Clashes in Ain Shams University

Posted on By 3arabawy

Bloody clashes have been going on for the third day on the row at Ain Shams University campus in Abbassiya, as student union elections approach.

Pro-government students assaulted Muslim Brotherhood activists at the Faculty of Education at Ain Shams University, and tore down their electoral posters. The MB mobilized demos to denounce the attacks, but they were only met by violence.

Pro-government students, armed with sticks and knives, viciously attacked the Brothers, and brought into campus truckloads of Baltaggiya (criminal thugs), who have spread terror on campus.

  • Pro-government students and criminal thugs assaulted MB students in Ain Shams University's Faculty of Education, in a campaign of campus terror before student union elections (Photo ​ courtesy of​ MB students)
  • Pro-government students and criminal thugs assaulted MB students in Ain Shams University's Faculty of Education, in a campaign of campus terror before student union elections (Photo ​ courtesy of​ MB students)
  • Pro-government students and criminal thugs assaulted MB students in Ain Shams University's Faculty of Education, in a campaign of campus terror before student union elections (Photo ​ courtesy of​ MB students)
  • Pro-government students and criminal thugs assaulted MB students in Ain Shams University's Faculty of Education, in a campaign of campus terror before student union elections (Photo ​ courtesy of​ MB students)
  • Pro-government students and criminal thugs assaulted MB students in Ain Shams University's Faculty of Education, in a campaign of campus terror before student union elections (Photo ​ courtesy of​ MB students)
  • Pro-government students and criminal thugs assaulted MB students in Ain Shams University's Faculty of Education, in a campaign of campus terror before student union elections (Photo ​ courtesy of​ MB students)
  • Pro-government students and criminal thugs assaulted MB students in Ain Shams University's Faculty of Education, in a campaign of campus terror before student union elections (Photo ​ courtesy of​ MB students)
  • Pro-government students and criminal thugs assaulted MB students in Ain Shams University's Faculty of Education, in a campaign of campus terror before student union elections (Photo ​ courtesy of​ MB students)

And where was the University’s Security, which Minister of Education Dr. Hani Helal described in today’s Al-Masry Al-Youm as “without it, we would have been screwed”? (I’m not joking. That’s the quote.) NO WHERE! The security did not intervene to stop the assaults, and actually aided them. Under their watchful eyes that those herds of Baltaggiya were allowed into campus.

I’ve spoken with Emad Mubarak, the director of the Association of Freedom of Thought and Expression, who follows abuses against students closely, and he said this year the government is not taking it lightly at all with the SU elections. “Already the intimidations started before Eid,” he said. “Posters were torn down several times before, but for two days this bloodshed has went out of control. Three students at least have been hospitalized with serious injuries. This exposes what sort of lies the minister of education is spreading in the press about freedoms on campuses.”

UPDATE: Protests at Helwan University after security banned MB candidates from running.

A new ‘reform’ surprise gift from Mubarak

Posted on By 3arabawy

In a move that marks (for the millionth time) the randomness of this whole “democratic reform,” Mubarak has “surprised” us with a new announcement, stating he’s amending Article 76 of the constitution, that was tailored by his legislators last year. There was absolutely nothing mentioned about such amendment during the last NDP’s congress. Note also that the long-awaited Counterterrorism Law, that is to replace the notorious Emergency Law we’ve been living under since the start of Mubarak’s reign, will not be presented to the parliament in this coming session.

Here’s an AP report by Nadia Abou El-Magd:

Egypt to amend constitution article criticized as opening way for succession of Mubarak’s son
CAIRO _ Egypt will amend its constitution to make it easier for candidates to run as president, the parliament speaker said Monday, stating the reform would include changes to an article criticized as opening the way for President Hosni Mubarak’s son to succeed him.
Changing article 76 of the constitution is one of the political reforms Mubarak plans to undertake next year, Parliament Speaker Fathi Sorour told the official Middle East News Agency.
“Next year will witness the most extensive amendments to the constitution since 1971,” Sorour told MENA. He did not give specific details about the reforms, but said the controversial article would be among those up for change.
Presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad said in a statement that the president “won’t oppose considering an amendment to article 76, in order to increase the chances of (political) parties to participate in presidential elections.”
The article was rewritten last year to allow multi-candidate presidential elections. But opposition contends that instead it deliberately made it impossible for anyone to compete against the ruling party in the next presidential elections.
Article 76 provides that independent candidates must obtain 250 recommendations from members of parliament or city councils before they can enter the race. Because most political offices are held by Mubarak’s NDP, opposition parties fear they won’t be able to field any presidential candidate.
The article also rules that only political parties representing at least five percent of Parliament can put forward a presidential candidate. No political party achieved this in last year’s legislative elections.
The ruling National Democratic Party previously refused to amend the article, and Egypt’s opposition said this demonstrated that Mubarak’s party was planning to clear the path for the president’s son, Gamal Mubarak, to take power.
Gamal Mubarak, 42, has risen rapidly through the ranks of his father’s party in recent years and is now deputy secretary general. Despite his denials, many believe he is being groomed to succeed Mubarak, who is 78 and has been in power for over two decades.
Opposition figures on Monday said they feared the announced reforms were purely cosmetic, and only geared at winning public adherence ahead of the next presidential elections, due in 2011.
“The new proposed amendment is still part of scenario of (Mubarak’s son) inheriting power,” said Hesham el-Bastawisy, a High Court judge and a vocal critic of the earlier constitutional amendment.
The head of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s main opposition force, said he didn’t expect the constitutional change to make it easier for his group to field a presidential candidate.
Technically illegal as a political party, the Muslim Brotherhood has 88 lawmakers in Parliament, where they sit as independents.
“The real competition is between the independents, who are mainly the Brotherhood, and the NDP, not between authorized political parties and the ruling party,” Mohammed Saad el-Katatny told The Associated Press.
Prime Minister Ahmad Nazif said earlier this year the government was studying measures to ban independents and outlawed groups from running in any election.

Workers For Change protest State Security’s violations

Posted on By 3arabawy

Around 50 activists from Workers For Change and Youth For Change protested for an hour, in front of the Public Prosecutor’s office, against State Security‘s violations against opposition candidates running for seats in the General Federation of Labor Unions. The elections are scheduled to start on 5 November, but already government violations are rampant. State Security is hasseling Leftist and Muslim Brothers candidates, elections posters have been taken down, activists have been also banned from running by security’s stalling their paper work.

Workers For Change protesting State Security's violations against candidates running for the Labor Unions elections

Demonstrators were cordoned by CSF troops, but no arrests or scuffles were reported.

UPDATE: Here’s a report from the Daily Star.