(Photo by Aya Nader)
By Aya Nader
The 6 April Youth Movement held a press conference Wednesday evening to propose an initiative addressing the current political, social and economic problems in Egypt.
“We are in a defining moment,” said the general coordinator of the movement, Amr Ali. Egypt’s current political system is fractured, he asserted, leading the movement to offer up an initiative to unify the country’s diverse parties to emerge from the current political crisis.
The general coordinator said 6 April would take to the streets on the anniversary of the 25 January Revolution, free of political affiliation. “We are not targeting [to commemorate] the day, but rather the spirit of the 25 January Revolution,” said Ali. “Every party participating that day must be peaceful.”
“We need to avoid a bloody scene,” he added. “If things get out of control, we will enter a period of chaos that would be hard to get out of. Many conflicts in the past have ended with an initiative like [the one we are proposing].”
6 April said its initiative would focus on five goals: a social charter, a media charter, the distinction of the relationship between government and civic organisations, an economically-targeted government and an all inclusive judiciary law.
The movement stressed the need for a media charter barring hate speech, violence, defamation and polarisation. The movement had previously suggested such a charter to the Beblawi government.
Ali added that all citizens should be held equal before the law, and called for justice – “not vengeful justice, but transitional justice.”
The movement also demanded a social charter approved by all political groups and the state to end the current state of violence.
25 January, the movement said, should act as a day to end the current political polarisation.
Ali asserted that if the Muslim Brotherhood could let go of the idea that Mohammad Morsi is coming back to the presidency, then they have achieved a part of the initiative.
“We are 90 million Egyptians, and we cannot eliminate any part of the nation,” regardless of their political views. “We are different in all ways, but destined to live with each other.”
