CAIRO: Egyptian activists have called for a mass “Legitimacy of the Revolution” rally in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Sunday, the eve of the first stage of Egypt's parliamentary elections. Egypt's activists and politicians have taken to the streets across the nation to demand the removal of their military government over the last 9 days, facing immense police brutality that has left over 40 dead and over 3,000 injured in cities throughout the country. Protesters will gather to further press their demands that the nation's interim military rulers, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), immediately cede power to a civilian “national salvation,” government headed by Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei. ElBaradei's office released a statement late Saturday, officially accepting his appointment as the head of the national salvation government, offering to see the nation through elections and democratic transition. 24 of Egypt's liberal political parties have signed onto a statement vowing that they will not leave Tahrir Square until their military leaders step down. An ongoing sit in has also continued in front of Egypt's cabinet building. Demonstrators have gathered to protest the appointment of Kamal al-Ganzouri as the nation's new prime minister, after the resignation of Egypt's entire cabinet, led by former Prime Minster Essam Sharaf. The first stage of Egypt's parliamentary elections are set to take place on Monday, with two more stages taking place over the next three months. Egypt's parliament will form a 100-person Constitutional Committee, set to draft the nation's next constitution. Activists and protesters have set to boycott the elections, as they do not acknowledge the legitimacy of the military council's authority to govern the state. “The elections have to be postponed. How can we vote after they have slaughtered us?” one activist from Alexandria said to Bikyamasr.com. “The gas pipelines in the Sinai were bombed Friday for the eighth time this year. If the SCAF cannot even control this, then how can they control elections?” he went on. Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and their affiliated Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), however, have distanced themselves from the ongoing protests, pushing instead for scheduled elections. They are expected to take the largest gains in the scheduled elections. BM
