Egypt braces for protests after Morsi calls for talks - BBC News

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 07 Desember 2012 | 16.14

7 December 2012 Last updated at 02:30 ET

Egypt is bracing for a day of fresh protests after opposition leaders reacted angrily to a televised speech by President Mohammed Morsi.

Mr Morsi, under fire for issuing a decree that gives him sweeping new powers, had invited all major political factions to a meeting on Saturday.

But an opposition spokesman said the president had missed a historic chance for compromise.

Late on Thursday, the Cairo offices of the Muslim Brotherhood were attacked.

Opposition supporters ransacked the Islamist movement's headquarters and set it on fire. The Muslim Brotherhood dominates the government and backs President Morsi.

Police also fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters gathered outside the president's house in his hometown of Zagazig, north of Cairo.

'National consensus'

US President Barack Obama called Mr Morsi on Thursday to express his "deep concern" over the recent violent protests, the White House said.

He welcomed Mr Morsi's call for talks, but stressed they should be "without preconditions", a statement said.

President Morsi

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

President Morsi says there were attacks "on defenceless people"

Egypt has been plunged into crisis since President Morsi issued a decree on 22 November stripping the judiciary of any power to challenge his decisions.

However, he says the decree would be cancelled after a referendum on a new constitution planned for 15 December, whatever the result.

The BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo says it is unlikely opposition groups will agree to the president's call for talks as they have insisted that he must withdraw his new powers before they open discussions.

Our correspondent says the president gave little sign of compromise on that in his speech, or on the referendum on the new constitution. Instead he blamed supporters of the old Hosni Mubarak regime for the demonstrations.

Nobel prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei, who is chief co-ordinator of the opposition National Salvation Front movement, expressed dismay at Mr Morsi's speech.

"We had hoped that the president would answer the continuing calls to rescind the constitutional decree and delay the referendum until there's national consensus on the constitution," he said in a televised address.

"We had wanted the president to have a comprehensive dialogue to save the country from the split that threatens it."

The National Salvation Front later issued a statement rejecting talks, saying "the fact that the presidency... persists in ignoring the demands and protests of the people has closed the door on any attempt for dialogue".

Another leading activist group, the April 6 movement, which played a major role in last year's revolt against Mubarak, said on its Facebook page that protests on Friday would deliver a "red card" to Mr Morsi.

Other opposition groups also called for protests after Friday prayers at mosques and in squares across Egypt, Reuters said.

Advisers resign

On Wednesday night and Thursday morning, thousands of supporters and opponents of President Morsi fought outside the presidential palace using rocks, petrol bombs and guns.

Five people were killed and hundreds more injured.

Egypt's elite Republican Guard restored order and told rival demonstrators to leave by mid-afternoon.

President Morsi's supporters withdrew but opposition protesters remained, penned back by a barbed wire barricade guarded by tanks.

By nightfall their numbers had swelled to several thousand.

Mr Morsi has confirmed that the referendum on a new constitution will go ahead as planned, saying that if the constitution were voted down, another constituent assembly would be formed to write a new draft.

Critics say the draft, drawn up by a body dominated by Morsi-supporting Islamists, was rushed through parliament without proper consultation and does not do enough to protect political and religious freedoms and the rights of women.

Four of Mr Morsi's advisers resigned on Wednesday. Three others did so last week and the official Mena news agency reported a further resignation on Thursday.

Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.

Read the terms and conditions


Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Egypt braces for protests after Morsi calls for talks - BBC News

Dengan url

http://goartikelasik.blogspot.com/2012/12/egypt-braces-for-protests-after-morsi.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Egypt braces for protests after Morsi calls for talks - BBC News

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Egypt braces for protests after Morsi calls for talks - BBC News

sebagai sumbernya

0 komentar:

Posting Komentar

techieblogger.com Techie Blogger Techie Blogger