generalspeaking

Order, Order In The Court!

"I am Dr. Mohammed Morsi, the president of the republic. This court is illegal."
"What is going on now is a cover for a military coup. I warn everybody. ... I wish that the Egyptian judiciary would not become one day a cover for the military coup."
"I am the president of the republic."
"I am here by force and against my will. The coup is a crime and treason."
"This is not my court. This court, with all due respect, doesn't have jurisdiction over the president. There is a military coup in this country. The leaders of this coup must be brought to trial according to the constitution."
Deposed President Mohammed Morsi, Cairo

AFP Photo, Mohamed el-Shahed

Of course, the constitution of which he makes mention, is an Islamist-slanted legal document whose legality has been disputed. Its presence, in fact, represents the breaking point in the acceptance by the greater Egyptian public, of his presidency. And it is a constitution that is headed for the counter-purpose of being re-written to more closely reflect the values of Egypt, the non-Islamist Egypt that had its presence before the Muslim Brotherhood took the reigns of power.

A previous president of long-standing had been summarily removed in just such a manner, by a long-standing protest of tens of thousands of Egyptians gathering in Tahrir Square to express their willingness to disrupt the administration of their country for the greater purpose of arriving at a government administration resembling that of the West. They were not protesting on behalf of the Muslim Brotherhood. Their presence was a successful come-from-behind enterprise of advantage.

The military stepped in to remove Mr. Morsi a year after Egypt's first 'elections' had taken place. They responded to the millions of Egyptians who marched the streets of the capital demanding he be removed. He and the Brotherhood were accused by the non-Brotherhood-supporting public of subverting the law of the land to impose their will on Egypt. He did far more than that; he ignored the imperative of looking after the country's economy, employment, trade, investment, and equality of opportunities in his zeal to impose Islamism.

His supporters have taken heart from his defiant appearance, dressed in dignity, not in prison garb. The removal of autocratic Hosni Mubarak is viewed by them as resulting from a popular uprising. The removal of their hero, Mr. Mubarak's successor, is considered to be an assault against 'democracy', not the result of an, ahem, popular uprising in revolt against the direction in which he was steadily moving the country.

AFP photo -- Mohamed Kamal -- veiled women rally outside the High Court in Cairo, on 4 November 2013

Bedlam has since resulted. Violent confrontations, and feckless assaults against the military. Egypt's Christians have borne the brunt of that anger, as have Egyptian troops and police in the Sinai, aided and abetted by other Islamists with al-Qaeda and Bedouin Salafists, not to mention Hamas terrorists.

Amid the shouting in the court pro-regime lawyers and supporters of the military set up a counter-demonstration. Standing on desks and benches, they hurled abuse at the pro-Morsi defenders.

Even some of the pro-military journalists got in on the act shouting "Execute them! Execute them!". And then order was restored, and the trial put off until the new year. The crowds of pro-and-anti Morsi protesters were engaged in their own versions of disagreement, polarizing discussions that degenerated swiftly into fighting factions.

Until security moved in to break up the melee.

Labels: Conflict, Egypt, Islamism, Justice, Muslim Brotherhood

posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, November 05, 2013