Egyptian security officials say forces will besiege two Morsi Supporter protest camps in Cairo within 24 hours

Egypt police to besiege sit-ins within 24 hours

The Associated Press Supporters of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi walk through makeshift barriers to a sit-in at Nahda Square, which is fortified with multiple walls of bricks, tires, metal barricades and sandbags, where protesters have installed their camp near Cairo University in Giza, southwest of Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2013. Morsi supporters hunker down behind makeshift security barriers in preparation of a possible crackdown this week on their two main Cairo sit-ins. It comes as Egypt’s leadership vows that the decision to disperse the sit-ins is irreversible. The Arabic on the poster reads, "Yes for legitimacy, no for coup." (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

By AYA BATRAWY / Associated Press / August 11, 2013

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian security officials say forces will besiege two protest camps in Cairo supporting the country’s ousted president within 24 hours.
One official suggested action against the sit-ins by supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi could happen as early as daybreak Monday.

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Egypt says diplomacy has failed to resolve crisis

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AYA BATRAWY August 7, 2013

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's military-backed interim leadership proclaimed Wednesday that a crackdown against two protest sites is inevitable, saying that nearly two weeks of foreign diplomatic efforts to peacefully resolve its standoff with the Muslim Brotherhood have failed.
The government's statements strongly suggested that Egypt's sharp polarization may spiral into even more bloodshed as thousands of supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi, a longtime Brotherhood figure, camp out at two main Cairo intersections and hold daily protests outside security buildings.
At stake is stability in the Arab world's most populous country. Already more than 250 people have been killed in violence since the military ousted Morsi last month, including at least 130 Brotherhood supporters in two major clashes between security forces and backers of the deposed president.
"The decision agreed on by all to clear the sit-ins is final and irreversible," Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi said on state television, reading a statement issued by the Egyptian Cabinet.
In response, top Muslim Brotherhood figure Mohammed el-Beltagy said the protesters are determined to keep up the sit-ins.
"What we care about is for there to be clear talks about our position against the military coup and the importance of returning legitimacy," el-Beltagy told The Associated Press at the main protest site in the capital's Nasr City neighborhood. He said the Cabinet's statement makes "clear that they lack vision with regard to the political scene."
A joint statement released late Wednesday by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
"We remain concerned and troubled that government and opposition leaders have not yet found a way to break a dangerous stalemate and agree to implement tangible confidence building measures," the statement said.
"The Egyptian government bears a special responsibility to begin this process to ensure the safety and welfare of its citizens," it said. "Now is not the time to assess blame, but to take steps that can help initiate a dialogue and move the transition forward."

Egypt's top general to U.S.: You turned your back  …Play video."

 

It is unclear what the government's crackdown on the sit-ins would entail or when it would begin, but it appeared unlikely to start until next week. The Cabinet statement said the government was keen not to take action during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ends Wednesday to be followed by four days of Eid celebrations.
For his part, the prime minister said the government seeks stability and rule of law in the face of "hard circumstances". He said Egypt must start a new chapter, "without settling scores, without bias against any side."
A flurry of diplomatic visits by envoys from the United States, the European Union and Arab Gulf states ended in deadlock. By Wednesday, all had departed Cairo with no guarantees of compromise from the government or the Brotherhood.
Some of the visits by foreign diplomats were made at the request of those in power, such as Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei, who wanted to find peaceful ways to resolve the dispute. But emotions in Egypt are high, and many have pushed for a strong hand in quashing the protests.
Widespread anger with the Brotherhood and Morsi is what sparked millions to take to the streets and demand his ouster just days before the military forced him out of power July 3. Later on, hundreds of thousands rallied to answer a call by the country's army chief to give him a mandate to stop "potential terrorism" by Morsi supporters.
The Brotherhood is demanding Morsi's reinstatement as Egypt's first freely elected president, and many of the pro-Morsi protesters say that the sit-ins are their last bargaining chip to press for the release of detained leaders and for guarantees that they will have a significant role in politics.
The prime minister said the Cabinet "had hoped to solve this crisis during this period without the intervention of security forces," but that the sit-ins have not been peaceful and that the protesters have frightened citizens, blocked roads, attacked government buildings and threatened security.


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Egypt TV: Police to besiege pro-Morsi sit-ins

MAGGIE MICHAEL Associated Press

 Published: August 2, 2013 11:45AM

CAIRO (AP) -- Egyptian authorities plan to besiege sit-in protest camps filled with supporters of deposed President Mohammed Morsi, state television reported Friday, a step toward clearing areas that loyalists say they'll defend until their leader is returned to power.
A security cordon around the two Cairo sit-in sites raises the possibility of more violence in Egypt, still roiled a month after a military coup backed by popular support overthrew Morsi. Protesters armed with sticks and makeshift body armor already stand guard there behind walls of sandbags, tires and bricks.
The state TV broadcast said a cordon of security forces and vehicles will encircle the sit-in sites within 48 hours. The report said authorities will let people leave without officials inspecting their identities or arresting them. However, security forces will not allow anyone else into the protests, enacting a blockade on areas that have drawn thousands nightly.
On Thursday, Egypt's government offered protection and "safe passage" to those willing to voluntarily leave the protest camp, as it announced it was taking "measures" to end the protests. The government made its pledge a day after the military-backed government gave orders to police to end what it described as "threat to national security" and sources of "citizens' terrorism."
Rights groups warn against ending the protests by force. Most recently, New York-based Human Rights Watch called on Egypt's interim leadership to take all measures to avert bloodshed.
"To avoid another bloodbath, Egypt's civilian rulers need to ensure the ongoing right of protesters to assemble peacefully, and seek alternatives to a forcible dispersal of the crowds," said Nadim Houry, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch.


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