Egypt

El-Sisi faces factious agenda after landslide victory

Read on here. Ahram Online, by Gamal Essam El-Din

Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi is due to be sworn as president next weekend, but analysts say it is yet to be seen how he will handle key internal and external files

Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi (Photo courtesy of El-Sisi official Facebook page)

The winner of this week's presidential election, Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, is expected to take the oath of office before the High Constitutional Court to become the ninth president of Egypt next weekend.

The move comes after semi-official reports showed that the former military chief had swept presidential polls, held on 26, 27 and 28 May, achieving a landslide victory over his sole rival Hamdeen Sabahi.

Initial vote tallies show that El-Sisi had secured a historic victory, winning around 95 per cent of the vote at around 23 million votes.

Sabahi won a little more than 3 percent of the vote. His vote tally was so low that he was outpaced by invalid ballot papers, which numbered around 1.5 million, or around 4 percent.

El-Sisi's historic margin of votes cleared the simple-majority threshold required to avoid a second run-off round.

According to Abdel-Aziz Salman, spokesman for the Presidential Election Commission (PEC), which is overseeing the election, "the final official results will be announced by PEC's chairman Anwar El-Assi on 3 or 4 June, rather than (as scheduled) on 5 June, which marks the anniversary of Egypt's military setback on that day in 1967."

Article 144 of the new constitution stipulates that "if there is no parliament sitting during the presidential elections, the new president must be sworn in before the High Constitutional Court."

According to sources, El-Sisi will be sworn in before the High Constitutional Court either on the morning of Saturday 7 June, or a few days later. The court, located in Maadi in southern Cairo, is currently headed by Adly Mansour, a senior judge who was named interim president of Egypt after Islamist president Mohamed Morsi was ousted from office on 3 July last year. Mansour's presidency of the court is temporarily suspended while he fulfills the role of head of state.

Rumours were rampant that El-Sisi's swearing-in ceremony would be delayed until 30 June, or after two laws regulating Egypt's upcoming parliamentary elections are ratified by President Mansour. The rumours were quickly dismissed by Mansour's legal advisor, Ali Awad, who denied the possibility of delaying the inauguration of Egypt's new president.

Semi-official sources, however, told Ahram Online: "El-Sisi's swearing-in at Maadi's High Constitutional Court will be followed by an evening  inauguration ceremony to be held at east Cairo's Ittihadiya presidential palace, expected to be attended by a number of foreign leaders, mostly from the Arab world, as well as senior Egyptian politicians, high-ranking officials, and Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab, whose cabinet is obliged by the constitution to resign from office after the results of presidential polls are officially announced."

Sources close to El-Sisi's campaign agree that invitations were extended to some Arab leaders such as Jordan's King Abdallah, chairman of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas, crown prince of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdel-Aziz, Saudi foreign minister Saud Al-Faisal, president of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed, and secretary-general of the Arab League Nabil El-Araby.

via english.ahram.org.eg

Distinguishing between Muslims and Islamists

Islamist Gate, by Azza Radwan Sedky

A file photo of former Pope Benedict as he is guided through the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. (AFP)

In the West, people go about their businesses relatively unconcerned about shows of skin or public affection. A couple may hug and kiss at a bus stop and no one flinches. No one gawks at someone wearing shorts or a tank top. What people wear, unless it is totally against decorum, is a non-issue. Dress codes do not exist, but they are voluntary and liberal.

The same westerners do a double flip when they see a woman in a “niqab.” Why would anyone want to completely cover herself in this manner, they ask. Why can we not see this woman’s face?

While in Egypt and in most of the Islamic world, as well as in many traditional societies throughout the world, it is given that women must cover themselves; even if they are not scarved, then at least they wear modest clothes of a certain length and a certain fit. They go by what are generally acceptable standards in their society. For many Muslim societies, this is the norm. Modesty defines behaviour.

By the same token, these Muslims stare at what seems to them a semi-naked woman and don’t understand her. How could she be a righteous woman if she willingly exhibits her body in this manner?

The two worlds—the Islamic one and the Western one—are so far apart and so completely unaware of how the other functions that both tend to exhibit fears whether they are Islamophobic or xenophobic ones.

