unleash his rein of terror on a large section of the population that opposes the coup.
Ironically, Sisi wants to have it both ways: to earn legitimacy by linking himself with Nasser's proud legacy while at the same time attacking the deposed president Morsi for doing precisely what Nasser did in the mid-1950s: that is, promulgating a new constitution that largely monopolized power in his authoritarian hands......
بوادر انقسام في الرئاسة والبرادعي يلوح بالاستقالة
"
في تطور خطير للأزمة التي تعصف بالبلاد ظهرت أول بوادر على انقسام كبير في مؤسسة الرئاسة بعد أن لوح نائب الرئيس للشؤون الخارجية الدكتور محمد البرادعي بالاستقالة من منصبه إذا لم تقبل القوات المسلحة الانفتاح السياسي على جميع مكونات المشهد بما في ذلك جماعة الإخوان المسلمين لضمان نجاح خارطة الطريق الجديدة ، وعلمت المصريون أن ثمة تيارين يتنازعان القرار الآن في مؤسسة الرئاسة ، تيار يدعمه الفريق عبد الفتاح السيسي والذي يميل إلى خيار القوة لإنهاء احتجاجات الإسلاميين في الميادين وتضييق مساحات الحركة والمناورة في المفاوضات أمام قيادة جماعة الإخوان ، وتيار آخر يقوده الدكتور محمد البرادعي يرى أن الحوار الشامل ومنطق التفاوض وتحكيم العقل هو المخرج الوحيد من الأزمة وهو الضمانة لنجاح خارطة الطريق الجديدة وأن الاستمرار في سياسة إراقة الدماء هي خط أحمر بالنسبة لاستمراره ، وكان الخلاف بين الفريقين قد تفاقم بشدة في أعقاب الأحداث التي شهدتها منطقة المنصة وراح ضحيتها عشرات القتلى برصاص قوات الأمن . وعلمت المصريون أن الزيارة الجديدة والطارئة لكاترين أشتون الممثل الأعلى للسياسة الخارجية والأمنية في الاتحاد الأوربي ، هي بالأساس لمنع تفاقم الانقسام في مؤسسة الرئاسة والذي يهدد خارطة الطريق بالانهيار الكامل ويفتح أبواب مصر على المجهول ، ونقلت مصادر ديبلوماسية في القاهرة أن الخارجية الأمريكية والاتحاد الأوربي يميلان إلى رؤية الدكتور محمد البرادعي ، ويبديان قلقهما من اندفاع المؤسسة العسكرية في مواقف متصلبة غير محسوبة العواقب ، وأن الحوارات من كلا الجهتين تتركز على دعم الخيار الذي يمثله البرادعي الذي تكرر وصفه بصوت العقل في السلطة الجديدة ، ورجحت المصادر أن ينتقل صدى هذا الانقسام خلال وقت قصير إلى استقطاب إعلامي حاد في الداخل المصري بين القوى المدنية وأنصار الجيش .
"
A lesson for Libya from Egypt
Drafting the constitution needs care and consent
By Brian Whitaker
"Libya is about to embark on the drafting of a new constitution. Depending on how this process is handled, it can either stimulate a constructive debate about the future system of government and move the country forward from the Gaddafi era, or it can simply exacerbate existing divisions.
A good constitution is one that has overwhelming support from
the public – support that goes way beyond a simple majority. Without that level
of support key elements will feel marginalised or excluded and question its
legitimacy – which sooner or later is bound to cause problems.
For an example of how not to do it, we need look
no further than the constitution that was pushed through in Egypt under
President Morsi. The Economist noted
at the time......"
Libya: divided we fall
Everyone wants power but no one has control
By Brian Whitaker
"“No group/party (revolutionary/not) no city (revolutionary/not) no region (revolutionary/not) can rule Libya alone, no matter what.”
By Brian Whitaker
"“No group/party (revolutionary/not) no city (revolutionary/not) no region (revolutionary/not) can rule Libya alone, no matter what.”
This comment, posted on
Twitter, more or less sums up Libya’s problem. Until all the competing
factions recognise their own limitations and act accordingly there will be no
progress.
In Libya, of course, that doesn’t just apply to politicians.
With plentiful supplies of weapons still in private hands as a result of the
revolution that overthrew Gaddafi, many seek to express their views through
force of arms instead of – or sometimes in combination with – the ballot
box.......
The Brotherhood has never been popular in Libya and it won
only about 10% of the votes in last year’s elections to the GNC. Despite its
lack of electoral success, however, the Brotherhood is perceived as having maximised
its political influence “through its various coalitions within the GNC, its
powerful regional alliances, and its ties to Islamist militias”. One example of
this is the Political
Isolation Law, under which the Brotherhood is seen as the main
beneficiary.
The ousting of the Brotherhood’s government by the military in
Egypt has also opened up debate about the future role of Libya’s army.....
The problem with this is that a majoritarian approach doesn’t
really work for drafting a constitution. Unless the resulting document has a
very broad consensus of support and is seen as inclusive it is unlikely to be
respected."
A RELATED COMMENT FROM AZMI BISHARA:
"الإسلاميون والقوميون واليساريون لم يقوموا بعملية مراجعة حقيقية لتاريخهم مع الديمقراطية. فلا يحاضرن أحدا منهم على الآخر فيها. التواضع مطلوب هنا. والعروبيون الذين انتمي إليهم لم يراجعوا تاريخهم مع الديمقراطية نقديا، ولم يكملوا يوما استيعابها قيميا وسياسيا. ومن هنا ما زالوا ينجذبون للعسكر بسهولة."
