Protests raging in Egypt over draft constitution approval
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E-mail Xinhua, December 1, 2012
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Thousands of Egyptians flocked Friday to central Cairo's Tahrir square joining a "million-man" protest dubbed "the victim's dream," hours after a draft constitution was rushed through by the Constituent Assembly (CA). |
Thousands of Egyptians flocked Friday to central Cairo's Tahrir square joining a "million-man" protest dubbed "the victim's dream," hours after a draft constitution was rushed through by the Constituent Assembly (CA).
Earlier, some civil, liberal and leftist parties had announced a rally Friday to protest against the new constitutional declaration issued by President Mohamed Morsi last week, uncovering the reality that the Egypt's transition period is still prevailed by divisions and conflicts between the presidency and the judicial system as well as between the civil forces and Islamic forces.
The new constitutional declaration stipulated that all laws, decrees and constitutional declarations issued by the president since June 30, 2012, when he assumed office, are final and unchallengeable by anybody.
Branding the president's decisions as "revolutionary," Presidency spokesman Yasser Ali said that no judicial body is entitled to dissolve the Shura Council (upper house) or the CA.
However, the protesters from the April 6 movement, Revolutionary Youth Coalition, Free Egyptians Party, Wafd Party, Kefaya movement, and other political associations considered the constitutional declaration as Morsi's adoption of sweeping powers, calling for abolishing the declaration, re-drafting the constitution "which takes all Egyptians' views," and avenging the victims during last year's unrest.
At least three people have been killed and more than 600 injured during the nationwide protests since the declaration issued.
Meanwhile, the approval of the disputed draft constitution piled pressure on the current administration. Although Morsi gave the assembly two more months until Feb. 12, 2013 to complete its work, the Islamist-dominated assembly surprisingly put their draft constitution to a final vote on Thursday.
The voting lasted nearly 17 hours and the approved version will be referred to Morsi later in the day. If Morsi gives a nod to the draft, a referendum will be prepared to decide whether to implement it.
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