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| Egypt: pressure on Morsi rises as military reiterates ultimatum | Egypt: pressure on Morsi rises as military reiterates ultimatum |
| (3 months later) | |
| Egypt is braced for its most decisive day since the revolution that sparked the Arab spring revolts, with its military readying to suspend the country's constitution and potentially cripple the authority of its first democratically elected leader, Mohamed Morsi. | Egypt is braced for its most decisive day since the revolution that sparked the Arab spring revolts, with its military readying to suspend the country's constitution and potentially cripple the authority of its first democratically elected leader, Mohamed Morsi. |
| The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces late on Tuesday made clear that it would stick to an ultimatum it gave to Morsi on Monday, urging the embattled president to respond to a wave of mass protests within 48 hours, or face an intervention that would effectively subsume his government. | The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces late on Tuesday made clear that it would stick to an ultimatum it gave to Morsi on Monday, urging the embattled president to respond to a wave of mass protests within 48 hours, or face an intervention that would effectively subsume his government. |
| The military command again claimed that the widely anticipated events would not amount to a military coup. However, according to details of a roadmap for ending the crisis, obtained by Reuters, military commander Abdul Fatah al-Sisi would play a central role in the country's affairs, installing an interim council of civilians and delaying parliamentary elections until a new constitution was drafted. A senior military source said that scenario was the most likely among those being discussed. | The military command again claimed that the widely anticipated events would not amount to a military coup. However, according to details of a roadmap for ending the crisis, obtained by Reuters, military commander Abdul Fatah al-Sisi would play a central role in the country's affairs, installing an interim council of civilians and delaying parliamentary elections until a new constitution was drafted. A senior military source said that scenario was the most likely among those being discussed. |
| Morsi, a leading figure in the Muslim Brotherhood movement, took office after elections in June last year. His tenure as leader – the first to replace ousted dictator Hosni Mubarak – has been plagued by claims that governance under him has been strongly tilted towards his Islamist power base, at the expense of other key stakeholders in Egyptian society. Egypt's moribund economy has also taken centre stage since the weekend, which marked the first anniversary of Morsi taking office, with his government being blamed for chronic fuel shortages and high food prices. | Morsi, a leading figure in the Muslim Brotherhood movement, took office after elections in June last year. His tenure as leader – the first to replace ousted dictator Hosni Mubarak – has been plagued by claims that governance under him has been strongly tilted towards his Islamist power base, at the expense of other key stakeholders in Egyptian society. Egypt's moribund economy has also taken centre stage since the weekend, which marked the first anniversary of Morsi taking office, with his government being blamed for chronic fuel shortages and high food prices. |
| Supporters of Morsi have continually denied claims that the government is unrepresentative and on Tuesday said Egypt would not be "driven backwards" by the military's threat to intervene. Rallies were held by pro-Morsi supporters in parts of Cairo, including in Nasr City, and in the north of the country, in which Muslim Brotherhood leaders vowed an all-out battle to defend the status quo. There were reports that some men carried burial shrouds at the Nasr City rally to demonstrate the extent of their defiance. | Supporters of Morsi have continually denied claims that the government is unrepresentative and on Tuesday said Egypt would not be "driven backwards" by the military's threat to intervene. Rallies were held by pro-Morsi supporters in parts of Cairo, including in Nasr City, and in the north of the country, in which Muslim Brotherhood leaders vowed an all-out battle to defend the status quo. There were reports that some men carried burial shrouds at the Nasr City rally to demonstrate the extent of their defiance. |
| "Any coup of any sort will only pass over our dead bodies," senior Brotherhood official Mohamed el-Beltagy said in a speech at a rally on Monday night, calling for "families in all Egyptian governorates and villages to be prepared to take to the streets and fill squares" to support the president. | "Any coup of any sort will only pass over our dead bodies," senior Brotherhood official Mohamed el-Beltagy said in a speech at a rally on Monday night, calling for "families in all Egyptian governorates and villages to be prepared to take to the streets and fill squares" to support the president. |
| However the rallies were dwarfed in both size and fervour by a demonstration at the focal point of Egypt's revolution, Tahrir Square, which demanded that Morsi either quit, or form a power-sharing government that would sharply diminish the influence of his support base. | However the rallies were dwarfed in both size and fervour by a demonstration at the focal point of Egypt's revolution, Tahrir Square, which demanded that Morsi either quit, or form a power-sharing government that would sharply diminish the influence of his support base. |
