Three years after Egypt uprising, Brotherhood more outcast than ever
Saturday's third anniversary of the 2011 uprising highlights political downfall of Muslim Brotherhood
Sherif Tarek, Sunday 26 Jan 2014 -- Ahram online
A
supporter of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi holds a banner
with Morsi's image, during a march against Egyptian Defense Minister
Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Aug. 2,
2013. (Photo: AP)
The Brotherhood, from which ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi
hails, played a major role in the 2011 uprising that put an end to the
30-year rule of Mubarak, having at its side hundreds of thousands of
protesters mobilised to bring him down.
However, political disputes soon caused a rift in Egypt in the months
following the revolution, with the Brotherhood and its Islamist allies
on one side, and liberal and leftist forces on the other.
Events on each of the uprising's three anniversaries have shown that
the tense relationship between the two sides has taken several turns for
the worse.
Demonstrators in 2012's anniversary were angry with the Brotherhood for
supporting the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) during its
post-Mubarak interim rule. Many other political forces at the time were
outspoken in their condemnations of how the military was "ignoring
revolutionary demands."
On 25 January 2013, when Morsi was still in power, demonstrators more
blatantly hit out at the Brotherhood, deploring what they described as
the "rule of the supreme guide," the group's spiritual leader Mohamed
Badie who many felt was the country's de facto ruler, with Morsi simply
serving as a conduit for his commands.
Saturday's 2014 anniversary, which comes months after Morsi's 3 July
ouster following nationwide protests against his rule, saw mass rallies
in support of army chief Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, the Brotherhood's
arch-foe, as well as another round of deadly clashes that have continued
for months between Brotherhood supporters and police forces as well as
civilian opponents.
The months leading up to 25 January 2014 saw the Muslim Brotherhood
lose massive political ground in developments that further shattered
Egypt's already-restive political scene.
The interim government put forth a military-backed political road map
following Morsi's ouster, which was agreed upon by a wide variety of
political forces including Mohamed El-Baradei and religious institutions
such as Al-Azhar, the high seat of Sunni Islam and the Coptic Orthodox
Church, as well as the main Salafist party, Nour.
According to the road map, the Brotherhood-dominated Shura Council
(Egypt's parliamentary upper house) was dismantled and the 2012
constitution was frozen and re-enacted after amendments made by a
50-member committee.
Also, pro-Morsi sit-ins at Cairo's Rabaa Al-Adaweya Mosque and Giza's
Nahda Square were forcibly dispersed by security forces on 14 August,
leaving hundreds dead, with most of the slain protesters hailing from
the Islamist camp. Most importantly, many Brotherhood and Islamist
leaders were arrested for an array of criminal charges.
With violent clashes continuing between Morsi's supporters and
opponents, burning of police stations and churches, and bombings taking
place across the country sporadically, the Brotherhood was declared a
terrorist organisation in December.
The crackdown on the Brotherhood and its allies as well as the arrest
of its leadership took a toll on the group's mobilisation, although it
continued to stage regular rallies in defiance of a protest law passed
by interim authorities late last year which bans all demonstrations not
pre-approved by the police.
Brotherhood-led protests were already anticipated for Saturday's
anniversary, with the group announcing plans to "reignite the 2011
revolution" and overturn what it deemed a military coup.
What added fuel to fire, however, were the four bombings that took
place the day before, 24 January, in different areas across Greater
Cairo, leaving six dead. Fifteen more died that day in ensuing clashes
between Brotherhood supporters and their opponents.
Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, an Al-Qaeda-inspired group whose name means
Partisans of Jerusalem, has claimed responsibility for Friday's largest
bomb attack at Cairo's central police headquarters. The group, which has
claimed the deadliest militant attacks in Egypt following Morsi's
ouster, warned Egyptians in a statement not to take to the streets on
Saturday.
Despite Friday's violence and Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis' warning, hundreds
of thousands still headed the next day to Tahrir Square, Ittihadiya
palace and around the country to commemorate the anniversary and voice
their support for the army and interim authorities amid festive
atmospheres.
Egyptians flags were waved, but most prominent were banners and posters
for El-Sisi, who has grown immensely popular since reading out the
statement announcing the end of Morsi's rule. The signs urged him to run
for the presidency in this year's upcoming elections, and the square
was filled with nationalist chants in favour of the army.
Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim had previously encouraged citizens to
"celebrate" the anniversary after liberal political groups like the
Wafd Party and Free Egyptians Party, along with Tamarod, the group which
spearheaded the protests leading to Morsi's ouster at the hands of the
army, called for Egyptians to join festivities on Saturday in Tahrir
Square.
Continuing attempts to gain supporters for its demonstrations on
Saturday's anniversary, the Muslim Brotherhood claimed Friday that "most
people have put their differences aside and are calling to revive the
25 January 2011 revolution."
Ahmed Ban, a researcher specialised in Islamist groups, believes that
the numbers that hit the streets while supporting El-Sisi on Saturday
has ruined "the false image the Brotherhood has been trying to convey to
the international community."
He explained to Ahram Online: "They have been trying to convince
western countries that Egyptians were up for another revolution on the
2014 uprising anniversary, but after such massive support for El-Sisi,
that image is no longer plausible."
And although the Way of the Revolution Front staged protests against
the interim authorities on Saturday, the umbrella group refused in more
than one statement to stand side by side with the Brotherhood.
The Front is a coalition of political parties such as Strong Egypt
Party, 6 April (Democratic Front), Ahmed Maher's 6 April Youth Movement,
the No to Military Trials Movement, the Revolutionary Socialists, as
well as other groups. It is considered to be the only potent
non-Islamist opposition group, with their protests usually against the
Brotherhood and the military.
Meanwhile, as expected, Brotherhood members and supporters held counter
protests which resulted in deadly confrontations on the third
anniversary of the 25 January Revolution.
In Cairo's Mataria Square, clashes went for many hours with 2000
supporters of Morsi trying to stage a sit-in, according to eyewitnesses.
Ensuing confrontation with the police reportedly resulted in a number
deaths.
Saturday's death toll from the clashes rose to at least 29, according
to Egypt's health ministry, as violence erupted in Cairo, Giza, Upper
Egypt's Minya governorate, and Alexandria, among other cities.
Ban believes that much as the mobilisation of Morsi's supporters
intensifies the security crackdown on them, they are not likely to
change their approach. "They will carry on with what they do; staging
protests that turn violent, in hopes that in one incident many people
would die and prompt international interference."
He added: "Unfortunately, a political solution seems anything but
possible these days. The Brotherhood with their continuous protests and
refusal to be involved in negotiations have locked all doors."
"Also, the Brotherhood and the interim authorities have been constantly
demonising each other for quite some time, which makes a peaceful
solution nearly impossible."
Labels: Conflict, Controversy, Egypt, Islamism, Muslim Brotherhood, Violence
posted by Pieface @ Sunday, January 26, 2014
<< Home