The government's constitutional draft has given the military undue powers Thousands of Egyptians were massing in Cairo’s Tahrir Square early on Friday for a mass rally against the military rulers’ proposed “supra-constitutional principles” that seek to shield the army from public scrutiny.
Liberal and Islamist groups, including the powerful Musli Brotherhood movement, announced they would hold the rally after the government went ahead with its plan to draft overarching constitutional principles.Tents were pitched and sound stages set up as protesters returned to Tahrir square, the epicenter of an uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak from office in February, in what they said was an attempt to put “the revolution back on track.”
As legislative elections draw near -- the first polls since a popular uprising toppled president Hosni Mubarak in February -- protesters are demanding more control over the constitution the new parliament is set to draft.
They want the withdrawal of a government document that proposes supra constitutional principles, which could see the ruling military's budget shielded from public scrutiny.
“There will be a big revolution tomorrow,” said a protester demanding rights for Egyptians killed and wounded in the revolution.
The government’s draft drew fire from most quarters for including clauses that removed the ruling military’s budget from parliamentary oversight and allowed the military final say on military-related laws.
The government revised the draft, but the Islamists, who organised a mass protest in July against such a charter, have rejected the very idea of a document that would limit parliament’s authority to draft the constitution.
“The protest on Friday is to reclaim power from the army and oppose Silmi’s document,” said Mohamed Fathi from the youth group the Front to Protect the Revolution.
While Friday's protests will group varying political stripes under different banners, the unifying call is for the military to transfer power to a civilian government as soon as possible.
The protest is due to start officially after the noon Muslim prayers, but early morning crowds pointed to a large turnout.
Several secular groups are set to march from the Mohandesseen neighbourhood to Tahrir Square under the banner "We want a president," calling on the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) to hand power to a civilian president by April 2012 at the latest.
Salafi parties and movements, who follow orthodox Islamic teachings, were the earliest to galvanize support for the Friday protest, with the Muslim Brotherhood and a number of liberal parties following suit.
“Our demands are the revolution’s demands ... our sit-in is open until we leave,” said protester Abdulla Ibrahim.
The powerful Muslim Brotherhood and its Freedom and Justice Party have led the call for the Tahrir protest.
Liberal, leftist and other Islamist parties said they would participate in the rally, as did pro-democracy movements that launched the January 25 uprising.
The Brotherhood, through its Freedom and Justice Party, may emerge as the largest bloc in the election, the first since the fall of Mubarak.
The SCAF, which took charge after Mubarak's ouster and suspended the constitution and parliament, says it will hand over power once a new president is elected.
Parliamentary elections will start on November 28 and are expected to end in March.
Friday's demonstration comes a day after 25 people were injured when a Coptic Christian march came under attack by assailants throwing stones and bottles.
The Copts were marching to demand justice for the Christian victims of a clash with soldiers in October that left at least 25 people dead, most of them Christians.
A security official told AFP that supporters of an Islamist election candidate in the northern neighbourhood of Shoubra joined in the attack on the Copts.
Copts, who make up roughly 10 per cent of Egypt's 80 million people, complain of discrimination in the Muslim-majority country.
There has been a spike in sectarian clashes since Mubarak was toppled.
Any extended protest by demonstrators camping in Tahrir square could potentially destabilise preparations for a parliamentary vote due on November 28.
Political groups have demanded the military council announce a clear timetable for handing power over to an elected civilian government with a deadline for presidential elections no later than April 2012.