The issue today is the apprehension with which many Westerners regard the Muslim world. The question is whether such apprehension is justified.

First, we need to differentiate between Muslims and Islamists. Muslims are those who follow Islam; Islamists take it further; they want the world to be Islamic and want Islam to become the dominant, if not the only, power in the world. The West has every right to worry about Islamists, but not about Muslims.

Of course, Islamist extremists have not done Islam any favours; quite the contrary, their actions continue to tarnish Islam and complement its already radical image. Boko Haram of Nigeria, Ansar Bayt El Maqdis of Egypt, or Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (or El Sham) of Syria and Iraq continually smear Islam by their violent streak. 

The notorious incidents are many. If one focuses on Egypt, a chain of events from deaths to arson to evictions proves the point that Islamists terrorize. Copts, liberals, and Muslims alike are fearful. If everyone other than the Islamists is worried, how could one blame the westerners for being so?

At least Egyptians have had some exposure down the years to the Islamists’ ways; they have seen women in complete black and men in unkempt beards and short galabiyas all along, but to westerners this is totally new and raises not only their concerns but also their fears.

So a pivotal question arises—are westerners justified in their fear of Islam? Well, yes and no. As much as Egyptians and other moderate countries fear the impending arrival of Islamic extremists, westerners should be similarly worried. Islamists do not give heed to anyone standing in the way of their claim to rights and dominance, but Muslims are not extremists.

At the same time, these radical Islamists comprise a miniscule percentage of the Muslims around the world and in particular those in western countries. The absolute majority of Muslims are law-abiding citizens similar to any other group of people be it Christians, Jews, or any other sect. They have their good and their bad.

However, to generalize and assume that all Muslims fall under the category of fanatic or radical Islamist is unfair bias. Moreover, it shows profound ignorance of cultural difference and what this means, of contemporary global politics, and of the essential tenets of the Qur'anic belief system called Islam. In today’s world, global citizenship means learning some basic facts about world religions—all of them.

Because some Muslim women choose to wear the headscarves, they stand out.  But the headscarf issue, as trivial as it is, hinders people from seeing Muslims for what they really are. Muslims love life, enjoy culture and art, work diligently and professionally, and laugh to their hearts’ content, like anyone else. Does it really matter what headgear—or body garments— they put on?

Is it very different from Western women sporting spiky shoes that ruin their feet, or teenage boys wearing hoodies and baseball caps, or men wearing that hallmark of completely useless business attire The Tie? The fact is that Egyptians, who are mainly Muslims want, as do most Westerners, the best for all people, and they want to live in peace.

To Muslims around the world—continue to be yourselves and prove to the world that you are virtuous citizens. Only then can you promote Islam.

Muslim Brotherhood activities need to be probed in Canada, report says

Finally some truth. CBC News

Report raises concerns of Muslim Brotherhood's links to Canadian groups

Supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists call out from the defendants' cage as they receive sentences ranging from death by hanging for one, life in prison for 13 and eight to 15 years for the others after they were convicted of murder, rioting, and violence in a mass trial in Alexandria, Egypt. (Heba Khamis/Associated Press)

The Canadian government should consider investigating the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has entrenched itself in North America and represents a greater systemic threat than al-Qaeda, according to a newly released report on the group.

“The aim of the group in North America is to weaken and destroy the free and open societies within Canada and the U.S.A. from within and replace them with the heavily politicized views of [founder] Hassan Banna, Sayyid Qutb and the Muslim Brotherhood,” according to the report, entitled The Muslim Brotherhood in North America (Canada/U.S.).

The report, written by Tom Quiggin, a court expert on terrorism and member of the Terrorism and Security Experts of Canada Network, raises concerns about the Brotherhood’s alleged ties to Canadian organizations, some which have either been accused of being terrorist organizations or alleged to have links to extremist groups.

Based in Egypt, the Brotherhood, which maintains it rejects violence, was labelled a terrorist organization by the interim Egyptian government last December, months after a military coup toppled the democratically elected president MohammedMorsi. Egypt has also been cracking down on members of the organization, and an Egyptian court recently sentenced to death the group’s leader and 682 supporters.

This year, British Prime Minister David Cameron announced he had ordered an inquiry into the group’s activities in the U.K.

"What I think is important about the Muslim Brotherhood is that we understand what this organization is, what it stands for, what its beliefs are in terms of the path of extremism and violent extremism, what its connections are with other groups, what its presence is here in the United Kingdom. Our policies should be informed by a complete picture of that knowledge," Cameron said in April.

Quiggin believes that the organization’s period of relative moderation has come to an end and it is now becoming “increasingly aggressive in its actions."

But the threat facing Canadians is not so much physical but more systemic.

"This is cultural, this is political, this is a different kind of threat," he said.

The goal of the Brotherhood in North America is to establish front organizations and eventually gain political power, he said.

These front organizations are interlinked by a common ideology, set of beliefs and set of leaders, Quiggin said.

The Brotherhood has already tried to spread influence and raise money through these adherent groups, which have "sought to systematically and repeatedly circumvent and break Canadian regulations and laws," according to the report.

The report also raises a number of possible options for the government: looking into which organizations in Canada have affiliations with the Brotherhood; which adherent groups have links through their leadership; which should have their charitable status reviewed; and which have access to government.

“One of the points of this report was ti say ‘Hey look, this group exists, the amount of money they’re moving around runs tens of millions of dollars, they’re funding terrorist groups all over the place. At a certain point we have to ask 'Do we want this behaviour to continue?'" Quiggin said.

The Canadian government should also consider co-operation or information sharing with the British investigation and holding its own inquiry, he said.

via www.cbc.ca

Egypt's 'we miss you' campaign targets Gulf Arabs

The rest of the article can be seen here. Cairo (CNN), by Carol Berger  -- To say that Elhamy Elzayat misses the glory days when huge numbers of visitors flocked to Egypt's ancient sites is probably an understatement.

A veteran of the travel industry who now heads the Egyptian Tourism Federation, he's seen his business take hit after hit as the country's stability unraveled in the wake of the 2011 Arab Spring.

"I have six cruise ships," he laments. "They are not operating for three years now."

Better times could soon be around the corner.

Elections this month to choose a new president are seen by many as an opportunity to draw a line under months of turmoil and return to stability.

The vote is likely, however, to raise fresh concerns over visitor safety and ongoing outbreaks of sometimes deadly violence.

Yet Elzayat is optimistic that, despite the problems, a new marketing campaign will succeed in winning back the visitors he and the rest of the country's tourism industry so sorely miss.

Egypt's Ministry of Tourism launched its "We miss you" message earlier this month, using social media to promote a glossy video that portrays the nation as a luxury destination for big spenders.

Instead of focusing on the country's famed antiquities, the video features dancers, shopping malls and ritzy hotels.

Campaign's crucial timing

"I expect this campaign to bear fruit by the beginning of August," Elzayat says.

The timing and the tone of the "miss you" message is crucial.

With Egypt's traditional visitors from North America and Europe not expected to return in their previous numbers for years to come, the country is instead turning to wealthy Arabs from Persian Gulf nations.

Up to 70% of Egypt's tourists have traditionally come from Europe, with the Gulf making up another 20%.

The greatest numbers in recent times have come from Russia, followed by Germany, the UK, Italy and France.

The hope is that shortfalls in traditional visitors can be made up by encouraging Arabs, particularly from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, to consider Cairo as a travel destination for this year's Eid holiday.

Empty beaches: Tourist numbers have plummeted since 2011.

The end to the traditional Muslim fasting month of Ramadan is due to fall on July 28.

"Arabs are definitely high spenders," says Elzayat. "They shop. They gamble. They drink. They do everything."

In contrast, he says, visitors from Russia and the UK, in particular, tend to go on low-cost tours.

"You don't have big spenders coming from Russia," he says. "Some of the Arabs, they are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in three days."

River Nile: Egypt is promoting itself as a luxury destination.

via www.cnn.com

The New York Times’ Propaganda War on Egypt

Thank you, Raymond Ibrahim, for standing up for Egyptians against David K. Kirkpatrick and the rest of them.