| Those calling for the end of his presidency include an uneasy alliance of disaffected backers, as well as supporters of the former regime, liberals and secularists — many of whom were on opposite sides of a violent divide in the heady months after Mubarak fell. | Those calling for the end of his presidency include an uneasy alliance of disaffected backers, as well as supporters of the former regime, liberals and secularists — many of whom were on opposite sides of a violent divide in the heady months after Mubarak fell. |
| The breadth of opposition to Morsi appears to give him and the Muslim Brotherhood few options in the coming days and sets the scene for either an ignominious defeat or a new phase of violent uncertainty. Even the interior ministry, a staunch supporter of the Mubarak regime and a main protagonist in the clashes that followed, appears to have abandoned him. Morsi has repeatedly offered to speak with his opponents, but has been rebuffed at every turn by groups who increasingly feel they have little to gain by accepting a dialogue as his problems pile up. | The breadth of opposition to Morsi appears to give him and the Muslim Brotherhood few options in the coming days and sets the scene for either an ignominious defeat or a new phase of violent uncertainty. Even the interior ministry, a staunch supporter of the Mubarak regime and a main protagonist in the clashes that followed, appears to have abandoned him. Morsi has repeatedly offered to speak with his opponents, but has been rebuffed at every turn by groups who increasingly feel they have little to gain by accepting a dialogue as his problems pile up. |
| Several more key aides and cabinet ministers quit the Morsi government on Tuesday as the president met with General Sisi in the presidential palace. With the two men locked in a long discussion, military helicopters again circled Tahrir Square. The army released video footage taken from the helicopters that showed the festive scenes below, in an act that clearly demonstrated the armed forces remained resolutely behind the protesters. | Several more key aides and cabinet ministers quit the Morsi government on Tuesday as the president met with General Sisi in the presidential palace. With the two men locked in a long discussion, military helicopters again circled Tahrir Square. The army released video footage taken from the helicopters that showed the festive scenes below, in an act that clearly demonstrated the armed forces remained resolutely behind the protesters. |
| By nightfall, hours ahead of Sisi's expected announcement, Tahrir Square was once more overwhelmed by demonstrators, who had spilled across a bridge over the Nile and into a nearby roundabout. There were reports of sporadic armed clashes in Cairo early on Tuesday evening, with gunfire heard in Giza. However, the epicentres of both camps remained largely peaceful. | By nightfall, hours ahead of Sisi's expected announcement, Tahrir Square was once more overwhelmed by demonstrators, who had spilled across a bridge over the Nile and into a nearby roundabout. There were reports of sporadic armed clashes in Cairo early on Tuesday evening, with gunfire heard in Giza. However, the epicentres of both camps remained largely peaceful. |
| Long regarded as a trusted and integral part of Egyptian life, the military has never been far from events during the past two and a half years. It distanced itself from Mubarak as his authority crumbled, then was accused of overplaying its hand during the transitional phase that led to last year's elections. Over the last few days, however, it has been widely embraced by an eclectic array of Morsi opponents who are more comfortable with military leaders taking centre stage in a new phase of political life. | Long regarded as a trusted and integral part of Egyptian life, the military has never been far from events during the past two and a half years. It distanced itself from Mubarak as his authority crumbled, then was accused of overplaying its hand during the transitional phase that led to last year's elections. Over the last few days, however, it has been widely embraced by an eclectic array of Morsi opponents who are more comfortable with military leaders taking centre stage in a new phase of political life. |
| "I voted for Morsi, but I changed my mind because he didn't live up to what he promised," said Ahmed Mahmoud, 25, in Tahrir Square. "If it wasn't for the recent army statement, we'd all be in a state of war. | "I voted for Morsi, but I changed my mind because he didn't live up to what he promised," said Ahmed Mahmoud, 25, in Tahrir Square. "If it wasn't for the recent army statement, we'd all be in a state of war. |
| Shaima Salah, 28, said the military's role in any post-Morsi period should be short and limited. "The only solution is for the army to lead a very short transitional period, until new presidential elections," she said. "But I'm worried about the army taking over the state, and Egypt going back to a military kind of government." | Shaima Salah, 28, said the military's role in any post-Morsi period should be short and limited. "The only solution is for the army to lead a very short transitional period, until new presidential elections," she said. "But I'm worried about the army taking over the state, and Egypt going back to a military kind of government." |
| As night fell, there was intense interest in Tahrir Square in the position towards Morsi of the US president, Barack Obama, whose public support for the 2011 revolution after 17 days was a death knell for the Mubarak regime. After a flurry of rumours that Obama had called for Morsi to hold early elections, his office denied the claim. | As night fell, there was intense interest in Tahrir Square in the position towards Morsi of the US president, Barack Obama, whose public support for the 2011 revolution after 17 days was a death knell for the Mubarak regime. After a flurry of rumours that Obama had called for Morsi to hold early elections, his office denied the claim. |
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