Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has instructed the country’s Armed Forces to maintain national security during a constitutional referendum scheduled for December 15.
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has instructed the country’s Armed Forces to maintain national security during a constitutional referendum scheduled for December 15.
Units of the Egyptian National Guard have already reinforced obstacles and built up the concrete walls on streets near the residence of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi.
Under a presidential decree, army units will help maintain security and guard state agencies until the results of a nationwide referendum on the draft Egyptian Constitution are announced.
Army officers will have the same rights as police officers to arrest lawbreakers.
Opposition parties denounced the decision to hold a referendum on the draft Constitution on December 15, saying the country is not ready.
The opposition has called on all progressive Egyptian forces to “rally on the squares of Egyptian cities and protest President Morsi’s policies.”
At the same time, Egypt’s Islamist movements plan to gather their supporters and stage three “million-strong” rallies in support of the president.
The Islamist movements and the opposition National Salvation Front plan to hold their rallies on the same day, December 11.
The Cairo rally is to be held in the Madinat Nasr district, only a few kilometers from the Ittihadiyah presidential residence.
Supporters of Salafist groups and members of other Islamist organizations plan to join the main rally. Photo: A caricature of a pro-Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood member.