A RELATED COMMENT FROM AZMI BISHARA:
"الإسلاميون والقوميون واليساريون لم يقوموا بعملية مراجعة حقيقية لتاريخهم مع الديمقراطية. فلا يحاضرن أحدا منهم على الآخر فيها. التواضع مطلوب هنا. والعروبيون الذين انتمي إليهم لم يراجعوا تاريخهم مع الديمقراطية نقديا، ولم يكملوا يوما استيعابها قيميا وسياسيا. ومن هنا ما زالوا ينجذبون للعسكر بسهولة."
Hamas orders closure of Gaza media outlets
The Guardian
"The Hamas-led government in Gaza has ordered the closure of two media outlets in the territory - the broadcaster Al-Arabiya and the news agency Maan - after accusing them of publishing "false" news.
Ismail Jaber, the attorney general, said on Thursday (25 July) that the outlets reported "fabricated news" that "threatened civil peace and damaged the Palestinian people and their resistance" to Israel.
He described the shutdown as temporary, although the order did not specify when the offices will be allowed to resume operations.
Maan, headquartered in the West Bank, and Al-Arabiya, based in Saudi Arabia, often carry critical coverage of Hamas.
The Hamas statement cited an article published by Maan which said Muslim Brotherhood leaders had fled to Gaza to organise activities in support of ousted Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi. Al-Arabiya is said to have reported a similar story.
The New York-based press freedom watchdog, the Committee to Protect Journalists, said governments did not have the right to shut down news organisations just because they dispute the accuracy of stories and called for Hamas to reconsider.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) also issued a statement saying the Hamas authorities in Gaza should revoke the closure decisions.
Tom Porteous, HRW's deputy programme director, said: "These actions do not square with Gaza authorities' claims to respect media freedom."
According to a New York Times report, the attorney general also ordered police to close a Gaza media production company, Lens, because it had provided broadcast services to I24 News, a channel based in Israel.
A Lens employee was quoted as saying that the head of the Hamas's media office told him Lens was violating a government decision to bar Palestinians in Gaza from working with Israeli news organisations."
"The Hamas-led government in Gaza has ordered the closure of two media outlets in the territory - the broadcaster Al-Arabiya and the news agency Maan - after accusing them of publishing "false" news.
Ismail Jaber, the attorney general, said on Thursday (25 July) that the outlets reported "fabricated news" that "threatened civil peace and damaged the Palestinian people and their resistance" to Israel.
He described the shutdown as temporary, although the order did not specify when the offices will be allowed to resume operations.
Maan, headquartered in the West Bank, and Al-Arabiya, based in Saudi Arabia, often carry critical coverage of Hamas.
The Hamas statement cited an article published by Maan which said Muslim Brotherhood leaders had fled to Gaza to organise activities in support of ousted Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi. Al-Arabiya is said to have reported a similar story.
The New York-based press freedom watchdog, the Committee to Protect Journalists, said governments did not have the right to shut down news organisations just because they dispute the accuracy of stories and called for Hamas to reconsider.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) also issued a statement saying the Hamas authorities in Gaza should revoke the closure decisions.
Tom Porteous, HRW's deputy programme director, said: "These actions do not square with Gaza authorities' claims to respect media freedom."
According to a New York Times report, the attorney general also ordered police to close a Gaza media production company, Lens, because it had provided broadcast services to I24 News, a channel based in Israel.
A Lens employee was quoted as saying that the head of the Hamas's media office told him Lens was violating a government decision to bar Palestinians in Gaza from working with Israeli news organisations."
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Egypt, back to the future: Scoring points, making none
Egyptians need to provide an answer on what kind of change they want.
A Good Piece
By Marwan Bishara
Al-Jazeera
|
Egyptian Military Dictatorship is Around the Corner: Egyptian president gives PM right to grant military arrest powers. Is Tamarrud Still Celebrating in Tahrir Square?
Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi can now empower armed forces to arrest civilians following presidential decree on Sunday
AP, Ahram Online, Sunday 28 Jul 2013
"Egypt's interim President Adly Mansour has given Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi the power to grant the military the right to arrest civilians after a weekend of violence between supporters of the country's deposed leader and security forces.
Mansour's decree was published in the government's official gazette Sunday.Government officials say the decision could be a prelude to a major crackdown on Mohamed Morsi's supporters or militants who have stepped up attacks against security forces in the Sinai Peninsula.
The death toll from Saturday clashes between Morsi supporters and security forces has risen to at least 80, according to the health ministry. Protesters calling for his reinstatement have vowed to continue a massive sit-in.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media."
AP, Ahram Online, Sunday 28 Jul 2013
Egyptian army officers arrest a suspected demonstrator (Photo: Reuters)
Mansour's decree was published in the government's official gazette Sunday.Government officials say the decision could be a prelude to a major crackdown on Mohamed Morsi's supporters or militants who have stepped up attacks against security forces in the Sinai Peninsula.
The death toll from Saturday clashes between Morsi supporters and security forces has risen to at least 80, according to the health ministry. Protesters calling for his reinstatement have vowed to continue a massive sit-in.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media."
Egyptians: Please Welcome Your Next Dictator: Generalissimo Sisi
تدشين حملة لترشيح عبد الفتاح السيسي لرئاسة الجمهورية
GENERALISSIMO SISI........
"أعلن الكاتب الصحفي محمد رجب عن تدشين حملة ترشيح الفريق أول عبد الفتاح السيسي وزير الدفاع لرئاسة الجمهورية.
