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By Samuel Burke, CNN
The decrees that Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy issued last week, which have sparked a constitutional crisis in Egypt, could be lifted in the next two weeks.
That’s according to Essam el-Erian, a top adviser to Morsy, and a senior leader of the Freedom and Justice Party, the Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing.
El-Erian told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that the constitutional process has been greatly accelerated, so much so that a draft will be voted on in the constitutional assembly on Thursday or Friday.
Who's to blame for Morsy power grab?
Morsy's November 22 decree said that Egypt’s judges are unable to overturn his decisions or interfere with the constitutional council. He also fired the nation's top prosecutor.
Morsy’s move to extend his powers sparked protests in cities across Egypt and a return to mass demonstrations in Cairo’s Tahrir square. On Wednesday protests in the square turned violent.
If the draft passes the constitutional assembly, el-Erian said that it would go to a national referendum within 15 days. He said that if a majority of the Egyptian people affirm the constitution, Morsy’s edicts would be lifted.
El-Erian also stated that all previous decrees would be lifted, including those from SCAF (the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces), which have been a major roadblock for Morsy since he became the first democratically elected president in the history of Egypt.
Fears about female and minority rights have persisted since Morsy won an election in June, but el-Erian said that the draft explicitly protects rights both women and Egypt’s Christian minority.
“All national dreams about a democratic system reflecting the hopes of the people and also the identity and civilization, Arabic Islamic civilizations and Christians have their desires in the constitution according to their own draft given to the assembly,” he said.
The role of Sharia law has also been a point of concern - el-Erian said that the new constitution will incorporate a longstanding section that incorporates some of the “principles” of Sharia law, but he believes it will be broad enough to satisfy secular concerns.
But, in a development that may be worrisome to secular Egyptians, he added, that another article has been added “to explain” what the principles of Sharia are as interpreted by Muslim scholars.
Death sentences over anti-Islam film
KissYounger.com
debayo61@yahoo.com
Can't the egyptians see that their country is slowly being turned into another Iran? They need to throw out the radical leadrs and restore their once great civilization minus religious interference.
sir, we're trying our best, as liberal Muslims, to avoid the Iran experience. the only 5% fundementalists can't rule Egypt anymore. we need the USA help
Death sentence for anti Islam film begs the question: Is it a message to non-Moslems that the Lord God Almighty, Allah, cannot fight his own battles by himself and he needs frail human beings to do it for him, please?
Egypt's crisis will be over as soon as morsi and his mb crew are completely out of the government.
No sooner.
is it Morsy as CNN displays it on air for the last few days or Morsi
Mohamed Morsy is a devout member of the Muslim Brotherhood, former home to Ayman El Zawahri, the now Al-Qaeda leader responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the United States
Mr. Morsy, in a shameless power-grabbing move, anointed himself to be exempt from scrutiny for any action he might take, including judicial oversight, in effect placing himself above the law. His decree has sparked huge protests around the country with liberal, left-wing and Christians rightly accusing the Islamists of trying to impose their vision.
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According to Peace Worldwide Organization's Civility Report 2012, women are treated as second class citizens in Egypt. Many women are killed or burned in disputes known as “honor killings”. Many girls, Muslims and Christians, are subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM). President Mohamed Morsi was democratically elected in a fair election. To call for his step-down is absurd. However, Egyptians have every right to press their elected officials to refrain from abusing power and demand from them to enact law to provide equal rights to women and minorities.
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