Monday, July 29, 2013
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......"
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