Despite the calls by the United Nations
Secretary General, as well as by many governments, to release the
ousted president of Egypt and his supporters, the Egyptian
authorities decided to extend their detention on preposterous
charges.
More dangerously, the government used brutal force on
Wednesday to end the peaceful protests and sit-ins by the supporters
of the ousted president, who were demanding the restoration of the
elected legitimate government.
According to media reports this
morning more than 150 people were killed, and thousands were
injured, almost all of them were from the supporters of the ousted
president.
These tragic developments contradict the earlier
statements of the Egyptian government that it had welcomed the
intervention of foreign diplomats and emissaries to find a peaceful
solution to the crisis.
Concerned Egyptians, as well as
international observers, were hoping that international pressure
including the determination by the Obama administration that what
had happened in Egypt was a military coup, and the subsequent cut
off military aid to the Egyptian armed forces would have restrained
the latter from using brutal force against peaceful protesters.
To some observers, the Obama administration can no longer
influence the Egyptian armed forces despite U.S. military aid to
Egypt, and the almost daily contacts between the secretary of
defense, and the Egyptian defense minister and the commander in
chief of its armed forces.
Other observers believe that the
Obama administration is no longer interested in democracy in the
Middle East. Therefore, it is essential for the United Nations and
the international community to be actively involved to prevent
further bloodshed and chaos, and to restore democracy, respect for
human rights, and rule of law in Egypt.
These demands are
consistent with pronouncements of Sens. John McCain and Lindsey
Graham, who visited Cairo to help in resolving the Egyptian crisis
peacefully. This initiative was welcomed by the White House, as well
as the European Union. There must be an urgent meeting of the United
Nations Security Council to take effective steps to restrain the
armed forces from crushing the peaceful demonstrators.
An
important point was raised by McCain and Graham that the
democratically elected people were in prison, and those in power in
Egypt now were not elected by the people. It is essential to clarify
some of the criticism against the ousted president of Egypt and his
supporters. Yes, the ousted president of Egypt and his government
committed some mistakes, but they were trying to engage in a
dialogue with the opposition; however, the latter were not
interested in dialogue but conspired with the military to overthrow
the democratically elected government.
The opposition did not
want to go through the ballot boxes, but opted for removing the best
politically organized group in Egypt by force. Furthermore, the
demonstrations against the military takeover have been peaceful. The
remnants of the old regime, against which the Egyptian people
revolted almost two years ago, were determined to abort the
democratic experiment in Egypt, and now are cooperating with armed
forces to annul the outcome of the uprising by using brutal military
force against the peaceful protesters.
Furthermore, there is
hasty justice in Egypt, and the judicial authorities, which were
part of the old regime, are trying to take their revenge against the
ousted president and his supporters.
To put the words of the U.N.
secretary-general, as well as the United States, the European Union,
the African Union, Qatar, Turkey and other states into action, the
international community must issue strong demands for stopping the
bloodshed and release of the ousted president and his supporters.
If the Obama administration is reluctant to call for an urgent
meeting of the U.N. Security Council, the U.N. secretary-general is
urged to call for convening such a meeting.
The Security Council
should issue an appeal to the Egyptian authorities to stop
immediately the use of force, hold accountable those who ordered the
shooting at the peaceful demonstrators, release the president and
his supporters and order all Egyptian political groups to engage in
a dialogue.
In view of the turmoil in the Middle East, the
international community must press the Egyptian government to
respect its obligations under international humanitarian law, and
that killing peaceful opponents of the new regime will not bring
stability and tranquillity to Egypt, and would lead to serious
consequence domestically and internationally.
Egypt is a central
country in the Arab and Muslim worlds. Civil strife, chaos and
bloodshed there would provide opportunity to extremist and terrorist
groups to take advantage of this situation. Establishing true
democracy, and ensuring respect for human rights are important parts
of the strategy to isolate and eradicate terrorism from the world.
If democracy and decency are guaranteed in Egypt, that will have
great impact on the Arab and Muslim worlds.
Amer Araim is an adjunct professor of political
science at Diablo Valley College. He is a resident of Walnut
Creek.
