Reax to clashes from Amr Moussa, political activist Amr Hamzawi
(10 Oct 2011) 1. Wide of news conference with Egypt's presidential candidates and political activists 2. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Amr Moussa, Egypt's presidential candidate and former Arab League chief: "Yesterday, probably it was not a clash between Muslims and Christians, but it was led by thugs who wanted to stab the revolution and the political process. We must be careful so things do not get out of control. The situation is critical and there are threats of civil war. We hope we won't reach that point." 3. Media 4. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Amr Moussa, Egypt's presidential candidate and former Arab League chief: "We must have a strict stand. The law must be applied, the law must be respected. The government must be strict and we cannot be lenient with the law enforcement so that it stops us from moving away from chaos." 5. Wide of news conference 6. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Amr Hamzawi, Political activist: "Law enforcement has been absent for eight months in Egypt and the law has not been applied. There is a new law governing the construction and places of worship and it has been negotiated more than once in the last seven months in the human rights council. These laws have not yet been applied. We demand the immediate enforcement of those regulations which stop the differentiation between citizens. Without such laws we won't be able to overcome the forthcoming problems." 7. Pan of news conference STORYLINE: Egypt's presidential candidate warned on Monday about "threats of civil war" which might setback the country's already fraught transition to civilian rule after three decades of Hosni Mubarak's authoritarian government. Speaking to the media, along with other presidential candidates, Amr Moussa, the former Secretary-General of the Arab League, said Sunday's clashes were threatening Egypt's "revolution and the political process." Sunday's sectarian violence, in which 24 people died, grew out of a Christian protest against a church attack. "We must have a strict stand. The law must be applied, the law must be respected. The government must be strict," Amr Moussa said. Amr Hamzawi, political activist, also stressed on the importance of the law enforcement in Egypt, saying without it "we won't be able to overcome the forthcoming problems." The clashes on Sunday night began when about thousand Christian protesters tried to stage a sit-in outside the state television building along the Nile in central Cairo. The protesters said they were attacked by "thugs" with sticks and the violence then spiralled out of control after a speeding military vehicle jumped up onto a pavement and rammed into some of the Christians. Most of the 24 people killed were Coptic Christians, although officials said at least three soldiers were among the dead. Nearly 300 people were injured and Egypt's official news agency said dozens have been arrested. Further clashes broke out on Monday, outside the Coptic hospital where many of the Christian victims were taken the night before. There was no word of casualties from Monday's clashes. Christians, who make up about 10 per cent of Egypt's 85 (m) million people, blame the ruling military council for being too lenient on those behind a spate of anti-Christian attacks since Mubarak's removal. The chaotic power transition has left a security vacuum, and the Coptic Christian minority is particularly worried about a show of force by ultraconservative Islamists, known as Salafis. In recent weeks, riots have broken out at two churches in southern Egypt, prompted by Muslim crowds angry over church construction. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
