Ideally, a new constitution in Egypt would unite citizens around a consensus vision for their country and set a firm foundation for a democratic transition. The Islamist-backed constitution that took effect this week has only exacerbated divisions and left millions of non-Islamists feeling disenfranchised, angry and determined to force changes in the document.
Connect With Us on Twitter
For Op-Ed, follow @nytopinion and to hear from the editorial page editor, Andrew Rosenthal, follow @andyrNYT.
If there is to be a durable solution, President Mohamed Morsi will have to take the lead in steering Egypt out of the chaos he did so much to create and toward compromise, including amendments to constitutional provisions many Egyptians find objectionable. He sounded a conciliatory note in a speech Wednesday, though he made no concessions. But the opposition — secularists, liberals and Coptic Christians — also has an important role. If it wants a larger voice in government, then it needs to behave like a responsible opposition, organizing and forging a common agenda among themselves and running candidates for the lower house of Parliament in elections expected in two months.
Although the constitutional referendum that concluded Saturday passed with about 64 percent "yes" votes, only 32.9 percent of nearly 52 million registered voters cast ballots. That, in turn, reflects disgust with a political process that included violent street protests and a president who, for a time, asserted dictatorial powers.
The constitution would fulfill some basic demands of the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak by ending the all-powerful presidency and strengthening Parliament. But it would also give Egypt's generals much of the power and privilege they had in the Mubarak era, and it is weak on civil rights.
After Mr. Morsi signed the decree on Tuesday putting the charter into effect, he relinquished legislative power to the usually toothless Shura Council, or upper house of Parliament. While that is a sign of progress, the council, like the government, is Islamist-dominated. It would be a serious mistake if the Shura Council, which itself will relinquish lawmaking responsibilities once the lower house is elected, overplayed its hand and enacted laws that provoked the opposition even more.
The State Department has urged Mr. Morsi to seek compromise. Egypt needs stability. Since 2010, its foreign currency reserves have plummeted from $36 billion to $15 billion, and, on Tuesday, there were signs that some Egyptians were hoarding dollars.
The country requires a $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund but can't complete the deal until fiscal reforms are enacted — reforms that would go down more easily if Egyptians trusted the government and felt they were part of a plan that would benefit the common good. Other aid, from the United States and elsewhere, also is waiting on the fund and reforms.
Egyptians can continue internecine warfare and watch their economy collapse. Or they can pull together and a build a more constructive future. It's their choice.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Editorial: Egypt’s Flawed Constitution
Dengan url
http://opinimasyarakota.blogspot.com/2012/12/editorial-egyptas-flawed-constitution.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Editorial: Egypt’s Flawed Constitution
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Editorial: Egypt’s Flawed Constitution
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar