EGYPT UPDATE: 'Brotherhood uprising call a dangerous turn'
CAIRO - A Muslim Brotherhood call for an uprising in response to a “massacre” of its supporters after the military’s ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi could mark a bloody new stage in the turmoil rocking Egypt, analysts warn.
At dawn today, after days of deadly violence and rising tensions between the Islamists and those who had called for Morsi’s departure, the Brotherhood said security forces killed dozens of its supporters during prayers outside an army headquarters in Cairo.
Afterwards, the Brotherhood’s political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, called for “an uprising” against those trying to “steal their revolution with tanks”.
And the movement likened army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the general behind Morsi’s ouster, to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying he wanted “to take Egypt in the same direction as Syria” and rule from behind the scenes.
“The Muslim Brotherhood are adopting a very dangerous attitude. They are insisting on escalating the situation,” said Hassan Nafaa, professor of political science at Cairo University.
He branded the Brotherhood leadership “extremists” and called on the moderate wing within the movement to pressure them into restraint.
“Emotions are very high, and there is real anger on the streets,” Nafaa warned.
Today’s was the latest in a wave of violence since Morsi’s ouster that has left scores dead nationwide, including at least 37 following Islamist rallies on Friday, and despite talk of peaceful protests.
Egyptian analyst Hisham Kassem highlighted the danger of extremists exploiting the tensions, including ex-Islamic militant group Gamaa Islamiya and jihadists in the restive Sinai peninsula.
Gunmen killed a Coptic priest there on Saturday, while other militants shot dead a police officer.
“There is a danger that some of them may resort to terror. If the army does not guarantee security, what is happening may make us wish for our dictators,” Kassem said, alluding to Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian autocrat ousted in a popular uprising in February 2011.
Like others, he argued that inflammatory language being used by the Islamists had stoked the unrest.
Residents of the normally quiet Cairo neighbourhood of Menial said a deadly attack on Friday began shortly after the Brotherhood’s supreme guide, Mohammed Badie, gave a fiery speech to Morsi supporters in Cairo’s Nasr City.
“They are attempting to reverse the situation by creating panic, by putting the situation out of proportion,” Kassem argued.
But he said there was currently no reason to fear the deteriorating security situation would drag Egypt in the same direction as Syria, where more than two years of conflict has killed more than 100,000 people.
“Here we have a professional army that refused to fire on its people. When Morsi ordered them to rein in the country they refused.”
Another scenario that events in Egypt have prompted media references to is the one that arose in Algeria in the early 1992 when the army decided to cancel elections that an Islamic party was poised to win.
The decision sparked almost a decade of appalling bloodletting, with some 200,000 people killed in fighting that pitted Islamist insurgents against the military and took a particularly heavy toll on civilians.
“In Algeria it was a real dream (to elect an Islamist government). It was a theoretical alternative. But in Egypt the Islamists stayed in power for one year and the people were suffering at the end of it,” said Egyptian political analyst Amr el-Shobaki.
He was referring to the widely held belief among the millions who marched last week calling for his ouster that Morsi failed to improve the lives of ordinary Egyptians during his year in power.
Morsi’s turbulent rule was marked by accusations he failed the 2011 revolution by concentrating power in Islamist hands and letting the economy go into freefall.
But while discounting violence of the kind that devastated Algeria, Shobaki called some of the language used by the Brotherhood’s leaders “shocking”.
He warned that some of them were manipulating Islamist youths, which “could lead towards violence”. “It is a danger,” he said.
In the immediate future there has been speculation that the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which starts this week, might help calm the situation by encouraging protesters to stay at home.
But analysts expressed doubt.
“The situation is so complicated right now that I don’t think it will make any difference,” said Kassem. - AFP
Read more: EGYPT UPDATE: 'Brotherhood uprising call a dangerous turn' - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/font-color-red-egypt-update-font-brotherhood-uprising-call-a-dangerous-turn-1.315578#ixzz2YV1wsHVI
Syria war a lesson for local 'rebels'
STAY TRUE: In voicing discontent, don't let opportunists lead you into anarchy
THE flowing brown robe of Syrian abbess Mother Superior Agnes-Mariam de la Croix, turned heads at the hotel lounge where she met this writer in Petaling Jaya recently.
Towering in height, yet soft-spoken, Agnes-Mariam is a peace activist who travels the globe to speak on what had transpired in the Syrian civil war.
She waved her hands to emphasise her concern about what she described as skewed reports by the international media, which portrayed the war as being triggered by a popular uprising that turned bloody after the Syrian army had started killing protesters.
"I know that is not true. I was on the ground and witnessed everything. It was planned from the beginning by a number of terrorists who decided to join the fray to create instability and chaos for their own gain."
When she saw blood splattered in the streets near her church after several civilians were killed by so-called "jihadists" in Homs, Agnes-Mariam realised that extremism had taken over the war.
"I know that jihad or a revolution has nothing to do with spilling the blood of innocents or raping women and children," said Agnes-Mariam as she heightened the tone of her voice in disapproval.
She insisted that what had begun as peaceful rallies against the government was usurped by opportunistic extremists.
She said Malaysia should mitigate religious or political extremism from plaguing its nation.
The 60-year-old was fearful for her country's future.
Agnes-Mariam claimed that Syrians in general had regretted supporting the opposition who did not stop the terrorists from being part of their movement.
It is a story "rebellious" Malaysians should take time to digest, before going on a march in demonstrations precipitated by anarchic justifications.
It is not the intention of this writer to equate the opposition bloc with terrorists, but rather as opportunists, as the people had seen the chaos at the last Bersih rally.
Bersih leader Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan may have claimed that the rally was apolitical, but she seemed to be allied with politicians with a penchant for riling the people to topple the government.
The illegal rally had breathed new life into Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's ongoing offensive through street demonstrations, even after the recent general election.
And Anwar is perhaps the chief opportunist in this matter.
Using the people for political gain, the opposition leader had hid behind the people on numerous occasions, to give the impression that they were with him.
A non-governmental organisation leader and ally to Anwar, Haris Ibrahim made the situation worse by among others, coercing people to hunt down alleged "Bangladeshi voters" on polling day.
Little did they realise that their extremist ways if left unchecked, will drive public order asunder; all for the sake of grabbing power and to kick-start early campaigning.
It is common for the people to voice their discontent openly in a democracy.
But by drilling them to create an "Arab Spring" here in Malaysia, it only showed that Anwar and his cohorts had been interested in expropriating the people's voice.
It is fortunate, however, that many Malaysians, regardless of their political leanings, have become more aware of the opposition's intentions.
The recent gathering at Padang Merbok last month had failed to attract the desired crowds, as the people were tired of being dragged around like a political tool.
Agnes-Mariam had seen first hand how matters could spin out of control because of self-serving needs.
Malaysians should learn well from her experience.
Read more: Syria war a lesson for local 'rebels' - Columnist - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/syria-war-a-lesson-for-local-rebels-1.315158#ixzz2YV2eLHtA
Tentera tembak penyokong Mursi
KAHERAH 8 Julai - Pergolakan di Mesir semakin membimbangkan hari ini dengan 51 orang terbunuh apabila pasukan keselamatan melepaskan tembakan peluru hidup dan gas pemedih mata ke arah penunjuk perasaan pro-Mohammed Mursi di ibu pejabat tentera Pengawal Republikan di sini.
Lebih menyedihkan, daripada jumlah itu, seramai 35 orang penyokong bekas Presiden itu maut ditembak ketika sedang menunaikan sembahyang subuh di kawasan terbuka berhampiran dengan Masjid Rabaa Adawia yang menjadi lokasi penyokong Mohammed Mursi berhimpun.
Pada masa yang sama, pergerakan Ikhwanul Muslimin menggesa pemberontakan diadakan selepas kejadian tersebut yang memusnahkan harapan tentera untuk mendapat sokongan meluas dalam menubuhkan kerajaan awam sementara Mesir.
Lebih 200 orang dilaporkan cedera dalam demonstrasi tersebut.
Tentera menyatakan, 'kumpulan pengganas' yang merujuk kepada penyokong Mohammed Mursi, cuba menyerbu kawasan kompleks Pengawal Republikan, lokasi bekas Presiden itu ditahan, menyebabkan seorang pegawai tentera maut dan 40 orang lagi cedera.
Jurucakap rasmi Ikhwanul Muslimin, Gehad El-Haddad yang berada di lokasi demonstrasi di Masjid Rabaa Adawia berkata, tembakan dilepaskan pada awal pagi ketika anggota pergerakan itu sedang menunaikan solat subuh dan mengadakan tunjuk perasaan secara aman di luar ibu pejabat tentera tersebut.
Seorang penunjuk perasaan, Abdelaziz Abdelshakua dari wilayah Sharqia, cedera di kaki dipercayai ditembak.
"Kami sedang solat subuh dan mendengar bunyi tembakan. Seorang pegawai tentera memberi jaminan tiada apa-apa, namun kemudian tiba-tiba kami ditembak dari arah ibu pejabat Pengawal Republikan.
"Mereka melepaskan tembakan peluru hidup, peluru getah dan gas pemedih mata,'' katanya.
Dalam pada itu, Jemaah Islamiyah dan sayap politiknya, Parti Pembangunan dan Pembinaan menggesa Presiden sementara, Adly Mansour berundur daripada jawatannya bagi mengurangkan ketegangan yang timbul ekoran konflik politik tersebut.
Pergerakan tersebut dalam satu kenyataan semalam menyifatkan pelantikan Adly 'tidak sah' dan salah di sisi undang-undang. - REUTERS/AGENSI
Artikel Penuh: http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/Luar_Negara/20130709/lu_03/Tentera-tembak-penyokong-Mursi#ixzz2YV3D5Tz4
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Mesir berisiko perang saudara - Putin
MOSCOW 8 Julai - Presiden Rusia, Vladimir Putin semalam menyatakan Mesir kini berisiko terjerumus ke dalam perang saudara ekoran tindakan tentera menggulingkan Presiden Mohammed Mursi.
Beliau bagaimanapun, melahirkan harapan agar Mesir tidak mengalami nasib yang sama seperti Syria.
Syria sudah berada dalam perang saudara dan Mesir kini bergerak ke arah yang sama, katanya kepada agensi berita RIA Novosti.
Berpuluh-puluh orang maut dalam pertempuran antara penyokong dan penentang Mursi sejak tindakan tentera menggulingkan Presiden Mesir tersebut. - REUTERS
Artikel Penuh: http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/Luar_Negara/20130709/lu_04/Mesir-berisiko-perang-saudara---Putin#ixzz2YV3usGoW
© Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd
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