وقال رجب أنه بعد خروج عشرات الملايين في ميادين مصر المختلفة تلبية لدعوة الفريق أول السيسي لتفويضه لمحاربة الإرهاب والقضاء عليه، وخروج الشعب المصري رافعًا الأعلام وصور السيسي، فأنه بذلك يكون أفضل من يستحق قيادة مصر في الفترة القادمة.
وقال في بيان صادر عن مكتبه، أن حزب الاستقامة والجبهة الثورية لحماية مصر وحركة شركاء من أجل الوطن انضموا للحملة، وأعلنوا في اجتماع مغلق أن الفريق أول السيسي هو الأجدر لقيادة البلاد في هذه اللحظة التاريخية الحاسمة.
ودعا رجب كافة القوى السياسية والثورية والحركات الشبابية إلى الانضمام لحملة لترشيح الفريق أول عبد الفتاح السيسي وزير الدفاع لرئاسة الجمهورية.
"
From Azmi Bishara on Facebook
"الشاعر مارتن نيمولر 1892-1984 في وصف صمت المثقفين في بداية المرحلة النازية
بداية أتوا وأخذوا الشيوعيين
فلم أتكلم لأني لم أكن شيوعيا
ثم جاؤوا لاعتقال الاشتراكيين
فم أقل شيئا لاني لم أكن اشتراكيا
ثم جاؤوا للنقابيين
وصمت لأني لم اكن نقابيا
ثم جاؤوا للكاثوليك
لكني لست كاثوليكيا
... وأخيرا أتوا لاعتقالي
لكن لم يتبقّ أحد ليتكلم عني
(ترجمة بتصرف لأن الجملة ذاتها تتكرر)
فلم أتكلم لأني لم أكن شيوعيا
ثم جاؤوا لاعتقال الاشتراكيين
فم أقل شيئا لاني لم أكن اشتراكيا
ثم جاؤوا للنقابيين
وصمت لأني لم اكن نقابيا
ثم جاؤوا للكاثوليك
لكني لست كاثوليكيا
... وأخيرا أتوا لاعتقالي
لكن لم يتبقّ أحد ليتكلم عني
(ترجمة بتصرف لأن الجملة ذاتها تتكرر)
"
Egypt: Many Protesters Shot in Head or Chest
Risk of Further Killings as Security Officials Threaten to Forcibly Break up Sit-Ins
Human Rights Watch
July 28, 2013
"(London) – Many of the at least 74 pro-Morsy protesters killed in clashes with Egypt’s riot police and plain clothed men who stood alongside were shot in the head or chest. They were killed on July 27 over a period of several hours during clashes on a road near the Muslim Brotherhood’s sit-in at Rabaa al-Adawiya in eastern Cairo.
Human Rights Watch interviewed seven witnesses to the violence and reviewed extensive video footage of the events. Medical staff interviewed by Human Rights Watch judged some of the deaths to be targeted killings because the position of the shots would likely result in death.
The violence came hours after Interim President Adly Mansour announced, “the state has to impose order by all force and decisiveness.” The same day, Interior Minister Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim warned that security forces would be clearing pro-Morsy sit-ins from Rabaa and Nahda squares “soon.”
Protesters were shot and killed over a period of at least six hours, during clashes with Central Security Forces (riot police) on a major Cairo road. Human Rights Watch was in the field hospital as many of the dead and wounded were brought in, and was told by medical staff that the “majority of the bullet injuries were to the head, neck, and chest.” Four doctors interviewed said that the angle of gunshot wounds indicated they were shot from above.
The Ministry of Health announced that at least 74 civilians died in the morning’s violence. At a press conference earlier that day, the minister of interior insisted that “We never, as police, pointed any firearms at the chest of any demonstrator.”
“The use of deadly fire on such a scale so soon after the interim president announced the need to impose order by force suggests a shocking willingness by the police and by certain politicians to ratchet up violence against pro-Morsy protesters,” said Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “It is almost impossible to imagine that so many killings would take place without an intention to kill, or at least a criminal disregard for people’s lives.”........"
Human Rights Watch
July 28, 2013
"(London) – Many of the at least 74 pro-Morsy protesters killed in clashes with Egypt’s riot police and plain clothed men who stood alongside were shot in the head or chest. They were killed on July 27 over a period of several hours during clashes on a road near the Muslim Brotherhood’s sit-in at Rabaa al-Adawiya in eastern Cairo.
Human Rights Watch interviewed seven witnesses to the violence and reviewed extensive video footage of the events. Medical staff interviewed by Human Rights Watch judged some of the deaths to be targeted killings because the position of the shots would likely result in death.
The violence came hours after Interim President Adly Mansour announced, “the state has to impose order by all force and decisiveness.” The same day, Interior Minister Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim warned that security forces would be clearing pro-Morsy sit-ins from Rabaa and Nahda squares “soon.”
Protesters were shot and killed over a period of at least six hours, during clashes with Central Security Forces (riot police) on a major Cairo road. Human Rights Watch was in the field hospital as many of the dead and wounded were brought in, and was told by medical staff that the “majority of the bullet injuries were to the head, neck, and chest.” Four doctors interviewed said that the angle of gunshot wounds indicated they were shot from above.
The Ministry of Health announced that at least 74 civilians died in the morning’s violence. At a press conference earlier that day, the minister of interior insisted that “We never, as police, pointed any firearms at the chest of any demonstrator.”
“The use of deadly fire on such a scale so soon after the interim president announced the need to impose order by force suggests a shocking willingness by the police and by certain politicians to ratchet up violence against pro-Morsy protesters,” said Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “It is almost impossible to imagine that so many killings would take place without an intention to kill, or at least a criminal disregard for people’s lives.”........"
