Ahmed Bahaa El-Din Shabaan of the National Association for Change (NAC) and the Egyptian Socialist Party has rejected an offer from the ruling military junta (SCAF) to join a proposed advisory council tasked with advizing the junta during Egypt’s transition period. The advisory council is also expected to have a role in selecting members of the provisional assembly that will draft a new constitution.
Shabaan used his Facebook page to detail eight reasons why he refused the offer:
- SCAF witnessed and benefited from the Mubarak regime’s corruption without expressing discontent.
- SCAF is counter-revolutionary. It protects the country’s corrupt social and economic structure and has taken few serious measures against former regime members; while any measures it has taken were only after street protests that led to many deaths and injuries.
- SCAF has attempted to taint the revolution’s image and participated in creating the pro-SCAF rally in Abbassiya (a district of Cairo) to counter November’s Tahrir protests.
- SCAF connived with Islamist movements to push through March`s dubious constitutional referendum and create a ‘farcical parliament’ which only aims to end the revolution.
- SCAF was responsible for the Mohamed Mahmoud Street massacre that left scores of martyrs and spilt the blood of thousands of youth, many of whom were deliberately shot in the eyes by police. SCAF has protected the interior ministry’s murderers by standing against their trials.
- The proposed advisory council will have no authority. It’s role will be to legitimise SCAF, and the people and the revolution will condemn it. SCAF has frequently met and consulted with politicians and thinkers but then does only what suits its interests.
- Any cooperation with SCAF would merely extend military rule and be at the expense of those who fought, died or were injured for the revolution.
- All those who join the advisory council in the mistaken belief they are serving the nation should withdraw to protect their reputation and maintain the nation’s faith in them.
[Develiped in partnership with Ahram Online.]