Egypt’s Second Revolution: Morsi And The Muslim Brotherhood Deposed In Military Coup

image credit: BBC

Chris Carrington
Activist Post

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood Party have been removed from power by the Egyptian Army. There are no reports that Morsi or any members of his government were harmed during their removal from power, though clashes continued between those supporting and those opposing the government with some 14 deaths and scores of injuries reported.

General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi made a television address in which he said that president Morsi:

…had failed to meet the demands of the Egyptian people.

As he spoke, military vehicles could be seen fanning out across Cairo.

Jeremy Bowen, Middle East editor for the BBC, who is in Tahrir Square commented:

The military’s move against the Muslim Brotherhood was well planned. Intervention must have been in the mind of the army chief, Gen Sisi, for some time. Muslim Brotherhood activists were arrested. Islamist TV stations were taken off the air. 

In the elections that followed the Arab uprisings of 2011, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, and its offshoots across the region, did extremely well. That was because it was well organised, with a reputation for honesty, and took advantage of the failure of secular parties to organise themselves. 

But now the Egyptian army has inflicted a serious blow on the Muslim Brotherhood. One question is whether the Brotherhood will be forced back underground, as it was when it was banned in the years before 2011. 

The Brotherhood foreswore violence many years ago. But there are jihadist groups in Egypt that have not. The army has calculated it can handle any trouble. But it is playing for high stakes – the future of Egypt. (Source)

Morsi, Egypt’s first freely elected president, and his team are being held under house arrest as the army announced there would be elections to choose the new president as soon as the arrangements can be made.

Arrest warrants have been issued for more than 250 people following the military takeover. Adli Mansour, the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, is acting as interim head of state.

President Obama expressed concern over the coup in a statement issued by the White House:

… we are deeply concerned by the decision of the Egyptian Armed Forces to remove President Morsi and suspend the Egyptian constitution. I now call on the Egyptian military to move quickly and responsibly to return full authority back to a democratically elected civilian government as soon as possible through an inclusive and transparent process, and to avoid any arbitrary arrests of President Morsi and his supporters. (Source)

A statement released by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the chairman of the budget committee for the state department and foreign assistance, warned that US aid to the country should be stopped:

Egypt’s military leaders say they have no intent or desire to govern, and I hope they make good on their promise. In the meantime, our law is clear: US aid is cut off when a democratically elected government is deposed by military coup or decree. (Source)

Fireworks in Cairo:

Chris Carrington is a writer, researcher and lecturer with a background in science, technology and environmental studies. Chris is an editor for The Daily Sheeple, where this article first appeared. Wake the flock up!