CAIRO: Prominent Egyptian politician and presidential candidate Ayman Nour described last night's violent clashes as “a stab into the heart of Egypt and its revolution.” Nour, head of the liberal al-Ghad Party, said treacherous powers inside and out of Egypt are responsible for Sunday night's clashed outside Maspiro, the Egyptian television and radio headquarters, that left 24 dead. These powers do not know the meaning of ‘nation,' ‘forgiveness' or ‘acceptance of others,' Nour said in a statement. The prominent opposition figure said there are many questions about the deliberate absence of rule of law and the state's reaction to tense situations and increasing chaos over the past months. He said the situation now is too dangerous to be dealt with by condemnations and being wise. He said immediate action that should be taken legally to heal the situation and understand the all reasons behind this sectarian violence. Nour raised for seven demands: 1. Activating the law criminalizing those who incited and caused the October 9 Maspiro clashes; 2. Referring those accused in the clashes to the judiciary; 3. Forming a neutral fact-finding committee concerned with human rights; 4. Specifying the political responsibility towards the incidents; 5. Dismissing Aswan's governor; 6. Accepting the resignation of Prime Minister Essam Sharaf's government, as it is a very weak caretaker; and 7. Forming a National Unity government able to control the Egyptian street and stop violence and thuggery. Nour said civil security forces should replace military police in Egypt's streets because of their failure in maintaining security. He also said the police should be reestablished and widened to include graduates from the Faculty of Laws. Last night's incidents put the military in a difficult position, said Nour. An armored vehicle was set on fire and some soldiers were killed, and Egyptian demonstrators were killed when armored vehicles ran over them and they were exposed to other violence, he added. He also called for investigating all sectarian violence incidents starting from those in Atfih, Helwan governorate, to October 9. There should be an apology from all fronts over the shortage of stemming the violence on October 9, said Nour, especially from the media as it prevented Egyptians from knowing the dangerous results which led to these incidents.
