Egypt, Elsewedy review progress on Ain Sokhna phosphate complex    US employment cost index 3.6% up in year to June 2025    Egypt welcomes Canada, Malta's decision to recognise Palestinian state    Pakistan says successfully concluded 'landmark trade deal' with US    Sterling set for sharpest monthly drop since 2022    Egypt, Brazil sign deal to boost pharmaceutical cooperation    Modon Holding posts AED 2.1bn net profit in H1 2025    Egypt's Electricity Ministry says new power cable for Giza area operational    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Italian defence minister discuss Gaza, security cooperation    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Nile dam with US senators    Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism    Egypt exports first high-tech potato seeds to Uzbekistan after opening market    Health minister showcases AI's impact on healthcare at Huawei Cloud Summit    On anti-trafficking day, Egypt's PM calls fight a 'moral and humanitarian duty'    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Parliament Review: A week of comedy and disappointment
Published in Almasry Alyoum on 09 - 02 - 2012

This week's parliamentary sessions had the public joking about airing future sessions on comedy channels instead of news, and those who abstained from the polls telling those who participated, in hope of having a legitimate authority representing them, “I told you so.”
The Port Said violence that left over 70 dead last Wednesday presented Parliament with its first major challenge, as the public looked to it to take decisive action in response to the event as well as the clashes that later erupted around the Interior Ministry in Cairo and in Suez. Those later clashes left 15 dead and over 200 injured.
The public's hopes were crushed by the results of Parliament's sessions, during which the ministers of Petroleum and Interior were interrogated and three fact-finding committees were limited to unexecuted recommendations.
In the parliamentary sessions, the Port Said massacre took a back seat to the clashes around the Interior Ministry, which erupted when protesters headed to the ministry last Thursday to protest its role in the massacre.
Following an emergency session last Thursday, Parliament formed a fact-finding committee which issued its initial report, accusing security authorities of failing in their responsibilities to secure the stadium, concluding that the massacre was the result of a carefully orchestrated plan.
Discussions relating to the security crisis, unemployment and shortages in petrol and gas occupied limited time during the sessions, which were dominated by disagreements that escalated into screaming matches and accusations among parliament MPs about whether those protesting near the Interior Ministry were “thugs” or “revolutionaries” and whether the ministry used birdshot against them.
On Monday, Parliament speaker Saad al-Katatny sent a fact-finding committee to the scene of the clashes to determine whether the ministry used violence against protesters.
Katatny said that Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim had informed him that the forces used nothing but tear gas on protesters, at which point Egyptian Bloc MP Mohamed Abu Hamed, who was part of the fact finding committee, creating a commotion in Parliament by holding up a birdshot pellet.
In Tuesday's session, attended by the interior minister, the committee determined that protesters were injured and killed with pellets and live fire. It held the ministry responsible for protester deaths and recommended a no confidence vote against Ibrahim, that the ministry be restructured and reformed, the ministry's removal to another location, a law managing peaceful protests and the return of protesters to Tahrir Square.
Despite the committee's recommendations against the ministry, Ibrahim still contradicted the committee's conclusions in his statement to Parliament and walked out without being subjected to a no confidence vote as recommended.
The interior minister insisted that security forces only used tear gas on protesters and that they only fired it in defense of the ministry building when it was attacked. The minister also said that infiltrators among the protesters used birdshot and other weapons against the ministry's forces.
The minister left Parliament with nothing more than a few critical responses from the MPs.
MP Ziad al-Elaimy, representative of the Egyptian Bloc, subtly accused the minister of lying, saying that the MPs could smell the tear gas in Parliament on a day that the minister claimed no tear gas was fired. Elaimy said that the violence is a conspiracy that serves the ruling military council's goal of maintaining power.
Other MPs accused Ibrahim of being unaware of what is taking place in his ministry and of being unable to control the corrupt elements in it who, based on his testimony and the findings of the fact-finding committee, must be using weapons behind his back.
This week marked a sharp decline in the revolutionary forces' already shaky faith in Parliament.
During the discussion, most MPs insisted on calling those protesting at the Interior Ministry “thugs.” MP Mostafa Bakry accused them of being agents sent by the US and Mohamed ElBaradei. Mohamed Mostafa, representative of the Salafi-oriented Nour Party, accused protesters of taking drugs. Even though the party apologized for the MP's statement, he reiterated the accusation in the next session, saying that it was important to differentiate between protesters and thugs.
Not only did Parliament fail to take decisive action to stop violence against protesters, some MPs handed the speaker a request on Monday for the Parliament to allow the Interior Ministry to protect itself against assaults, which, if passed, would give the ministry a green light to use live ammunition against protesters.
While most MPs were critical of protesters, a few emerged as the opposition wing within Parliament. This group is led by MPs Elaimy, Abou Hamed, Hamdy al-Fakharany, Mohamed Abdel Moneim al-Sawy, Bassem Kamel, Mohamed Shabana, Amr Hamzawy, Amr al-Shobaky and Mostafa al-Naggar.
Those MPs were often interrupted and yelled at when they spoke out against the assault on protesters around the Interior Ministry.
In an indication that these MPs share the public's concern that, while being the most legitimate authority currently in place, Parliament is unable to take effective action, some of them returned to the street.
Five MPs started a sit-in outside Parliament on Monday, which was suspended the next day when the assaults on protesters around the Interior Ministry stopped.
The chaos that marked the week's sessions peaked when Salafi MP Mamdouh Ismail stood up in the middle of a session and raised the call for prayer, bringing to life jokes that have been spreading about the Islamist-dominated Parliament. Parliament speaker Katatny, from the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, however, firmly instructed the MP to stop, telling him that this is not a place for prayer.
While Katatny refused to let Parliament be transformed into a mosque, he did allow a brief religious sermon from MP Sayed Askar, who gave a short speech explaining how interrupting Parliament by the call for prayer doesn't comply with religion.
Many of Parliament's subcommittees met with ministers and issued recommendations, but only one committee succeeded in having its recommendations executed, marking one much-needed victory for Parliament in a week of otherwise disappointing performances.
In compliance with Defense and National Security Committee recommendations, the Interior Ministry issued orders to separate the figures of Mubarak's regime in jail and begin preparations for transporting the former president from Sharm el-Sheikh to Tora Prison hospital.


Clic here to read the story from its source.