Interesting developments
Various opposition movements in Egypt from the islamic right to the socialist-communist left are joining together in a national coalition with the brilliant action plan to...well.. boycott the elections. Cause you know that worked out so well in Iran. No, wait, it didn't! On the other hand, a coptic christian Judge has just legalized the creation of an islamic party, called the New center party, which is founded by ex-MB member Abu Ala Madi, and thus overruling a decision to not grant the party a license by the state council of party affairs. Being the first islamist party, founded by an ex-MB member, is sure to draw in all the MB people looking to be politically represented and legitamately particpating in the process. If this goes the only way it could, this party will probably become the biggest opposition party in Egypt in the future. Hmmm........
posted by The Sandmonkey @ 7/14/2005 12:44:00 AM
4 Comments:
the rationale behind the boycott is hinged on the judges report, since the report clearly states the referendum was forged then the elections themselves are unconstitutional/illegal
also there was a previous agreement not to participate in the elections if the judges demands where never met, well until now they did nothing about the demands, another reason to boycott.
Okay Alaa, but it accomplishes nothing. Every parliamntarian will go down to his district and force people to vote in order to get renominated in the november elections. They will get enough names and numbers to make it legitimate and it's all over. The whole "it's not legitimate so we are not participating"argument is logical, but it's also a loser's creed.It's like saying we can't win so we might as well not play.
No, wrong.
They should play. They should mobolize those they could, even if they would go in and put in an invalid ballot so that their names wouldn't be used in a forgery. You think the government cares that the judges aren't happy? Hell, it's better this way. Once the election is over, without enough popular support- large numbers of people- that would decry it as a fraud, no one will care and things will stay the same and the world will declare the elections legitimate whether you like it or not.
I don;t know. I get where u guys are coming from, but non-particpation is not the way to win this one, as it is never the way to win anything.
I hate Muslim extremists, but I am not too worried about this party. I actually think it is a healthy way to incorporate moderates in the political process. Add to this that the judge was Christian, it has Christian members and women and we can see that this is the type of party that will respect minority rights and diversity of opinion.
Never boycott an election. You are giving your voice away when you do.
The Sunni in Iraq boycotted, and now they want into the government more than anything. Fortunately for them, their new government is open hearted and is allowing them to participate in the writing of the new constitution even though they through away the right to participate.
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