Thursday, March 22, 2007

"Increasing democracy in Egypt"?

Egypt's police ban opposition protest » Kuwait Times Website: "Some opposition members promptly called yesterday for a boycott of the referendum. But the Muslim Brotherhood -Egypt's largest opposition movement -said it might call instead for its supporters to show up at the polls and vote against the measures. The head of the Brotherhood's political bloc, Mohammed Saad El-Katatni said the group would decide within a day whether to boycott or participate in the referendum. The government and ruling party have said the amendments are part of a reform package aimed at increasing democracy in Egypt, where the 78-year-old Mubarak has ruled unchallenged for a quarter century.

But the opposition says the changes are aimed at ensuring the ruling party's lock on power, part of what they call a plan by Mubarak to ensure that his son, Gamal, succeeds him in a future election."

No comments: