CAIRO: Hundreds of protesters gathered in Abbaseya Square on Friday in support of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) in what was dubbed the “Friday of Supporting the Council’s Ruling Legitimacy.”
The protest was called for by independent movements including I’m Egyptian, Egypt’s Voice, Voice of the Silent Majority, the Abbaseya Youth Coalition and the Silent Majority Movements Coalition.
Two main stages were set up in the vicinity of the square, one below the Abbaseya Bridge and the other in front of the Police Academy, thus splitting demonstrators into two groups. Last Friday, about 10,000 gathered in the same square for the same reason, also parallel to planned protests in and marches to Tahrir Square.
“We are here to support the SCAF’s constitutional legitimacy bestowed on it through the March referendum” Samia Zein Al-Abedin, media spokesperson of the Voice of the Silent Majority movement, told Daily News Egypt.
The referendum was on a list of constitutional amendments, followed by a constitutional decree that further detailed the scenario of the transition period and set the jurisdiction of the parliament and the president.
“We also refuse the United States and European Union intimidating the council into handing over its power,” Zein Al-Abedin added.
Demonstrators chanted: “The people and the army are one hand,” “the people want to evacuate Tahrir Square” and “the people trust the Field Marshal.”
Hossam Hazem, coordinator the Voice of the Silent Majority movement, came to Abbaseya to declare his support for newly-appointed Prime Minister Kamal El-Ganzoury’s Cabinet, which has yet to be formed.
“The new Cabinet has full legitimacy, since it was chosen by the SCAF,” he said.
El-Ganzoury was chosen by SCAF to replace Essam Sharaf, after his Cabinet resigned in the wake of a violent crackdown by the police on protester in and near Tahrir Square on Nov. 19-24. Protesters camped out in Tahrir and outside the Cabinet headquarters are demanding a premier not affiliated with the ousted Mubarak regime, and more powers to the Cabinet.
“We do not trust the choice or demands of the Tahrir protesters; they were the ones who asked for the dismissal of Ahmed Shafiq’s Cabinet and approved that of Essam Sharaf’s, a Cabinet which proved its failure,” Hazem said. “Egypt is not a trial and error field for Tahrir protesters.”
“The SCAF has met all its promises; it declared a date to hand over power and the elections took place on the planned date,” said Amr Ali, coordinator of the Silent Majority Movements Coalition.
Most protesters interviewed agreed that the first round of the parliamentary elections was a successful step towards the transfer of power to an elected government. However, their reaction varied regarding the trickling results, which put the Islamists — the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party followed the by the Salafi Al-Nour Party — in the lead.
Owner of the Faraeen Channel and its main TV host Tawfiq Okasha, who had publicized the demonstration, had previously said the advance of the Muslim Brotherhood was part of a conspiracy against Egypt.
His view, however, wasn’t the dominant one in the square, in spite of the demonstrators’ repeated chants and claims about an ongoing foreign conspiracy targeting Egypt.
“I believe Islam is the only way for the Egypt’s prosperity and hope Islamists would win the majority of the seats of the coming parliament,” Mohamed Ahmed, accountant, explained.
“I am a bit startled by the Islamists’ dominance over the results of the first phase; however we shouldn’t judge them before allowing them to have their chance,” Hazem said, “We have to respect the majority’s choice.”
“The results of the elections are fair and self-explanatory as the liberal movements are new to most Egyptian while the Islamist ones represent a safer option,” Ali said.
Protesters chanted for the military council and the Ganazoury cabinet. (Daily News Egypt Photo/Hassan Ibrahim)
