Ihsan

The Egyptian Referendum

Salam all

Well, yesterday was the "referendum" on changing the Egyptian constitution (adding to it a very complicated paragraph that gives people the right to run against Mubarak with a bunch of arcane qualifiers on that so that no one can really run against him in the near future - it's designed so that perhaps after he dies there can be an open election, I think). The pro-democracy activists (a movement called "kefaya" which means "enough" in Arabic) demonstrated near polling stations. The ruling party hired people to basically beat them up and grope the women. Including journalists. Security forces watched and did nothing to stop the thuggery. Sort of counter-productive if Mubarak wants to showcase his little referendum. It was all over the reports today - AP, Jazeera and Reuters.

I am trying not to be completely cynical about Egypt's political future at least in the near term, but it is difficult.

For those who want more information, try the Arabist Network and the Baheyya blog.

posted by Anna in PDX at 5/26/2005 05:25:00 AM