Democracy News

Egyptian Military to Have Prominent Role in Politics; Faces Protests
July 22, 2011
By: Carlos Aramayo | Printer Friendly

On July 9, the Associated Press reported that protesters camped out in Cairo’s Tahrir Square and blocked access to the Egyptian capital's largest government building. The protesters want justice for the nearly 900 protesters killed by security forces during the 18-day uprising that toppled longtime leader Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. On the previous day, tens of thousands of Egyptians demonstrated in several cities across the country to protest the current governing Supreme Council of the Armed Forces’ slow progress of cleansing the country's institutions from Mubarak loyalists.

Prime Minster Minister Essam Sharaf addressed the nation on July 10, promising to suspend all officers accused of killing protesters and to speed up court cases against them and against others accused of corruption. Mohammed El Baradei, a leading pro-democracy campaigner and presidential hopeful, warned: "The gap between the people and the rulers is getting wider. There must be a quick and decisive response to the revolution's demands," BBC News reported.

On July 12, BBC News reported that the Council warned protesters against attempting to destabilize the country. The Council also announced the resignation of the deputy prime minister and guilty verdicts for three former ministers in a major corruption case. However, the announcements did little to soothe the thousands of protesters who had returned to Tahrir Square.

In response, protesters vowed to hold their ground. "El Fangari is threatening us on behalf of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces," said Mohamed Mahmoud, co-founder of the April 6 protest movement. In response, General Fangari stated that the military "will not give up its role in administering the country in such a critical time in the history of Egypt," and made several announcements that appeared aimed at calming the tensions.

Only July 13, Voice of America reported that a court convicted a Mubarak-era prime minister, Ahmed Nazif, and two other former senior officials in a high-profile corruption case and sentenced them to as many as 10 years in prison. Nazif and the others, including the reviled ex-interior minister, Habib el Adly, were also fined more than $15 million (USD) for "illegal profiting" in a  case that involved contracts to a German company for producing new car license plates at inflated prices. Furthermore, Interior Minister Mansour Essawy said 505 generals and 164 officers would be fired by August 1. The Council stated that 37 of the dismissed officers face charges of killing protesters.

The Council also confirmed that polls set for September 2011 would be delayed. "It has been decided to hold [parliamentary elections] in October or November," an official from Egypt's interim ruling military council told the MENA state news agency. According to BBC News, many of Egypt's new political parties have called for the vote to be delayed so that they can compete against better organized and more powerful opposition groups, notably the Muslim Brotherhood. In a separate development, the Committee to Protect Journalists criticized Egypt's reinstatement of its Ministry of Information, stating that the move is a "setback for media freedom" in the country.

On July 16, the Council announced that it planned to adopt a “declaration of basic principles” to govern the drafting of a constitution, the New York Times reported. Egyptian liberals initially welcomed the move as a concession to their demand for a Bill of Rights-style guarantee of civil liberties that would limit the potential repercussions of an Islamist victory at the polls.
On July 17, the Washington Post reported that “Egyptian generals [had] left no doubt that they see Islamist parties as a threat.” According to the report, the military elite have suggested that the current Council operates in the future as a check on Egyptian governments not deemed sufficiently secular. A member of the Council, Major General Mamdouh Shahin, recommended that under a new Egyptian constitution, the military be granted special status to keep it from being subordinate to the president, reported independent Egyptian daily al-Masry al-Youm. Such an approach to the implementation of a democratic system could put Egypt on a path toward resembling the Turkish experience.

In an interview with BBC News, Shadi Hamid, an Egypt expert at the Brookings Doha Center in Qatar said the idea of giving the military power to protect a secular state “suggests we may see repeated clashes between Islamists and the military in the coming years.” Ahmed Ragheb, a lawyer with the Hisham Mubarak Law Center said, “This is not a democracy. This is a dictatorship. It will give the army the authority to remove any government they don’t like.”

On July 19, the committee tapped by Egypt’s military rulers to draft guidelines for a new constitution unexpectedly declined to include any provision about the role of the military, the New York Times reported. The committee limited its proposed declaration to points of agreement such as basic individual rights.

Judge Tahani el Gibali, one of the committee leaders said, “The role of the military can be mentioned in the constitution in the detailed articles addressing state institutions.” Gibali added that the military retains the authority to change or revise the draft guidelines before issuing them. “This is a proposal that they have the power to amend,” she said. “We can’t enforce it. They are the actual authority in the country, so they make the decision.” Gibali and others involved reportedly said that the drafting committee included legal scholars, human rights activists, a representative of the Al Azhar — a state-run Islamic institution of higher learning known for its antipathy to Islamist politics — and a delegate representing ElBaradei, the former United Nations diplomat who has become a liberal standard-bearer in Egypt.

Furthermore, Gibali stated that the committee’s proposed declaration also laid out standards for the group that will be created to draft the new constitution “to keep any majority from dominating it.” The Council indicated that a newly-elected Parliament will choose a panel of 100 people to draft the new constitution. According to Gibali, the proposed declaration stipulates that the panel should include 20 constitutional experts as well as 80 people who are representative of various segments of the Egyptian population in “equal proportions.” In response, the Muslim Brotherhood’s spokesman said it opposed the declaration as label it as “unnecessary and undemocratic.”

On July 20, Democracy Digest reported the Council banned international monitors from observing the country’s upcoming parliamentary election. Major General Mamdouh Shaheen said that barring foreign monitors was a necessary step to protect Egypt's sovereignty. "We have nothing to hide," he stated, "we reject anything that affects our sovereignty."

According to Shaheen, Egyptian civil society groups will be allowed to monitor the elections which will take place in stages, with voting on different days in three regions, in order to ensure transparency. “This is a good step. It’s a positive guarantee for judicial supervision,” said political scientist Mustapha al-Sayyid. “Holding elections over three stages allows the judges to be present.”

However, the decision was swiftly criticized by activists, who said it raises questions about the transparency of the elections and urged the Council to reconsider. Hafez Abou Saada, a member of the National Council for Human Rights, said promises of free and fair elections from the military are not enough, Al Jazeera reported.

On July 21, BBC News reported that new ministers in a reshuffled Egyptian cabinet had been sworn amid protests over the pace of reforms. More than half of the ministers were changed, including those holding the foreign, finance and trade portfolios. Prime inister Essam Sharaf replaced several ministers who were criticized for their ties with the former president Mubarak. Sharaf hoped the cabinet reshuffle would persuade protesters to end the sit-in however, many continued their demonstrations at Tahrir Square.

For previous news on Egypt, please see:
Mubarak Denies Corruption Charges; Egyptian Military Stages Crackdown

Sources:
BBC News – New Egypt cabinet sworn in amid continuing protests

Democracy Digest – Egypt’s military rejects foreign election monitors

New York Times – Military Is Left Out of Draft for Egyptian Rule

New York Times – Egypt Military Aims to Cement Muscular Role in Government

Washington Post – Egypt’s generals may maintain large role in governance

Voice of America – Egypt Dismisses Police Officers, Announces Election Delay

Washington Times – Egypt’s military warns protesters against violence

Associated Press – Cairo protesters block access to official building

Al Jazeera – Egypt not to allow foreign poll monitors