Has the Arab Spring been hijacked by a movement seeking an Islamicist supremacy? Is there a pattern similar to that in Iran when the ousted Shah was replaced not by moderates and democrats but by hardline clerics and their political fellow travelers? Links to reports and analysis and reaction from Egyptians Christians.
Egypt’s new constitution limits freedoms and ignores rights of women
Ekklesia -The draft constitution approved by Egypt’s Constituent Assembly poses serious human rights problems, a number of NGOs have said.
Criticism has come from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty and others over the past 24 hours.
The draft falls well short of protecting human rights and, in particular, ignores the rights of women, restricts freedom of expression in the name of protecting religion, and allows for the military trial of civilians, Amnesty said on 30 November 2012.
“This document, and the manner in which it has been adopted, will come as an enormous disappointment to many of the Egyptians who took to the streets to oust Hosni Mubarak and demand their rights,” commented Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.
Freedom of religion is limited to Islam, Christianity and Judaism, potentially excluding the right to worship to other religious minorities such as Baha’is and Shi’a Muslims.
The constitution fails to provide for the supremacy of international law over national law, raising concerns about Egypt’s commitment to human rights treaties to which it is a state party.
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/17513
Egypt Islamists rally for Morsi
BBC news – Islamist backers of Egypt’s President Mohammed Morsi have held mass rallies to support his sweeping new powers and the drafting of a constitution.
The demonstrations in Cairo came after days of rival protests by supporters and opponents of the president.
His opponents are angry that the draft constitution was hastily passed by an Islamist-dominated assembly on Friday.
The assembly acted before Egypt’s top court could meet to rule on whether the body of MPs should be dissolved.
Senior judges have been in a stand-off with the president since he granted himself sweeping new powers last week.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20564038
Protesters vow to stop harline Isamist constitution
http://www.independent.ie/world-news/middle-east/protesters-vow-to-stop-hardline-islamist-constitution-for-egypt-3311478.html
Egypt’s highest court suspends work after Islamist protest
http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-highest-court-suspends-islamist-protest-120956520.html
No comfort zone for Egypt’s Christians
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/3/no.comfort.zone.for.egypts.christians/31178.htm
What Egypt’s Christians Think of Hastily Completed Constitution
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/november-web-only/what-egypts-christians-think-of-hastily-completed-constitut.html
Egypt Erupts Again: Christians Resist Muslim Brotherhood President’s Power Grab
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/november-web-only/egypt-copts-resist-muslim-brotherhood-morsi-power-grab.html