Syria: Stop extrajudicial executions of civilians for military gains
"Civilians in the vicinity of opposition fighters’ bases in the governorate of Tartus are at risk of summary execution by pro-government forces, Amnesty International said in a new briefing today.
Following the deliberate killing of 13 members of the same family in the village of al-Baydah, the organization urges the Syrian government to immediately end all extrajudicial executions.
“The killing of 13 civilians from the same family, including women and children in one village is deplorable,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme Director.
The bodies of three brothers were found with bullet wounds just outside their home in the western Syrian village last weekend. Four female relatives and six children between the ages of two and 13 were found dead inside the house. The killings took place shortly after pro-government forces clashed with opposition fighters close to the family home.
The incident came three months after mass killings of more than 250 civilians last May in the same village and the nearby city of Banias.
“This raises serious concerns that civilians in al-Baydah and Banias, particularly those in vicinity of opposition fighters, are being targeted as a deliberate tactic to forcibly displace as many civilians as possible in order to leave opposition fighters more exposed and without a local support base,” Philip Luther said......."
Egypt's Rebel campaign tells interior minister 'no return to state security era'
Rebel campaign affirms stance against extraordinary security measures under the name of fighting 'terrorism'
AN IMPORTANT STORY
Ahram Online, Sunday 28 Jul 2013
"Egypt's "Rebel" (Tamarod) campaign issued a statement Sunday saying they are highly concerned with comments made by Minister of Interior Mohamed Ibrahim that they understood as foregrounding the possible return of the notorious Mubarak era state security apparatus.
"Our campaign supports the state's plans in fighting terrorism; however, we have earlier stressed that this support doesn't include the taking of extraordinary measures, or the contradiction of freedoms and human rights," said Mahmoud Badr, spokesman of the Rebel campaign, in a press statement.In a press conference held by the interior ministry Saturday, Ibrahim announced that departments of state security tasked with fighting extremism and monitoring political and religious activity, terminated after the January 25 Revolution, have been reinstated. He further added that a new police reshuffle will be announced Monday and will include police officers who have been excluded before.
During the ministry's press conference, which was held hours after deadly clashes between the police and supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi, leaving dozens killed, Ibrahim attributed the occurence of violence to the closing of the reinstated departments and the restructuring of the ministry in "a non-technical way" after the January 25 Revolution.
Badr said that Ibrahim's comments "are unacceptable" and contradict with the principles of the January 25 Revolution, where "freedom was one of its main goals."
"We will never accept the return of Mubarak's state security [apparatus] or the chasing of political activists under any name," added Badr.
The state security apparatus, infamous for its practices of torture and arbitrary arrest against Mubarak opponents, was formally dissolved in March 2011, its functions transfered into the newly established National Security Agency.
On 12 June, Hassan Abdel-Rahman, former head of the disbanded state security apparatus, was acquitted by a Giza criminal court of charges that he ordered the destruction of state security documents in the aftermath of the January 25 Revolution.
Forty other security officers were also acquitted of charges related to the case. "
AN IMPORTANT STORY
Ahram Online, Sunday 28 Jul 2013
A protester gestures at Central Security Forces during a demonstration in Alexandria January 21, 2013 (photo: Reuters)
"Our campaign supports the state's plans in fighting terrorism; however, we have earlier stressed that this support doesn't include the taking of extraordinary measures, or the contradiction of freedoms and human rights," said Mahmoud Badr, spokesman of the Rebel campaign, in a press statement.In a press conference held by the interior ministry Saturday, Ibrahim announced that departments of state security tasked with fighting extremism and monitoring political and religious activity, terminated after the January 25 Revolution, have been reinstated. He further added that a new police reshuffle will be announced Monday and will include police officers who have been excluded before.
During the ministry's press conference, which was held hours after deadly clashes between the police and supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi, leaving dozens killed, Ibrahim attributed the occurence of violence to the closing of the reinstated departments and the restructuring of the ministry in "a non-technical way" after the January 25 Revolution.
Badr said that Ibrahim's comments "are unacceptable" and contradict with the principles of the January 25 Revolution, where "freedom was one of its main goals."
"We will never accept the return of Mubarak's state security [apparatus] or the chasing of political activists under any name," added Badr.
The state security apparatus, infamous for its practices of torture and arbitrary arrest against Mubarak opponents, was formally dissolved in March 2011, its functions transfered into the newly established National Security Agency.
On 12 June, Hassan Abdel-Rahman, former head of the disbanded state security apparatus, was acquitted by a Giza criminal court of charges that he ordered the destruction of state security documents in the aftermath of the January 25 Revolution.
Forty other security officers were also acquitted of charges related to the case. "
April 6 condemns Nasr City violence, demands interior minister's resignation
Egypt's April 6 Youth Movement calls for formation of fact-finding committee to investigate use of 'excessive force' against pro-Morsi protesters in Nasr City
Ahram Online, Sunday 28 Jul 2013
Ahram Online, Sunday 28 Jul 2013
Supporters of Egypt's ousted President Mohamed Morsi carry an injured man to a field hospital following clashes with security forces at Nasr City, where pro-Morsi protesters have held a weeks-long sit-in, in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, July 27, 2013. (Photo: AP)
"Egypt's April 6 Youth Movement has demanded that the interior minister resign, condemning Saturday's violent clashes in Cairo's Nasr City district that left dozens dead.
It also held the minister responsible for the bloodshed since deposed president Mohamed Morsi was in power when deadly clashes erupted between his supporters and opponents. In a statement released on Sunday, the movement denounced "violence and terrorism from police and pro-Morsi protesters" and has called on all factions to not give an "official or popular cover" to violent actions.
Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim, appointed by Morsi, has remained in his post in Egypt's interim cabinet following Morsi's ouster on 3 July.
April 6 called on interim President Adly Mansour and the government to form a fact-finding committee to investigate "the reasons for using excessive force" in dispersing protesters at the Memorial of the Unknown Soldier in Nasr City.
However, it also demanded that leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, from which Morsi hails, "who incite violence" be arrested to stand before the court......"
It also held the minister responsible for the bloodshed since deposed president Mohamed Morsi was in power when deadly clashes erupted between his supporters and opponents. In a statement released on Sunday, the movement denounced "violence and terrorism from police and pro-Morsi protesters" and has called on all factions to not give an "official or popular cover" to violent actions.
Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim, appointed by Morsi, has remained in his post in Egypt's interim cabinet following Morsi's ouster on 3 July.
April 6 called on interim President Adly Mansour and the government to form a fact-finding committee to investigate "the reasons for using excessive force" in dispersing protesters at the Memorial of the Unknown Soldier in Nasr City.
However, it also demanded that leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, from which Morsi hails, "who incite violence" be arrested to stand before the court......"
Tunisia: Tamarrod by assassination?
Does the latest political assassination in Tunisia aim to trigger an Egypt-like rebellion?
By Larbi Sadiki
Al-Jazeera
Opposition leader Mohamed Brahmi was shot dead on July 25, and follows the assassination of the late Chokri Belaid, who was shot on February 6 as he was leaving his house [AFP]
|
"After my curiosity turned me into a protester two nights ago, my eyes are still itching from the teargas. The news of the assassination of secular politician Mohamed Brahmi shocked everyone. The Tunisian friends I was with when we heard the news were speechless. More bad news today, as the body of the slain Nassirist politician was being laid to rest in Al-Jallaz cemetery, the country's most famous resting place for nationalist and anti-colonial heroes. The day was opened up with news of a blast in Tunis, which luckily caused no deaths but added to public anxiety and thirst for answers as to what is going on in Tunisia - the only Arab spring country on the verge of a genuine democratic transition. Is al-Qaeda sending a not-so-veiled message? Is it Ben Ali's azlam - as Tunisians refer to the folool (remnants of the old regime)? What is certain is that the government doesn't know either. At the time of speaking, more than 40 National Constituent Assembly (NCA) deputies have declared their resignation from the 217-seat interim parliament. Similarly, proponents of a visibly weak "tamarrod " campaign are staging protests in varying degrees of intensity around the country...... The bizarre thing in Tunisia is that people calling for tamarrod (rebellion a la Egypt) are under fire - and the President of the country, former human rights activist Moncef Merzouki, has spoken against such a campaign. The mere call for a campaign of protest should not in an incipient democracy be criminalised. Such a campaign would not succeed in Tunisia - despite scenarios of doom and gloom, the democratisation process remains promising, even if slow, and should deliver the goods depending on how major parties and leaders behave over the next few days...... NCA-mediated solutions are preferable to alternative scenarios - a power vacuum and rebellion for the sake of rebellion, and those scrutinising the bloodbath in Egypt - should realise that the ballot is way more eloquent than the bullet. Brahmi's tragic end is regrettable at a time like this as the Arab Spring geography witnesses paralysis and bloodshed - but the bullet that killed him should not shoot down Tunisia's democratisation, lest lunacy have the last laugh. " |
Saturday, July 27, 2013
BLAMING THE VICTIM: NSF mourns deaths, says 'can't help' but blame the Muslim Brotherhood
NSF calls for a private investigation into the Friday, Saturday violence, and to hold accountable all those responsible
Ahram Online , Sunday 28 Jul 2013
"The National Salvation Front (NSF) expressed Saturday its ‘deepest sorrow’ for the murder of at least 74 Egyptians in clashes Friday night and early Saturday.
The group, which was the main Egyptian opposition coalition under Morsi, said that they "can’t help" but blame and condemn the Muslim Brotherhood for the deaths.The NSF assured in a statement that the top priority for all the country’s institutions and political parties, regardless of their views, should be protecting the lives of Egyptians and respecting basic human rights, especially the right to live.
According to the NSF, the Brotherhood “has gathered its supporters in Rabaa Al-Adawiya [sit-in in Cairo's Nasr City] for a month now and claims that confronting the armed forces and the police, attacking private and governmental institutions, and endangering the lives of the Egyptian citizens is jihad for God, and they will receive martyrdom if they [die] in these attacks.”
The NSF has also accused the Brotherhood of adopting an “inciting hostility approach” by exaggerating the numbers of deaths and injuries during the clashes. The Brotherhood, as described by the NSF, is seeking to “increase the conflicts, and cause more innocent Egyptian casualties.”
The NSF has urged for the immediate formation of an independent judicial commission to investigate the facts of the attacks, including investigation of the official statement by the Minister of Interior on Saturday along with the statements of the witnesses and injured.
“Based on reports of the committee, all those responsible must be held accountable, including the minister of interior, if it is proven that the security forces were involved in excessive use of force against protesters,” NSF declared.
Ending the statement, the NSF stated that the “leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood were not content that millions of Egyptians [on Friday] took to the streets nationwide to confirm their adherence to the roadmap, announced on 3 July,” and thus the Muslim Brotherhood will try to “exploit the current strife to fuel more conflict and refuse national reconciliation.”
The NSF has urged the security forces to be alert to the Brotherhood’s intentions and to ‘exercise the utmost restraint when dealing with protesters.”