A recent New York Times article exemplifies why the Times simply cannot be trusted.  Written by one David Kirkpatrick and titled “Vow of Freedom of Religion Goes Unkept in Egypt,” the article disingenuously interprets general truths in an effort to validate its thesis.

Much of this is done by omitting relevant facts that provide needed context.  For example, Kirkpatrick makes Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and the military—widely recognized as the heroes of the June 2013 revolution that toppled former President Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood—appear responsible for the poor state of religious freedom in Egypt, when in fact the military has no authority over the judicial system, which is independent.

Even so, there is much evidence that Egypt, while far from becoming a Western-style democracy, is on a better path—certainly than under the Muslim Brotherhood.  But these are seldom mentioned in the NYT report.  Most recently, for example, the military-backed government jailed a popular Islamic scholar for contempt against Christianity—something that never happened under Morsi, when clerics were regularly and openly condemning and mocking Christians.

Similarly, Sheikh Yassir Burhami, the face of Egypt’s Salafi movement, is facing prosecution for contempt against Christianity for stating that Easter is an “infidel” celebration and that Muslims should not congratulate Christians during Easter celebrations.  Previously under Morsi, Burhami was free to say even worse—including issuing a fatwa banning taxi drivers from transporting Christian priests to their churches.

Some positive developments are twisted to look as attacks on religious freedom.   Kirkpatrick complains that “The new government has tightened its grip on mosques, pushing imams to follow state-approved sermons,” as if that is some sort of infringement on their rights, when in fact, mosques are the primary grounds where Muslims are radicalized to violence, especially against religious minorities like Coptic Christians.  This is amply demonstrated by the fact that the overwhelming majority of attacks on churches and Christians occur on Friday, the one day of the week when Muslims congregate in mosques and listen to sermons.

“State-approved sermons” are much more moderate and pluralistic in nature and the government’s way of keeping radicals and extremists from mosque podiums.

If Kirkpatrick truly cared about the religious freedom of Egypt’s minorities, he would laud this move by the government, instead of trying to portray it as an infringement of the rights of the radicals to “freely” preach hate.

Another positive development overlooked by the article is that Egypt’s native church, the Coptic Orthodox Church, was involved in drafting the new, post-Morsi constitution, and was allowed to voice its opinion over controversial Article Two, which deals with how influential Islamic Sharia will be in governing society.  The Church accepted a more moderate version than the previous one articulated under Morsi, which the Church as well as millions of Egyptian Muslims, were against due to its draconian, Islamist nature.

Speaking of the Copts—who are Egypt’s litmus test concerning religious freedom—a closer examination of them alone demonstrates the disingenuous nature of Kirkpatrick’s observations.

Early in the report, and in the context of stating that “the new military-backed government has fallen back into patterns of sectarianism that have prevailed here for decades,”  Kirkpatrick asserts that “Prosecutors continue to jail Coptic Christians …. on charges of contempt of religion.”

Interestingly, while this suggests Christians are being jailed under the current government on charges of blasphemy, a close reading reveals that that is not the case.  Rather, Kirkpatrick is referring to the many Copts who were incarcerated under Morsi’s reign, some of whom still remain in jail.

Kirkpatrick seems to think that those not yet freeing Christians—due to the chaos it would likely cause among the already highly aggrieved Islamist/Salafi population—are as religiously intolerant as those who threw them in prison in the first place.

Of course, back then under Morsi, when the full extent of “legal” persecution of Christian Copts in the context of “blasphemy” was revealed, the NYT and Kirkpatrick were remarkably silent.

The dissembling continues.  Writes Kirkpatrick: “Many Coptic Christians and other religious minorities cheered the military takeover because they feared the Muslim Brotherhood, a religiously exclusive movement whose leaders have a history of denigrating non-Muslims” (emphasis added).

Christians did not “fear” the Brotherhood because their leaders have a long “history of denigrating non-Muslims,” but rather because their leaders have a long history of inciting violence and hate against Christians, leading to countless attacks and atrocities on Copts and their churches over the decades.

