Egyptian rebels insist that revolution is the only way to beat military coup

The Egyptian Revolutionary Council (ERC) affirmed on Friday that revolution is the sole option to end the military coup and restore civil society so that freedom and respect for law and order will be guaranteed, it has been reported. The ERC statement was issued following a visit by some of its members to the United States.

“The US visit was part of the effort to garner support for the Egyptian revolution and tell the world about its legitimate demands,” said the ERC. “It also showed the reality of the terrorist regime [in Cairo] that usurped authority and has been fighting the people.”

The ERC delegation to America included Maha Azzam, lawyer Walid Surabbi, Jamal Hishmat and Abdul-Mawjoud Al-Dordiri. They met with several US officials, decision-makers, congressmen and directors of research institutes.

During such meetings, the delegation stressed to the Americans that what took place on 3 July 2013 in Egypt was, in fact, a military coup against a democratically-elected president. They also reminded the US administration that it should take a clear position towards the flagrant human rights violations in Egypt and the crimes being committed by the terrorist regime represented by Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi in order to strengthen his illegitimate position.

Al-Sisi’s regime, they argued, is unstable and unsustainable and does not deserve support from the US and Europe. To back Al-Sisi is to abandon the obligation to defend basic human rights and principles of democracy, which has underpinned official US policy for many years.

The independence of the judicial system in Egypt, said the ERC delegation, is threatened not only by ongoing violations by coup-supporting judges against political opponents, but also by sanctions against those judges who seek to get the country back onto the democratic track.

Social cohesion in Egypt has been damaged by the military coup. It is essential, claimed the ERC, to restore it to its natural state. The Egyptian people, the delegation pointed out, chose their representatives in several democratic elections after the 25 January Revolution; political life in Egypt must bear witness to political plurality and be inclusive. As part of this process, said the group, the Egyptian army has to give up politics and return to its bases.

Pointing out that the Egyptian revolution has peaceful intent, the delegation told US officials that entities formed to respond to crimes committed by the security forces are “normal” in the absence of any objective judicial system. This is also a normal response to the systematic state terrorism of the authorities and the oppression against peaceful protesters, including killing, arrest, torture, rape and serious violations of human dignity.

The delegation also reminded Washington that it should, in justice, put pressure on the military government in Egypt to release the American-Egyptian citizen Mohamed Salah Sultan along with the others arrested under false pretences. Even elected MPs, they pointed out, suffer terribly inside Egypt’s prisons.

A positive atmosphere dominated the meetings, it is reported, and specific recommendations were made in order to maintain contact and constructive dialogue so that the administration is clear about the reality of life in Egypt. In conclusion, the ERC delegation insisted that the revolution has to be sustained as it is the only strategy capable of ousting the coup government and bringing justice back to Egypt.