|
|
|
|
|
Islamist parties expect to win Egypt poll
Transition at risk, warns Yemen PM
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Special
to The Tribune
|
|
Islamist parties expect to win Egypt poll
Cairo, December 2 Islamist success at the polls in the most populous Arab nation would reinforce a trend in North Africa. Moderate Islamists-lead governments in Morocco and post-uprising Tunisia after election wins in the last two months. Egyptians voting freely for the first time since army officers ousted the king in 1952 seem willing to give Islamists a chance. “We tried everyone, why not try sharia (Islamic law) once?” asked Ramadan Abdel Fattah, (48) a civil servant. Parliament, whose exact makeup will be clear only after Egypt's staggered voting process ends in January, may challenge the power of the generals who took over in February after an uprising toppled President Hosni Mubarak, an ex-air force chief. The first-stage poll results are expected later today. Under pressure to hand over to civilian rule, the military council said it will keep powers to appoint or fire a cabinet and the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's oldest Islamic group, appeared to back off a statement from the party's head that the majority in Parliament should form a government. Some Egyptians fear the Brotherhood might try to impose Islamic curbs on a tourism-dependent country whose 80 million people include a 10 per cent Coptic Christian minority. But the Brotherhood, with deep roots in Egyptian society dating back to 1928, says its priorities are ending corruption, reviving the economy and establishing a true democracy in Egypt. Youthful demonstrators have called their protest, to remember the "martyred" and to reinforce their demand that the army step down immediately, for after Friday prayers in Tahrir Square, the epicentre of opposition to Mubarak's rule. The world is closely watching the election, keen for stability in Egypt, which has a peace treaty with Israel, owns the Suez Canal linking Europe and Asia, and which in Mubarak's time was an ally in countering Islamist militants in the region. Washington and its European allies have urged the generals to step aside swiftly and make way for civilian rule. But they also worry that Islamist rule in Egypt might erode social freedoms and threaten Cairo's 1979 peace treaty with Israel. The Brotherhood said on Friday on its website that its Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) is set to win about 43 per cent of seats allocated to party lists in this week's vote, which passed off peacefully with a big turnout but some infractions. Al-Nour Party, one of several newly formed ultra-conservative Salafist Islamist groups, is expected to pick up 30 per cent of assembly seats, according to the FJP's latest chart on its website. Nour said on Thursday it expected 20 per cent. The Salafi vision bars women and religious minorities, such as Christians, from top executive posts and seeks a return to Islamic codes that would ban alcohol, "un-Islamic" art and literature, as well as beach tourism that shows people's bodies. The liberal multi-party Egyptian Bloc has said it is on track to secure about a fifth of votes for party lists.
— Reuters
|
|
Transition at risk, warns Yemen PM
Sanaa, December 2 The bloodshed in Taiz made clear that a deal to ease President Ali Abdullah Saleh from power has yet to defuse 10 months of violent unrest over the fate of Saleh and the political future of the country. Prime Minister Mohammed Basindwa said his side would rethink its commitment to that pact if the killing in Taiz did not cease. In a statement, Basindwa said the killing in Taiz was "an intentional act to wreck the agreement" that opposition parties signed along with Saleh, who had thwarted the deal brokered by Yemen's Gulf neighbours on three prior occasions.
— Reuters
|
|
Special
to
The Tribune Hillary Clinton's historic visit to Myanmar is certain to strengthen the hands of the country's liberal-minded president and ministers. It is likely to encourage the reformers to push on with political and economic changes. While the exchanges between the US Secretary of State and the Burmese head of state has overshadowed almost everything else, except of course the meetings between the two ladies - Hillary and Aung San Suu Kyi--, the discussion between the US Secretary of State and the Speaker of the lower house, Thura Shwe Mann was just as important.
"We are making history," Shwe Mann told Clinton at their meeting. "We will continue our work - reform is irreversible," he stressed. "It is not easy to get everything right within one year," Clinton acknowledged. The US, she said, was heartened by the progress made so far. The registration of political parties, freedom of association, labour rights and the start of the release of political prisoners were very significant, she said. But Clinton went on to highlight the areas where Washington wanted to see further progress. The forthcoming bye-elections must be free, fair and credible and all the remaining political prisoners must be released, she insisted. Peace and national reconciliation throughout the country - especially in the ethnic minority areas -- is essential for Myanmar to progress; humanitarian assistance must be sent to refugees displaced by the fighting, she urged. This would show the government really cared, she added. Though she did not specifically refer to it, the US is particularly concerned about the situation in Kachin state, where there is continued violent incursions by the Burmese army into ethnic villages; more than 30,000 Kachins have been displaced in the last six months, according to the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) which is demanding greater autonomy in the region. Thura Shwe Mann responded warmly, according to government sources. "These are our promises," he replied. And assured the US Secretary of State that all four concerns - especially the release of political prisoners were an integral part of the country's reform agenda and would be put into practice as soon as possible. In return for further progress, Washington stood ready to help. "We will match your action, step by step, action by action," she told Shwe Mann. She promised to help open all possible doors for programmes to reduce poverty and improve people's lives through the World Bank, IMF and the UN. "We are also ready to help with educational scholarships, student exchanges, health-care and micro-finance schemes," she added. She also proposed parliamentary exchanges and offered to provide US experts. "We want to be your friend and partner," she stressed. "We will match your actions," promised Thura Shwe Mann. He stressed that his commitment and the US offers were promises - promises that must now be realised. "We'll look for opportunities to work together," he said. Clinton is said to have told President Thein Sein that Washington was considering upgrading diplomatic relations and appointing an ambassador to Rangoon. Currently the top US diplomat in Myanmar is a charge d'affaires after the US downgraded their representation in 1990 in protest against the bloody military coup in 1988 and the failure to repect the results of the 1990 election.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
Hillary Clinton's historic visit to Myanmar is certain to strengthen the hands of the country's liberal-minded president and ministers. It is likely to encourage the reformers to push on with political and economic changes.