Under Morsi, Coptic Christianity’s most symbolic church and papal residence, St Mark Cathedral, was savagely attacked by an Islamist mob, aided and abetted by state security.  Then, Coptic Pope Tawadros said that Morsi had “promised to do everything to protect the cathedral but in reality we don’t see this….  We need action not only words… There is no action on the ground…  This flagrant assault on a national symbol, the Egyptian church, has never been subjected to this in 2,000 years.”

Kirkpatrick also fails to inform his readership that due to Muslim Brotherhood incitement against the Copts for “daring” to participate in the June revolution against Morsi, in “retaliation,” some 80 churches in Egypt were bombed, burned, or simply attacked by Brotherhood supporters.

Also left unsaid by the NYT is that it was Sisi who pledged that the armed forces would rebuild and renovate the destroyed churches. According to church officials, the army will be done renovating and rebuilding 16 of the churches destroyed by the Brotherhood by the end of June, at which point they will begin phase two of renovating the rest of churches.

Far from pointing this out, Kirkpatrick implies Sisi is indifferent to the Copts, writing for example that “unlike a rival presidential candidate, [Sisi] declined to attend Mass” at the Coptic cathedral during Easter.   The fact is, due to Brotherhood assassination attempts—which the rival presidential candidate need not worry from—Sisi has had to decline many public events, not just Easter.

From here one can understand why Kirkpatrick’s next assertion makes perfect sense, even as he offers it with some puzzlement: “But the complaints about continued sectarianism have not deterred church leaders from firmly supporting Mr. Sisi as their protector against worse treatment by the Muslim majority.  The Coptic pope, Tawadros II, has hailed Mr. Sisi as overwhelmingly popular, ‘a competent patriot’ on ‘an arduous mission,’ and ‘the one who rescued Egypt.’”

In short, when it comes to religious freedom and tolerance, the current government, although far from perfect, is also better than its Brotherhood predecessor.   Hence why, not only the Coptic Church, but the majority of Egypt’s millions of Christians, support Sisi.

Needless to say, that is not the impression that Kirkpatrick gives, as he quotes an unknown Copt calling the pope’s statements which were supportive of Sisi “stupid and myopic.”

Thus it is only in the most general of ways that Kirkpatrick’s NYT article is accurate—in that, yes, religious freedom is still very problematic in Egypt, especially for minorities such as the Copts.  It is true that police and security often do little to protect the Copts and their churches from Islamists–but this is partially because police stations are also under attack.  Pope Tawadros recently confirmed that, in light of the circumstances, the police and government in general are doing better than under Morsi.

Overlooked and ignored are the true culprits of radicalization—the Muslim Brotherhood and allied Islamists, who, through the mosques and satellite stations, have been radicalizing Egypt for decades.  It will take a long time, if ever, to eradicate their influence, but the post-Brotherhood government is a first step in the right direction—despite the NYT’s nonstop propaganda to whitewash the Muslim Brotherhood and sometimes even al-Qaeda.

via www.raymondibrahim.com

World, you are in for another Egyptian surprise

If the scenes at Egyptian embassies and consulates during the early voting of the presidential elections are indicative of anything, they are indicative of yet another Egyptian surprise. Hence, I believe the world should watch closely. Since western media’s take on matters has been disheartening to say the least, then it is up to concerned worldly citizens to figure out Egypt for themselves. 

If you’ve ever wanted to see a happy and joyous crowd, then you should have seen Egyptians line up to vote in the presidential elections abroad. Voting anywhere and everywhere entails figuring out one’s schedule, avoiding the rush, and predicting a long lineup where one will stand bored and fed up. Not for those Egyptians who lined up to cast their ballots this time round—earsplitting music, downright belly dancing by men and women, and blaring ululations left security guards invigilating the embassies mesmerized and Egyptians in Egypt in tears of joy. These are the same Egyptians who, before 2011, found voting off-putting.

The euphoria portrays the current sentiments of Egyptians. Egyptians hate fiercely and love unconditionally, and both emotions are symbolized in this voting process. The man whom they love for saving them from those whom they hate is running for president. How more right can this be?

