Egyptian Defense Minister calls for mass demonstrations to support for military

Egyptian Defense Minister Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi delivers a speech in Alexandria, Egypt, Wednesday, July 24, 2013. (Photo : AP Photo/Egypt State TV)

Egypt’s armed forces chief and Defense Minister Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday called on Egyptians to take to streets on Friday, to show support for the army’s fighting against “violence and terrorism.”

Following Sisi’s statement, Egypt’s presidency said that the country “has started a war against terrorism.”

“The call of defense minister for citizens to take to the streets is meant to protect the uprising (referring to the June 30 nationwide protests that eventually led to the fall of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi) and the state,” said presidential media adviser Ahmed al-Mislimani, following a meeting of interim President Adli Mansour and top officials over the country’s security conditions.

Mislimani also called on Egyptians to respond to the army’s calls and rally on Friday in support of combating violence and terrorism. The call appealed to “some” liberals who backed the army in ousting Morsi earlier this month, yet it was condemned by Islamist supporters of the deposed president as “an explicit call for a civil war.”

Mahmoud Badr, spokesman of the Rebel Campaign that sparked popular demands for Morsi’s ouster, announced its decision to take part in Friday’s massive rallies in response to the army’s invitation. The campaign renewed its rejection of violence and bloodshed and called for trial of those inciting killing and aggression, urging the Muslim Brotherhood youths not to listen to the calls of their leaders “who attempt to engage the country in a state of violence.”

Amr Moussa, leader of the liberal Conference Party and leading member of the opposition bloc, the National Salvation Front, voiced support for the army’s statement and intended procedures to combat violence and terrorism.

“I support the Armed Forces and the Interior Ministry to take necessary procedures against violence and terrorism that hit the country,” said Moussa in a statement Wednesday. “I stress the necessity of not taking any exceptional procedures that affect the right of peaceful demonstrations, sit- ins and general freedoms protected by the constitution,” he added.

However, April 6 Youth Movement has another say, as the movement does not show enthusiasm to the military statement and invitation for demonstrations, at least so far. “The army and the police do not need authorization to perform their duties and combat terrorism,” April 6 leading member Mohamed Adel told Xinhua.

Adel added that the movement, which played major roles in the uprisings that ousted Hosni Mubarak in early 2011 and Morsi earlier this month, has not yet decided whether it would take part in Friday’s intended demonstrations.

For his part, Ayman Nour, leader of liberal Ghal al-Thawra Party, showed disapproval of Sisi’s call for demonstrations and considered it a military interference in the country’s political life. “We ask General Sisi to withdraw his call for demonstrations, or resign and take off his military uniform and engage in the field of political work,” Nour tweeted.

On the other hand, Islamist supporters of ousted president Morsi on Wednesday described defense minister’s call as an explicit call for civil war. The National Alliance for Supporting Legitimacy, comprising over 30 Islamist groups including Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, said “the alliance holds Sisi responsible for the bloodshed of Egyptians.”

The remarks came in response to an earlier statement by Sisi on Wednesday calling Egyptians to take to the streets on Friday to authorize the army and police to tackle any potential violence. Sisi also stressed that the roadmap outlined by the army after toppling Morsi “can’t be undone.”

The alliance said Sisi’s statement was “inciting violence” and showed a state of disorder and confusion on part of those “who carried out the coup.”

“Our uprising is peaceful, it will remain peaceful and no one will be able to drive us away from our peacefulness,” Morsi’s supporters reaffirmed in the statement.

Further, the Brotherhood group of ousted president Morsi said in a statement Wednesday that “the Egyptian people will not fear or submit to such threats, will not give up their freedom and will not enter the darn of a new dictator, police-oriented regime.”

Essam al-Erian, vice-chairman of the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, referred to Sisi’s statement as “a statement for urging bloodshed made by leader of the fascist coup.” Sisi’s statement coincided with the opening session of the national reconciliation held at the presidency, attended by most liberal and leftist parties and boycotted by Islamists, a basic part of the equation.

Salafist Al-Nour Party, which approved Morsi’s ouster, and Strong Egypt Party, led by ex-presidential candidate Abdel-Moneim Aboul-Fotouh, a moderate Islamist and Brotherhood dissident, did not attend the reconciliation meeting. <Xinhua/NEWSis>