As Brotherhood rejects new premier, refusals and reservations hinder new Egyptian government
Cairo (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Amid refusals and objections by groups as divided and fractious as the Muslim Brotherhood, Salafists and the National Salvation Front, Egypt's new Prime Minister, Hazem el-Beblawi, is continuing talks for the formation of a new government, in accordance with the roadmap laid down by interim President Adly Mansour. Beblawi, who has put forward a transition plan, said he did not rule out including representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood in the new cabinet if they were suitable in terms of "efficiency and credibility". However, the latter flatly rejected the proposition.
Things are complicated by the arrest warrants issued yesterday by Egypt's Attorney General against ten leading Brotherhood members, including supreme leader Mohammed Badie, his deputy Mahmoud Ezzat, senior member Mohamed El-Beltagy and preacher Safwat Hegazy. They are all accused of instigating the violence that led to confrontation outside the Republican Guard building in Cairo that left 54 people dead.
Although opposed to ousted President Morsi, Salafists have also refused Beblawi's offer.
Despite the appointment of is best-known representative, Mohamed El Baradei, was appointed vice president, the National Salvation Front equally expressed reservations about the new government.
The Tamarod mass movement that organised the massive anti-Morsi demonstrations that led to his ouster also criticised the transition plan because it gives too much power to Mansour and because he wants to amend the constitution whereas Tamarod wants to write a new one that would truly guarantee religious freedom.
Hopes were dashed for those hoping to see demonstrations and violence stop during the holy month of Ramadan, which began yesterday. In fact, Al-Ahram reports that tomorrow, Friday, supporters of the ousted President plan a large demonstration against Egypt's "usurped" government.
A peaceful (so far) Muslim Brotherhood sit-in continues in front of the Rabaah Al-Adawiya mosque, near the headquarters of the Republican Guard, where bloody clashes resulted in 54 deaths on Monday.
Regime change has also carried over into media. Critics have slammed the Muslim Brotherhood for using TV and social media to spread politically useful lies, like the images of children killed in Syria posted as victims of the anti-Brotherhood crackdown; a picture of Egyptian football player Mohammad Abu Trika, apparently leading a demonstration against the military council in Cairo, a claim that was denied and that turned out to be old; and the claim on its official website that the interim president is secretly Jewish.
At the same time, at least three Islamist TV stations were forced off the air, something that press freedom group Reporters Without Borders describes as a threat to free speech.
Satellite networks have also come in for criticism. Qatar-based Al Jazeera has been slammed for its allegedly pro-Brotherhood position. Some 22 of its journalists in Egypt resigned saying they were being forced to manipulate the news. Conversely, the Al Arabiya News Channel, based in the United Arab Emirates, has also come under fire for its alleged anti-Brotherhood stance.
09/07/2013
28/01/2011