These unprecedented sentiments were seen first during the constitutional referendum of January 2014 when Egyptians kicked up their heels joyously as they left the polling stations. The same upbeat scene occurred in the presidential elections voting abroad on May 15 through 18. Undoubtedly, on May 26 and 27, 2014, during the presidential elections in Egypt, Egyptians will display the same emotions. Only in Egypt do voters convey their support and happiness by dancing and voting simultaneously.   

Facebook and Twitter messages confirmed 1) how voters felt as they voted and 2) the troubles they endured to participate. Since voting by snail mail was not an option anymore, some travelled distances and others took long bus rides to reach embassies and consulates; then they came back to proudly announce their actions. My sick niece, who hasn’t gone out for months, voted in Abu Dhabi. My nephew, the air pilot, took time off from his tight itinerary to vote in Bangkok. 

What is remarkable is that once some of these Egyptians voted, they returned back the next day to watch the entertainment; it became an outing. The mood says it all: this time Egyptians got it right; this time Egyptians will not stay at home and watch how their future unfolds, but they will effect the change themselves.

One Facebook follower said, lightheartedly of course, that dancing and singing are becoming necessary skills for a voter. She warned Egyptians, “If you are unable to ululate, your voice will become null and void.”

In January 2011, Egyptians ousted Mubarak in 18 days; in June 2013, they ousted Morsi by congregating in the millions; in May, 2014, they will vote their next president in—all this having not lifted a gun or a weapon. Their arms remain their voices and their presence.

As for the man whom Egyptians foresee as their next president, we really have to wait and see how he will handle the colossal burdens that he is saddled with. It won’t be easy, but Egyptians acknowledge his gutsy move against Morsi and believe that if he is able to rid them of their worst nightmare, then he will be able to rid them of all nightmares—a tall order indeed.  

In the meantime, Egyptians will listen, be patient, and accept change—all this because it is coming from someone whom they believe in. This is the asset that Sisi must rely one.

But this post is not about Sisi, or about Sabahi for that matter. It is about the Egyptians themselves, the changes in them, and the happiness that they are immersed in and totally deserve.

I predict the voting in Egypt on May 26 and 27 to be a party like no other. I predict dancing, singing, and ululating across Egypt. I predict the highest percentage of voter turnout in the history of Egypt, if not anywhere else.  

 

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood Thinks It's Winning the War for the Future

Western media may be finally getting it. This is a fair article. I quoted the section that I found most interesting. If you would like, you can read on here. 

New Republic, by Eric Trager

Second, Brotherhood leaders believe—despite all available data—that they are winning. “The aim of the coup was to eliminate political Islam,” said Brotherhood leader Gamal Heshmat, who fled to Istanbul in December. “But the coup in Egypt had the opposite effect. … It restored confidence in the Brotherhood, when people compared [their experience] under Dr. Morsi to what happened afterwards.” Touson, Morsi’s lawyer, was similarly upbeat. “I don’t believe there’s a coup in the world that faces resistance like this,” he said, referring to the ongoing—and increasingly sparse—Brotherhood-led demonstrations against Morsi’s ouster.

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The Brotherhood’s lack of realism is nothing new. Claiming to represent “true Islam,” the Brotherhood has long overestimated its popularity within Muslim-majority Egypt, and its leaders therefore cannot believe that Egyptians actually rebelled against an Islamist president. (“On June 30, nothing happened on the streets,” Heshmat said, flatly denying that many millions of Egyptians participated in the anti-Brotherhood protests that preceded Morsi’s ouster.) And precisely because the Brotherhood believes that it is winning, it sees little reason to compromise.

Yet the Brotherhood isn’t winning at all—in fact, it’s at its weakest point in nearly four decades, and its notoriously rigid organization is in total disarray. Within urban centers, the Brotherhood’s five-to-eight-member cells, known as “families,” haven’t held their weekly meetings since Morsi was ousted, and Muslim Brothers say they can only meet each other one or two at a time.  

