About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

2 Replies to “Alain Wagner of ICLA on Egyptian referendum”

  1. CAIRO Salafi Islamists torch HQ of Egypt’s Wafd party

    The headquarters of Egypt’s Wafd Party in Cairo was torched on Saturday by supporters of Salafi Islamist politician Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, an Al Arabiya correspondent reported.

    The liberal party’s deputy chairman Fouad Badrawi was injured in the attack, in which the radical Islamist’s supporters managed to break into the party’s building despite heavy security presence.

    El-Said Badawi, head of the Wafd Party, told Al Arabiya in an interview, “Today, the Egyptian state, represented by the ministry of interior, has collapsed. The ministry cannot maintain order, allowing militias to roam freely in the country.”

    The when law enforcement falls, the law of the jungle prevails,” Badawi said.

    The violence broke out as Egyptians voted in a referendum on a new constitution intended to pull the country out a growing political crisis.

    http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/12/15/255315.html

  2. Egypt opposition calls nationwide protests for Tuesday

    […]the opposition National Salvation Front coalition said it would “not recognize any unofficial result,” and would wait for the formal tally after next Saturday’s second round of voting.

    It called on Egyptians to “take to the streets on Tuesday to defend their freedoms, prevent fraud and reject the draft constitution.”

    It reiterated its allegation that balloting had been “marred by irregularities and violations”.

    The head of the Front, Mohamed ElBaradei, a former chief of the UN nuclear energy agency, tweeted of the first round: “Country split, flagrant irregularities, low turnout, disillusion w(ith) Islamists on the rise. Illiteracy remains a hurdle.”

    Several Egyptian human rights and monitoring groups said there were irregularities and demanded Saturday’s vote be done over.

    Analysts said it was likely — but not certain — that the draft constitution would be adopted.

    Hisham Kassem, an analyst based in Cairo, told Agence France Presse the Muslim Brotherhood used “intimidation” to bolster the “yes” vote.

    “And in the countryside it’s easier to rig, so it’s probably going to go their way.”

    Kassem predicted that if the new charter is adopted, that “is likely to take the country into some sort of paralysis or civil disobedience”.

    A “serious crisis” would also likely ensue for Egypt’s already debilitated economy, he added.

    http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/64860-egypt-opposition-calls-nationwide-anti-charter-protests-for-tuesday