Egypt referendum does little to heal rift
By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa
14.01.2014
Cairo (dpa) – Egyptians queueing at a polling station in Cairo on Tuesday to vote in a referendum on a new constitution chanted slogans denouncing the Muslim Brotherhood, and praised army chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi.
The cheerful atmosphere on a street three kilometres south of Tahrir Square was spoiled by a man who shouted, "No to the constitution of blood," and ran away to avoid a confrontation with army supporters.
It was a reminder of the deep divisions that persist in Egypt, three years after the fall of Hosny Mubarak and six months after the army toppled the country's first democratically elected president, Mohammed Morsi of the Brotherhood.
“We want this constitution to go into effect as fast as possible so that we can end this tense atmosphere,” said Mohamed Nour Eddin, a former judge, flashing the victory sign.
The constitution drafted by a mostly secular panel, which removed Islamic provisions approved under Morsi and strengthened the powers of the army and other state institutions, is almost likely to pass.
The Brotherhood, now labelled a terrorist organization, and its supporters are boycotting the vote, the first since Morsi's overthrow in July.
A high turnout would strengthen al-Sissi, who has not ruled out the possibility of running for president in elections expected after the referendum.
Army supporters say al-Sissi's decision to remove Morsi, after mass protests against the Islamist leader, sabotaged Brotherhood plans to instate an Islamic state in Egypt.
Minorities such as Coptic Christians who feared the Brotherhood's rise to power have also backed the army.
Most Egyptians hope the referendum would bring some stability after three years of unrest that killed hundreds of people and put the economy on a downhill spiral.
“We are with al-Sissi. He will protect this country,” said Awatef, a veiled 30-year-old wife and mother, sporting a picture of al-Sissi around her neck.
“I say yes to al-Sissi, may God protect him,” shouted a man, waving his inked finger as he left a polling station.
Pro-army activists have launched a petition campaign calling on al-Sissi to run for president.
“The people and the army are united,” chanted a group of women who gathered outside another polling station, which was guarded by soldiers.
“We came here for the sake of Egypt. No one can defeat us,” said Fatma Zaghloul, a schoolteacher. She hopes that the new constitution will save Egypt from the "dark days" of Morsi rule.
Some liberal and secular groups who backed the army's toppling of Morsi were critical of its deadly crackdown on Brotherhood supporters, as well as its push for a ban on street protests and the arrest of journalists critical of the military-backed government.
“We are trying to make sure the voting process is held in fairness,” said activist George Ishaq, who toured polling stations as an observer with the state-backed National Council for Human Rights.
“We object to the arrests. It is their right to vote no. If all of us say yes, then why did we hold a referendum?” he added, referring to the arrest of dozens of Brotherhood supporters who held a protest urging people to vote no.
Still, most voters believe their future is safer in the army's hand.
At the polling station, Magdy serves tea to a dozen voters queueing in line to cast their ballots.
“Please have one," he says. "No pressure on you to vote yes or no, but I am sure we will all vote yes.”
Grabbing a cup of tea, one man responds: "Of course."
