Refuse American aid, and dismiss the government. However big the People's Assembly majority for either, it is not parliament's decision to take, writes Gamal Essam El-Din A majority of People's Assembly deputies approved the tabling of a motion of no confidence in the government of interim Prime Minister Kamal El-Ganzouri. The assembly's 11 March decision came after heated debate on the sudden lifting of a travel ban on Americans accused of illegal political activities while working in Egypt for foreign based NGOs. The assembly also demanded that whoever was responsible for the decision to allow the US citizens to leave Egypt be prosecuted, voted against accepting any future aid from Washington and asked the American government to repatriate a number of Egyptian prisoners convicted in the United States, including Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman. US Congress, said assembly speaker Saad El-Katatni, should listen carefully to the decisions of the Egyptian parliament and understand that the Egyptian people refuse any interference with their sovereignty. The decision to lift the travel ban on American defendants in the NGO case that had seen US- Egyptian relations deteriorate to their worst levels in decades had, said El-Katatni, shocked the public. "It is now clear to everyone," he told MPs, "that the US has not learned the lessons of the Egyptian revolution." "We will never accept that organisations infiltrate Egypt and threaten national security. I urge Congress and the administration to stop their double standards in dealing with issues of democratisation, human rights and national sovereignty." Voices from across the political spectrum have joined in the criticism of the US, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) and El-Ganzouri's government. El-Ganzouri apologised for not attending the assembly session. He opted instead to send the ministers of international cooperation, justice and civil aviation. Minister of International Cooperation Fayza Abul-Naga criticised Washington for allocating money to NGOs in Egypt without the permission of the relevant Egyptian authorities. She accused US organisations such as the National Democratic Institute of carrying out "illegal political activities while at the same time insisting "the strategic relationship between Egypt and the US continue because the two need each other". Minister of Justice Adel Abdel-Hamid told MPs "the lifting of the travel ban is now a matter of investigation by the Supreme Council of Justice and once the results of this investigation are known the assembly will be informed." Deputies from the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) accused El-Ganzouri's government of having no respect for the People's Assembly. "This government is no different to the governments of the former regime," said FJP spokesman Hussein Ibrahim. He demanded a vote of no confidence. "The government's reaction has been inadequate," said El-Katatni. "I urge you to formulate specific decisions and recommendations." Saad El-Husseini, the FJP chairman of the assembly's Budget and Planning Committee, demanded the government leave office and legislation strengthening the judiciary and civil society organisations be passed. Leftist MP El-Badri Farghali demanded Egypt refuse economic assistance from the US and that a list of all those who have benefited from such assistance in the past be published. Abdel-Moneim El-Sawy, chairman of the assembly's Culture Committee, pressed SCAF to issue an official apology to the Egyptian people for its role in lifting the travel ban on the Americans. FJP MP Mohamed El-Beltagui demanded the minister of interior be sacked and a government free of SCAF pressure replace El-Ganzouri's. Leading liberal Amr Hamzawy also demanded a new government free of military influence. "The prime minister must come to answer the assembly's questions and provide guarantees that the independence of the judiciary is sacrosanct," said Mahmoud El-Khodeiri, chairman of the Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee. On Monday tensions between the government and Assembly appeared to subside after several cabinet ministers appeared to answer the MPs' questions on several pressing issues, including incidents of foot and mouth disease. The lull did not last, ending on Tuesday when a police officer was arrested while reportedly inciting employees of an oil company to attack the People's Assembly. Under the Constitutional Declaration approved by public referendum on 19 March 2011 only SCAF can dismiss the government and appoint a new one, rendering any parliamentary withdrawal of confidence no more than a gesture.
