CAIRO: Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) said on Tuesday evening that it was considering modifying the country's electoral law. Speaking on a local news program, General Mamdouh Shahin, a SCAF member, said that the new modifications could change the electoral districts in the country. He argued that the SCAF was looking to change the laws already on the books in an effort to “take into account the interests of the country and the views of various political forces.” He added that it would soon be announced whether the People's Assembly and Shura Council elections would be held simultaneously or in stages, the last week of this month. It comes as the military announced over the weekend that it was “reactivating” a number of provisions in the country's anti-terrorism Emergency Laws in order to “maintain order.” Many in the country fear that the return of the draconian Emergency Laws could lead to a major crackdown of activists and a return of former President Hosni Mubarak's policies of the past three decades. One military official told Bikyamasr.com earlier this week that elections scheduled for later this fall could be pushed back as a result of the “chaos on the streets and the inability of the country to move forward.” Ironically, activists continue to push for greater reform, an end to military rule and elections. The lack of a confirmed timetable has many worried that the result could be similar to the 1952 military coup that installed the government of Gamal Abdel Nasser. “What could be happening is something very similar,” began activist Ramy Nasr, who told Bikyamasr.com that he fears the “military wants to maintain power because they believe they are more responsible for the revolution. It is sad and scary.” Already, the military has put a gag order on reporting testimony from the Hosni Mubarak trial and this has activists questioning the future of the country. “Where do we go from here, when it seems all the gains we made in January and February are being destroyed?” asked Nasr. BM