Meanwhile, the Brotherhood’s top leadership hasn’t met since late July. And although new leaders have been promoted to replace those who have been imprisoned, Muslim Brothers don’t actually know who is strategizing on their behalf. “Those who manage, I don’t know them and nobody knows them,” said Heshmat, the Brotherhood leader exiled in Istanbul. While Mohamed Ali Bishr, a former Brotherhood executive who served as a governor and minister under Morsi, often speaks on behalf of the Brotherhood within Egypt, Muslim Brothers and their allies are unsure whether top Brotherhood leaders have entrusted him with any actual authority. One Brotherhood leader said that deputy supreme guide Gomaa Amin, who is currently exiled in London and chronically ill, is running the organization. But Syrian Muslim Brotherhood leader Riad al-Shaqfeh, who is based in Istanbul, says that secretary-general Mahmoud Hussein has presided over the Muslim Brotherhood’s international meetings since Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie was arrested in August.

Even without knowing their leaders, however, young Muslim Brothers continue to follow the orders that they receive through Brotherhood-affiliated social media sites. On campuses, for example, Muslim Brothers receive information about upcoming “anti-coup” demonstrations through Facebook, and they promise to continue fighting the current regime despite the significant risk this entails. “Everybody is looking [to be a martyr],” said the Muslim Brother at Cairo University, whose brother was killed during last summer’s crackdown. “There are [people] younger than me looking for paradise. And when I did not get that honor, I said God did not let me [become a martyr] because I made many mistakes.” Al-Mehy, the Brotherhood youth in Istanbul, was similarly 

resolute: “We will continue to resist the coup until the last drop,” he said. “Because we tasted freedom and we will not accept to go back and taste slavery again.”

This is perhaps the main reason why “reconciliation” won’t happen: Many Muslim Brothers would rather die fighting the current regime than sit with it. 

via www.newrepublic.com

اغنية حسنين الجسمي بشرة خير

اغنيه تشعر المشاهد بالبهجه وحب المصريين لبلدهم

A song that encourages Egyptians, all around Egypt, to vote. It depicts Egyptians as they truly are: lively and joyous. 

 

Voting extended for Egyptians living abroad

Dismayed that western journalists have overlooked the numbers and the joy of Egyptian voters. Some balance would have been appreciated. 

Egyptian Streets

A man casts his vote in Dubai Credit: Reuters

Egypt’s Presidential Elections Committee has extended voting on the country’s new President by one day, announced the Presidential Elections Committee.

The change came as a result of ‘unprecedented’ turnout, said sources from the Elections Committee to state television.

Voting by Egyptian expatriates on Egypt’s next President will now end at 9PM on Monday, May 19.

According to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 210,000 Egyptian expats have cast their ballots across the world.

This turnout is significantly higher than the one witnessed in the January 2014 constitutional referendum which saw 107,000 Egyptians living abroad participating.

Prior to the start of elections, Egypt’s Presidential Elections Committee had urged Egyptian expats to participate in the ballot which is being contested by former Military Chief Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Nasserist politician Hamdeen Sabahi.

The elections will be held in Egypt on May 26-27, with results announced by June 5.

 

via egyptianstreets.com

Egypt buys 2.5 million tons of local wheat

Al Arabiya News

Egypt wants to boost domestic production in an effort to cut its import bill. (File Photo: Reuters)

Egypt, the world's biggest wheat importer, has bought 2.5 million tons of local wheat since last month, more than half its target this year in a procurement season that lasts until mid-July, state media reported on Saturday.

The price paid to local farmers per Egyptian ardeb, the equivalent of around 150 kg, has been $59.53 (420 Egyptian pounds), Supplies Minister Khaled Hanafi was quoted as saying by state-run newspaper Al Gomhuriya.

Last year the government raised the fixed price per ardeb to 420 pounds from 400 pounds, aiming to encourage farmers to grow more. The local price exceeds the price Egypt pays in the international market by more than $100 per ton.

Egypt wants to boost domestic production in an effort to cut its import bill. Each year the state and private buyers purchase around 10 million tons from abroad.

Egypt estimates its total local wheat crop this year at around 9 million tons, of which the government is aiming to buy 4 million.

On May 14, the supplies minister said Egypt had bought around 2 million tonnes of local wheat.

via english.alarabiya.net