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Unrest continues in Egypt ahead of constitution vote
Supporters and opponents of Egypt’s President Mohammed Mursi continued to protest in the streets of Cairo, with deep divisions on display over Saturday’s referendum on the country’s draft constitution.
Mursi, who represents the Muslim Brotherhood, was elected as president in June in Egypt’s first poll since the fall of Hosni Mubarak’s regime. However, protests against his rule began last month after he appeared to grant himself extra-judicial powers. Unrest intensified last week after Mursi ordered that a draft of the country’s new constitution be hurriedly assembled in a marathon session of the Islamist-dominated constituent assembly. The document is widely viewed as the cornerstone of the new, democratic Egypt, which will outline the powers of the president, parliament, the judiciary and military and will set out the role of Islamic law.
The country has been asked to approve or reject the draft constitution in a referendum on Saturday. While Mursi’s supporters view the document as key to the country’s stability and emerging democracy, it is bitterly opposed by those who see it as a power grab by Mursi. Yesterday, tens of thousands of Mursi supporters rallied at a mosque in Cairo, while — just two miles away — mainly secular opponents marched to the presidential palace.
Opposition leaders, such as Nobel Peace prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei and former Arab League chief Amr Moussa have demanded that Mursi shelve the draft constitution. Although this is unlikely to happen, it remains unclear whether they will call for a vote against the constitution or a boycott of the poll altogether. However, it has been suggested that the referendum could take place in two stages a week apart, with many judges apparently refusing to oversee the vote.
Mursi appeared to play a key role in brokering a truce between Israel and Hamas to bring about an end to Operation Pillar of Defence last month and his authority in the Sinai Peninsula is considered important to deterring terrorist attacks from the area aimed at southern Israel.