Referendums, first ladies, and more
9 Comments Published by Tom Gara on Wednesday, May 25 at Wednesday, May 25, 2005.
Today Egyptians will vote on President Hosni Mubarak's constitutional amendment, which proposes to allow multi candidate elections, in replacement of the current farcial system of a referendum "approving" the single candidate proposed by the parliament (which is composed 90% of one party).
Of course, this constitutional change is a crock. It still doesnt allow anyone to run for president, only those who meet a number of pre-qualifications, including, effectively, being approved by the current government. And the government has been opening a big can of whoop-ass on opposition groups ever since announcing the "reforms", including imprisoning the leader of the main opposition party, along with around 1000 members of the banned (but tolerated, and popularly supported) Muslim Brotherhood, and harshly policing the protests of the mainstream "Kefaya" (literally translated, "Enough") movement.
Laura Bush was in town during the week, and didnt exactly do the pro-democracy intentions of the US government any good when she praised these phony reforms, and made some seriously weird comments about how political reform must happen "slowly". If this is the real policy of the US administration - appeasing half-assed dictator allies by praising their purely symbolic reform gestures, then their support for democratisation in the Middle East is little more than the cynical "cover" that their opponents suggest it is.
Of course, this constitutional change is a crock. It still doesnt allow anyone to run for president, only those who meet a number of pre-qualifications, including, effectively, being approved by the current government. And the government has been opening a big can of whoop-ass on opposition groups ever since announcing the "reforms", including imprisoning the leader of the main opposition party, along with around 1000 members of the banned (but tolerated, and popularly supported) Muslim Brotherhood, and harshly policing the protests of the mainstream "Kefaya" (literally translated, "Enough") movement.
Laura Bush was in town during the week, and didnt exactly do the pro-democracy intentions of the US government any good when she praised these phony reforms, and made some seriously weird comments about how political reform must happen "slowly". If this is the real policy of the US administration - appeasing half-assed dictator allies by praising their purely symbolic reform gestures, then their support for democratisation in the Middle East is little more than the cynical "cover" that their opponents suggest it is.
a) The criteria that demand the approval of parliament apply only to independents.
b) If you mean the imprisonment of Ayman Nour, I beg to differ with you: he is not the leader of the 'main' opposition party.
c) Kefaya is not mainstream. It's not even 'popular.'
Just a few corrections.
When I read about Laura Bush and her little sojourn into Egyptian politics I just stared at the computer screen in puzzlement. The hypocrisy of the US government (and wives thereof) sometimes amazes me. Even when it happens over and over and over again...
This is what happens when women get involved in international politics :-P Just kidding.
In response to my anonymous friend:
First, with regards to the approval of parliament only being required for independants - either you are an independant, or member of a registered party. To be a registered party, you need government approval. To be an independant, you need government approval. When it comes down to it, anyone who wants to contest this election needs to have Mr Mubarak's permission.
Ayman Nour, the imprisoned opposition leader, may not be the leader of the "main" opposition party, in the sense that he is not leader of Wafd, the best represented opposition party in the Egyptian parliament (with a staggering 7 out of 444 seats).
However, he is clearly the most active and visible opposition leader who actually, you know, opposes, the current government - and certainly the leader among those with the guts to actually announce their intentions to run for President. Wafd are so feeble and spineless today that, as far as I know, they are not even planning to have a candidate contest the election.
And Kefaya is as mainstream as you can get, in a country where political dissent is still heavily marginalised.
Leave your name next time. It would be cool to talk :)
Hi Tom,
I saw your picture and you look so familiar to me. I asked Thea if you were Australian and had been in Turkey, she said yes. So my question is where you at the 2000 Turkish National Conference in Izmir?
-Dania
Yeah I was - I was a CEED'er in Izmir at the time. Amazing that you remember me - I hardly remember the faces of people I met last week.
I'm running the name Dania through my head though, it feels familiar. Were you an American trainee?
Yeah I was - I was a CEED'er in Izmir at the time. Amazing that you remember me - I hardly remember the faces of people I met last week.
I'm running the name Dania through my head though, it feels familiar. Were you an American trainee?
I was an American trainee/LC member from Purdue University at Ankara. I came from the US straight to Izmir to attend the conference. I think we had our sessions by the pool. I remember you and hating vegimite b/c of you. I maybe stretching here but I think you were from Perth or my second guess is Adelaide.
Its a very small world, because Chris Bowman joined my LC when I was LCP, I met Thea in Brussels twice while I was visiting my now ex-boyfriend. Nisrin is my sister and is moving to Cairo on Tuesday. I think those are all the odd things that connect us. If you know Alex DeOliveira then that would be a fourth.
If you check out the March archive of my blog there is a picture of me with my Turkish boyfriend. But I've changed a lot since then.
Dania,
Simply freaking amazing. You are/were going out with Dogan right?
Alex De Olivera? Well, that man spent many a drunken night at my flat in Dublin, where we both lived for a year. Yes, I know Alex.
Turbo freaky.
Dogan has now married Jen the girl you are refering to and they live in the US. Jen was Nisrin's LCP at AIESEC Miami University.
The guy I was dating, his name is Adeel, became friends with Thea in Belgium and then I became friends with her when I saw her in Belgium twice and in Cairo once. Adeel has moved back to his home country of Pakistan and am pretty sure they are still in touch.
Alex, Adeel and I were all VPs together at Purdue in 2000. Alex is also one of my dearest friends and am actually flying to see him in Atlanta in July.
This world is definately becoming smaller.