Egypt, France airdrop aid to Gaza amid growing humanitarian crisis, global criticism of Israel    Supply minister discusses strengthening cooperation with ITFC    Egypt launches initiative with traders, manufacturers to reduce prices of essential goods    SCZONE chief discusses strengthening maritime, logistics cooperation with Panama    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Egypt reviews health insurance funding mechanism to ensure long-term sustainability    Gaza on verge of famine as war escalates, ceasefire talks stall    Gaza crisis, trade on agenda as Trump hosts Starmer in Scotland    Egyptian president follows up on initiatives to counter extremist thought    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    Egypt will keep pushing for Gaza peace, aid: PM    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi calls for boosting oil & gas investment to ease import burden    EGX to close Thursday for July 23 Revolution holiday    Egypt welcomes 25-nation statement urging end to Gaza war    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    58 days that exposed IMF's contradictions on Egypt    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.



Egyptians vote en masse, Baradei attacked
Published in The Egyptian Gazette on 19 - 03 - 2011

CAIRO (Update 6) - Hordes of Egyptians flocked to the polling stations on Saturday, eager to vote in a referendum on constitutional amendments which will determine the near future of their country, after the fall of long-serving President Hosni Mubarak's regime.
Voters were asked to vote yes or no to the eleven proposed amendments drafted by a judicial committee appointed by the country's military rulers, who have pledged to hold early elections.
An Egyptian Gazette exit poll run in only of the nation's 29 governorates gave a slight majority to the 'yes' camp, although there were a few electors who refused to disclose which way they'd voted.
"I believe it's useless to say how I voted. We'll know the result in a few hours' time. What is important for me is to participate to feel the change," said Naglaa Abdel-Ghaffar, 31, as she cast her ballot in the Governorate of el-Qaliubia, north of Cairo.
Voters emerged from the polling stations with ink-stained fingers to prove they'd cast their ballots. The voting paper presented them with the full list of amendments and the choices of 'Agree' or 'Don't agree'.
The voters were divided between those who say the Constitution needs a complete rewrite and others who argue that the amendments will suffice for now and a new constitution can be written later.
Most political parties, including Al-Wafd and Tagammu, as well as youth activists, who spearheaded the January 25 Revolution, urged people to reject the amendments.
Such powers, backed by liberals and political figures, said they were afraid the amendments could create a new dictator.
"Forming a new constitution is easier and fairer. It's not a problem to make a constitution complying to the demands of the Revolution," said el-Sayyed el-Badawi, the head of Al-Wafd Party.
The Muslim Brotherhood, supported by other Islamist currents and the remnants of the formerly ruling National Democratic Party, campaigned strongly for the amendments to be passed.
"This is freedom and democracy. Indeed, this is Islam," Mohamed Badie, the group's leader, told journalists after casting his vote. "The people are the source of sovereignty."
Not without irregularities

The polling stations opened at 8am (06:00 GMT), staying open, in most areas, till 7pm, while in some others the presiding judges extended the opening time, due to an unprecedented turnout.
The results are expected tomorrow, according to a member of the judicial panel involved in running the referendum.
However, the polls were marred by several irregularities, although most human rights groups and NGOs said these wouldn't affect the final result.
The Egyptian Alliance for Observing the Elections, one of these NGO, said in a press release that the two prominent irregularities were, firstly, the Brotherhood's using banners on which were written "Say yes to be with Allah' in most governorates outside the polling stations and, secondly, the use of unstamped ballot papers.
"The Brotherhood used religious mottoes to press for endorsing the amendments. That was very clear. However, in some cases, the soldiers stopped them," read the release, a copy of which was obtained by The Egyptian Gazette.
It added that, in some areas, CDs with a sermon of veteran cleric Mohamed Hassan calling for voters to say yes were distributed to voters.
The Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR) also noticed the ballot papers were not stamped, as the judicial panel ordered the judges to sign them.
"Signing the papers was a good initiative, although some judges refused to sign them at first," said Hafez Abu Seda, the head of the EOHR, adding that the irregularities wouldn't fundamentally affect the final result.
Some other groups cited delays in opening the polling stations, the absence of judges, phosphoric fluid and curtains, as well as the fact that the ballot papers were not enough in some areas.
Representatives of the European embassies in Cairo monitored the polls in most Cairo areas. However, none of them was seen in other governorates.
A carnival for democracy

While Prime Minister Essam Sharaf asked for permission from voters who queued outside a polling station in Doqqi to cast his ballot without having to queue himself, a scuffle erupted between Cairo Governor Abdel-Azim Wazir and his bodyguard on one side and voters on the other because he jumped the queue.
"Today is a carnival for democracy and the fruit of the sacred January 25 Revolution. I'm sorry. I'm so busy, so please let me cast my vote," said Sharaf, who refused to disclose which way he voted.
In most polling stations, Cairo and other governorates, voters with special needs, the aged and women were given priority.
Mohamed ElBaradei, a former chief of the UN nuclear watchdog and a potential presidential candidate, was allegedly stoned by some voters in el-Moqattam, where he wanted to cast his ballot.
The electors, mostly sporting long beards, shouted "We don't want him", as his supporters shouted back "We want him". ElBaradei was jostled after joining a queue of people seeking to vote. He then returned to his car and stones were hurled.
Monitored by 17,000 judges, up to 45 million citizens were eligible to vote in the referendum in more than 54,000 polling stations across the nation, according to the judicial committee.
Voters aged 18 years or older were allowed to cast their ballots using just their National ID cards, opening the door to many Egyptians who do not have special voting cards that were mandatory in previous elections.
The Army said it would deploy 37,000 soldiers to help the police secure the streets.


Clic here to read the story from its source.