EGYPT UPRISING

                                                                            june/july 2013

A DIFEAT OF DEMOCRACY IN EGYPT  

Mohammed Morsi having biegn removed from power on the 3rd of july 2013, there was a huge  celebration   in Egypt's Tahrir Square, after army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi proclaimed that Mohammed Morsi was out as president and the country's constitution had been suspended. The new plan calls for Egypt's chief justice to lead an interim government and set a date for early presidential elections.
The military announced the transition in a TV broadcast in which al-Sisi was accompanied by Mohamed ElBaradei, the leader of the liberal opposition to Morsi, as well as the imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar mosque and the pope of the Coptic Church. Members of the youth group that led the charge against Morsi also attended.
Mass protests that have persisted since on the 30th june 2013 which prompted Egypt's military to replace Morsi, who was democratically elected the previous year. The military had set a deadline on 3rd july for Morsi to come to a compromise agreement with his opponents. Instead, he remained defiant, insisting he would not resign.
As NPR's Parallels blog explained, "Egypt's military had played a dominant role in the country since a 1952 coup."

The coup led the U.S. State Department to warn U.S. citizens today "to defer travel to Egypt and U.S. citizens living in Egypt to depart at this time because of the continuing political and social unrest."
Morsi and his supporters said earlier that they saw the army's demand as a de facto threat of a coup. On Morning Edition, NPR's Cairo bureau chief Leila Fadel said Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood supporters had vowed to "face a coup with martyrdom."
The anti-Morsi protesters who flooded Egyptian cities' streets in recent days said they wouldn't stop until the president resigned, Leila reported. Among the things fueling the protesters' discontent: the country's deep economic problems.
The military, meanwhile, had said it will "sacrifice even our blood for Egypt and its people, to defend them against any terrorist, radical or fool."
Gehad el-Haddad, a spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood party, said Morsi was under house arrest at a Presidential Guard facility where he had been residing, and 12 presidential aides also were under house arrest, according to the Associated Press.
Despite Morsi's efforts to defend his views through the national media, the legacy of neo-colonialism in this North African state persists, necessitating a firm break with imperialism as a pre-condition for the launching of any genuine program of national revival and development.

Yet Morsi has sought to remain within the orbit of United States dominance and influence. The domestic and foreign policy approaches by Morsi have continued along the same pattern that arose during the late 1970s when Egypt signed a separate peace treaty with the State of Israel under the mediation of President Jimmy Carter.

President Hosni Mubarak inherited this process and inevitably alienated the majority of the Egyptian people. With the uprising of early 2011, the people demonstrated their capacity to mobilize and organize against an autocratic system.

What had been lacking is the required level of political uniformity and ideological orientation that could provide a people's roadmap into the future. Obviously the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) government of President Morsi did not have a broad outlook that was conducive to the overall unity needed to move Egypt forward.

In light of the mass demonstrations which have swept the country, the military said that if the politicians could not reach some agreement on how to resolve the crisis within forty-eight hours, they would put forward their own program for the country. Such a statement raises questions about the character of the military's ultimatum.

The military wrote in this ultimatum that, "The Armed Forces will not be a party in the circles of politics or governance and are not willing to step out of the role defined for them by the basic ideals of democracy based on the will of the people."

Nonetheless, at the same time the statement said: "The national security of the state is exposed to extreme danger by the developments the nation is witnessing, and this places a responsibility on us, each according to his position, to act as is proper to avert these dangers. The armed forces sensed early on the dangers of the current situation and the demands the great people have at this time." 
 

 On july 5th, Egypts interim, Andy mansour dissolved the upper house of parliament. He's also appointed a new head of intelligence.

Refrence @http://www.wbur.org/npr/198282481/showdown-in-egypt-wednesdays-developments

 BARACK OBAMA'S SPEECH OVER MORSI'S REMOVAL

From Washington, DC —
By Office of the Press Secretary, 4 July 2013
 
 As I have said since the Egyptian Revolution, the United States supports a set of core principles, including opposition to violence, protection of universal human rights, and reform that meets the legitimate aspirations of the people. The United States does not support particular individuals or political parties, but we are committed to the democratic process and respect for the rule of law. Since the current unrest in Egypt began, we have called on all parties to work together to address the legitimate grievances of the Egyptian people, in accordance with the democratic process, and without recourse to violence or the use of force.
The United States is monitoring the very fluid situation in Egypt, and we believe that ultimately the future of Egypt can only be determined by the Egyptian people. Nevertheless, we are deeply concerned by the decision of the Egyptian Armed Forces to remove President Morsy and suspend the Egyptian constitution. I now call on the Egyptian military to move quickly and responsibly to return full authority back to a democratically elected civilian government as soon as possible through an inclusive and transparent process, and to avoid any arbitrary arrests of President Morsy and his supporters. Given today’s developments, I have also directed the relevant departments and agencies to review the implications under U.S. law for our assistance to the Government of Egypt.
The United States continues to believe firmly that the best foundation for lasting stability in Egypt is a democratic political order with participation from all sides and all political parties —secular and religious, civilian and military. During this uncertain period, we expect the military to ensure that the rights of all Egyptian men and women are protected, including the right to peaceful assembly, due process, and free and fair trials in civilian courts. Moreover, the goal of any political process should be a government that respects the rights of all people, majority and minority; that institutionalizes the checks and balances upon which democracy depends; and that places the interests of the people above party or faction. The voices of all those who have protested peacefully must be heard – including those who welcomed today’s developments, and those who have supported President Morsy. In the interim, I urge all sides to avoid violence and come together to ensure the lasting restoration of Egypt’s democracy.
No transition to democracy comes without difficulty, but in the end it must stay true to the will of the people. An honest, capable and representative government is what ordinary Egyptians seek and what they deserve. The longstanding partnership between the United States and Egypt is based on shared interests and values, and we will continue to work with the Egyptian people to ensure that Egypt’s transition to democracy succeeds.

  Refrence @http://allafrica.com/stories/201307040033.html

 EXTERNAL REACTIONS

The African Union
 
Addis Ababa — The African Union announced On the 5th of julty 2013, that Egypt's membership has been suspended due to the military action in Cairo that deposed President Mohamed Morsi and suspended the nation's constitution.
The secretary of the African Union Peace and Security Council, Admore Kambudzi, said Egypt is barred from participating in any AU activity.
"The overthrow of the democratic elected president does not conform to the relevant provisions of the Egyptian constitution and is therefore false under the definition of an unconstitutional change of government. The council decides to suspend the participation of Egypt in AU activities until the restoration of constitutional order." Kambudzi said.
The military toppled the Morsi government and declared the constitution suspended on 3rd july 2013, saying the president had failed to meet demands of the Egyptian people. Egypt's top judge was sworn in as the country'sw temporary leader on the 4th.
Egypt's ambassador to the African Union, Mohamed Edrees, defended the military's actions. He told the AU Peace and Security Council on the 5th of july that there has not been a military coup.
"The military role in this is to support the people. The military did not instigate a coup or impose its own agenda against the will of the Egyptian people, on the contrary. The military supported the agenda of the people [and] the roadmap which was endorsed by the whole broad spectrum of the Egyptian society." Edrees said.
The African Union says it is planning to send a high-level delegation to Egypt to consult with the ruling authorities and others suspended where. Madagascar, Central African Republic and Guinea-Bissau within this period.

Refrence @ http://allafrica.com/stories/201307051283.html?aa_source=sptlgt-grid?aa_source=sptlgt-grid