Divided Egypt votes on new constitution
15 December AFP
Egyptians began voting on Saturday on a new constitution supported by
the ruling Islamists but bitterly contested by a secular-leaning
opposition.
Polls opened in Cairo, Alexandria and eight other provinces and are
scheduled to close at 7:00 pm in the first round. The rest of the
country votes on December 22.
President Mohamed Morsi cast his ballot in a polling station close to
his presidential palace in Cairo, state television showed. He made no
comment to the media. Morsi's determined backing of the charter
triggered the power struggle with the opposition, which is backed by
judges who accuse the Islamists of overreaching.
Weeks of protests preceded Saturday's vote, sparking clashes by rival
camps in Cairo last week that left eight people dead and hundreds
injured.
In Alexandria, Egypt's second largest city, AFP correspondents said
the situation was calm the day after clashes between hundreds of
opponents of the draft charter and Islamists that occurred when a cleric
told worshippers at a mosque to support the constitution.
All that was left of the disturbance was graffiti on a nearby wall
saying “no” to the draft constitution.
Egypt's vote will be staggered over two rounds to ensure there will
be enough judges to monitor polling stations amid a rift within the
judiciary over the referendum process.
The first round's unofficial results are expected hours after polling
stations close. Morsi has ordered Egypt's military to help police
maintain security until the results are known. A total of 130,000 police
and 120,000 soldiers are being deployed, interior ministry and military
officials told AFP. Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood has organised large
rallies and a campaign in favour of the draft constitution. The main
opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front, mulled a boycott
before instead urging Egyptians to vote against the charter, which
rights groups say limits the freedoms of minorities and women.
In a small queue at a Cairo school serving as a polling station,
watched over by police and soldiers, several people said they were
voting against the constitution.“I'm voting because I hate the Muslim
Brotherhood, it's very simple. They are liars,” said one, Abbas
Abdelaziz, a 57-year-old accountant.Ali Mohammed Ali, an unemployed
65-year-old wearing a traditional long robe, said: “I voted for Morsi
and it was a mistake, a big mistake. This constitution is bad,
especially because it doesn't forbid child labour and opens the way for
the marriage of minors.” Nagat Radi, a veiled woman in her 50s, said
many articles in the draft constitution were problematic “and will hurt
our country and our children.”
She added: “The people are going in one direction and the Brothers in
another. Those voting 'yes' believe it is a gesture of piety and
obedience to the president.” Others were in favour of the proposed
charter.
Enayat Sayyed Mostafa, a retired woman, said: “I'm voting for
stability and for Dr Morsi's promised programme of renewal. I have gone
over the text to compare it with what the opposition is saying, and what
they say is false. It's a good constitution.” The referendum was only
made possible after Morsi assumed sweeping powers that stripped courts
of the right to annul the Islamist-dominated constituent assembly that
drafted the charter.
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