- EGYPT
- February 18, 2014
- 8 minutes read
Pro-Democracy National Alliance Reaffirms Position on Proposed Initiatives.
To the brave patriotic people of Egypt ..
Since the start of the coup on July 3, 2013, the Anti-Coup Pro-Legitimacy National Alliance has dealt with proposed solutions and ‘peace’ initiatives with open minds and hearts, so long as they guarantee the rights of the martyrs, protect the democratic path and affirm the goals of the January 25 Revolution.
In this context, the Alliance welcomed, in Statement No. 40, the proposal announced in July 2013 by Dr. Mohamed Selim El-Awa, Judge Tariq Al-Bishri and Dr. Seif-El-Din Abdel-Fattah and others.
Moreover, at the start of the crisis, the Alliance worked with the proposal to de-escalate the situation suggested by some international entities, as well as the efforts by the African Union’s Committee of Elders, in order to reach an atmosphere allowing national reconciliation. However, the putschists, persisting in their arrogance and haughtiness, did not give the proposals any consideration. In fact, they completely and explicitly rejected them. They then committed the massacres of the Republican Guard Club, the Memorial (Manasseh), Rabaa Al-Adaweya, Al-Nahda and others. And they continued to commit horrid crimes of killing, injuring, detaining and torturing all those who reject the coup.
So we turn to our great Egyptian people with details of our position that has been clear from the outset. Our strategic vision and all our statements have affirmed that the crisis in Egypt – created by the coup regime – should have been resolved politically through a return to constitutional legitimacy and the democratic path. But the military-installed regime chose to treat the crisis as a security problem in order to uproot all opposition, all supporters of the January 25 Revolution, or at least to exclude them from the political process.
We clearly affirmed that the Revolution will continue until its goals are achieved, and underlined the necessity of a real and serious political dialogue in order to save the nation. The question remains – addressed primarily to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF)… What is its plan to save the army and exit the political scene?
Recently, with the start of procedures for the alleged forthcoming presidential elections, Egypt has seen numerous proposals from a number of entities. Some were presented by those classified by the media as being in the camp of the military coup, and that is a new development. We do not accuse anyone presenting a solution. Indeed, we value any step that will further the goals of the Revolution, the people and the martyrs. The Alliance’s strategic vision identifies the correct starting point, affirming clear inalterable factors, ruling fundamentals, fair solutions and strategic goals. Among them are the following:
⁃ Striving to realize the goals of the great January 25 Revolution of "bread, freedom, social justice and human dignity" – in the face of systemic plots by the junta to sabotage and undermine the Revolution.
⁃ Ending the military coup and the police state, a return to the democratic path, and respect for the people’s will in determining their destiny.
⁃ Affirming the Arab and Islamic identity of Egypt with the cultural understanding built by its sons and daughters, Muslims and Christians.
⁃ Preserving national security, which requires SCAF to relinquish its grip on the political scene, and the return of the army to its real, important duties of defending the country’s borders.
⁃ Sovereignty, preserving the Egyptian state and national unity, and cohesiveness of the people. In this respect, the current atmosphere in Egypt rules out any serious dialogue, and hinders any sincere efforts to end the crisis.
⁃ The atmosphere in Egypt splits and disintegrates the fabric of society, not just at the social level, but even at the level of the extended family or single household. It is an atmosphere dominated by supporters of the coup, while all others are excluded or uprooted, even if they participated in the June 30, 2013 demonstrations which were used as an excuse for the assault on democracy and the January 25 Revolution. It is an atmosphere that knows only vengeance and hatred, broadcast by the coup media, while all other media rejecting the coup are shuttered or demonized and viciously attacked.
The Alliance is moving along the political path in parallel to the revolutionary path, keeping an open mind regarding proposals or efforts by any sincere, patriotic person. There is no contradiction between the continuation of the Revolution and any other methods supporting its demands. Politics, in our understanding, should serve the Revolution, its gains and its objectives.
So let us continue all our activities to realize the demands and objectives of the Revolution. Do not listen to any evil lies; and do your utmost in every endeavor.
In conclusion, we affirm that no one party can declare themselves a guardian over the great Egyptian people. They have the clear right to decide their destiny and to choose a path out of the crisis. This is a Revolution until victory.
The Anti-Coup Pro-Legitimacy National Alliance
February 16, 2014
