With the recent clashes in Port Said which killed 16 people and injured scores of civilians, the question started to surface if Egypt is disintegrating with the current President Morsi’s administration.
In an interview with Elise Labott and Jill Dougherty of CNN, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addressed the turmoil in Egypt by higlighting that if Egypt will disintegrate, it would lead to incredible chaos and violence on a scale that would be devastating for Egypt and the region.
She notes that there has to be some understanding by the new government that the aspirations that the people were expressing during the revolution in Egypt have to be taken seriously.
UN Photo
She even explains further that Egyptians’ aspiration cannot in any way be overlooked that there is a large number of Egyptians who are not satisfied with the direction of the economy and the political reform.
“This is not an easy task. I have to jump in and say that we can sit here and talk about it from a distance.” – Ms. Clinton
Ms. Clinton highlighted that it’s very difficult going from a closed regime and essentially one-man rule to a democracy that is trying to be born and learn to walk.
But there are some clear lessons, Ms. Clinton said.
“You have to represent all of the people, and the people have to believe that.” – Ms. Clinton
Ms. Clinton says one country maust have the rule of law that applies to everyone, not just to some of the people.
A country must have to have a constitution that respects and recognizes the rights of all people and doesn’t in any way marginalize any group.
She points out that the messages and the actions coming from the leadership have to be changed in order to give people confidence that they’re on the right path to the kind of future they seek.
Earlier this week, sixteen people were killed and more than hundred were injured in Port Said clashes after a court verdict sentencing 21 defendants to death.
The defendants were reportedly convicted for their participation in killing 74 people during riots in Port Said in February 2012 after a football match.
Last month, Egyptian voters approved a constitution drafted by President Mohamed Morsi’s allies.
Reports say the results announced on Tuesday by the elections commission where it unveiled results that the constitution was adopted with 63.8 percent of the vote, giving Islamists their victory.
President Morsi has signed into law a new Islamist-drafted constitution he believes will help end the country’s ongoing political instability.
Oppositions particularly Morsi’s Leftist, liberal, secularist and Christian have launched a massive street protests upon hearing the disclosure of the results.
Many Egyptians have voiced deep concerns about the substance of the constitution and the constitutional process, reports say.
The US has voiced hopes all sides will re-commit themselves to condemn and prevent violence.
The United States remains committed to helping them realize the aspirations that drove their revolution and complete a successful democratic transition.
In November 2012, the issuance of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s decree excempting all his decisions from legal challenge until a new constitution is drafted has caused uproar in Cairo and raised concerns for the international community.
Reports say thousands are protesting in Egypt and many of his opponents were furious. Many also reportedly named him the new Hosni Mubarak.
The decisions and declarations announced on November 22 raise concerns for many Egyptians and for the international community.
The US has called for calm and encourage all parties to work together.
In June 2012, Mohamed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, was declared the new president of Egypt.
Egypt’s Higher Presidential Elections Commission announced the results of the 16-17 June run-off poll earlier Sunday. The run-off reportedly declared Mohamed Morsi garnered a majority of the votes against ex-prime minister Ahmed Shafiq.
Mr. Morsi defeated Mr. Shafiq by more than almost 900,000 votes, with 51.7 per cent of the vote, compared to 48 per cent for Mr. Shafiq.
The elections were the first presidential election since the toppling of the long-standing regime of Hosni Mubarak amid popular protests in January 2011, and widely seen as a key element of the country’s transition to greater democracy.
In May 2012, with the hope of regaining the country’s stability after the revolution, Egyptians headed to the polls to cast their ballots in the country’s first free vote for a leader in 5,000 years of history.
Around 50 million eligible Egyptian voters were called to choose 13 candidates.
Earlier in 2012, President Obama proposed a $1 billion cancellation of Egyptian debt to support Egypt’s economic recovery.
Egypt has made progress on human rights since the revolution that toppled the regime of Hosni Mubarak.
Long-standing regimes were toppled by a wave of pro-democracy protests that have engulfed much of North Africa and the Middle East in 2011, particularly in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya.
