Ex-military chief Al-Sisi appears unstoppable despite human rights concerns
CAIRO – General Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, a military strongman in the mold of ousted long-time autocratic leader Hosni Mubarak, is poised to win Egypt’s elections which are being held this week. The challenger, leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, is not seen as posing a serious threat.
Early reports indicate a heavy turnout in many areas despite calls from the outlawed Islamist group Muslim Brotherhood – which has issued a statement calling the elections “invalid” — to boycott the vote. In one town, Muslim Brotherhood members formed a human chain in an attempt to prevent voters from reaching the polls. Outside another polling station a homemade bomb exploded, but there were no reported casualties.
“Free Egyptians, you grant legitimacy and deny it, and you have previously granted it to the kidnapped civilian president,” said the statement, referring to ousted leader Mohamed Morsi, who is currently being held in detention.
But in most areas the mood was upbeat as Egyptians hope the popular Al-Sisi will stabilize the country and begin work to reverse Egypt’s economic free-fall in which unemployment is growing and fuel subsidies are threatening to bring the country down.
"Egypt is having a festival today and I am hopeful,” Ezzat Ilhamy, told The Media Line standing in front of a polling station in the upscale neighborhood of Zamalek. “I know we won't build a country in four years. Democracy is a complicated process.”
About 53 million Egyptians are eligible to vote, and turnout will say a lot about how much support anticipated winner has. Supporters say they want to see a turnout of around 40 million as a mark of confidence in Sisi. But some Egyptians say they are not happy with either candidate and will stay home in protest.
“I am boycotting elections entirely; I don't want to participate in this joke,” P. Labib, a civil rights activist who asked not to use her full name, told The Media Line. “I don't believe in either of the candidates. We should protest and ask for better candidates. They both have no realistic programs to improve our country. I am boycotting and continuing to protest until I can make a change.”
The election is being held less than one year after the Egyptian military government headed by Al-Sisi deposed the first democratically elected government headed by Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi, and outlawed the organization. Approximately 3,000 Egyptians have been killed and 17,000 arrested since last July according to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Ironically, it was Morsi who appointed Sisi to be the army’s chief-of-staff in 2012.
Military strongman Al-Sisi has established something of a personality cult in Egypt, with his picture plastered on everything from walls to hats to chocolate wrappers. After the turmoil which began with massive demonstrations leading to longtime leader Hosni Mubarak’s removal from power in 2011, through the election and later removal of Morsi, to this week’s elections, Egyptians have been longing for stability.
“These elections are going to decide the future of Egypt for the next five or ten years,” Tzvi Mazel, a former Israeli ambassador to Egypt told The Media Line. “He is an army man and the army is the only national institution which is still accepted by the people. There is no political institution left to go to.”
Many Egyptians say they are worried about the economic future of their country. Egypt, with a population of 85 million, has large resources of natural gas, but has not been able to extract the gas and market it. The government spends $20 billion a year in electricity subsidies, but Egyptians still endure frequent blackouts. Egypt is currently in negotiations with Noble Energy to buy Israeli natural gas, which is set to start flowing within the next few months.
The election is being watched carefully around the Middle East, but especially by Egypt’s neighbor, Israel. Although Israel and Egypt have had a peace treaty since 1979, there have been growing calls on the Egyptian side to rescind the agreement. Both Israel and Egypt are concerned about the growing threat from Jihadists in the Sinai Peninsula, and the two countries’ military and intelligence services have been closely cooperating.
Al-Sisi’s comments during the campaign about the peace treaty with Israel have been moderate — clearly intended to send a calming message to Jerusalem.
“Our relationship with Israel and the peace treaty had been stable for more than 30 years, and has faced a lot of challenges – yet it remained stable. We respected it, and we will respect it,” Al-Sisi told the Reuters News Agency earlier this month.
Sherif Elhelwa contributed reporting from Cairo.