Hamdeen Sabbahi, President of the Egyptian Popular Current party and one of three figures chosen by the NSF to initiate dialogue with the interim president and his cabinet to ensure a swift transition, has echoed the same statements via his official Twitter account.
Egypt’s General Prosecutor Hesham Barakat has opened an investigation into the overnight clashes.
Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim said on Saturday that the Muslim Brotherhood is “purposefully causing a crisis”, denying that the police opened fire on pro-Morsi demonstrators. However, eyewitnesses told Ahram Online that the police did in fact open fire on Morsi loyalists.......
Ahram Online , Sunday 28 Jul 2013
FAILED AND HYPOCRITICAL "LEADERS"
The group, which was the main Egyptian opposition coalition under Morsi, said that they "can’t help" but blame and condemn the Muslim Brotherhood for the deaths.The NSF assured in a statement that the top priority for all the country’s institutions and political parties, regardless of their views, should be protecting the lives of Egyptians and respecting basic human rights, especially the right to live.
According to the NSF, the Brotherhood “has gathered its supporters in Rabaa Al-Adawiya [sit-in in Cairo's Nasr City] for a month now and claims that confronting the armed forces and the police, attacking private and governmental institutions, and endangering the lives of the Egyptian citizens is jihad for God, and they will receive martyrdom if they [die] in these attacks.”
The NSF has also accused the Brotherhood of adopting an “inciting hostility approach” by exaggerating the numbers of deaths and injuries during the clashes. The Brotherhood, as described by the NSF, is seeking to “increase the conflicts, and cause more innocent Egyptian casualties.”
The NSF has urged for the immediate formation of an independent judicial commission to investigate the facts of the attacks, including investigation of the official statement by the Minister of Interior on Saturday along with the statements of the witnesses and injured.
“Based on reports of the committee, all those responsible must be held accountable, including the minister of interior, if it is proven that the security forces were involved in excessive use of force against protesters,” NSF declared.
Ending the statement, the NSF stated that the “leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood were not content that millions of Egyptians [on Friday] took to the streets nationwide to confirm their adherence to the roadmap, announced on 3 July,” and thus the Muslim Brotherhood will try to “exploit the current strife to fuel more conflict and refuse national reconciliation.”
The NSF has urged the security forces to be alert to the Brotherhood’s intentions and to ‘exercise the utmost restraint when dealing with protesters.”
Hamdeen Sabbahi, President of the Egyptian Popular Current party and one of three figures chosen by the NSF to initiate dialogue with the interim president and his cabinet to ensure a swift transition, has echoed the same statements via his official Twitter account.
Egypt’s General Prosecutor Hesham Barakat has opened an investigation into the overnight clashes.
Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim said on Saturday that the Muslim Brotherhood is “purposefully causing a crisis”, denying that the police opened fire on pro-Morsi demonstrators. However, eyewitnesses told Ahram Online that the police did in fact open fire on Morsi loyalists.......
Interior Minister: Departments to combat extremism and monitor political and religious activities
"Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim has reinstated departments' duty to combat extremism and monitor political and religious activities, activities which were suspended after the 25 January revolution.
He also said during a press conference on Saturday that promotions of police personnel would be announced on Monday.
“The untechnical restructuring of the Interior Ministry after the revolution, and the abolition of certain departments, are the reasons for the extremist activities that we see now,” Ibrahim said.
“Safety cannot be restored without political security,” he added."
The Arab spring is being stifled by the force of arms
Middle East: there is no clear condemnation from the international community of political change delivered at gunpoint
Nabila Ramdani
The Observer,
Just as images of a packed, jubilant Tahrir Square came to symbolise the fleeting glories of the Arab spring, so world leaders such as Barack Obama endlessly pledged to stop dictators "killing their own people". Remember how readily David Cameron sent RAF jets to help bomb Gaddafi out of Libya? The "protection of civilian lives" was always the number one justification for the use of such lethal force, just as it was for the west eventually coming out in favour of revolutions all over the Middle East and North Africa.
Now, those same western leaders remain largely silent about the excesses of an army that was always the main power base of Egyptian despot Hosni Mubarak. No matter which way you look at it, the military's suppression of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood administration was a classic coup d'etat. Those who try to justify this triumph of military power are inevitably those who believe that martial force is the desired default position of any Arab country......
Nobody pretended that the Arab spring would provide a quick fix to the massive problems inherent in Arab societies, but if military force continues to remain the ultimate arbiter of which government is "allowed" to rule, then the killings will carry on unabated."
Nabila Ramdani
The Observer,
The grotesque murders of ordinary Egyptians by their own military says everything about the non-progress of the Arab spring. Just a year since democratic elections were meant to herald an era of freedom and stability in the third largest country by population in Africa, we are witnessing nothing less than routine street slaughter.
Those killed and wounded by automatic gunfire in Cairo were trying to show their support for Mohammed Morsi, the elected president ousted by the army. Men with guns – and the inclination to use them against unarmed civilians – are now controlling a city that was once a focal point of hope and optimism.Just as images of a packed, jubilant Tahrir Square came to symbolise the fleeting glories of the Arab spring, so world leaders such as Barack Obama endlessly pledged to stop dictators "killing their own people". Remember how readily David Cameron sent RAF jets to help bomb Gaddafi out of Libya? The "protection of civilian lives" was always the number one justification for the use of such lethal force, just as it was for the west eventually coming out in favour of revolutions all over the Middle East and North Africa.
