CAIRO: Ahmed Maher, general coordinator of the April 6 Youth Movement, was forced to step down on Saturday ahead of the movement's general elections scheduled for next month, in the latest sign of internal tensions. A temporary administrative committee will lead the movement until the board elections take place in July, a decision that was reached by the coordination committee during last weekend's meeting. Maher was recently accused of allowing two members of the movement to attend a workshop organized by Freedom House, a US-based non-profit, nonpartisan organization, which the group said is not in line with its foundations. The April 6 movement prohibits its members from taking part in any activities that are organized by American associations. The temporary administrative committee will be headed by Kefaya leader Mostafa Aker and will include April 6 members Mohamed Awad and Ahmed El-Guindy. This committee will be tasked with preparing for the general assembly as well as the member's applications ahead of the elections. Separately, the coordination committee will form an independent five-member body to investigate allegations surrounding the Freedom House incident. Its members will be selected in a voting session that will take place during next week's meeting. Four Kefaya leaders will form a "council of judges to assist the five-member committee throughout the investigation. The judges include general coordinator Abdel-Halim Kandil, Wafaa Al-Masry, Yehia El-Kazaz and Saher Gad. "The decision to discharge me is a result of a struggle between several political streams that are trying to take over the movement, Maher told Daily News Egypt. He refused to acknowledge the decision suggesting that it can only be carried out by the movement's high board and not by the coordination committee. The decision to dismiss Maher was a democratic one, said Mohamed Abdel Aziz, deputy coordinator of the youth movement, noting that Maher left the room after the majority voted for his dismissal. Abdel Aziz added that the committee is leaning towards eliminating the general coordinator position for a more general leadership comprised of five board members, a decision that will be voted on at the next board meeting. "We are supporting their decision to adopt 'group leadership' because it is more suitable for the nature of the movement, which has turned from a virtual idea in cyber space to a reality that has carved its place on the Egyptian street, said Kandil, emphasizing that Kefaya is "democratically offering its support to the youth of April 6.