Now, those same western leaders remain largely silent about the excesses of an army that was always the main power base of Egyptian despot Hosni Mubarak. No matter which way you look at it, the military's suppression of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood administration was a classic coup d'etat. Those who try to justify this triumph of military power are inevitably those who believe that martial force is the desired default position of any Arab country......
Nobody pretended that the Arab spring would provide a quick fix to the massive problems inherent in Arab societies, but if military force continues to remain the ultimate arbiter of which government is "allowed" to rule, then the killings will carry on unabated."
Egypt: 'The injuries were very precise … the snipers were shooting to kill'
The crush of dead and injured in the field hospitals was so intense that exhausted doctors struggled to cope
Patrick Kingsley
The Observer,
Patrick Kingsley
The Observer,
An injured supporter of the deposed Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi receives medical treatment in a makeshift hospital after clashes with riot police in Cairo. Photograph: Amru Salahuddien/Xinhua Press/Corbis
"By early Saturday afternoon, there were so many corpses arriving at Cairo's Zeinhom mortuary that the street outside was blocked with a queue of orange ambulances. Inside one of them, mechanical engineer Mohamed Khamis waited with the body of his 15-year-old son, Omar, shot in the head by police.
"He will go back to school this autumn, God willing," said Mohamed, struggling to come to terms with Omar's death, his hands still covered in his son's dried blood.
Six hours earlier, both father and son had been surveying the scene of Cairo's most recent massacre. They had taken care to avoid the frontline, but suddenly they heard gunfire close by. Mohamed turned to run.
"And as I turned, I felt him fall on my shoulder," said Mohamed, his body shaking slightly. "I put my hand out to catch him and his head fell on my hand. I felt his crushed skull. There was blood on the floor. He was already dead."
Omar Khamis was one of at least 100 pro-Mohamed Morsi supporters killed by state officials in an eight-hour-long massacre on Saturday morning – Egypt's second mass killing of Islamists in three weeks. In post-revolutionary Cairo, now more divided than ever after the toppling of Morsi on 3 July, the narrative of history is rarely straightforward. On Saturday the city was awash with claims and counterclaims about whether the bloody events had been provoked......
Some casualties reported seeing police or army snipers firing on protesters from buildings inside the nearby Al-Azhar University, and medics said the accuracy of the shooting suggested that snipers may have been in action.
"The injuries were very precise – which suggests they were shot by snipers," said Dr Mohamed Lotfy, in charge of the clinic's medical supplies. "There were bullet holes in the centre of the forehead and right in the back of the skull. It was not just shooting to injure. They were shooting to kill.""
"He will go back to school this autumn, God willing," said Mohamed, struggling to come to terms with Omar's death, his hands still covered in his son's dried blood.
Six hours earlier, both father and son had been surveying the scene of Cairo's most recent massacre. They had taken care to avoid the frontline, but suddenly they heard gunfire close by. Mohamed turned to run.
"And as I turned, I felt him fall on my shoulder," said Mohamed, his body shaking slightly. "I put my hand out to catch him and his head fell on my hand. I felt his crushed skull. There was blood on the floor. He was already dead."
Omar Khamis was one of at least 100 pro-Mohamed Morsi supporters killed by state officials in an eight-hour-long massacre on Saturday morning – Egypt's second mass killing of Islamists in three weeks. In post-revolutionary Cairo, now more divided than ever after the toppling of Morsi on 3 July, the narrative of history is rarely straightforward. On Saturday the city was awash with claims and counterclaims about whether the bloody events had been provoked......
Some casualties reported seeing police or army snipers firing on protesters from buildings inside the nearby Al-Azhar University, and medics said the accuracy of the shooting suggested that snipers may have been in action.
"The injuries were very precise – which suggests they were shot by snipers," said Dr Mohamed Lotfy, in charge of the clinic's medical supplies. "There were bullet holes in the centre of the forehead and right in the back of the skull. It was not just shooting to injure. They were shooting to kill.""
الداخلية تتعهد بفض الاعتصامات وتتهم الإخوان
LIAR, LIAR,....
HE SHOULD RESIGN....
EL-BARADEI SHOULD RESIGN......
THE PUTSCH IS BECOMING HARD TO COVER UP, EVEN WITH THE OFFICIAL MEDIA COMPLICITY!
TAMARRUD SHOULD STOP SUPPORTING THE MILITARY CRACKDOWN AND THE UPCOMING IMPOSITION OF EMERGENCY LAW!
Egyptian security forces shoot dead dozens of pro-Mursi supporters
"(Reuters) - Egyptian security forces shot dead at least 70 supporters of ousted President Mohamed Mursi on Saturday, his Muslim Brotherhood said, days after the army chief called for a popular mandate to tackle "violence and terrorism".
Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El-Haddad said the shooting started shortly before pre-dawn morning prayers on the fringes of a round-the-clock sit-in being staged by backers of Mursi, who was toppled by the army more than three weeks ago.
"They are not shooting to wound, they are shooting to kill," Haddad said. The death toll might be much higher, he said.
Activists rushed blood-spattered casualties into a makeshift hospital, some were carried in on planks or blankets. One ashen teenager was laid out on the floor, a bullet hole in his head.
Al Jazeera's Egypt television station reported that 120 had been killed and some 4,500 injured in the early morning violence. A Reuters reporter at the scene counted 36 bodies at an improvised morgue.
There was no immediate comment from state authorities on what had happened. If the death toll is confirmed it would be the deadliest incident since Mursi was deposed, who is under investigation for a raft of crimes, including murder.
Weeks of violence have followed his ousting, leaving more than 200 dead and laying bare divisions that have polarized the Arab world's most populous state.
MASS RALLIES, "LIVE ROUNDS"
Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians came out onto the streets in answer to General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's call on Wednesday for mass protests on Friday. Muslim Brotherhood supporters protested in similar numbers to demand Mursi's reinstatement. He is being detained at an undisclosed location.
The Brotherhood is a highly organized movement with grassroots support throughout Egypt, making it hard to silence even if the army decides to mount a more major crackdown.
Reporters at Rabaa al-Adawia, a northeastern Cairo suburb, said there was still firing hours after the violence started. Dr. Ibtisam Zein, overseeing the Brotherhood morgue, said most of the dead were hit in the head, some between the eyes......."
The Sisi Massacre Begins: More than 130 Morsi supporters killed in Egypt clashes
Death toll reaches at least 136 in Cairo as Muslim Brotherhood accuses security forces of shooting to kill
Patrick Kingsley and agencies in Cairo
guardian.co.uk,
The Egyptian health ministry said that it had counted only 20 dead so far – though their figures are only based on bodies delivered to state institutions. Reporters at the scene counted at least 36 corpses in a single room.
The massacre took place in the small hours of Saturday morning, at a sit-in at Rabaa al-Adawiya, east Cairo, where tens of thousands of pro-Morsi supporters have camped since Morsi was deposed on 3 July.
Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El-Haddad said the shooting started shortly before pre-dawn morning prayers on the fringes of a round-the-clock vigil being staged by backers of Morsi, who was toppled by the army more than three weeks ago.
"They are not shooting to wound, they are shooting to kill," Haddad said, adding that the death toll might be much higher.
Al Jazeera's Egypt television station reported that 120 had been killed and some 4,500 injured in the early morning violence near Cairo's Rabaa al-Adawia mosque.
Reporters at the scene said firing could still be heard hours after the troubles started........"
Patrick Kingsley and agencies in Cairo
guardian.co.uk,
At least 136 supporters of Egypt's ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, have been shot dead by security officials in what is the worst state-led massacre in the country since the fall of Hosni Mubarak, according to figures released by Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood.
The Egyptian health ministry said that it had counted only 20 dead so far – though their figures are only based on bodies delivered to state institutions. Reporters at the scene counted at least 36 corpses in a single room.
The massacre took place in the small hours of Saturday morning, at a sit-in at Rabaa al-Adawiya, east Cairo, where tens of thousands of pro-Morsi supporters have camped since Morsi was deposed on 3 July.
Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El-Haddad said the shooting started shortly before pre-dawn morning prayers on the fringes of a round-the-clock vigil being staged by backers of Morsi, who was toppled by the army more than three weeks ago.
"They are not shooting to wound, they are shooting to kill," Haddad said, adding that the death toll might be much higher.
Al Jazeera's Egypt television station reported that 120 had been killed and some 4,500 injured in the early morning violence near Cairo's Rabaa al-Adawia mosque.
Reporters at the scene said firing could still be heard hours after the troubles started........"
Friday, July 26, 2013
Azmi Bishara analyzes Egyptians crisis
Comment by Tony Sayegh
We waited a long time to hear from Azmi about the Egyptian situation, but the wait was worth it. No one, and I repeat no one, can analyze what happened with such breadth and depth, better than Azmi. He is consistent and thorough. What he had been warning against for some time is now unfolding.
If you speak Arabic DO NOT MISS THIS INTERVIEW; IT IS SUPER!
Latest Comment by Azmi Bishara on Facebook
"يؤكد مشهد القاهرة اليوم ما قلناه دائما أن الاستقطاب الديني العلماني في الوطن العربي لا يقود الى ديمقراطية بل الى انقسام أهلي يقود إما الى الفوضى أو حكم العسكر، وأن الديمقراطية تتطلب تعددية من نوع آخر. يجب ان تفهم ذلك القوى الإسلامية والعلمانية. وأعتقد أن جيل الشباب من الطرفين بدأ يستوعب هذا الكلام."
Egypt Tensions Escalate as Morsi Detained and Supporters of Army, Brotherhood Hold Rival Protests
Democracy Now!
"In the first update on ousted Egyptian President Mohamad Morsi’s status since he was forced from office and held incommunicado, Egyptian state media reports authorities have issued an arrest warrant calling for him to be detained for 15 days. A court is investigating Morsi’s alleged collaboration with the Palestinian group Hamas to escape from prison during the 2011 uprising against the Mubarak regime. The news comes as both sides of Egypt’s political divide are holding major protests after Army Chief General Abdel Fatah al-Sisi called for public backing of a military crackdown on what he called "violence and potential terrorism" by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood. "The [Morsi] charges are a way to whitewash the former regime’s crimes and whitewash police crimes during the Mubarak era and the revolution," says Democracy Now! correspondent Sharif Abdel Kouddous, joining us from Cairo....."
"In the first update on ousted Egyptian President Mohamad Morsi’s status since he was forced from office and held incommunicado, Egyptian state media reports authorities have issued an arrest warrant calling for him to be detained for 15 days. A court is investigating Morsi’s alleged collaboration with the Palestinian group Hamas to escape from prison during the 2011 uprising against the Mubarak regime. The news comes as both sides of Egypt’s political divide are holding major protests after Army Chief General Abdel Fatah al-Sisi called for public backing of a military crackdown on what he called "violence and potential terrorism" by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood. "The [Morsi] charges are a way to whitewash the former regime’s crimes and whitewash police crimes during the Mubarak era and the revolution," says Democracy Now! correspondent Sharif Abdel Kouddous, joining us from Cairo....."
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